Access points and IP address

Midlander2022 · 9 Jun 2022 at 19:02

Hi!

I was hoping someone could answer a query for me.

I have two routers on my network set in access point mode and both work perfectly well for wired and wireless connections.

When I log in to the "main" router settings I can see an IP address for one of the access points but not the other one.

Why would one have an IP address and not the other? I always thought access points didn't have IP addresses so I'm a bit confused why one does.

Hopefully this isn't a difficult question!

Orcvader · 9 Jun 2022 at 21:34

Because it's still a device on your network. The IP for the main router is the gateway, the one functioning as a DHCP server, so it has no reason to list itself in the IP list.

Midlander2022 · 9 Jun 2022 at 21:47

Oh sorry I don't think my first post was very clear. In total I have 3 routers. One as the "main router" and both the two others connected to it in access point mode. One of them in access point mode has an IP address showing in the main router client list and the other one in access point mode doesn't. I just can't work out why one has an ip address and one doesn't. If you see what I mean!

Orcvader · 9 Jun 2022 at 21:56

What are the models for the main router and the other two slave routers in access point mode? It should still have an IP address, otherwise you wouldn't be able to access it to change any settings on it.

Avalon · 10 Jun 2022 at 09:15

... and this is the point op realised his second router in ap mode wasn't connected to his network.

the-evaluator · 10 Jun 2022 at 10:07

I wonder if the confusion about an AP not having an IP address is that you won't see the IP of the AP appearing if you do a traceroute to/from a wireless client which is normal.

Avalon · 11 Jun 2022 at 16:12

the-evaluator said:
I wonder if the confusion about an AP not having an IP address is that you won't see the IP of the AP appearing if you do a traceroute to/from a wireless client which is normal.

Previous post clearly states they are looking at the 'master router' which would show the AP in it's client list.

K.C. Leblanc · 12 Jun 2022 at 10:33

Midlander2022 said:
Hi!

I was hoping someone could answer a query for me.

I have two routers on my network set in access point mode and both work perfectly well for wired and wireless connections.

When I log in to the "main" router settings I can see an IP address for one of the access points but not the other one.

Why would one have an IP address and not the other? I always thought access points didn't have IP addresses so I'm a bit confused why one does.

Hopefully this isn't a difficult question!

May be as simple as one has a static address and the other is DHCP, or the invisible one has an address that is out of range.