Using two wireless routers in one house

gnolan

I'm wondering is this possible. Getting a new wireless modem from Vodafone soon enough, and there are a few spots in the house that get a terrible wifi signal. I'm hoping there is a way to use this new router and my existing router (Netgear DG834PN) at the same time.

Could i even use one as a non-wireless modem, and connect by ethernet cables?

My plan would be to connect an Xbox 360 and Xbox original with XBMC into one of the modems, and share over the network whatever i can with XBMC. Don't know if any of this is possible, i'm not too handy with that kind of thing, as you can probably tell by my alternating use of router/modem!

Cabaal

moving to wireless

Antar Bolaeisk

You can simply connect the two of them via ethernet cable and it will work. Of course, before you do this you need to set up one of them in bridge mode and disable the DHCP server on it.

Now, the router connected to the phone line just leave that one as is and set-up the Vodafone router as the bridge. You'll also be able to leave both routers broadcasting wireless signals but it's probably best to give them seperate SSIDs. You could of course try giving them the exact same wireless settings but I'm not sure if that would cause any issues (no harm in trying though).

PogMoThoin

Make sure they're both different channels, if ones 11 make the other 1. If You give both the same ssid and pass Your laptop should roam between both. Its probably better to just get an access point instead of a router, this way it'll already be a bridge and You'll have no routing issues and no dhcp to disable

gnolan

gnolan wrote: »

i'm not too handy with that kind of thing, as you can probably tell by my alternating use of router/modem!

Antar Bolaeisk wrote: »

You can simply connect the two of them via ethernet cable and it will work. Of course, before you do this you need to set up one of them in bridge mode and disable the DHCP server on it.

Now, the router connected to the phone line just leave that one as is and set-up the Vodafone router as the bridge. You'll also be able to leave both routers broadcasting wireless signals but it's probably best to give them seperate SSIDs. You could of course try giving them the exact same wireless settings but I'm not sure if that would cause any issues (no harm in trying though).

Some things i don't understand: bridge mode and SSIDs. I'm fairly sure i'd know how to disable DHCP on the new router. The problem i'd have with connecting the two simply by ethernet cable is that i want to put the new router in another part of the house, so it won't be right beside the old router.

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Make sure they're both different channels, if ones 11 make the other 1. If You give both the same ssid and pass Your laptop should roam between both. Its probably better to just get an access point instead of a router, this way it'll already be a bridge and You'll have no routing issues and no dhcp to disable

What do you mean by channels and how do i select a channel for each router. I doubt i'll be getting an access point as this free router is just something i want to utilise.

dub45

gnolan wrote: »

Some things i don't understand: bridge mode and SSIDs. I'm fairly sure i'd know how to disable DHCP on the new router. The problem i'd have with connecting the two simply by ethernet cable is that i want to put the new router in another part of the house, so it won't be right beside the old router.



What do you mean by channels and how do i select a channel for each router. I doubt i'll be getting an access point as this free router is just something i want to utilise.

SSID is the name of the wireless network which of course you can choose yourself in the settings. The channels are what the wireless signal is transmitted on - you can choose them in the router settings. If you turn off the routing in a router it effectively becomes an access point as far as I know.

PogMoThoin

Routers route from the wan port to the lan ports, to turn a router into an access point You stop using the wan port (put some tape over it) and disable dhcp in the settings (so it doesn't give out ip addresses to the lan).

gnolan

Thanks for the replies. Had a look on my current router's settings and know how to change the channel so hopefully the next router is just as simple.

dub45 wrote: »

SSID is the name of the wireless network which of course you can choose yourself in the settings......If you turn off the routing in a router it effectively becomes an access point as far as I know.

Looking at my current router, under the heading Wireless Access Point, there are checkbox options for "Enable wireless access point" (checked), "Allow broadcast of name, SSID" (checked), and "Wireless Isolation" (unchecked).

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Routers route from the wan port to the lan ports, to turn a router into an access point You stop using the wan port (put some tape over it) and disable dhcp in the settings (so it doesn't give out ip addresses to the lan).

So, when i get my new router, is it it simply a matter of placing it in the house wherever i want, disabling DHCP and disabling the WAN port? On the WAN port bit. On my current router, there is no obvious wan port. Any antennae are internal.

EDIT: just been reading up a little on the WAN bit, from what i can gather its basically the port used to connect the phone line into??

Thanks for the help, i'm pretty crap at this kinda thing and still don't fully understand it; just kind of nodding and smiling politely.

PogMoThoin

Which device are You going using as access point and which will be the modem that handles Your connection to the net? You only disable dhcp and the wan port on the access point, the modem router routes as normal

gnolan

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Which device are You going using as access point and which will be the modem that handles Your connection to the net? You only disable dhcp and the wan port on the access point, the modem router routes as normal

The plan is to keep the existing router as it is and use the new router as the access point. Don't want to go changing anything on the existing router really, cos i remember it taking me ages to set up port forwarding for uTorrent, and security on it is mac filtered, which also took more time than it should have.

So, would i be right in saying that when i get the new router, all i have to do is:

• Plug the new router in wherever i want
• Don't need to connect to phone line
• Disable DHCP
• Done??

PogMoThoin

You need to connect it to a lan port on the existing modem/router by using a patch lead with 2 rj45's

gnolan

PogMoThoin wrote: »

You need to connect it to a lan port on the existing modem/router by using a patch lead with 2 rj45's

Ah i see. Well thats terrible for me then! I thought the whole point of an access point was so that you didn't have to trail wires all over the place? The place i was looking to put the access point is very far away from the original router, meaning i'm probably going to need a 25 metre ethernet cable; which, apart from probably not being able to find one, is pretty impractical.

And in the unlikely event that i got a 25 metre ethernet cable and trailed it throughout the house, why would i bother plugging it into the access point when i could just plug it straight into the laptop?

I'm sorry if this comes off as a bit sarcastic because i appreciate everyone's help with the issue; but i'm just surprised at the amount of wires involved in a "wireless" network!

PogMoThoin

Yes, wireless is this magic stuff that just works

Its 25metres of cat5 cable and 2 rj45 crimps, anyone who works with networking can make You one. You can buy the cat5 or an electrician can give You the 25m of cable to run, then all You got is to find someone with a crimp tool to crimp the ends.

gnolan

Everything is a little clearer now! Nice to learn something new too!

Thanks for your help