VNC Viewer from a Windows computer

[circatee]

I know, I know, but hear me out.

My MBA (Early 2015, with Big Sur) is my secondary computer, merely sitting on a side table near my main Windows Desktop.
I wanted to be able to remote to the MBA, via VNC Viewer, from my Windows 10 Desktop. Alas, my connection is failing.

I cannot ping from my Windows 10, to the MBA. I cannot ping from the MBA to the Windows 10. And I believe that is because I am on two separate Subnets.
- Windows 10 Desktop connected directly to ATT Fiber
- MBA connected via WIFI, to my Google Nest Router; which is connected to the ATT Fiber via a LAN

Any ideas or suggestions? Ideally, I should have a much larger desk, along my wall. Then, all computers, et al' could fit, and I would not need to do this. Ugh...

 

[circatee]

Update:
I used VNC from my iPhone 12 Pro Max, connected to WIFI (the same WIFI as the MBA), and it worked!?!
Thus merely confirms my theory, that having the two different subnet's, is causing my issue...

 

[SuperMatt]

To avoid the subnet issue, 2 possible Solutions come to mind:

1. Plug the windows machine into the google router instead of directly into the ATT box. That is the easiest, especially if the ATT box and router are in the same room.
2. On the Google router, put it into ”bridge mode” if you can, which will allow the ATT box to do all the routing... then they will all be on the same subnet.

 

[circatee]

To avoid the subnet issue, 2 possible Solutions come to mind:

1. Plug the windows machine into the google router instead of directly into the ATT box. That is the easiest, especially if the ATT box and router are in the same room.
2. On the Google router, put it into ”bridge mode” if you can, which will allow the ATT box to do all the routing... then they will all be on the same subnet.

...thanks for the feedback.

Unfortunately, I cannot connect the Desktop to the Google Router (location, plus, how each rooms network jack, routes to the ATT Router in a closet).

And, I cannot put the Google Router in Bridge mode, since the ATT router, has to be in bridge mode, so I do not suffer form a Double NAT. Haha, priceless. Only I would get some weird IT config. And, one caused by me no doubt.

Alas, another idea came to mind. I could merely obtain a USB A to RJ45 adapter, then connect the MBA to the switch that is under my desk. Thus, the Desktop and MBA, would be on the same subnet.

That might be one of the easiest solutions.

 

[SuperMatt]

...thanks for the feedback.

Unfortunately, I cannot connect the Desktop to the Google Router (location, plus, how each rooms network jack, routes to the ATT Router in a closet).

And, I cannot put the Google Router in Bridge mode, since the ATT router, has to be in bridge mode, so I do not suffer form a Double NAT. Haha, priceless. Only I would get some weird IT config. And, one caused by me no doubt.

Alas, another idea came to mind. I could merely obtain a USB A to RJ45 adapter, then connect the MBA to the switch that is under my desk. Thus, the Desktop and MBA, would be on the same subnet.

That might be one of the easiest solutions.

If the Google router is in bridge mode, then you can turn off bridge mode on the ATT one and the double NAT should go away....? Although who knows what is happening once you’re on ATT’s network - what their local topology looks like :-(

 

[HDFan]

Where is your DHCP server?

 

[TriBruin]

...thanks for the feedback.

Unfortunately, I cannot connect the Desktop to the Google Router (location, plus, how each rooms network jack, routes to the ATT Router in a closet).

And, I cannot put the Google Router in Bridge mode, since the ATT router, has to be in bridge mode, so I do not suffer form a Double NAT. Haha, priceless. Only I would get some weird IT config. And, one caused by me no doubt.

Alas, another idea came to mind. I could merely obtain a USB A to RJ45 adapter, then connect the MBA to the switch that is under my desk. Thus, the Desktop and MBA, would be on the same subnet.

That might be one of the easiest solutions.

You need to rethink your network layout. Nothing, other than you Google router should be connected to your AT&T modem. For one, you are exposing your Windows PC to the internet, especially if your AT&T modem is in bridge mode. Your Google router should be your DHCP server and acting as a firewall.

 

[circatee]

You need to rethink your network layout. Nothing, other than you Google router should be connected to your AT&T modem. For one, you are exposing your Windows PC to the internet, especially if your AT&T modem is in bridge mode. Your Google router should be your DHCP server and acting as a firewall.

And trust me, I hear you. However, this is a new build house. For each room in the house, they ran CAT5E (why not CAT6, is beyond me) to a central point. Said point is where the ATT router is.

Four rooms, four connections to the ATT router. In the Living room I have a Linksys switch behind the telly. The connection that goes to the ATT box is in the Google router. And the RJ45 on the Google router connects to the switch (for telly, and Apple TV).

So, open to suggestions. Thanks.

Ps: at one stage I did have the Google router in my office and it was connected to a switch, which my PC was connected to. To add, the Google router runs WIFI for the house, too (only one Google router, no mesh).

 

[circatee]

Ideally, adding a switch to the area where the ATT router is, would probably be a solution.

But, space and power limitations.

ATT bridge mode
Google router only to ATT
Google to a switch
All current room connections to said switch
Google router running LAN and WIFI

 

[circatee]

More thoughts:

The only reason I even installed the Google router was because the Nest Hello kept losing connection. However, about a month ago, I realised that the issue was the wires connected to the Nest Hello.

All that to say, I could remove the Google router, put ATT back in normal router mode. Everything would be connected to ATT directly, and ATT would run the WIFI, too. Thus both Desktop and MBA would be on same subnet.

Thoughts...

 

[SuperMatt]

If you really don’t want to mess with your network, you could always install Anydesk. It’s free...

 

[circatee]

If you really don’t want to mess with your network, you could always install Anydesk. It’s free...

I'd like to solve the security concerns, too.

 

[circatee]

Solution found, and implemented...

- Google Router connected directly to ATT (from my office, via a RJ45, directly to the ATT router)
- ATT has to remain in Bridge mode
- Google Router connected to a switch in my office
- Windows Desktop connected to the switch, i.e. connected to the Google Router

This solves the security concerns and subnet issue, too.
I am now able to use VNC Viewer, to connect directly to the MBA. Thinking about it, I can now look into a more 'secure' application to remote control my MBA.

Thanks for the help everyone.

PS: With my Google Router now being upstairs, here's hoping the Nest camera on the side of the house, and the Nest Hello, work flawlessly...

 

[SuperMatt]

With all traffic going through the router, you now can have a more secure network too, because any security precautions you take with the Nest router will protect all devices on the network.