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Forum Discussion
NK1
Dec 07, 2023Tutor
Wireless devices connected to same AP can't see each other
I have and MR60 and two MS60. If two wireless devices are connected to the network via the MR60 they can not see each other / connect to each other / access each other. However both devices can be seen and and see/access any wired device or any device connected to one of the on of the MS60. When this happens, if one of the devices is movable (phone, tablet, laptop) and I move closer to one of the MS60 and get it to connect to it rather than the MR60 the devices magically can see one another, or if it's a device I can also use an Ethernet cable and run one to where I'm using it it can see things just fine. I'm guessing it happens as well when both devices are connected to the same MS60, but I haven't verified it. Is there any setting that might be causing this that could be changed? Or failing that anyway to force a device to always connect to a specific access point even if its further away?
thanks for your time, help, ideas...
Well I decided to do some additional testing today. I shut down all the MS60 and disconnected the MR60 from the switch. And still all devices wirelesses connected o it had issues. So clearly an issue with the MR60 and how it is routing things.
I spent time going through settings, and found the culprit (though I think it is a different culprit than last time as I don't recall ever messing with it).
under Advance->Security->Access Control "Turn on Access Control" was checked, rule was set to "allow all new devices to connect" all devices listed (wired and wireless) were set to allowed.
So nothing obvious that it would be the culprit, but I went I'm testing things...
So I unchecked it and thus disabled Access Control and now all devices connected wirelessly to to MR60 can see see each other.
15 Replies
- michaelkenwardGuru - Experienced User
NK1 wrote:
I have and MR60 and two MS60. If two wireless devices are connected to the network via the MR60 they can not see each other / connect to each other / access each other.
You expect two devices connected to the wifi to talk to each other? In what way? To share data or just to see that the other one is there?
Most people would be horrified if the phones on their network had the ability to see what the other phones were up to.
If I wanted to get two mobile devices to communicate with each other I would find a way to make the connection on the devices themselves. Bluetooth is there to do just that.
- NK1Tutor
Most people would not be horrified, it's the whole point of a network, for devices to be able to communicate to one another.
So you see Computer A needs to see shares on Computer B. Device z needs to be able to cast to Cromcast Y. In either case If both are wired they see each other just fine. If one is wired and one is wireless they see each other just fine. If both are wireless and one is connected to an access point and one to the router, they see each other just fine. BUT if both are wireless and both connect to the router they can not find each other see each other.
So hey I'm in the same room as my Chromecast and I want to cast a video from my computer/phone/tablet. Makes sense that Z & Y would both attach to the same wireless connection point and get the best signal, however when they do this they can't see each other so no casting c an happen. So I have to turn off the wireless on device Z and move to another area closer to a different access point, turn on wireless, hope it connects to that access point, walk back to the room I was in, hope the signal is strong enough for a decent connection and bandwidth and that it doesn't swap back to the closer and stronger single, in order to cast to the device.
Or hey I have the two systems A & B and neither are currently connected via Ethernet, and I need to remote into B, or just access a share on B. If A&B are both connected wirelessly to the router can't do either. If I'm at my desk using A with it's dock with Ethernet connection and accessing B which is wirelessly connect to the network, then disconnect from the dock and go wireless, if A gets its wireless connection from a different AP than B all is good I can keep working, however if it grabs onto the same access point as B, bam they lose connection with each other, shares go down, error messages pop up, and I either have to go back to the desk or go mess around until I convince A to have a signal from a different access point that is further away and thus less bandwidth reducing transfer speeds between the two devices....
- michaelkenwardGuru - Experienced User
Not sure that I follow all of that, but my experience is that stuff like streaming is a two-way process. You have to set it up on both ends.
The sender and receiver have to establish a recognised connection over the network so that they can talk to each other.
Think of it like this, you are in a a bar, or on a train, and you connect to the local wifi network. How would you feel if someone else in the place and on the same network could see what was on your mobile device?