OK here is the deal... I have a new DOCSIS 3 modem that no longer gives me a public IP - so I get a private IP...

- this led to some insane issues with my windows machines, but that has all been sorted.

Now as we know, everything likes to be 192.168... I hate that, I am using the 172 addresses. Now here is the thing, I have cable modem, linux box as router / nas, switch, wifi ap, multiple computers...

MODEM > LINUX > SWITCH > WHATEVER

Everything goes through the switch and then the linux box then internet. I have the wifi for a single computer elsewhere...

From the wifi connection everything works. From the desktops and the linux box I can't get to the wireless router.

I have the network configs as so:

Modem: 172.16.0.1
Linux Box: 172.24.0.1
AP: 172.24.1.1
- wired client: 172.24.0.X

I think the issue is the netmasks, can I try some more exotic netmasks (and what would those be?) or use a different IP for the AP? I'm not sure what I have set as the netmasks, probably the defaults.

Hope that was clear, since I can't get to the AP, I can't do any DMZ / port forwarding to any connected wifi devices.

I actually have a question for you.

Why do you think that you need to use a class B address?

If you use multiple class C addresses, then you won't have to use subnets, thus avoiding subnet masking which you are seeming to be having problems with.

What is your subnet 255.255.0.0 that should be fine to go back and forth. Is it really an AP or is it a router with WiFi, if that;s the case it's likely that AP/Router will refuse connections by default from the WAN port. Or lastly are you having issues connecting to machines on the other side of the AP? If so you might try adding a static route to test if it is a routing issue. Speaking of routing it would be interesting to see the output of route from a WiFi connected client and from a wired client, could you post that?