Question need networking hardware help to hook up 4k tv

[rockerrb3]

I need some help setting up some networking hardware and an external hard drive set up as a network hard drive.

NOTE:
I only have 2 TVs and 2 PCs:
1 Dell Desktop 7020 PC
and:
1 thin client PC
- both must be hard wired to the internet
AND
- both run Windows 10

The TVs are:
1 old style TV (only connected to a Playstion 2 and no cable tv or even an antenna) (NO NEED TO CONCERN YOURSELF WITH THIS TV!) >>> I DO NOT and DO NOT wish to play the Playstion 2 online
1 4K Smart TV (Samsung)

I moved AND changed ISPs and TV providers and now the Linksys router is a local wi-fi only network.

The new ISP and cable TV provider are Fiber To The Home.

The Linksys router is hard wired to a network drive via USB 3.0, but the Linksys router is not connected to the PC as the PC only has one Ethernet port and no wireless card or wireless on the motherboard (Dell Optiplex 7020) >>>

>> so I can see the drive (drive E) on my 4K Smart TV via the local wi-fi network, but the PC cannot see this drive (drive E))

I also have 3 other hard drives which can see the PC (but not the 4K smart TV AND I DON'T NEED TO SEE THEM ON THE 4K SMART TV)
ALL 3 are connected directly to the PC and can see the internet also:
The other 3 hard drives are:

• internal SATA SSD (drive C)
• internal SATA hard drive (drive X)
• external USB 3.0 hard drive (drive F)

All 3 can also see the internet via the new ISPs wired and wireless router and modem all in one unit which is now connected to the one and only Ethernet port on the motherboard on the back of the PC.
The Dell Desktop PC only has 1 hardwired Ethernet port and no other network access.
The other PC (windows 10 thin client (used for work) is also hard wired and must be hard wired to the new ISP's wired and wireless router and modem (all one unit)

Drive E DOES NOT necessarily need to have access to the internet (but it would be helpful). It just needs wi-fi access to connect to the 4K Smart TV and it also needs access to my Dell Desktop PC so that i can either download files to it DIRECTLY from the internet
OR
COPY files to it.

The THIN CLIENT DOES NOT need access to any other drive, only hardwired the internet.

AGAIN:
- right now I can't see the network drive (drive E) on the computer at all because the Linksys router can't be connected to the desktop PC because their is only one Ethernet port on the back of my Dell Desktop Windows 10 PC and it does not
have wi-fi.
- I can see the drive on the 4K smart TV as the drive is connected to the Linksys router which is now a wi-fi only local network without internet access.

I changed ISPs and TV service providers so here's what I want to do:

OLD setup:
1 cable modem (hard wired only, no wi-fi built in)
1 desktop PC with one Ethernet port, no wi-fi card, no wi-fi on motherboard
1 Samsung 4K Smart TV
1 Linksys Wired and wi-fi router with 1 USB 3.0 port
1 drive (drive E) was set up as a network hard drive and was AND ALSO is now wired to the router via USB 3.0
(no need to concern yourself with the other 3 drives, they all work just exactly like I want them to)

NEW setup:
1 External network drive (drive E) to Linksys router via USB 3.0:
AGAIN:
this creates a local only wireless network from the Linksys router to the 4K smart TV (in the other room) BY MAPPING 1 EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE AS A NETWORK DRIVE (drive E), but the Dell Desktop PC can't see it.
1 wired DVR (hardwired to ISPs network device via Ethernet (wired and wireless router and modem all in one unit)
1 settop cable box connected to:
- ISPs network device via wireless
AND
- to 4K Smart TV via HDMI

ALL 3 other hard drives are still connected to the Dell Desktop PC and can also see the internet.



OBJECTIVE*:

I want to:
be able to see Drive E on BOTH the TV AND the Dell Desktop PC.
- PLEASE NOTE:
The network drive (drive E) does not need to see the internet, but it would be nice if possible).
The network drive (drive E) DOES need to see BOTH the Dell Desktop PC AND THE 4K SMART TV!

I want to be able to do ALL of this WITHOUT having to disconnect and reconnect any wires.

Can I achieve this WITHOUT having to buy or install anything new or would it simply be best to get some new hardware to achieve my objective?
I WOULD LIKE TO have the network drive (drive E) HARDWIRED to the Dell Desktop PC.

I know that all this seems COMPLICATED AS HELL, but there has to be a way that I can do this even if I have to buy something new.

Obviously a NAS would solve the problem, but I don't make much money so I don't have it to buy much of anything and any hardware on the inside of the Dell Desktop PC needs to be professionally installed.

ANY help would be highly appreciated. IF you can come up with a solution in which I don't have to buy anything new and I can acheve my OBJECTIVE and you are willing to give out your email address I will send you an electronic by email Amazon Gift Card for $10 (sorry, I know it's not much money). First person to come up with this solution gets the loot!

 

[SamirD]

Okay, so a couple of answers and then a couple of questions.

First, you should be able to do this with all your existing equipment, no sweat.

But, it is a bit difficult to understand what is wired to what without an actual wiring diagram. That being said, I think I have it and the solution may be as simple as unplugging the wire from the Dell and running it to the linksys and then running a wire from the Linksys to the Dell, but there may be some configuration involved as well.

 

[rockerrb3]

Okay, so a couple of answers and then a couple of questions.

First, you should be able to do this with all your existing equipment, no sweat.

But, it is a bit difficult to understand what is wired to what without an actual wiring diagram. That being said, I think I have it and the solution may be as simple as unplugging the wire from the Dell and running it to the linksys and then running a wire from the Linksys to the Dell, but there may be some configuration involved as well.

