Cannot manage a router...

Short version: I have a router on my home network that I cannot get to to manage. I am hooking to it fine. but don't know the address.

Long version and details:

I currently have only 2 laptops. Neither have an ethernet port. Just wifi.

I was wanting to hook an external drive to a usb port on a router. I'm using TPLink Decos, and their usb ports were "for future use", and the future never arrived. So I hooked a Linksys router to an ethernet port on one of the Decos. This was an already configured router prior to installing the Deco mesh network. I did disable DHCP on it, and use the Decos to provide IP addresses.

So, I can actually hook to the Linksys, and all works fine. I am in fact on that router now.

Here's the thing. I can't find the address to hook to it to manage/setup the drive. I look at the client list on the Deco and do not find the Linksys listed. I have a couple of things listed as Unknown. I've tried getting to the short list of items that I'm not sure what they are, and cannot get them to respond.

BTW, I believe that the Linksys is config has DHCP turned off, and that I'm getting addresses from the Deco.

When I click on the Wifi icon in Windows 10, it shows me hooked to the Linksys, and there is a properties link, so I click on that. It apparently are showing the properties for my laptop, because it is providing the IP address of my laptop.

Any suggestions?

steve108 said:

Hello 56Kruiser,
Did you try googling instructions for managing that unmanageable router model?

Thanks Steve. I did a search similar to that, but didn't use that wording. It's not that it's unmanageable, it's that I don't have a physical ethernet port from which to hook to it with, and I don't know the ip address.

Samuria said:

If from a cmd prompt you type
Ipconfig /all

The IP for default gateway and dhcp will be the routers ip

I actually tried that 1st thing. But interestingly the IP config shows the DNS Default gateway to be the Deco unit. I suspect that's because that's the Router that actually gave me my IP address.

- - - Updated - - -

steve108 said:

Maybe this ........ How To Access Router Settings Without a LAN Cable – Weak Wi-Fi Solutions

Wow, Steve, you are really trying to help. I appreciate your time very much.

Unfortunately that method is talking of Wi-Fi with an IP address, which is one of my problems, as I do not know the IP address of that router.

Samuria said:

You can login to the other router and it should show connections with IPs or you can use lanscanner to find it Advanced IP Scanner - Download Free Network Scanner.

As noted in the OP..."...I look at the client list on the Deco and do not find the Linksys listed. I have a couple of things listed as Unknown. I've tried getting to the short list of items that I'm not sure what they are, and cannot get them to respond."

So to recap, I logged onto the default gateway and checked the client list. The 3 or 4 that were unknown wouldn't respond to an attempt to connect. I thought maybe the firewall was causing an issue so I temporarily shut it down. Didn't help.

I may try the sniffer program you linked. Then tomorrow I'll shut down the other routers and reset the one I am fighting with. It will then have a known address.

Bree said:

Open File Explorer and click on Network. Your router(s) should appear in the Network Infrastructure section. Click on a router and it will open your default browser on the router's admin page. You can also right-click on a router and select Properties, its IP address is on the Network Device tab.

That's interesting. I don't see that, and never have. I must have a setting turned off or something.