Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network

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Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network

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Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-23 16:46:53
Model: Archer C50  
Hardware Version: V6
Firmware Version: Archer C50 v6 00000001

Hi All,

 

I have a home Network - basically an EE router with all the other things in my house plugged in either by Wifi or LAN.

 

I want to set up a Guest Wifi Access - such that it is secured from my main mani home network. I dont want guests to have access to my network.

 

I bought the Archer C50, as it can work in Access Point mode and has a Guest Access feature.

 

So - I have set it up in Access point mode - and have it connected to my main Router with a cable.

 

I set up the Guest access details. All seems to be working fine, and I can connect to the Guest network wifi and browse the web etc.

 

But, when I download Fing app on the phone - and connect to main network, and scan network I get the 15 devices connected to my main network.

 

When I then connect to the Guest Wifi, and do the same thing - I still get Fing showing me details of all devices on my home network????

 

These should be hidden? There should be no access to what is on the rest of the network from the Guest Wifi login?

 

What have I got set up wrong please?

 

Many thanks

 

Safara

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#1
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-23 17:21:48

@safara .

 

When in Router mode C50 has a setting that allows that:

 

 

When in AP mode this setting is not applicable:

 

 

There are a some features that are not available when the device is in AP mode.

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#2
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-23 17:38:41

@terziyski 

 

Many thanks for the reply Terziyski :)

 

So, in AP mode it is not possible to hide my network from guests.

 

I have to put the router into Router mode to get that function.

 

If I do that, and it is wired in with a cable from the main router - will it still work?

 

The existing network and Wifi on the main router wont have a fight with the C50 trying to do tha same thing?

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#3
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-23 17:50:58

@safara 

 

You'll introduce a double NAT in your network for sure. That's not necessary a bad thing, but it's better to avoid it.

It could cause wireless clients connected to a different wireless routers to unable to communicate with each other or some DNS problems.

What you can do is to configure C50 in so called manual AP mode - see this guide - Case 2.

That way the C50 will stay in router mode, but won't do a NAT in your network and the option restricting the Guest network will still be available.

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#4
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-23 18:11:56
Many thanks Terziyski - I shall give that a go :)
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#5
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-23 19:19:42

Hi Terziyski,

 

That sort of works :)

 

But.... I cannot connect to the guest wifi network - it says IP Address not obtained.

 

I followed the Step 2 guide.

 

My routers IP range is 192.169.1.64 to 192.168.1.253

 

So, I set the Network LAN to be 192.168.1.55 - and rebooted etc

 

Set the Wifi passwords etc

 

Set DHCP to Disable.

 

Reconnected to networ cable from main router abd started up.

 

Could not connect to Wifi using phone - said IP address could not be found.

 

Logged into child TPlink router and set DHCP to enabled and restarted - I can connect now with phne, but it has a message saying internet may not be available - sort of works though....

 

What have I done wrong? Should the DHCP be disabled like in Point 5 of the link you posted?

 

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#6
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-23 20:01:00 - last edited 2021-06-23 20:02:45

@safara 

 

Yes, DHCP on C50 should be disabled - your main router should serve the C50's wireless clients DHCP requests.

Make sure your connection is like: main router LAN port <=> C50 LAN port - that's the difference with the implemented AP mode,

where the connection is: main router LAN port <=> C50 WAN port.

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#7
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-24 05:56:23 - last edited 2021-06-24 05:57:20

Many thanks for your continued help with this Terziyski - it is very appreciated :)

 

I logged into the C50 and set DHCP to Disable.

 

I then changed the network cable about between the EE Main router and the C50 - so that Main router LAN <=> C50 WAN ports Rebooted the C50

 

Now, I get a 192.168.1.55 "took too long to respond" when I try and go to that IP

 

Looking on the main router - it seems to have given the C50 the IP Address 192.168.1.84

 

If I try and go to 192.168.1.84 I get "took too long to respond"

 

Is it a case of the Main router has assigned a different IP Addrss to what is hard set in the C50 - so the 2 not talking to each other?

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#8
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-24 06:08:52

Further tinkering.

 

On the main router - I am able to set the IP Address to use for the C50

 

I have set this to 192.168.1.55

 

The main router had a message saying that the above address would be assigned to the C50 when it next reconnects.

 

I turned the C50 off and on.

 

On the main router it is showing with the assigned above IP Address now.

 

But, still getting "This site cant be reached - took too long to respond" when I try and visit the IP Address.......

 

Still something to be set somewhere??

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#9
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-24 07:37:50

@safara 

 

Let me recap for you:

 

C50 in Wireless Router mode.

Connection between routers: main router LAN port <=> C50 LAN port

Main router DHCP server -  192.169.1.64 to 192.168.1.253 (LAN - static IP address 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.254 ?)

C50 DHCP server disabled (LAN - static IP address 192.168.1.55) - remove any IP address reservation for C50 made on the main router

 

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#10
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Re:Set up Guest Network to hide the rest of the Home Network
2021-06-24 10:40:18

Hi terziyski  :)

 

Ahh, was getting confused between Wan and Lan and not reading your post properly.

 

I think the C50 is dead for network traffic now.

 

I turned off DHCP on it and restated it.

 

I am now back to where I was a few posts before.

 

The network cable is Main router LAN <=> C50 Lan

 

The wifi shows - but cannot connect. Cannot obtain IP Address

 

The C50 is not showing on my main router - cannot find it to log into it to check settings.

 

Plugged it directly into a PC - cannot find it.

 

Factory reset it - plugged directly into PC either with WAN or LAN - and cannot find it using
tplinkwifi.net, 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1

 

Is it dead?

 

 

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#11
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