adding a second wireless router

[simplefun2012]

Is it possible to add a second wireless router to my first one? I'd like to improve my signal quality at the far end of the house. I already have a 2nd router and a 75 foot cable. Is it as simple as plugging the cable from the 2nd router into one of the ports on the original one? Thanks -

 

[das_stig]

Have you thought of using a wireless repeater\range extender or powerplug AP, rather than trailing cables all over the shop

 

[zdbc13]

You can use the second router as a switch/wifi station but it will have it's own ssid and security. Just disable dhcp on the second router, give it a static ip address (I use 192.168.1.2), and don't plug your cable from the 1st router into the "WAN" or link port, just use one of the lan ports and don't plug anything into the link port. If you want more detailed info you can google it.

To just extend your current wifi you'll need a wireless repeater\range extender as das_stig said.

 

[bill001g]

Technically it works much better to use the cable. You will get full performance out of the second router. Repeaters in the very best cut your speed by half and many times worse. Unless you have a wife nagging about the ugly cables I would go that route....and if she nags too much I would make sure it was her PC that runs on the repeater.

 

[simplefun2012]

Thank you all for the help, now I'm going to ask for some more. I'm going to try and add a 2nd router to my first one. I can run the cable through the basement with no trouble. I'll connect the cable to one of the original router's '1,2,3,4' ports and to the 2nd (new) wireless router's 'internet' port. Both are 'Linksys' WRT54G wireless routers. My question has to do with changing the network (http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/40949-43-extend-wireless-adding-extra-router-ethernet-wall-port). How exactly do I do this? Connections to the 2nd router, access to change it's network, etc ? Sorry to be so dumb. Thanks!

 

[bill001g]

You do it by connecting it to your PC directly as you would for a new install it is on one of the menus. Problem is once you change it you will get kicked out and have to use the new IP to do any future configuration. This also means you will likely have to set a static address on your PC for a bit to finish the config. If you do not understand how to do this you are best off using this as a AP rather than a router and using the LAN ports. You still must change the IP but it is in the same subnet so you can then just use the new IP and not worry about new DHCP scopes and how your PC gets the IP

 

[zdbc13]

To configure the 2nd router you need to hook it directly to a pc without connecting to your network. You can use your browser to configure it with 192.168.1.1 or 0.1. First disable dhcp on that router, then configure the wifi settings with a new ssid and security. Last thing is change it to a static IP address. If your regular network gateway is 192.168.1.1 then use 192.168.1.2, if it is 192.168.0.1 then use 192.168.0.2. When you do this you will loose access to the router but that's OK. Then take the router to where you want to put it and connect your ethernet cable from the first router. But do not use the new router's internet port, just use one of it's 1 2 3 4 ports. This will make the 2nd router act like a switch with wifi capability instead of a router.

 

[simplefun2012]

Success! Thanks for the help. Communicated with router #2 to disable DHCP & change its default IP. Disconnected computer from router, logged back into wireless network, connected router #2 as 'wireless switch' in 2nd location and low and behold, it worked! I really stress over monkeying around with this sort of stuff because I don't want to screw everything up. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[zdbc13]

Good job. I've been doing this for years (upstairs/downstairs) and really like it.

 

[das_stig]

Yummy old school WRT54G's, just asking to be upgrade to DD-WRT which makes turning one into a AP a no brainer.

 

[yarb740]

To configure the 2nd router you need to hook it directly to a pc without connecting to your network. You can use your browser to configure it with 192.168.1.1 or 0.1. First disable dhcp on that router, then configure the wifi settings with a new ssid and security. Last thing is change it to a static IP address. If your regular network gateway is 192.168.1.1 then use 192.168.1.2, if it is 192.168.0.1 then use 192.168.0.2. When you do this you will loose access to the router but that's OK. Then take the router to where you want to put it and connect your ethernet cable from the first router. But do not use the new router's internet port, just use one of it's 1 2 3 4 ports. This will make the 2nd router act like a switch with wifi capability instead of a router.

If I set up my 2nd router in this configuration will I be able to use the remaining ports on the remote router for wired connections to other pc's ?

 

[zdbc13]

Yes, you can use the other ports just like an ethernet switch. The only port you shouldn't use would be the internet or WAN port, only use the 1 2 3 or 4 ports as above.