Printing over the LAN

[ChrisB]

Working on a new Telkom FTTH installation with a Huawei broadband router, Internet connection works *fine*.

Printer, PCs and phones connect to the WiFi *fine*.

Phones can print to the printer using AirPrint - which works direct to the printer.

BUT wirelessly connected PCs can't print, or talk to each other. If I connect a PC using a LAN cable, it prints *fine*. Which makes wireless only half useful!

Here's the joke part: I called 10210 and got through to an "agent" in less than 3 minutes, which was amazing, but of course their script only covers problems with Internet connection. Damn useless twit kept asking about circuit numbers, do I have an Internet light on the modem. Yes, I told *YOU* first thing that the Internet connection is fine. Can we please move on.

No, "the system tells me the modem is syncing." She didn't have a clue. So someone out there probably does. Any ideas? Appreciate any feedback!

Chris

 

[henry1103]

Windows? Check printer and file sharing services over the wifi connection?

Are you able to ping the printer when on wifi?

 

[Necropolis]

I you sure that the wireless adapters on the PCs are setup correctly?

Sounds very much like they have the wrong or no IP addresses.

 

[SauRoNZA]

You sure you didn't setup the Wireless as a Guest SSID? Thereby segregating it from the rest of the LAN?

Are they receiving the same IP's from the same DHCP server as the LAN clients?

 

[ChrisB]

Thanks guys

@ henry: F&P sharing is enabled for all private networks, irrespective of LAN or WiFi. No ping though.

I switched off firewall and it made no difference to either printer connection or ping. I also tried with three different computers (W7 / 8), with identical results.

@ necropolis: nope, I can get Internet perfectly. Network connection status is 100% correct, IP address in the correct range, gateway, mask, DNS all correct (double- and triple-checked).

@ Sauron: There is no setting, that I saw, to set a guest SSID, but if that were the case the printer itself (connected on WiFi) wouldn't be accessible and it is, if I connect the PC via cable. I eventually (on attempt #4) managed to speak to a Telkom helpdesk person who had more than 2 braincells, and she went through all the WiFi config settings with me, and it checked out fine. Eventually she logged a call so with a bit of luck some genius TTechie will arrive on site this afternoon and fix it with three keystrokes! (Yah, right).

Meanwhile anyone else with any experience or expertise with these routers please feel free to weigh in...

Chris

 

[Necropolis]

Run a Tracert from 1 pc to the other when they are both connected to the WiFi and see what happens.

 

[ChrisB]

Run a Tracert from 1 pc to the other when they are both connected to the WiFi and see what happens.

When I pinged between PCs connected to the WiFi, the result was "{local ip address} reports destination not available" which tells me... that the ping packets are not leaving the source PC? I guess.

I'm going on site again in the morning and will give traceroute a try.

 

[requiem]

Many routers have the option to isolate the WLAN traffic from the LAN traffic.

Thus devices on the WLAN will not be able to see anything on the LAN and vice versa.

 

[Hamish McPanji]

Many routers have the option to isolate the WLAN traffic from the LAN traffic.

Thus devices on the WLAN will not be able to see anything on the LAN and vice versa.

Yup, I think huawei call it "AP isolation" , bit could be called Wireless isolation, AP Isolation, Station Isolation, or Client Isolation . It needs to be switched off.

Also on each PC the wireless network connectio nneeds to be defined as a home or office/work network and not as a public network