Running Apple TV or Google Chromecast without Internet

Please find attached a schematic that will help out a bit. This is what you need to setup an Apple TV or Google Chromecast to mirror your iPhone, without having internet on your Wifi network, only using your iPhone LTE to download the media that you will be streaming on these devices. I am providing a list of items that I used and I can verify that work.

Note:

So configuring the WiFi manually, and not entering the router address does work! I think the router however can’t have IPV6! I put a little drawing together.

A few pointers:

1. The TL-WR902AC needs to be in Share Hotspot mode

2. You can’t use the “Tether” app from TP-Link when the router is in this mode. Don’t know why. You have to use http://tplinkwifi.net in the browser interface to configure it

3. In order to get the initial setup done you do need to “extend” an existing internet capable wifi network. This could be as simple as a mobile WiFi (MiFi), as long as you have internet. This will also help to update the router’s firmware to the latest release.

4. Google Chromecast does require a wifi network with internet in order to get the initial setup

5. I am sure that you still can go with the Apple TV instead of Chromecast

6. After Setup, go to the TL-WR902AC Wifi network setting in your iPhone and modify it from DHCP (Automatic) to Manual. Copy the previously assigned IP number in the IP Number field, and put the Subnet address in. Leave the Router IP blank. Save

7. Then click on DNS and change from Auto to Manual and enter the router’s IP address. Save.

That should be it. Now when you turn off the original extended Wifi network (the internet access one), and connect to the TL-W902AC Wifi, you will see in your iPhone that you are connected to Wifi, but have no internet, and that is exactly what you want. Now you can use different iOS apps like Google Home or the 3rd party Chromecast app to mirror your iPhone on scree via Chromecast, and use apps like Plex, YouTube, etc to play back video.

Again, I think it will also work with Apple TV. I just opted for Chromecast due to the cost factor and the fact that Wifi Chromecast or the Apple TV is on does not have internet.