can a homegroup have both wired and wireless elements?
My network-in-progress is part of a structure wired installation. The cable modem is wired to a 4 port router which feeds to two 5 port switches and the netgear R6300v2 wireless router. The wired homegroup currently consists of a win 8.1 desktop, a printer, TV and a TiVo box and will be expanded in the near term to include a NAS and additional wired computers. I do wish to allow a wireless win 7 laptop and a win 8.1 Surface Pro as well as future wireless elements to join the homegroup containing the wired elements and I am actively searching for a way to make it happen. Currently the wireless elements not see nor join the homegroup. Hence my question: Can a homegroup have both wired and wireless elements? I suspect the problem is a configuration issue related to the fact that the wired router and the wireless router are in series. However, I haven't a clue as to what to do about it. All help is appreciated
May 13th, 2015 6:18pm

Hi there,

Yes, a homegroup can have both wired and wireless elements.  The devices not being able to see the homegroup and most likely due to the wireless being on a different network then the wired computers.  You say you are using a wireless router.  This is probably where your error is occurring.  You do not need a router between the wireless and wired. You need an Access Point, this will put all the devices onto the same network.

If you can,  turn off DHCP on the netgear wireless router,  give it a static IP on your wired network, and plug from the LAN on the netgear wireless to the LAN on the wired router.  This will put everything onto the same network and you will be able to join the homegroup with the wireless devices.  

How to turn off DHCP and give a static IP to the Netgear is out of the scope of this forum,  you may want to check the Netgear website for assistance with it.  I have setup several home networks this way, and they all work smoothly. 

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May 13th, 2015 6:35pm

Hi there,

Yes, a homegroup can have both wired and wireless elements.  The devices not being able to see the homegroup and most likely due to the wireless being on a different network then the wired computers.  You say you are using a wireless router.  This is probably where your error is occurring.  You do not need a router between the wireless and wired. You need an Access Point, this will put all the devices onto the same network.

If you can,  turn off DHCP on the netgear wireless router,  give it a static IP on your wired network, and plug from the LAN on the netgear wireless to the LAN on the wired router.  This will put everything onto the same network and you will be able to join the homegroup with the wireless devices.  

How to turn off DHCP and give a static IP to the Netgear is out of the scope of this forum,  you may want to check the Netgear website for assistance with it.  I have setup several home networks this way, and they all work smoothly. 

May 13th, 2015 10:33pm

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