Network query

[Cavallino]

Hello folks.
So I purchased an AX1800 TP Link router with a view of using this with my Oculus Quest 2 only.
Ideally Id like it to also access the internet and herein is my problem.

I have two ethernet ports on my PC, one is connected to the TP Link (used as Access Point for the Quest 2 only).
And the other ethernet port is plugged into a Superhub 2 cable connection.

How can I get my TP Link router/access point to use the internet off the other ethernet port?

Or must I connect the TP Link into the Superhub 2 as well?

Thanks folks.

 

[sja360]

Why are you not just plugging the tp link straight to the superhub?. You can still have a network cable from the superhub to the computer so both the computer and oculus will be connected

 

[WJA96]

To do what you’re describing you’d need the PC to work as a router, routing traffic from the TP-Link to the Superhub and that’s not that simple to organise.

As suggested by @sja360 it would be far better to set the AX1800 to access point mode and plug it into the Superhub. Or put the Superhub into Modem mode and run everything off the AX1800.

 

[Cavallino]

Yep I thought this was the case folks, but appreciate your confirmation of this.
So plugged in the AX1800 into the superhub and the the PC at the same time.
Interestingly. My PC is coming up TWICE in the devices connected in the AX1800 portal. Any reason why this is?

 

[sja360]

Yep I thought this was the case folks, but appreciate your confirmation of this.
So plugged in the AX1800 into the superhub and the the PC at the same time.
Interestingly. My PC is coming up TWICE in the devices connected in the AX1800 portal. Any reason why this is?

Your not connecting with wired and wireless on the computer by any chance?

 

[Cavallino]

Hmm not really!

 

[WJA96]

So you put the Superhub into Modem mode (the ports on the Superhub may now be working like a switch) and you have the plugged the computer into both the Superhub and the AX1800 then the AX1800 is seeing both your network cards with the Superhub acting like a switch between them. That's not an issue as the two network cards in your machine effectively are not bridged so they wont pass traffic between them and cause a packet storm.

 

[Cavallino]

Hmm, what if I have the superhub in normal mode but the router in access point mode?
Could I not use the superhub as a router/switch?

I read this thread on this forum and it says if you have both SH and the TPLINK active routers it causes "double nat"?

 

[WJA96]

If that was the case then you wouldn’t be able to see the PC at all because the AX1800 should only be handling wireless clients.

The double NAT is the absolute least of your issues. If both devices are running as DHCP servers you could have an IP address conflict in future.

This does seem to be a lot of messing about.

 

[Cavallino]

Sorry for my lack of networking knowledge. Not really good at this

So to confirm, if the AX1800 is in AP mode, you are saying TECHNICALLY it should not be showing my PC because it should be in pure AP mode i.e. using the wireless function as opposed to the network sockets?

Can I just clarify that I am only turning on the AX1800 when I use the Quest 2. Afterwards I turn it off, so it shouldnt be causing major DHCP issues I guess?


But to confirm what you are saying, by having my PC plugged into the AX1800 AND the SH2, this is conflicting?

 

[WJA96]

If the AX1800 is in AP mode it shouldn’t do anything else, otherwise it’s not AP Mode.

And if the AX1800 is plugged into the Superhub then the Superhub should be your only router and you shouldn’t plug anything into your AX1800.

The smart way to do this is put the Superhub into Modem mode and let the AX1800 handle everything else.

 

[Cavallino]

Ok so reading up on this a bit more...

It seems the AX1800 when put into AP mode, still allows ethernet sockets to work.
Which begs the question, whats the difference between AP mode and router mode.

Below is what I am running.
The TP Link is in AP mode as I mentioned and the SH in router mode.
As far as I know, the AX1800 can disable Nat and DHCP.
So if I did that surely the below would be ok?

The reason I am doing the connection between the SH and the TP link is so that the quest can pick up the internet.

If I took out the cable between the SH and the TP link, the quest doesnt see the internet....

Which is wierd to me considering the AX1800 is connected to my PC which in turn is connected to the internet.... but

For example if I connected my quest to a hot spot from my PCs onboard WiFi hotspot, the quest would be able to see the internet....

 

[BigT]

Based on your diagram you keep the SH in router mode, put the TP-Link in AP mode and remove the cable between the TP-Link and the PC as it’s redundant at best and going to give you grief more likely.

 

[Cavallino]

Based on your diagram you keep the SH in router mode, put the TP-Link in AP mode and remove the cable between the TP-Link and the PC as it’s redundant at best and going to give you grief more likely.

Thanks for the responses folks. Hmm, I see... but I need that there because of the Quest communication and latency impact.
Surely by taking the cable out it would mean the traffic has to go through the SH as opposed to directly to the PC?

Is there really no way around this to have the

 

[BigT]

Hmm, I see... but I need that there because of the Quest communication and latency impact.
Surely by taking the cable out it would mean the traffic has to go through the SH as opposed to directly to the PC?

It will but locally on your network your wired connections are going to be <1ms no matter if direct, through the super hub or 50m all around your house through multiple switches. What is it you fear or have experienced that leads you or believe latency from Quest to PC will be in any way impacted by going through the SH?

 

[Cavallino]

Very good point BigT, thanks for the clarification.
My fear is that the quest traffic is going through a series of additional electronics and switching of signals/traffic by having the superhub + additional wire.
Possibly the SH2 switch technology is a little dated compared to whats in the AX1800 and this may impact the latency?

(Thats what Im thinking but perhaps it maybe baseless based on what you explained?)

 

[BigT]

I think you’re worrying about an issue that isn’t there but the easy way to find out is try it and see.

 

[Cavallino]

Thanks BigT I think you are right.
However, for some reason my Amazon echos are coming up as connected wired devices in my devices list on the AX1800.... doesnt make sense as they are wireless devices....

And they are also coming up in the list of connected devices on the Superhub.

(to confirm the AX1800 is in AP mode)....

Why is it only the Echos are coming up on both devices and not others?

And in fact why are they coming up at all on the AX1800....