# PhotoRobot Network Equipment: Ports and Wiring > Which cable goes where on PhotoRobot routers: WAN and LAN ports of the MikroTik RB1100AHx4 and hAP ax², the TL-WR802N Wi-Fi module, and a quick check. # PhotoRobot Network Equipment and Wiring A PhotoRobot studio runs on its own small network. The PhotoRobot router keeps it separate from your company network: one port takes the connection from your network, and the other ports are for the studio equipment. If cables get pulled out or moved around, this page shows where each one goes. **One Rule Covers Almost Everything.** The cable from your company network (the wall socket) goes into the WAN port. Everything from the studio goes into a LAN port. Never the other way around. ## Why PhotoRobot Runs on Its Own Network Every PhotoRobot studio uses network devices that we supply, and they create a small, isolated studio network (a subnet) inside your studio. Here is why we do it this way: - It keeps the PhotoRobot hardware and its operation separate from your company network. - PhotoRobot needs specific port and device settings that don't always fit company IT policies. Inside the subnet, they don't have to. - Above all, it makes diagnostics easy. Network traffic causes about 99% of all problems and outages we see, usually right after a well-meant “improvement” to the company network settings. With the subnet, our support team can quickly see what is going on. - If your IT team prefers not to use the subnet, they will also need to take part in troubleshooting the network traffic whenever something goes wrong. (Of course, we're always happy to join late-night calls across time zones with your IT specialists.) In short, the subnet keeps things simple for both the PhotoRobot system and your IT team. The network devices we deliver come pre-configured. What we really deliver is not the hardware itself, but above all its correct configuration. ## Large router: MikroTik RB1100AHx4 19-inch rack unit, 13 Ethernet ports. - **WAN (input, customer network / internet):** Port ether13. Only this port is protected by the firewall; it separates the PhotoRobot network from your company network. - **LAN (photorobot studio devices):** Ports ether1–ether12, for the computers, cameras and optional Wi-Fi modules. Manufacturer product page: [MikroTik RB1100AHx4](https://mikrotik.com/product/rb1100ahx4). Units supplied by PhotoRobot ship pre-configured. ## Small router: MikroTik hAP ax² Desktop unit, 5 Ethernet ports and built-in Wi-Fi. - **WAN (input, customer network / internet):** Port ether1. The firewall applies primarily to this port. - **LAN (photorobot studio devices):** Ports ether2–ether5, for the studio equipment. The router also broadcasts the internal studio network “PhotoRobotNet” over Wi-Fi. Manufacturer product page: [MikroTik hAP ax²](https://mikrotik.com/product/hap_ax2). Units supplied by PhotoRobot ship pre-configured. ## Optional Wi-Fi module: TP-Link TL-WR802N Pocket-size access point with a single Ethernet port. Used as a Wi-Fi access point where the large router has no Wi-Fi of its own. It comes pre-configured and broadcasts the studio network “PhotoRobotNet”. - It has one port only. - Connect it ONLY to an internal LAN port of the main PhotoRobot router, for example ether2–ether12 on the RB1100AHx4. - NEVER plug it directly into the wall socket or your company network. Manufacturer product page: [TP-Link TL-WR802N](https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/tl-wr802n/). Units supplied by PhotoRobot ship pre-configured. The illustrations are schematic: they show the number and order of the ports, not every detail of the panel. Always go by the port numbers printed on the router. ## Quick Check if Something Stopped Working - Is the cable from your company network (the wall socket) in the WAN port: ether13 on the large router, ether1 on the small router? - Is anything from the wall plugged into a LAN port? Move it to the WAN port. Only one cable comes from your network, and it goes only into WAN. - Are the PhotoRobot computer, the control unit and the cameras plugged into LAN ports, not into the WAN port? - Is the TL-WR802N Wi-Fi module plugged into a LAN port of the PhotoRobot router, and not into the wall? - Are the router and the Wi-Fi module powered on? Still not working? Contact PhotoRobot support and send a photo of the router that shows which cable is in which port. ## Default Network Settings PhotoRobot routers ship with these settings for the studio network (the LAN side): | Setting | Default | | --- | --- | | Studio subnet (LAN) | `172.31.173.0/24` | | Router LAN IP address | `172.31.173.1` | | DHCP range | `172.31.173.10–172.31.173.100` | | Wi-Fi network (SSID) | `PhotoRobotNet` | | Wi-Fi password | In your delivery documentation, or from PhotoRobot support | The Wi-Fi password is in your PhotoRobot delivery documentation, or you can get it from PhotoRobot support. ## For Your IT Team Firewall rules, ports and protocols for the PhotoRobot network are on the Networking Prerequisites page. [PhotoRobot Networking Prerequisites & Configuration](https://www.photorobot.com/manuals/photorobot-networking-prerequisites) Product images: MikroTik, TP-Link.