2 wi-fi routers and 1 switch - need DHCP recommendation

[kbutler6il]

Here is my configuration in a home network: 1 Comcast wi-fi router, 1 Linksys E2500 wi-fi router, 1 basic 4 port switch. The Comcast wi-fi router is connected to the Comcast cable model for the main internet connection. The E2500 is connected to Comcast Wi-Fi router with a patch cable. The switch is connected to the Comcast wi-fi router with a patch cable. 4 devices (2 laptops, 2 game consoles) are connected to the 4-port switch via patch cables. 7 wireless devices are connected to the E2500 (4 phones, 1 laptop, 1 PC , 1 iPad). 2 wired devices are connected to the E2500 (1 A/V receiver, 1 blu-ray player).

The are many drops in this configuration for the 4 devices on the switch. And often the wireless connections to the E2500 wi-fi router.

Please help with configuration settings, in particular DHCP on each router and IP assignments for devices on each router. I am a network novice. I can find my way around each router's configuration menu. I kind of understand static and dynamic IP addresses and that there may be a conflict between two devices trying to have the same IP address.

Thank you,
Kevin

 

[RealBeast]

Do you really need to have two separate subnets? Or do you just want the extra radio channel and LAN ports of the E2500?

Does the patch cable go to the WAN port of the E2500?

 

[kbutler6il]

I liked the idea of the 2nd frequency provided by the E2500 for the family laptop and various Apple prodcuts in the house. Comcast's is only 2.4. I think I just wanted the extra radio? channel and LAN ports.

I put the patch cable on the E2500's internet port and on the Comcast's port #1 (not its Internet port). I guess for only 3 LAN connections needed (switch, AV Receiver, blu-ray player) I could remove the E2500.

 

[RealBeast]

Okay, then you only want one network and here is how to configure it. Your LAN to LAN cable is correct.

For the E2500, turn off DHCP, and give the E2500 a static address in the network range but outside the Comcast DHCP range. So for example, if the Comcast gateway is 192.168.x.1, make the E2500 192.168.x.2 and leave some space for other static devices so make the Comcast DHCP assignable range 192.168.x.16 to 192.168.x.128. You will also need to enter the E2500 192.168.x.2 static address in the Comcast device static table (which also requires the MAC address of the E2500). Note that once you change the E2500 address you will have to login to it on the new address (and do all this stuff with a cable attached computer) so I would change everything else and then change the address. The Comcast will assign all IP addresses, I would leave most of them dynamic (i.e. have the device automatically obtain an address), but the AP (aka the E2500) will be static, and printers often work better if static.

If you mess up during the E2500, no problem, just reset it and start over.

For the wireless radios you can use the same security type WPA2 personal AES, and same passkey if you like for simplicity, set the E2500 2.4GHz channel different than the Comcast (selecting from the three non-overlapping channels for the two radios of channels 1, 6, and 11).

Set the SSID (wireless name) different for the two 2.4GHz and the 5GHz so that you can tell them apart and divide up the use to maximize everyone's connection.

 

[kbutler6il]

I will give it a try. Thank you!