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Right now the Linksys router IS NOT wired to the Dell Desktop PC as it only has 1 Either port and it does not have a wireless card or wireless on the mother board. I DO have 1 external network hard drive connected to the Linksys router via USB 3.0. This allows me to see files that on on it in the other room on the 4K smart TV, but not on the PC as the Linksys router is not connected to the PC. There is 1 open usable hardwired port on the new ISP's all in one unit (modem, wired router, and wireless router).

I HAVE NOT tried to connect the Linksys router to the ISP's unit. The ISP's unit DOES NOT HAVE any USB ports of any kind. I would like for BOTH the TV and the PC to be able to see the network hard drive WITHOUT having to change wires and constantly reconfigure networks on the PC. I THINK that as long as I don't have to unplug and replug in the USB external hard drive to the back of the Linksys wired and wireless router that I should ever have to map it as a network drive ever again.

I hope that this information is helpful. If you can help me achieve my objective I will send you an ELECTRONIC $10 Amazon gift card by email. If you don't wish to give out your email address then you would need to go to gmail or another free email website and create a temporary new email address AND create a new account using the same email address on Amazon to spend the money.

I DO NOT know if there is a way you can send me a direct private message on these forums or not.

You are the only one who has responded to my post.

Thank you for your help.

 

[SamirD]

Yep, I think I got all that initially too. Thank you for the clarifications.

So what you need to do to have everything connected, so the drive and everything have Internet access as well as access to each other is to connect that one port on the isp router to the linksys lan port, after configuring the linksys for 'access point only' mode.

Let me know if you have any questions.

I can private message you if you want.

 

[rockerrb3]

Yep, I think I got all that initially too. Thank you for the clarifications.

So what you need to do to have everything connected, so the drive and everything have Internet access as well as access to each other is to connect that one port on the isp router to the linksys lan port, after configuring the linksys for 'access point only' mode.

Let me know if you have any questions.

I can private message you if you want.

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I'm not sure how to change it to:
'access point only' mode.

I will try and call Linksys in a bit to see if they are open today. If not, then I may need some further help from you as I'd like to get this problem solved over the weekend.

It's 5:49 pm here in Central Time in Nebraska on Sa 8/14/21. I may be busy for the next hour or more so please be patient.

Thank you for your response.

 

[SamirD]

What is the model number of the Linksys? I'll give you exact instructions.

Central time here too, but much farther south and east of you (crazy how it's considered one time zone 😱)

 

[rockerrb3]

I'm not for sure; the original box is burried in the closest somewhere. I'm calling Linksys right now. apprently they are open. if it works out i'll send you the gift card RIGHT AWAY!

Thanks again.

 

[rockerrb3]

do i need to set this up as a wired and wireless access point only or just wired?

 

[rockerrb3]

UPDATE:

The ISP's device does in fact have a USB port on the back of it, but it is not not USB 3.0 (I DON'T THINK that it is any way, and it shouldn't matter)


So this is what I've done now.:

I disconnected the Linksys router from the back of the ISP's device. It was connected via Ethernet.

I disconnected the drive that I want to be a network drive from the back of the Linksys router.

I connected the drive that I want to be the network drive to the USB port on the back of the ISPs network device.

Right now I can't even see the drive on the PC OR on the TV.


Question:

How do I get the PC to recognize the USB drive so that I can map it as a network drive?

The next step would then be to and reconfigure the 4K Smart TV to recognize the new network so that I can get internet and the Network Drive on it.

What is the model number of the Linksys? I'll give you exact instructions.

Central time here too, but much farther south and east of you (crazy how it's considered one time zone 😱)

____
OK:

DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO ANY OTHER OF MY POSTS BUT THIS ONE:

I called my ISP and their USB port on the back of their network device is not active. So therefore i MUST connect the external hard drive (drive E) that I want to be a network drive to the back of the Linksys router

Next I connected the Linksys router to the back of the ISP's network device by Ethernet cable to the 1 open WAN port


Question:

How do I set up the Linksys router to be an access point only? I'm assuming that I need it to be wired only and need to shut off it's wi-fi. Either way it's password protected.

This is the model I have:

WRT3200ACM

 

[SamirD]

do i need to set this up as a wired and wireless access point only or just wired?

Access points are typically connected wired and then have wireless on to allow wireless clients to connect to the wired network. Think of them as a 'on ramp' for wireless devices.

 

[SamirD]

WRT3200ACM

Sorry for the delayed reply. Been dealing with a plumbing issue so no water for 2 days and got dehydrated.

Thank you for the model number. I actually think I have one of those as well so I should be able to tell you very easily in detail what to do.

I'll do some research and post back some instructions. There is a chance you may need to reset the router to factory defaults so keep in mind any configurations that you have set up for wireless and the drive as you may need to enter them again (but I hope to avoid a reset).

 

[SamirD]

I will need the following information from the ISP router:
Network LAN Address Range and DHCP server--this will be something like 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2-192.168.1.254

This will not be your wan information your public IP. Verify that you don't have your public ip by checking here https://whatismyipaddress.com/

I also need the same information from your Linksys router:
Network LAN Address Range and DHCP server--this will also be something like 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2-192.168.1.254, and possibly could be the same (something we would need to address before a solution is implemented).

 

[rockerrb3]

After a 3 hr phone call with Linksys the issue has now been resolved. Thank for your help, but i've already got the problem figured out now.

 

[SamirD]

No problem, glad you got it working.

 

[rockerrb3]

How do I mark a question on here as solved? I need to send you that $10 Amazon gift card anyway out of my Christmas bonus for all your help!