How to configure ORBI in router mode for vnc connections

[wayne92130]

I have an rbk750 set up in router mode to isolate some pcs from other pcs.  I can connect these pcs ok and see the addresses are active via an arp -a in the command window.  However I cannot establish vnc connections between the pcs.  It seems the router is blocking this type of communications.  What do I have to do to enable the desired vnc connections ?

[wheiden92130 · Accepted solution]

I figured out a solution to my problem.  I enabled VPN service on my router, then installed windows vpn clients on the pcs connected to this router (most of them by wi-fi).  Once this was done, I could interconnect my pcs using vnc like I did before.  The only thing that changed was the ip addresses of the pcs (now 10.0.0.x).

[michaelkenward]

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@wayne92130 wrote:

I have an rbk750 set up in router mode to isolate some pcs from other pcs. 

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You may have to explain what you mean by that. Start  by telling people what else is on the network and how they are "isolated". For example, if you are using two routers on the network that will complicate matters.

What is Double NAT? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

You could also explain your reasons for this arrangement and what you plan to achieve by this isolation. There may well be other way of getting there that don't cause problems.

Then there is the "RBK750". It isn't something I can find in the Netgear system. Do you mean RBK752? That is a combination of RBR750 router and RBS750 satellite. If so there is a better place too ask for help with those devices.

Orbi WIFI 6 (AX) AND Wi-Fi 6E (AXE) Mesh Systems - NETGEAR Communities

Finally, there is the VNC bit. There too more details could help.

[wheiden92130]

Let me try to clarify my set up and what I'm trying to accomplish.  My ISP is Spectrum, and I have two RBK752 setups (each with a  RBR750 unit and a RBS750 satellite).  Prior to this point the orbis were both set up as access points, so everything behaved as one big network.  I have several pcs and other devices connected.  In the past I have used vnc connections to have one of the pcs view and control other pcs remotely.  This has worked ok except for the amount of traffic on the network which can affect other people on pcs (response time degrades).  So I thought I could isolate the vnc traffic by having one orbi setup act as a controller, and isolating the vnc-using pcs on this orbi.  I was able to switch one orbi to being a router instead of an access point and connect multiple pcs to this orbi (each now with a 10.0.0.x address).  If I open a Windows command window and enter the command "arp -a", I can see the ip addresses of all of the pcs connected to this orbi.  However, I cannot  establish vnc connections between these pcs as I have done in the past.  I presume the router is somehow blocking the connection attempts, perhaps based on the port or perhaps based on the protocol used in a vnc connection.  I would like to find out how to clear up the problem so I can use this network as desired.  Any help would be appreciated.

[wheiden92130]

One other thing, I have been using TightVNC for my vnc connections.

[CrimpOn]

The Orbi will not block internal communication between devices on the LAN.  (If the devices are physically wired to the router, those data packets never leave the Ethernet module on the router, so the "router" itself never sees them at all.)  WiFi connections would pass through the router, but still will not be blocked.

I, also, use TightVNC to view headless Raspberry Pi's on my LAN.

I suspect that the change from the 192.168.1 IP subnet to 10.0.0 is the problem. Perhaps

• The VNC server is locked in somehow to 192.168.1 and is rejecting connections from 10.0.0, or
• The VNC Client setup is still pointing at the 192.168.1 subnet. (I often use "names" to label VNC connections and thus am not paying a lot of attention to the underlying IP address.
• The Windows Firewall on the VNC server side is not set up to allow connections from 10.0.0

A VNC connection from outside the 10.0.0 LAN would require Port Forwarding to get through the router, but since the point is to isolate VNC traffic from the rest of the network, that does not seem to be an issue here.

If you are comfortable with Wireshark, it might be useful to monitor the progress of a VNC connection (from either end.)  The default port for TigerVNC is 5900. That would show the connection request going out and then......

[wheiden92130 · Accepted solution]

I figured out a solution to my problem.  I enabled VPN service on my router, then installed windows vpn clients on the pcs connected to this router (most of them by wi-fi).  Once this was done, I could interconnect my pcs using vnc like I did before.  The only thing that changed was the ip addresses of the pcs (now 10.0.0.x).