Remote Desktop over Powerline extender

[Clarkey]

Until recently I was running my imaging rigs using a mini PC on the scope, over my standard house wifi. Anyway, over the last month or so I have built a new observatory, but unfortunately the wifi signal is not too good and now keeps dropping. To remedy this, I purchased a TP-Link powerline wifi extender. So now I have a very good wifi signal in the observatory and a LAN access point.

The trouble is I can no longer remote desktop into the mini PC's over wifi. If I plug in the ethernet cable they are fine. Both have an excellent wifi signal.

Obviously, this is something to do with a firewall setting or similar. However, I have tried multiple different setting changes without success. Has anyone had a similar problem - and did you come up with a solution? I am reasonably computer savvy - but this has got me a bit stumped.

[scotty38]

The machine in the obs has a wireless signal but is it actually connected to the network. If you log into that machine directly can you get anywhere else, in fact back out to the internet for example?

[Ivor]

I'm no expert but I've configured a few of these powerline extenders and I've experienced a number issues especially if you are crossing consumer units (fuse boards).
Depending on how you have configured each of the components there could be a few possible causes.

One possible issue could be the configuration of the TP-Link powerline adapter have you reconfigured it to have the same wifi name as the main home network? 

What software are you using to Remote desktop?

4 hours ago, Clarkey said:

The trouble is I can no longer remote desktop into the mini PC's over wifi. If I plug in the ethernet cable they are fine. Both have an excellent wifi signal.

Please can you clarify can you remote desktop it you hardwire the mini pc into the powerline extender or are you saying your laptop needs to hardwired as well to make it work?
 

[Ratlet]

What software are you using?

It could be that the ethernet is one network and the WiFi is another, this might prevent you from accessing using remote desktop connection in Windows.

I use power line all over my house and used to use them for providing WiFi to remote spots.  My current rig has internet sent out to my shed through power line.  I connect both my mount mini pc and a laptop for control using a WiFi block out there.

But have a check to see if remote desktop connection on the observatory computer is configured to allow connection from outside on its internal network

 

[Clarkey]

Ok - bit of an update. It turns out is not the wifi extender causing the problem, both PC's did some updates and this is what is preventing the wireless connection. They now won't connect anywhere in the house. So.....

In my wisdom, after trying multiple setting changes suggested online, I decided to go back to the last restore point. Now the PC will not boot or do anything, even trying safe mode etc. So I have just spent the last couple of hours re-installing Windows from scratch. Then I will need to do all the astro software. To say I am a bit pi**ed off is something of an understatement. I know Windows can be pretty poor, but this is bad even for Microsoft.

Let's just hope when it is all up and running again I can connect 😫