Need Home Network Help

[Bosox3]

I was wondering if anyne knows whats the best method for me to use.

Right now heres my setup:

cable internet comes from modem to a wired linksys router.
from that router one cable goes to my desktop, while another cable goes up to the next floor to my wireless linksys router.
Id just use the wireless one but the signal doesnt come in that great through 2 floors.
Now should I keep using 2 routers like this or should I use something else..switch..hub..ect.


I know there should be an easier way but I cant seem to figure it out.

 

[yg17]

I would disable DHCP on the wireless router and plug the wire coming from the router downstairs into one of the wireless routers 4 LAN ports (rather than the WAN port you probably have it plugged into right now) so it acts more like a switch. Now you only have 1 device doing actual routing (the one downstairs) and one DHCP server, and computers on your network can more easily communicate with each other.

Or, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it's working for you, then there's nothing wrong with the setup. But what I mentioned is the setup I would personally do (and in fact, the setup I'm doing right now).

 

[ab2650]

I would disable DHCP on the wireless router and plug the wire coming from the router downstairs into one of the wireless routers 4 LAN ports (rather than the WAN port you probably have it plugged into right now) so it acts more like a switch. Now you only have 1 device doing actual routing (the one downstairs) and one DHCP server, and computers on your network can more easily communicate with each other.

I don't think that would work. The wireless router is going to want to send all traffic over the WAN port, and by disconnecting it and connecting it to a LAN port will probably not work - I could be wrong, especially if the router has a "repeater" or "switch" mode. It almost certainly won't work for wireless connections.

Or, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it's working for you, then there's nothing wrong with the setup. But what I mentioned is the setup I would personally do (and in fact, the setup I'm doing right now).

I agree that if it's working for you now it's probably just fine. I can think of many instances where people run multiple levels of routers, albeit usually to segment their network for security. For the OP, I can think of only one major case where two routers will be a nuisance; If you want to share files/screen from a computer behind the second router (i.e., wireless, or wired upstairs) from your desktop downstairs next to the cable modem. In this case, you're going to have to poke holes (port forwarding) in the upstairs router to actively make connections.

Truly the most simple solution is to buy a stand-alone (read: no router) wireless access point. A Netgear WG602 is about $50 after a rebate, but you could always spend about $100 and get a 802.11n access point (assuming your WiFi devices are "n."

 

[yg17]

I don't think that would work. The wireless router is going to want to send all traffic over the WAN port, and by disconnecting it and connecting it to a LAN port will probably not work - I could be wrong, especially if the router has a "repeater" or "switch" mode. It almost certainly won't work for wireless connections.

Yes, that'll work fine. The router has a WAN port and 4 (maybe 8, but some number) of LAN ports. The LAN ports are switched. So you disable DHCP so the wireless router doesn't send out DHCP offers on the LAN ports, plug the other router into the LAN port so it's DHCP offers get sent out the other DHCP ports, and you're in business. I have that very setup with a Netgear router (DHCP disabled, not using WAN port) and it works perfectly. Wireless included. The wireless radio is switched as well. The routers basically treat it as an additional switched port, except it's wireless, not a physical wire.

The computers connected to the wireless router will want to send out all traffic to the default gateway (the router connected to the modem, 192.168.1.1 probably). So the computers will send their packets to 192.168.1.1. The wireless router (not really routing, but we'll call it that) will see that 192.168.1.1 is off port X (port X is NOT the WAN port, it's a switched port), and will send those out port X, where the actual router will do it's thing, send it back out to port X on the wireless router who will see the destination computer is on port Y and send it there.

The router doesn't even need to have a switched mode. Just statically assign it a LAN IP (I assigned 192.168.1.254 to my Netgear so I can access the management) and disable DHCP and you're in business. A switched mode setting will just do the work for you.

Yes, there are legit reasons for wanting to use 2 actual routers, on 2 separate networks. But for most home users, it's complicated and overkill.

And no need to buy any new equipment when this can be accomplished by changing 2 settings in the wireless router.


Again, this will work perfectly, no additional stuff to buy. I've got one chapter left in my books until I'm ready to take the Cisco CCNA certification, so I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about here 😉

 

[ab2650]

I've got one chapter left in my books until I'm ready to take the Cisco CCNA certification, so I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about here 😉

Well sir, I stand corrected! It's good to know we have some people here who know-their-stuff(tm).

I will sheepishly exit the room. 😀

 

[EricNau]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but by disabling the router functions on the linksys and connecting it to a LAN port on another router, your basically turning it into an AP, no?

 

[ab2650]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but by disabling the router functions on the linksys and connecting it to a LAN port on another router, your basically turning it into an AP, no?

I'm not aware of a consumer router you can "disable the router" part of... What yg17 was saying (and now I can see the light) is by turning off DHCP and connecting the primary router to the LAN side, all DHCP leases will be given an IP range from the primary router and have their route set to go there (as opposed to a second level router). AFAIK, the second router still thinks it's a router and if one were so inclined to add a route to the second router it would want to work; alas if the WAN cable is unplugged it can't DO much, but never-the-less, it's still wanting to BE a router.

I could be wrong though; It's been a confusing week. 😱

 

[yg17]

I'm not aware of a consumer router you can "disable the router" part of... What yg17 was saying (and now I can see the light) is by turning off DHCP and connecting the primary router to the LAN side, all DHCP leases will be given an IP range from the primary router and have their route set to go there (as opposed to a second level router). AFAIK, the second router still thinks it's a router and if one were so inclined to add a route to the second router it would want to work; alas if the WAN cable is unplugged it can't DO much, but never-the-less, it's still wanting to BE a router.

I could be wrong though; It's been a confusing week. 😱

Yep, you're not really disabling the routing functions so to speak, you're just hooking things up and configuring things to get around said functions. Doing so will, as mentioned, basically turn it into an access point.

 

[EricNau]

Yep, you're not really disabling the routing functions so to speak, you're just hooking things up and configuring things to get around said functions. Doing so will, as mentioned, basically turn it into an access point.

OK, I've never actually used a Linksys before, so I wasn't sure about the interface or capabilities. ...I actually finished my CCNA training awhile back and just wanted to make sure I still had some basic knowledge up there. 😀 (I never took the exam because there wasn't any benefit for me to do so at the time.)

Good Luck with the test!

 

[yg17]

OK, I've never actually used a Linksys before, so I wasn't sure about the interface or capabilities. ...I actually finished my CCNA training awhile back and just wanted to make sure I still had some basic knowledge up there. 😀 (I never took the exam because there wasn't any benefit for me to do so at the time.)

Good Luck with the test!

Thanks 😀


I've never done this with a Linksys, but I've done this with a Netgear which is just as crappy when it comes to lacking features, and it works fine. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work on a Linksys or any other router.