Remotely Connect ARRIS and TP Link Nested Network Remotely

Here's a complete step-by-step guide for your specific dual-router setup 

(Arris modem/router → TP-Link nested network):

---

Your Network Layout

Internet → Arris (public IP) → TP-Link router → Your Desktop PC

Because you have two routers, you'll need to port forward on both of them, and also set up a way to find your public IP from outside.

---

STEP 1 — Find Your Desktop's Local IP (on the TP-Link network)

On your desktop PC:

1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, hit Enter
2. Type ipconfig and press Enter
3. Look for "Ethernet adapter" or "Wi-Fi" section
4. Write down the IPv4 Address — it will look like 192.168.x.x
   • This is your Desktop's TP-Link IP (e.g. 192.168.0.105)

---

STEP 2 — Find the TP-Link Router's IP on the Arris Network

The TP-Link has two IPs — one facing your desktop (LAN), one facing the Arris (WAN). You need the WAN-facing IP.

Option A — Check the TP-Link admin panel:

1. Open a browser and go to http://192.168.0.1 or http://tplinkwifi.net
2. Log in (default is usually admin/admin)
3. Go to Status or Network → WAN
4. Write down the WAN IP Address — it will look like 192.168.100.x or 10.0.0.x
   • This is your TP-Link's Arris-facing IP

Option B — Check the Arris connected devices list (covered in Step 4)

---

STEP 3 — Assign Static/Reserved IPs (Very Important)

If your IPs change, your port forwarding breaks. Reserve them now:

On the TP-Link (for your Desktop):

1. Log into TP-Link admin panel
2. Go to DHCP → Address Reservation
3. Add your desktop's MAC address → assign it a fixed IP (e.g. 192.168.0.100)
4. Save & reboot

On the Arris (for the TP-Link):

1. Log into Arris admin (Step 4 below shows how)
2. Find DHCP reservation and reserve the TP-Link's WAN IP
3. Save & reboot

---

STEP 4 — Log Into the Arris Router/Modem

1. Open a browser on any device on your network
2. Go to http://192.168.100.1 (most common Arris address) — if that doesn't work try http://192.168.0.1 or http://10.0.0.1
3. Default login is usually:
   • Username: admin
   • Password: password (or it may be on a sticker on the device)
4. Once logged in, find Connected Devices or DHCP Client List to confirm the TP-Link's IP on this network

---

STEP 5 — Port Forward on the TP-Link (First Hop)

1. Log into TP-Link admin panel
2. Go to Forwarding → Virtual Servers (or NAT → Port Forwarding depending on firmware)
3. Add a new rule:

Field	Value
Service Port	3389 (RDP)
Internal Port	3389
IP Address	Your Desktop's IP (e.g. 192.168.0.100)
Protocol	TCP
Status	Enabled

4. Save the rule

Port 3389 is Windows Remote Desktop. If you're using a different remote tool, see the port list at the bottom.

---

STEP 6 — Port Forward on the Arris (Second Hop)

1. Log into Arris admin panel
2. Look for Firewall → Port Forwarding, Advanced → Port Forwarding, or NAT → Port Forwarding
3. Add a new rule:

Field	Value
External Port	3389
Internal Port	3389
Internal IP Address	TP-Link's WAN IP (e.g. 192.168.100.5)
Protocol	TCP
Status	Enabled

4. Save the rule

---

STEP 7 — Enable Remote Desktop on Your Desktop PC

1. Press Windows + R, type sysdm.cpl, hit Enter
2. Click the Remote tab
3. Select "Allow remote connections to this computer"
4. Click Select Users and make sure your Windows username is listed
5. Click OK

Also make sure Windows Firewall allows RDP:

• Search "Allow an app through Windows Firewall"
• Find Remote Desktop and make sure both boxes are checked

---

STEP 8 — Find Your Public IP (What You Connect TO From Her House)

Your public IP is what the whole world sees for your home connection. To find it:

1. On your home network, go to https://whatismyip.com
2. Write down that IP address (e.g. 76.123.45.67)

⚠️ Important: Most home ISPs give you a dynamic public IP that can change. If you lose connection days later, this may be why. Consider setting up a free dynamic DNS service like No-IP (noip.com) or DuckDNS (duckdns.org) — they give you a hostname like yourname.ddns.net that always points to your current public IP.

---

STEP 9 — Connect From Your Fiancée's House

On her computer or your laptop:

1. Press Windows + R, type mstsc, hit Enter (opens Remote Desktop)
2. In the Computer field, type your public IP address followed by the port:

   76.123.45.67:3389

3. Click Connect
4. Enter your Windows username and password

---

Common Remote Tool Port Reference

Tool	Port	Protocol
Windows RDP	3389	TCP
TeamViewer	5938	TCP/UDP
Chrome Remote Desktop	443	TCP
VNC	5900	TCP
AnyDesk	7070	TCP/UDP

---

Quick IP Summary Sheet

Write these down before you leave home:

What	Where it's used	Example
Desktop's TP-Link IP	TP-Link port forward target	192.168.0.100
TP-Link's WAN IP	Arris port forward target	192.168.100.5
Your Public IP	What you type at her house	76.123.45.67

---