Using a TG582n FTTC as an ethernet switch / WAP

[#1]

I am trying to use an old TG582n as an ethernet switch, connecting a LAN port by ethernet cable to a LAN port on the Sagemcom 2704n router.  My PC on the LAN is failing to "see" a hard disk device connected by ethernet cable to the TG582n, even though both the TG582n and HDD are showing in the DCHP table of the router. (The HDD is accessable to the PC when connected by cable direct to the router.)

Set up, step 1:  I changed the DCHP range on the Sagemcom, to reserve 192.168.1.1 - 63 for fixed IP addresses.

Step 2: I connected the PC direct to the TG582n and accessed its GUI using the default IP address and password, then changed its IP address to one outside the range of the router's DCHP (so that I could continue to access its GUI on the LAN).

Step 3:  I re-entered the TG582n GUI on the new address, and disabled its DCHP and firewall.

Step 4:  I wired everything up as intended.

Can anyone think why the TG582n is not passing access to the HDD through to my PC, even though they are both showing as present on the LAN?

[#2]

@ChrisL 

I don't understand your step 1.

The procedure here should also work with your router.  https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Using-a-2nd-Plusnet-Hub1-as-a-Wireless-Access-point/m-p/1385...

[#3]

Hi Baldrick1, thanks for your reply.

The Sagemcom has a default DHCP range of 192.168.1.1 - .253 ;  I wanted to use a fixed IP for the TG582n, which I think means reserving a slot to prevent the router from trying to re-allocate that IP. Anyway, this part seems to work: I can access the Technicolor GUI on the fixed IP 192.168.1.25, and the router allocates IP addresses in the new range 192.168.1..64 - .253 .

I'm about to check out your link now. Thanks!

[#4]

I've looked at the link now, thanks Baldrick1.  Why didn't this turn up when I searched the subject earlier?!!!

The procedure is exactly the same as the one I followed (with the addition of having to reserve an IP range from the Sagemcom DHCP pool), except that I don't think I disabled the UPnP. I'm going to try this next.

Everything is working as it should as far as the WAP is concerned -- wi-fi devices connecting via the TG582n can access the internet, and my PC on the LAN can stream to a Chromecast connecting to the WAP.

I still have this stupid niggle with the Panasonic DMR not showing up as an HDD when wired to the LAN through the TG582n!

[#5]

Does the Panny use DLNA to share it's drive by any chance ?

If so you might need to disable the inbuilt DLNA server on the TG582. Go to content sharing and turn off "manage disk".

[#6]

@MisterW Thanks for your help. I don't have an option to "manage disk" under "Content Sharing", but I assume this is the same as disabling UPnP and media server? I've now tried this, without a positive result.

I've also hit another snag, which may or may not be connected to the ongoing problem. When I connect my PC to a LAN port on the TG582n, and then another port to a LAN port on the Sagemcom router, I can access the GUI on both and other network devices, but I lose connection to the internet. My guess is the PC is not accessing a DNS server through the switch?

I'm losing patience with this Technicolor switch, which may actually be faulty.....

[#7]

When I connect my PC to a LAN port on the TG582n, and then another port to a LAN port on the Sagemcom router, I can access the GUI on both and other network devices, but I lose connection to the internet.

@ChrisL  that sounds very much like you're not getting the right default gateway address. You should have the address of the Sagemcom as the default gateway. Check with ipconfig what settings your PC has got .

If you're getting the IP of the TG582 then I suspect you've not got DHCP disabled correctly on it.

 edit: Aah! I've just noticed that the title of the thread suggests that you're using an FTTC version of the TG582n , is that correct ?

If so , you do realise that one of the LAN ports ( i think it's port 4 ) is a WAN port not a LAN port and so you can't use it in your configuration

[#8]

@MisterW ipconfig shows the default gateway as the IP address of the router (though a different address is specified as default gateway in the Information table of the Sagemcom GUI; is there any way of setting this on the PC?). It's the same when I connect the PC direct to the router and when I connect via the switch, though only the former allows access to the internet!  DHCP is shown as disabled on the TG582n, and its IP address is shown as I set it, so I don't know what else I can do to make sure this is correct.

I am staying clear of the WAN ports when connecting up.

Going back to the original problem, with the PC connected to the Sagemcom and the DMR connected via the TG582n, all the devices are showing on the LAN in the GUIs but I still can't access the DMR (as I can when it's connected directly to the router).

Ugghh!!

[#9]

Here's something interesting!

In the list of 'Devices on the LAN' (in the TG582n GUI), the Technicolor itself is at the top and showing its old, factory IP address (which is the same as the IP address of the Sagemcom router).  On the 'Interfaces - Local Area Network' page (where the IP is configurable), it is showing the fixed address that I've assigned to it.

I wonder if the (router) gateway address is being intercepted by the switch, when the PC is connected to it? If so, internet connection would obviously fail. The TG582n seems to be failing to reset its IP address for all functions, even though DHCP is definitely disabled.

I think this is a fault with the Technicolor, and I shall probably give up.

[#10]

n the list of 'Devices on the LAN' (in the TG582n GUI), the Technicolor itself is at the top and showing its old, factory IP address (which is the same as the IP address of the Sagemcom router).  On the 'Interfaces - Local Area Network' page (where the IP is configurable), it is showing the fixed address that I've assigned to it.

@ChrisL  that does sound a little suspicious. On the other hand it could just be the List of devices showing incorrect information.

I have used the TG582n successfully in the past as a WAP. but I've long since consigned them to the home for old routers. They don't have 5ghz wifi anyway so you might be better trying a BT home hub or a PN Hub one. The basic setup procedure is the same for just about any router , disable DHCP , allocate it a fixed IP in the primary router subnet (but outside it's DHCP range) and it should work. That's basically what you have done with the TG582 anyway. If it helps I've currently got a PN hub one configured like that and it works fine

[#11]

Thank you very much for trying to help, MisterW, and I'm sorry we haven't solved the problem.

For the time being, I'm going to compromise by connecting the TG582n as a WAP only, on another ethernet socket. The location is not as favourable, but it will allow me to continue connecting the DMR as now. I could always use wi-fi to connect the DMR to the LAN, but it takes ages to buffer large film files.