2 wireless routers on same network

[buhockey13]

I have a home Cable internet connection setup for a desktop and laptop.
My wired setup is like this: Internet -> Cable Modem -> WRT160Nv2
The WRT160Nv2 is set up with DHCP enabled, subnet 255.255.255.0, WEP enabled, IP 192.168.1.1
This setup works fine wired and I can connect my desktop and laptop wirelessly to this network.

However, I am attempting to add a second wireless router (WRT300N) to the mix through the use of a switch so my network looks like this: Internet -> Cable modem - > WRT160Nv2 -> LinkSys 8port switch -> WRT300N
I have my desktop and laptop wired connections coming out of the switch. I am able to connect using the wired connection on both the desktop and laptop. I'm also able to connect wirelessly to the WRT160Nv2 on both the laptop and desktop.

However, I am unable to get a good connection with WRT300N router wirelessly.

I've brought the WRT300N back to the modem and replaced the WRT300N for the WRT160Nv2 and set the WRT300N with a different SSID, IP and WEP code. Do these have to be the same as the WRT160Nv2 to make the WRT300N work? Or what settings should I use on the WRT300N to make this router work on my network? Even when I set my WRT300N IP to 192.168.1.<B> I can't access it so I'm left setting it up without the WRT160Nv2 connected and then seting the network up like this: Internet -> Cable modem - > WRT160Nv2 -> LinkSys 8port switch -> WRT300N and hoping it works.... which it doesn't..

Any suggestions would be much appreciated....

 

[Guest]

Why?

Grumpy

 

[buhockey13]

A just question... why? he asks....

WRT160Nv2 is situated close to my desktop and modem for a ease of connection on one side of the room, the other side has a desk where the laptop can reside. I have run a wire around the room to the laptop to connect it using a wired connection but if you take the lap top out of the room and down the hall you go by 2 bathrooms which (I'm guessing) due to a large amount of metal in pipes etc. the signal goes from 95% to 50% (which results in VPN drops). Having the VPN drop out is not an option.

If I take a wireless router and connect it to where WRT300N is (next to the hallway door) and move it out to the hall I can then catch the wireless signal down the hall (line of sight) at around 95% which works great.

Up to now if I need to work down the hall I've been faced with disconnecting the wired/wireless connections from my WRT160Nv2 and connecting my WRT300N in the hall. This setup disables my desktop internet access 🙁

 

[ironhide]

Good day!

Are you considering to use another device instead of using another router(Wrt300N)?.I recommend a power line instead or WRE54G range expander.

 

[buhockey13]

Actually, I my setup started with the cable modem and the WRT300N, which worked ok until I found the need to take the laptop elsewhere (like down the hall). At which point my practice of disconnecting it and reconnecting the WRT300N in the hallway started.

When a local PC store had a going out of business fire sale I decided to get a second router and use it I got the WRT160Nv2 which I used as my DHCP router and was going to use the WRT300N (a verical profile, small footprint) as the "hallway router"... I ran into issues which I though would be alleviated by getting a switch to go between the WRT160Nv2 and the WRT300N.... having bought a switch and connecting the router up and STILL not being able to connect to the WRT300N I'm abit confused (and frustrated) at this whole thing.....

If possible I'd rather not have to go out and buy more equipment....

 

[ironhide]

I see..Now here's what I suggest.

Modem> WRT160N>switch>WRT300N.

Configurations to be done on the WRT300N:

- Do not use internet port.Connect router to switch using regular port only.
- Change LAN IP to 192.168.1.2
- Disable it's DHCP server.
- Setup wireless settings same as of the main router but use different channel.

Let me know the results.

 

[buhockey13]

THANKS!!!

That worked like a charm! I had everything correct before but I was connecting my WRT300N by using the 'internet' port....

 

[ironhide]

Very well!

Congratulations!

 

[arkay]

Ironhide,

Can you please tell me why we should not connect the second router to the Internet port?

Thanks.

 

[dAMLSU]

I would like to know this also AND how to setup 2 independent wireless routers on one home network. Will the setup above to what I am trying to do as follows:


Cable modem > linksys G router > cisco 8 port switch (this has no uplink or internet port, it has 8 ethernet ports) > linksys N router.

I have printers and PC attached to the 8 port switch
I have blu ray players attached to wireless N router
I want to have lap top access to EITHER the wireless G or wireless N router.. independent of each other.

Do I connect the switch to the wireless N router via ethernet port? or internet port? Based on above, I would think the ethernet port.

Why am I doing this:

the G router is is in one area of house and the N router is connected to the cisco switch via long ethernet cable connection to another part of my house...

I would like for these 2 wireless routers to be independent... different SSIDs, independent of each other

Can this be done? can someone share settings and cable connection specific information? it would be appreciated.

 

[eibgrad]

I would like to know this also AND how to setup 2 independent wireless routers on one home network. Will the setup above to what I am trying to do as follows:


Cable modem > linksys G router > cisco 8 port switch (this has no uplink or internet port, it has 8 ethernet ports) > linksys N router.

I have printers and PC attached to the 8 port switch
I have blu ray players attached to wireless N router
I want to have lap top access to EITHER the wireless G or wireless N router.. independent of each other.

Do I connect the switch to the wireless N router via ethernet port? or internet port? Based on above, I would think the ethernet port.

Why am I doing this:

the G router is is in one area of house and the N router is connected to the cisco switch via long ethernet cable connection to another part of my house...

I would like for these 2 wireless routers to be independent... different SSIDs, independent of each other

Can this be done? can someone share settings and cable connection specific information? it would be appreciated.

Normally you would connect the Linksys N router to the switch, LAN to LAN. That makes them part of the same subnet, specifically the one created and managed by the Linksys G router. Now you need to make sure you disable the DHCP server of the Linksys N router. If you don’t, then your network would have more than one DHCP server listening on the same subnet, and that would cause confusion. Also, make sure each Linksys has a unique IP address in the same subnet. So if we assume the Linksys G is 192.168.1.1, perhaps give the Linksys N 192.168.1.2.

That's it. You can configure them w/ different SSID, security info, etc., completely independently. All the Linksys N does is provide a wireless access point. But the Linksys G does all the heavy lifting in terms of routing to the ISP, handing out IP assignments from the DHCP server, etc.

 

[dAMLSU]

THANKS, I will do that tonight... one small question.

based on responses, I will be connecting the switch to the N router via the ethernet port on the N router (not the internet port). is that correct?

 

[eibgrad]

THANKS, I will do that tonight... one small question.

based on responses, I will be connecting the switch to the N router via the ethernet port on the N router (not the internet port). is that correct?

Yes, that's why I said LAN to LAN. The only router that uses its WAN port is the Linksys G because it's the only one connected to a different network, the one belonging to the ISP/Internet. That's what a WAN port does. It defines the point between two different networks. But when you want two devices to be on the SAME network, you connect them LAN to LAN.

 

[dAMLSU]

THANKS VERY MUCH.. I will be doing this setup this weekend...

 

[booshmahn]

Yes, that's why I said LAN to LAN. The only router that uses its WAN port is the Linksys G because it's the only one connected to a different network, the one belonging to the ISP/Internet. That's what a WAN port does. It defines the point between two different networks. But when you want two devices to be on the SAME network, you connect them LAN to LAN.

Ok , Now I have A question . When connected Lan to Lan Can I still use the other Lan portsd on the second router to hard wire devices ?