Router Behind ICS; Networking Issues. Need Help!

[LUCI5R]

Guys,

I'm having a strange networking issue; I've dealt with a lot of networking issues over the years but this one is slightly new to me and it's stumped me. I'll have to explain my setup in detail in order for you to understand what the problem is. Calling all network-guru's to chip in.

This is probably the best way I can explain this issue ...

I have some systems connected to a router, let's call them A, B & C.

System "C" has two NIC Cards; so I decided to share Internet connection using Windows 7 ICS (Internet Connection Sharing). This Ethernet cable runs straight into a 2nd router, which has a couple more systems connected to it. Let's call them D, E & F.

This 2nd Router is not being used as a router; but as a switch. I have the Ethernet connected to one of it's LAN port and not it's WAN port.

So now, we have A, B & C connected to ROUTER 1.
We have D, E & F connected to ROUTER 2.

And Router 2 gets Internet from System "C" using it's 2nd NIC Card via ICS.

All systems have the same "WORKGROUP", and are on a "192.168.x.x" network.

Everyone is getting Internet absolutely fine.

By default, using ICS, it assigns a "192.168.137.x" IP Address to all systems receiving Internet via ICS. So systems D, E & F have a 192.168.137.xx IP Address.

Systems A, B & C all have a 192.168.1.xx IP Address.

Now here's the problem ....

I have shared network folders on all these systems. Systems A, B & C can see each other's shared network folders.

Systems D, E & F AND C can see each other's shared folders.

However -- A & B cannot see shared folders on D, E & F. And D, E & F cannot see shared folders on A & B.

C can see everything because it's connected to both routers via LAN.

How can I get A & B to see network folders on D, E & F??

Any suggestions?

[zanzabar]

you do not want to use ICS you want to select both nics and bridge the connections.

[LUCI5R]

you do not want to use ICS you want to select both nics and bridge the connections.

Can you tell me exactly how to do this? I have never bridged connections before; or point me to a good place?

Thanks!

[Blackstare]

Since they are across different subnets try disabling the firewall on the computers, if it helps then you can narrow down the problem. You can ping from one subnet to the other?

[zanzabar]

Can you tell me exactly how to do this? I have never bridged connections before; or point me to a good place?

Thanks!

make sure that the 2nd router has DHCP disabled, then on the computer with 2 nics select both of them, right click and hit bridge.

[LUCI5R]

make sure that the 2nd router has DHCP disabled, then on the computer with 2 nics select both of them, right click and hit bridge.

Ok - I followed you advice and definitely made some progress; but I'm also stuck at a point.

So first I disabled the ICS (Sharing) on my main NIC Card by unchecking the box that allowed Internet Connection Sharing.
Then, I selected both NIC Cards and clicked "Bridge Connections". That much seems to have worked well -- the system created a new connection called "Network Bridge" and got a new IP Address (192.168.1.12) from my main Router 1.

For the first time, systems A & B can now see Router 2 (Cisco E2000) which was behind the ICS. Before systems A & B could not see, ping or connect to the 2nd router which received Internet from the ICS. Now, using the Bridged Connection, systems A & B can not only see the 2nd router, but can also enter it's administration using the web browser. That is great!!

Here's the problem -- Now, no one can see the systems connected to this 2nd router -- including system C which has the 2 NIC Cards. Before on ICS, system C which has the 2 NIC Cards could see systems D, E & F, the 3 devices connected to the 2nd Router.

I made sure DHCP Server is turned OFF on my CISCO E2000 (2nd Router). So it's not acting as a router; but as a switch.

So how do I get everyone to see the devices connected to this 2nd router now?

Thanks!!

[LUCI5R]

FIXED!!

Zanzabar --- Thank you very much for the advice & solution; it works!! Bridging the connection did exactly what I wanted to do. Now all the devices can see each other and are all on the same 192.168.1.X network. This is great.

For some reason, my device on Router 1 could not see the devices on Router 2 even after bridging the connection. So I decided to turn ON the DHCP Server on Router 2 and assign the devices an IP Address manually (using MAC addresses). After this I reboot everything and now all my devices can see each other. I know that it was suggested that I should turn OFF DHCP on router 2 ... but in my case for some reason, it actually works better with DHCP turned ON on router 2, so I'll keep it that way.

Thanks again. You solved it.