Cannot Find Network Path via Ethernet (Windows 10) Please Help


  1. Posts : 2
    10
       #1

    Cannot Find Network Path via Ethernet (Windows 10) Please Help


    Hello All,

    I am having trouble finding a network path. I rent a room in a row home & Live on the 3rd floor. On the 1st floor is our living room, I am attempting to access my external hard drive thats connected to my desktop in my bedroom via my laptop on the first floor which is connected to the television so I can watch movies without the hassle of constantly unplugging my external drive in and out and running it back and forth. Below is my setup. I need to do this via ethernet though, my router only has a usb 2.0 port and I don't think thats fast enough to stream 1080p/4k quality movies. Below is my network layout. All help is greatly appreciated. I have a good understanding of network so no need to dumb info down. Thank you!


    Just an FYI - I had it hooked up in my room and all the sharing permissions are set up, it was connected like this TV--Laptop <-Cat 6-> Switch <-Cat 6-> Desktop <-USB3.0-> EXT HDD
    since adding my verizon modem & netgear router in the setup feature below it doesnt work.

    Color Coded Key
    RED= 3rd Floor
    BLUE= Basement
    GREEN= 1st Floor


    External HDD
    <--[USB 3.0]-->DESKTOP<--[Cat 6]-->Switch<---[Cat 6]--->Verizon Modem/Router<---[Cat 6]--->Netgear Wireless Router<---[Cat 6]--->Laptop
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,937
    win 10 Insider
       #2

    Check that all devices are on the same subnet. Make sure there is only one device with an active DHCP server.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 13,896
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #3

    Something to think about, I have 2 WDC 2TB My Cloud NAS drives attached to my Router and can access their files from either Wired or Wireless/Wi-Fi computers. The OS' are Win7, Win10, Win10 Insider Preview, Linux Mint and Mac OS X. Another thought I haven't used yet is using a Router that has a USB port on it for connecting USB External Drives. My Router has that capability and I've seen others advertised as such.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 2
    10
    Thread Starter
       #4

    After running back and forth between my bedroom and basement I said screw it. Resolved it the easy lazy way with unmanaged switches. That way everything is localized on the same network and is only hitting eachothers firewalls instead of 2 firewalls in between, 2 networks in between and a whole slew of messiness.



    EXT HDD -- Desktop -- Switch -__
    __________________________]]
    [[
    S

    W
    I
    ------- Verizon Fios (Internet In)
    T
    C
    H
    [[
    -------------------------------------------]]
    TV---- Laptop----First Floor Switch


    linw said:
    Check that all devices are on the same subnet. Make sure there is only one device with an active DHCP server.
    They are not and I knew that was an issue, I had portforwarded the computers local ip addresses. Verizion Fios Modem / Router is on a 192 Network & once the network hits the netgear router its switched to a 10 network. Thank you for taking the time to point that out though.



    Berton said:
    Something to think about, I have 2 WDC 2TB My Cloud NAS drives attached to my Router and can access their files from either Wired or Wireless/Wi-Fi computers. The OS' are Win7, Win10, Win10 Insider Preview, Linux Mint and Mac OS X. Another thought I haven't used yet is using a Router that has a USB port on it for connecting USB External Drives. My Router has that capability and I've seen others advertised as such.
    Yes I need 100 MB not Mb transfer speeds. No USB
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1,937
    win 10 Insider
       #5

    Simplicity is usually better in a network:)

    Good that it is working now.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #6

    Hi there

    IMO there's a much simpler way to solve this issue without needing a lot of expertise -- simply install a GOOGLE CHROMECAST device into your TV -- really simple and cheap piece of hardware and will allow full HD 1080p video on your TV. Now install PLEX media server on to the computer where you usually have the HDD containing your movies. Install also the PLEX application on a Smart phone --install the FREE one - ignore any PAY bits.

    Now on the TV switch the input to the Chromecast and then from the PLEX application on your smartphone choose what you want to play -- hey presto it's on the TV (you don't even need a smart TV or a Handset !!). You will need to connect the chromecast device to an HDMI slot in the TV --if you haven't a spare one then get an HDMI splitter / switch - also cheap enough.

    Ensure that the computer having the HDD with the movies has the HDD shared and that it's available on your network. You can use either LAN or WIFI -- if you use Wifi for the CHROMECAST device you'll have to use the 2.4GHZ band - otherwise you can also connect the chromecast device to your router via LAN if the router is near the TV.

    Using a smartphone to control what you want on the TV is far easier than messing around with HDD's, Laptops, and player software. Start up PLEX on your main computer at boot and it's job done easily !!!!

    Sometimes IMO the best solutions are both a combination of Hardware and Software.

    @linw and @Berton
    Slightly OTT but I have 2X NAS boxes (actually LINUX CENTOS) that I use as servers. These are located away from my router and I've got rid of all my LAN cables except for a small piece between a Router that I'm using as an ETHERNET BRIDGE so the NAS boxes are plugged into this secondary router short piece of LAN cable. The Bridge router now wirelessly connects the NAS boxes to the rest of my network - the 5 GHZ signal has a max transfer speed of 433 Mb/s so plenty fast enough for my needs. The NAS boxes don't have Wifi themselves and in any case finding FAST USB wifi cards that work well with Linux is a pain anyway. Also why waste USB slots when my NAS boxes have 2X ethernet port on each box.

    "She who must be obeyed" !!! was getting fed up with all the cables and boxes I had near the TV in my Lounge -- so for peace in the house I moved it all except for the original Fibre cable/router box and a Chromecast dongle for the TV. The Wifi Bridge works very well - NAS boxes hidden well away from any living area and NO CABLES !!!. I have up to 300 Mb/s from the Internet company so my wifi bridge isn't limited at all and I don't do that much file transferring where I'd need a 1GB LAN all the time anyway.

    If you have an old router that doesn't have the Bridge facility look for DD-WRT which is another way to use an old router as a Bridge.

    Really glad I've got rid of metres and metres of LAN cable !!!!! for no noticeable loss in performance.

    Cheers
    jimbo
    Last edited by jimbo45; 24 May 2016 at 02:31.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,937
    win 10 Insider
       #7

    Thanks for that, Jimbo. I will digest that later. I have recently bought a Chrome cast so that is a start!

    Been using Kodi but must have a closer look at Plex.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #8

    linw said:
    Thanks for that, Jimbo. I will digest that later. I have recently bought a Chrome cast so that is a start!

    Been using Kodi but must have a closer look at Plex.
    Hi there especially @linw

    If you add music files as well you can play to things like Wifi speakers -- I have some Bose Wifi speakers - there's also a Bose mobile phone app that will pickup music libraries from your PLEX server and you can stream music to the speakers (inc FLAC etc). For remote speakers forget Blu tooth - Wifi far better quality of signal especially if listening to FLAC files. - The BOSE application needs to access the server so it can "get at" the music library - easiest way is to add the music to PLEX and then it's all automatic. Using PLEX as the server avoids any "Music Codec" problem for the remote speakers.

    Note Chromecast device easy to set up to use local media for TV viewing - subtitles also OK - set transcode to "only Image formats" - as you only want to transcode when you can't avoid it - normal subtitles don't require a transcode.

    There's loads of decent documentation - just post again if you get stuck. The phone apps (both for Bose speakers and PLEX on the mobile are good - I'm on Android -- there's also iPhone ones which work the same

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:09.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums