DG834GT blocking netbios requests

[Grenache]

Hello,

Here's a strange one, I'm wondering if anyone has seen this apparent bug in the DG834GT firmware, perhaps there's a fix for it in a newer version, or a config setting which needs to be tweaked?

My network:

I have two Netgear routers in my house, as it's has thick stone walls and one router is not enough to provide wireless coverage throughout.

Router 1 is set up as follows:

Netgear DG834G with FreeDG software version 1.37
This one is connected to my ADSL line, and acts as the DHCP server.

Router 2 is connected by wire to router 1.

It's a Netgear DG834GT with v1.03.23 software. It has the DHCP function disabled.
For wireless configuration, both routers have identical setup (including SSID and key), but broadcast on different non-overlapping channels.

Otherwise, the config of both routers is the same.

I have two laptops, both with Windows 7, and both the same model. Both are in a workgroup, the same one.

When both laptops are in the presence of router 1's wireless signal, they can connect to each other using the NetBIOS name. Everything works fine. So my problem is not a problem with either of the laptops.

If I move one of them - and it doesn't matter which one - to the other end of the house, so that it's connected to Router 2, then neither laptop can "see" the other one using the NetBIOS name.. E.g. ping laptop1 does not resolve the name to the IP address. It doesn't matter which way round, I ping, nor which laptop is where, as long as one (or both) are connected (wirelessly) to router 2, the DG834GT. Rebooting the laptops doesn't help, nor does disabling the firewalls.

Now, in trying to resolve this, I used Wireshark, and it seems that no matter which way round I try to communicate, the DG834GT blocks the name resolution messages (LLMNR and NBNR) UDP messages.

So, I dug into my spares and found a second DG834G with FreeDG 1.37 firmware. I configured it up as near as I could to Router 2 (the DG843GT) and swapped it in as the second wireless point, and hey presto,the name resolution UDP messages reached the other laptop.

So, after this rather long explanation and resolution, my question is...

Why does the DG834GT block the name resolution packets? If this a fault in the firmware (and if so, is there a fix in a later version), or is there a configuration option that needs to be turned on or off to fix this?

Thanks for reading this far!

[jmizoguchi]

DG834GT is EOL line so really there isn't much you can do about it

Use other spare as 2nd unit and go forward

[Grenache]

Indeed, but is there perhaps a configuration option that enables/disables this feature?

[jmizoguchi]

Not really......

[fordem]

NetBIOS is a non-routeable protocol - what you're experiencing is perfectly normal, it is not a bug - remove one of the routers or configure it to work as an access point.

[Grenache]

Hi fordem,

It's curious that it works with the DG834G but not the DG834GT.

I can't find which setting to configure it as an access point, the only thing I have done is give it a unique fixed ip address and disabled DHCP. What else should I have done?

Thanks

[jmizoguchi]

All models used as 2nd is DG model so it is in access point setup

[jmizoguchi]

I can't find which setting to configure it as an access point, the only thing I have done is give it a unique fixed ip address and disabled DHCP. What else should I have done?

You already have done setup as AP.