Routers Mayhem - Any networking gurus ??

[Zimmerframe]

A relative newbie to the mac world, and no expert on networking either, so bear with me.

Ok to start with for internet access, I need one of these
http://www.dsl-warehouse.co.uk/product.asp?pr=WRT54G3G
which is basically a standard linksys wireless router, but which uses 3G signal

I have an Apple Airport extreme the new rectangular n type, which is upstairs.

I also have an Apple extreme older ufo type model.

I have no choice re. the Linksys router, as it's my only internet alternative, and it must be kept upstairs in order to get 3G reception.

I also need the new type airport extreme upstairs so I can have wireless printing and hdd access.

Due to a concrete ceiling, I need wireless boost for downstairs, so was planning to use my older extreme for that.


Now here comes the question, what is the best way of reliably connecting this lot up.

The two upstairs routers are only a couple of feet apart, so will I disable wireless on one of them ?
Which is a relay, remote, main etc. which does dhcp etc.
I have Cat 5 running between all the routers which I can use etc.

If anyone can give specific information, i.e down to which cable to plug where, which settings to use etc. please do, if I haven't given everyone a migraine already.

 

[techound1]

You can set it up any way you like (hah, migraine back to you! ), but here's what I suggest, providing I'm reading you correctly.

Use the linksys as the true router/assigner of network addresses. Use airport setup utility to set the two APs to join the existing network. If you have interference problems between the linksys and the other upstairs AP, then look into running the cable, otherwise, simpler (and less cable!) is better. I've got a GSM cell antenna booster 6' from an older AP like yours and they coexist peacefully.

 

[Zimmerframe]

You can set it up any way you like (hah, migraine back to you! ), but here's what I suggest, providing I'm reading you correctly.

Use the linksys as the true router/assigner of network addresses. Use airport setup utility to set the two APs to join the existing network. If you have interference problems between the linksys and the other upstairs AP, then look into running the cable, otherwise, simpler (and less cable!) is better. I've got a GSM cell antenna booster 6' from an older AP like yours and they coexist peacefully.

Thanks for the reply, but I need a cable from upstairs to downstairs, where will I connect this to, for starters.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Had a go at it, but wound up with yellow lights on both routers. Had to disconnect both extremes to get on the net with my 3g router on it's own.
Will give it another lash tomorrow.

 

[wesg]

If you're using 1 network, make sure only 1 router is set to distribute IP addresses. Also be sure that one wire is connected to the WAN connection of the secondary router and the LAN connection on the main Linksys.

Hopefully that makes a little more sense, because if both routers are trying to share IPs, the signals usually get a little crossed.

 

[sushi]

Not sure I follow what you are trying to do.

But generally, the easiest way to set up is make on router, in this case the Linksys 3G one the master.

The remaining routers are connected but don't do router duties.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Thanks for the replies.
Spent ages doing just about everything possible and everytime, one or other of the apple routers had a problem, and usually both.
Eventually I got it to work, or at least it's working as we speak.

I enabled the dhcp on the Linksys 3g router, and I disabled the wireless on it.
I conneceted the Lan on the Linksys to the wan on the first airport extreme with cat5, and then created a new wireless network.
I then connected the lan on the same extreme to the wan on the other extreme, and used that to extend the wireless network.
Still don't know what I'm doing, but I got green lights on both apple routers and my internet working.
Fingers crossed.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I retract my success story.
While all appears to be perfect, green lights on both apple routers, full signal strength, on the laptop all through the house, all ip addresses perfect, but yet while downstairs, my internet "throughput", i.e internet download speed, is slowed by the addition of the downstairs router.
My signal strength is great but my "system" actually is worsened.

???????