Adding my own Router to UPC Connection

WildCardDoW

Recently got the Horizon box in, good value and fast internet so couldn't resist. Anyway, the box is downstairs and seems to have a pretty weak WiFi signal so I'm looking at improving it, as most of my main devices that use WiFi are upstairs , i.e. the consoles, and my laptop when i want to watch something in peace and quiet :P.

So I was thinking over my options and was wondering what would be the best choice:

Split the cable coming down from the attic to the room I want to place the router (as I still have the original broadband router from them). Would this effect the signal much? Any advice?

Run an ethernet wire from Horizon box up to a router and connect any device upstairs to that.

Wall-sockets, such as Trendnet Powerline Ethernet Adapter. Probably the easiest option

srsly78

Connect your new router via powerline adapter. If you can run an ethernet cable without hassle then use that instead. Turn off dhcp on upc router.

For more advanced stuff you can look into bridge mode etc.

WildCardDoW

Thanks srsly78!

I'd turn off DHCP on the extra router right?

I'll look into bridge mode, are there any constraints on the Horizon box being set up in bridge mode?

srsly78

I'm not sure as I never had that model, but you can check on the UPC forum here. It will still work without bridge more tho so don't worry.

Regarding dhcp: I think it will work fine so long as only one router has it enabled (ie not both).

WildCardDoW

Cheers, appreciate it, I'll post here how it works out and what sort of speeds I get from this setup as I think more people might look into this! WiFi signal with the old box was full bars everywhere in the house, now as soon as I go up the stairs it drops to three bars and drops intermittently!

I've been reading into bridge mode just to see the advantages, and what I would need to do!

measurement

I think I've understood this post, which will be useful to me when I get UPC broadband to replace Eircom.
I have a Belkin router with built-in printer server attached via ethernet to the Eircom modem which is upstairs, so that I can print upstairs from anywhere in the house. I connect laptop, phone etc. wirelessly to the Belkin instead of the Eircom. (I can connect to the Eircom wirelss modem, but it is a replacement for an old wired one and I don't bother to connect wirelessly directly to it.)

The UPC connection comes in downstairs. I'm hoping that I can just connect an ethernet cable to the UPC modem, then to the wall ethernet socket which runs back to the office upstairs(I got it installed when rewiring).
Just wondering if I'll have to bring the Belkin downstairs to get it to talk to the other modem initially (i.e. to pick up the settings by pressing a button. Or, will it just work without new settings because I'm using the ethernet cable, which I'll transfer from the Eircom modem to the router.

Finally the question.... (sorry). Will this setup work for printing, given that I'll probably still connect wirelessly to the Belkin, once I get it to talk to the UPC modem? Or have I got more work to do with the settings?

corroonb

I'd recommend a wireless homeplug (powerline adapter). You won't need a router.

Something like this would be ideal: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Devolo-dLAN-500-Wi-Fi-Starter/dp/B00C5IA4TW/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1381440439&sr=8-8&keywords=Devolo

measurement

corroonb wrote: »

I'd recommend a wireless homeplug (powerline adapter). You won't need a router.

Something like this would be ideal: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Devolo-dLAN-500-Wi-Fi-Starter/dp/B00C5IA4TW/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1381440439&sr=8-8&keywords=Devolo

I already have the router and need its built-in printer server for remote printing, so this doesn't suit me.

WildCardDoW

I've set my own up, although currently it's only a 54 Mbps router, so I'm looking into buying a better one.

How I did it:
use ipconfig to find IP of current router (Horizon, generally 192.168.192.1) enter into browser.
Log on to Horizon box: admin password
Basic > Local Area Network should be setup to handle 64 devices (pool size) so that means the DHCP range is: 192.168.192.2-66
You can change the range to start at a different I.P (i.e 192.168.192.10) if you want.
(You need to do this / check this so you can choose a value outside the DHCP range for your second router)
You also need to note your subnet mask (255.255.254.0)

Hook second router up to PC / laptop using ethernet cable and use ipconfig to find its IP.
Log on using this IP (could be something like 192.168.1.1)
Find LAN settings, change IP to one outside the Horizon box DHCP range (192.168.192.67, or if you changed the starting point of the DHCP range it could be 192.168.192.3)
Change subnet mask 255.255.254.0
Disable DHCP.
Apply these settings.
You can now log onto router using the new IP (192.168.192.X)
Power off Horizon box and router, connect the two using LAN ports.

Should be all good to go!

srsly78

Wow, that is a really over complicated way of doing it. Should not need to do most of that messing around.

WildCardDoW

Hm, I tried that, created problems.

Also forgot to mention to set the SSID to "UPC1234567" and us the same login for wireless settings!

srsly78

srsly78 wrote: »

Wow, that is a really over complicated way of doing it. Just disable dhcp on one device, much simpler. Then the second router will just pick up settings from the first, no need to manually set.

Absolutely. Also avoid a double NAT problem.

I set this up for someone not too long ago because the signal from their Horizon box wasn't making it upstairs. However, the performance from the powerline adapter was terrible. I was getting 98Mb/s via wired, 70Mb/s via wireless from the Horizon and only 3-6Mb/s from the powerline adapter upstairs. I don't know if it was due to the wiring in the house or not. In the end, they moved the Horizon box to another room while they consider running a CAT5e upstairs to an access point.

I second setting the SSID and encryption settings to be the same, it will prevent a situation where the laptop will cling on to the weak signal and have to be manually switched to the stronger one if it is moved.

srsly78

The older powerline adapters were pretty rubbish. Newer models seem much improved.

Am using devolo dlan 500AV right now and the management software shows a real throughput that fluctuates between ~150-250Mbps. My internet here is only 15Mbit, but if I did have 100Mbit upc the powerline adapters would not be a bottleneck. Note that the ethernet ports on the Devolo are only 100Mbps which seems a bit silly...

Have seen the network mysteriously drop for a few seconds sometimes, both with these adapters and other models. Not just in this house either.... Using proper ethernet cables will always be a better solution, but powerline adapters can be tolerable.