Help with new home network setup

[mogwai]

Up until recently I have been running an AmplfiHD as a router using an openreach vdsl modem. After some recent downstream speed issue the fault was found to be modem. So at the moment I have plugged in the router from Plusnet and have the AmplifiHD connected to one of the ethernet ports on the router and in the WAN port of the Amplifi. I have moved the wired connections from the Amplifi to the plusnet router and am looking to use the Amplifi to handle all the wifi as I have one of the modules that go with it as mesh system.

Everything seems to be able to get to the internet the only issue I am now having is that from my PC which is wired I cannot get to my printer which is on Wifi and handled by the Amplifi.

So I am not sure what I need to change in the config to allow me to print. I can see in the Amplifi app I have the option of turning on bridging. If this is the solution will I need to connect it to the router but not use the WAN port on the Amplifi?

Or am I better off getting a new vdsl modem from Draytek?

 

[BigT]

Everything wired will be getting their IP addresses from the Plusnet Router's DHCP server and will be in a different range from your wireless devices which are getting their IP addresses form the Amplifi router. The two networks won't talk to each other - hence your wired PC not being able to see the wireless printer. As an aside, your wireless devices are now probably double NAT too. Solutions:

• If the modem was the problem then get a second hand BTOR replacement of ebay for £20 and go back to what you were doing. Or buy a new Draytek if you want but it really is unnecessary spend.
• Plug the wired devices into the Amplifi router (then everything is double NAT)
• Use the Plusnet WiFi for your wireless devices (pointless - makes the amplifi redundant and your mesh won't work)
• Turn off the DHCP server on Amplifi which I think is what happens as part of using bridging mode. The Amplifi now does no routing and you relieve your double NAT situation. I don't know the amplifi so it may be you then need to connect your plusnet router to a LAN port on the Amplifi and not the WAN port.

 

[mogwai]

Thanks for the reply. I think as first step I will try your suggestion of moving the wired devices back to the Amplifi router.

 

[BigT]

OK, bear in mind if you run a Plex server or things like a minecraft server then you're double NAT and it may cause issues. For most people not a problem in practice but something to bear in mind. I've heard of people not having things like remote access to CCTV cameras for example. So if something weird isn't working as it should then that might be your problem.