[(O.O)]

Hi guys,

I'm trying to stream content stored over a wired LAN on an HD from my main PC in one room and a SFF XBMC machine that sits in another room. Each machine is connected to a different router (same subnet mask/default gateway), each router being essential in acting as a switch and providing wireless to extend the network in that area of the house. So I shared the content folder on the main PC and tried to access it on the XBMC machine through the SMB sharing option, yet it doesn't pick it up. Yet, when I remove the routers all together (i.e. plugging it directly in the wall jack and canceling out the switch/wireless--not ideal), the machine recognized the shared folder on the main PC.

Am I selecting the wrong option to access this shared folder? If not, what should I change? If so, what alternate route should I take that would match the ease/quality of an SMB setup? TIA

[Fry7]

Trying to figure out your network... rather difficult without more information though.

So a few questions:

- Which IP addresses, masks and default gateway do you use for PC, router 1 + 2 and XBMC?
- Are router 1 + 2 REALLY BOTH running as routers?
- Maybe you could tell us which models those are...
- Is there a DHCP server running on one of these routers?

I guess that only one router is connected to the internet, so its IP address should be the default gateway for all machines that shall access the internet and it should also have the DHCP server running if you are using one.

Seems like a routing problem to me at first glance: like both routers are in different networks and don't know how to reach each other.

[DasMarx]

I think he wants to use one (or both) router(s) as an access point.
Either if he is connected throguh wlan or lan, it is essential that the routers are connected with their lan ports, not wan ports.

[(O.O)]

Trying to figure out your network... rather difficult without more information though.

So a few questions:

- Which IP addresses, masks and default gateway do you use for PC, router 1 + 2 and XBMC?
- Are router 1 + 2 REALLY BOTH running as routers?
- Maybe you could tell us which models those are...
- Is there a DHCP server running on one of these routers?

I guess that only one router is connected to the internet, so its IP address should be the default gateway for all machines that shall access the internet and it should also have the DHCP server running if you are using one.

Seems like a routing problem to me at first glance: like both routers are in different networks and don't know how to reach each other.

Thanks for the reply. Apologies for the poor description, I know very little of networking on the whole and I'm probably not using the terms accurately. I will explain my setup in the simplest way possible and hopefully you can spot the problem.

So, I have the Actiontec MI424WR in my basement that to my understanding acts as both modem and router. The four LAN ports in the back are hardwired to four rooms in the house. In the room with my main PC/shared folder, I have the Belkin F5D8235-4 that's wired exactly like this though the LAN port. It serves to hardwire the main PC and provide wifi for that area of the house. In the second room with the XBMC rig, I have the Belkin Play N600 HD (model# F7D8301) that's wired similarly and provides that same function for another area of the house. My intent is to get that shared folder on the main PC (connected to Belkin F5D8235) recognized by the XBMC rig (connected to Belkin Play N600) via SMB.

I logged into the backend of both routers and both have DHCP enabled. Apparently the two routers create different networks even though they're connected to the same modem (I had no idea), and if I want to sustain the router/wifi functionality of both the Belkin routers I cannot implement SMB share, correct? Would I be able to accomplish this through some portforwarding trick? I also read about using routers in AP mode, if I were to turn AP mode on for both routers (forcing them onto the same network) would I still be able to hardwire the XBMC rig/main pc to the LAN ports on either router?

Sorry if some stuff doesn't make sense, I'm learning all this as I go along. I really appreciate your advice. Thanks again.

[Fry7]

Oh Lord, suspected smthg like that... (no offense)

A router is a device that is directly connected to the internet (WAN, wide area network) and usually has a DHCP server running which deploys IP addresses to any connected client in its LAN (local area network) and allowing them to reach any client inside the LAN it spreads as well as anything reachable outside his realm - the internet.

In your case it seems that the Actiontec device fills this role.

Unfortunately, both your Belkin devices also are configured to act like a router: both seem to receive internal IP addresses from the Actiontec router, taking them as their WAN addresses and spanning their own DHCP range of another LAN subnet on these.

This means e.g. that a device connected to your F5D8235-4 will only be able to communicate with the devices that are directly connected to it, the same applies to the other Belkin device, so at the moment your local network is composed of three LAN-segments which can't communicate which each other.

