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                        Internet                                             
                            ┃                                                
                            ┃                                                
                            ┃                                                
                            ┃                                                
                    Internet "Modem"                                         
                     (wifi disabled)                      MacBook Pro        
                            │                                  │             
                            │                                  │             
                 ┌────────────────────┐             ┌────────────────────┐   
                 │ Powerline Adapter  │             │ Powerline Adapter  │   
                 └────────────────────┘             └────────────────────┘   
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                 ┌────────────────────┐               
                                 │ Powerline Adapter  │                      
                                 └────────────────────┘                      
                                            │                                
                                            │             ─────────  Ethernet
   HomeKit Devices                       TP Link                             
       Printer       ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ AC2300 Wifi        ─ ─ ─ ─ ─  Wifi
                                         Router                              
                                            │       
                                            │       
                                        Mac Mini    
                                     (Wifi disabled)

I have the above network setup, it's a combination of wifi and TP-Link powerline adapters.

The MacBook Pro is my main computer. I find that when I have wifi disabled on the MacBook Pro I am not able to connect to the Mac Mini, HomeKit devices or printer. I am able to access the Internet.

When I have wifi enabled everything works as expected*.

On the Mac Mini, wifi is disabled and everything works as expected.

It's as tho the powerline stuff is not in the same network as the stuff connected to the Wifi Router.

Is there a way to get the MacBook Pro, via powerline, to connect to the Mac Mini and the rest of the network?

*The wifi connection in my home office is very bad, hence wanting to use powerline.

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8
  • The wifi connection in my office is very bad ... Company Office? Have you asked if the powerline boxes are on the same electric circuit?
    – anon
    Commented Dec 4, 2021 at 15:03
  • Are you by any chance connecting to the Guest WiFi Network?
    – harrymc
    Commented Dec 4, 2021 at 15:31
  • 1
    Is the TP Link router acting as a router or a switch? My guess is a router... Thus everything behind the TP Link (Mac Mini, Homekit, etc) is all on a different network and any attempt at communicating between them will be difficult at best. You essentially have a firewall/router splitting your network in two. Disable DHCP on the TP-Link and connect everything, including the feed from the Powerline adapter, to a LAN port of the TP Link. This will put all of the devices on the same subnet.
    – acejavelin
    Commented Dec 4, 2021 at 15:41
  • @John home office, all in the same building and same circuit. I updated the question to make it more clear, thanks.
    – lewis
    Commented Dec 4, 2021 at 17:47
  • @harrymc good idea, but I am on the same wifi network as the HomeKit stuff
    – lewis
    Commented Dec 4, 2021 at 17:47

1 Answer 1

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The issue here is likely you have inadvertently created two unique subnets that cannot communicate between each other because there is a router in the middle of everything.

Most routers you can disable DHCP and just connect everything to the LAN ports, but you will have to make sure the LAN IP of the device does not exist in the current network. Some routers, like this TP-Link as you discovered, has the ability to operate in a special mode like repeater or bridged device that allow it to essentially act as a switch, passing through the existing network rather than segregating it.

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