Need help setting up network for kids event

quad_red

Hi folks,

Would be grateful for some advice here.

Basically, I'm in an educational setting. I have a cat 5 port in a wall that goes back to a Zyxel Prestige 600N router down the corridor. I don't have the option of messing with or replacing that device.

I have a Netgear WNDR3300 wireless router I want to set up in this room for a reasonably large bunch of kids (15/20) who will be bringing their own laptops in.

Now, I connected the router to the cat 5 port in the wall and I'm able to connect to the internet via a single wired connection on the Netgear. But obviously things are getting messy when multiple devices connect. Network connectivity on the devices is dropping in and out.

I thought that going into the LAN settings off the router and unclicking 'Use router as a DHCP server' would resolve them by allowing the Zyxel to take over allotting IP addresses.

But that hasn't worked. Without DHCP turned on it's limited to a single connection. If anything else connects they all get busted (network connectivity problems).

Any advice here?

Thanks a million,
Quad

golfcaptain

quad_red wrote: »

Hi folks,

Would be grateful for some advice here.

Basically, I'm in an educational setting. I have a cat 5 port in a wall that goes back to a Zyxel Prestige 600N router down the corridor. I don't have the option of messing with or replacing that device.

I have a Netgear WNDR3300 wireless router I want to set up in this room for a reasonably large bunch of kids (15/20) who will be bringing their own laptops in.

Now, I connected the router to the cat 5 port in the wall and I'm able to connect to the internet via a single wired connection on the Netgear. But obviously things are getting messy when multiple devices connect. Network connectivity on the devices is dropping in and out.

I thought that going into the LAN settings off the router and unclicking 'Use router as a DHCP server' would resolve them by allowing the Zyxel to take over allotting IP addresses.

But that hasn't worked. Without DHCP turned on it's limited to a single connection. If anything else connects they all get busted (network connectivity problems).

Any advice here?

Thanks a million,
Quad

Does the netgear have an option to use it in 'access point' mode? That would allow the zyxel take over the addressing.

http://kb.netgear.com/20927/How-do-I-change-my-NETGEAR-router-to-AP-mode-after-I-ve-already-run-setup?cid=wmt_netgear_organic

quad_red

Thanks GolfCaptain.

Unfortunately there is no Access Point option as displayed in that Netgear link.

There are options for Wireless Repeat functions but nothing for Access Point functionality.

gctest50

quad_red wrote: »

Zyxel Prestige 600N router down the corridor. I don't have the option of messing with or replacing that device.

.....and is there important stuff officey stuff connected to the Zyxel ?


if so, this could be truly outstanding data protection n network stuff :

quad_red wrote: »

............

Basically, I'm in an educational setting. I have a cat 5 port in a wall that goes back to a Zyxel Prestige 600N router down the corridor. I

...........

quad_red wrote: »

Hi folks,

Would be grateful for some advice here.

Basically, I'm in an educational setting. I have a cat 5 port in a wall that goes back to a Zyxel Prestige 600N router down the corridor. I don't have the option of messing with or replacing that device.

I have a Netgear WNDR3300 wireless router I want to set up in this room for a reasonably large bunch of kids (15/20) who will be bringing their own laptops in.

Now, I connected the router to the cat 5 port in the wall and I'm able to connect to the internet via a single wired connection on the Netgear. But obviously things are getting messy when multiple devices connect. Network connectivity on the devices is dropping in and out.

I thought that going into the LAN settings off the router and unclicking 'Use router as a DHCP server' would resolve them by allowing the Zyxel to take over allotting IP addresses.

But that hasn't worked. Without DHCP turned on it's limited to a single connection. If anything else connects they all get busted (network connectivity problems).

Any advice here?

Thanks a million,
Quad

ED E

Leave WAN DHCP on on the Netgear.
Turn LAN DHCP off on it.


BTW that Zyxel suggests you probably have a slow enough internet connection. Putting an extra 20 laptops on the network could be enough to severely congest your connection.

quad_red

gctest50 wrote: »

.....and is there important stuff officey stuff connected to the Zyxel ?

Nope. It's an old standalone DSL line. Around 6Mbps down, 0.32Mbps up with 25ms ping according to speedtest.

Yes - utter ****e.

gctest50 wrote: »

if so, this could be truly outstanding data protection n network stuff :

There is absolutely no connection/cross bridging issue. Completely standalone. This isn't education as in state education. And the connection is driving one workstation (which for this exercise is disconnected from the router).

quad_red

ED E wrote: »

Leave WAN DHCP on on the Netgear.
Turn LAN DHCP off on it.


BTW that Zyxel suggests you probably have a slow enough internet connection. Putting an extra 20 laptops on the network could be enough to severely congest your connection.

I've turned the DHCP server off on the Netgear and manually given it an IP address one over the primary router (as per this handy CNET guide)

https://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/how-to-turn-an-old-wi-fi-router-into-an-access-point/

I have five devices set up and setting off speedtest on all five is pretty painful. But that's reflective of the bandwidth I'd say.

golfcaptain

quad_red wrote: »

I've turned the DHCP server off on the Netgear and manually given it an IP address one over the primary router (as per this handy CNET guide)

https://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/how-to-turn-an-old-wi-fi-router-into-an-access-point/

I have five devices set up and setting off speedtest on all five is pretty painful. But that's reflective of the bandwidth I'd say.

Yeah the number of devices shouldn't be an issue, it's more a question of how much bandwidth they need. 30 devices with low bandwidth needs may be fine but 10 with high needs may be a problem as an example. If the zyxel has a firewall you can turn it off on the netgear, assuming you don't need it.