The easiest way to come over this problem would be to configure both your Belkin devices to work in a Client-only-mode.
Did a quick review of the Belkins Q&A and support articles, and they seem to be able to do so:

1. log into your Actiontec device and learn which DHCP range it deploys
   
2. if the Actiontec itself has e.g. the IP 192.168.1.1 and its DHCP range is 192.168.1.10 - 192.168.1.254, consider to manually deploy Belkin1 with a static IP address of 192.168.1.2 (and Belkin2 with 192.168.1.3 later)
   
3. the IP configuration might look like this then: IP = 192.168.1.2, subnet = 255.255.255.0, gateway = 192.168.1.1 (if DNS is required then = 192.168.1.1)
   
4. now connect a PC directly to that Belkin device's switch and disconnect the Belkin router from the Actiontec's network!
   
5. login to the Belkin webinterface via its actual IP address and activate the Access Point mode (use as Access Point or something like that)
   
6. --> this will deactivate its DHCP and router modules thus making it necessary to configure an IP that belongs to the LAN the Actiontec device deploys which you can now do!
   
7. after that the PC you are connected to the Belkin with will lose connectivity, so you then have to replug the Belkin to the wall plug (as stated by Belkin STILL via its yellow internet jack! If this shouldn't work, try a switch jack.) and let that PC renew its DHCP address (which it should now receive from the Actiontec router)
   
8. if that did work out you can repeat this for your 2nd Belkin device and you should now have a transparent LAN with full connectivity in any direction
   

Cheers.

[(O.O)]

Oh Lord, suspected smthg like that... (no offense)

A router is a device that is directly connected to the internet (WAN, wide area network) and usually has a DHCP server running which deploys IP addresses to any connected client in its LAN (local area network) and allowing them to reach any client inside the LAN it spreads as well as anything reachable outside his realm - the internet.

In your case it seems that the Actiontec device fills this role.

Unfortunately, both your Belkin devices also are configured to act like a router: both seem to receive internal IP addresses from the Actiontec router, taking them as their WAN addresses and spanning their own DHCP range of another LAN subnet on these.

This means e.g. that a device connected to your F5D8235-4 will only be able to communicate with the devices that are directly connected to it, the same applies to the other Belkin device, so at the moment your local network is composed of three LAN-segments which can't communicate which each other.

The easiest way to come over this problem would be to configure both your Belkin devices to work in a Client-only-mode.
Did a quick review of the Belkins Q&A and support articles, and they seem to be able to do so:

1. log into your Actiontec device and learn which DHCP range it deploys
   
2. if the Actiontec itself has e.g. the IP 192.168.1.1 and its DHCP range is 192.168.1.10 - 192.168.1.254, consider to manually deploy Belkin1 with a static IP address of 192.168.1.2 (and Belkin2 with 192.168.1.3 later)
   
3. the IP configuration might look like this then: IP = 192.168.1.2, subnet = 255.255.255.0, gateway = 192.168.1.1 (if DNS is required then = 192.168.1.1)
   
4. now connect a PC directly to that Belkin device's switch and disconnect the Belkin router from the Actiontec's network!
   
5. login to the Belkin webinterface via its actual IP address and activate the Access Point mode (use as Access Point or something like that)
   
6. --> this will deactivate its DHCP and router modules thus making it necessary to configure an IP that belongs to the LAN the Actiontec device deploys which you can now do!
   
7. after that the PC you are connected to the Belkin with will lose connectivity, so you then have to replug the Belkin to the wall plug (as stated by Belkin STILL via its yellow internet jack! If this shouldn't work, try a switch jack.) and let that PC renew its DHCP address (which it should now receive from the Actiontec router)
   
8. if that did work out you can repeat this for your 2nd Belkin device and you should now have a transparent LAN with full connectivity in any direction
   

Cheers.

None taken! Such a beautiful explanation. I was afraid AP mode would ruin something, but it worked! Thanks so much!

[S3nd41]

I'm having a similar problem streaming videos from SMB shared folders although I have a different network setup.
Do you think you can help me out?

Here's my thread: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=210053

Thanks!