Windows Network Bridge issues

[Neto]

I have only ever done this twice now, and the last one is a possible cause of some weird networking issues - basically E - X - T - R - E - M - L - Y slow file access over the network. (Like more than a minute to open the Shared Docs folder on the other system, then a minute or more to open even a small .txt file.)

Devices involved:
2 Windows 10 systems,
Network Switch (Cisco CBS110-5T-DD 110 Series 5 port 10/100/1000)
E My People Verizon JetPack

Setup Procedure:
Connect the JetPack on the system to be the email connection host.
In Control Panel on that Windows system, Hold the Ctrl button down and select the two networks.
Right click and select Create Network Bridge.

The Strange Results:
The IPv4 IP Address is in the 169.254.#.# range, with a Subnet Mask of 255.255.0.0. (This is the network created by the network switch, the basic connection)
The IPv6 IP Address is in the 192.168.#.# range, Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0, and Gateway 192.168.1.1.

If I attempt to change the 169.254.#.# configuration to 192.168.#.#, a pop-up message appears that says
"Warning - Multiple default gateways are intended to provide redundancy to a single network. They will not function properly when the gateways are on two separate, disjointed networks (such as one on your intranet and on on the internet). Do you want to save this configuration?"

Maybe this is not the actual cause of the slow connection - I don't know for sure. Just in case the first comment is that a Windows Network Bridge requires a router, and not a switch, the first such bridge I created use the exact same equipment, all the way down to the exact same brand and model of network switch. So maybe I'm "barking up the wrong tree". Since I didn't have any issues with the first such configuration, I never looked at the IP Addresses on that one. Am I wrong in thinking that there should not be this mix of 169.254.#.# & 192.168.#.# IP Address ranges?

[Josh]

"The IPv4 IP Address is in the 169.254.#.# range, with a Subnet Mask of 255.255.0.0. (This is the network created by the network switch, the basic connection)
The IPv6 IP Address is in the 192.168.#.# range, Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0, and Gateway 192.168.1.1."

169.254 is an autoconfiguration address. The network switch didn't create this; this gets created by each host if nobody answers DHCP.

IPv6 addresses look like 2600abcd::1234.

Do you want both computers to be able to access the Internet or just the one the Jetpack is attached to?

[Neto]

"The IPv4 IP Address is in the 169.254.#.# range, with a Subnet Mask of 255.255.0.0. (This is the network created by the network switch, the basic connection)
The IPv6 IP Address is in the 192.168.#.# range, Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0, and Gateway 192.168.1.1."

169.254 is an autoconfiguration address. The network switch didn't create this; this gets created by each host if nobody answers DHCP.

IPv6 addresses look like 2600abcd::1234.

Do you want both computers to be able to access the Internet or just the one the Jetpack is attached to?

We created the Windows Network Bridge in order to allow the restricted internet access on both (email only).

However, he just called me a few minutes ago, and said that everything is now working normally, with fast access over the network. I don't know what was going on last afternoon, but it was certainly very slow. So it looks like no further work is required for this question.

Regarding the 169.254 IP range, that's what I always get when there is only a network switch on an intranet setup. (Like in my own shop, where I have no internet access of any type, and only a network switch. If I use a router instead of a switch, and still with no internet, then I get the 192.168 range.
My impression is that when there is no router in the network, one of the Peer to Peer systems will hand out the IP Addresses. Is that correct?)

[Josh]

169.254 addresses are called "zeroconf" or "autoconfiguration". If a PC connects to a network but no DHCP server answers, it will eventually assign itself an IP address, which it can use to communicate with other PCs on the network, but obviously cannot reach the Internet.

The bridge setup should in theory work, but in my experience it is often less than reliable to do it that way. Can't the Jetpack let multiple clients connect via Wi-Fi?

[Neto]

169.254 addresses are called "zeroconf" or "autoconfiguration". If a PC connects to a network but no DHCP server answers, it will eventually assign itself an IP address, which it can use to communicate with other PCs on the network, but obviously cannot reach the Internet.

The bridge setup should in theory work, but in my experience it is often less than reliable to do it that way. Can't the Jetpack let multiple clients connect via Wi-Fi?

Thanks.

No wireless adapters on these systems. I first looked up how to do a Network Bridge configuration when asked by a client in KY. That's been a couple of months at most, I think. So far so good. I did the first one myself only a few weeks ago, then this second one. I guess we'll see how well they work in the long run.