[SOLVED] Need help setting up a connection

[iAserty]

In our previous house I just cascaded the routers to extend the network, I had a modem--router---router---router connection. I just routed the wires outside the house, ezpz no problem.

But in our new house, we had the cables run through inside the walls, so there's one room, the one where the modem is, have multiple LAN slots that routes to other rooms. Also, I can only use 1 LAN slot on that modem because the ISP uses the other LAN slots for our TV connection. So how do I extend our network to other parts of the house now in this setup? Do I use a hub or switch? I have no experience in networking other than cascading so I don't know how to use a hub/switch/repeater to extend the connection to other routers. I'm thinking switch? I read about it and seems to just pass through the connection to the devices connected to it, but I'm not sure.

So.
Internet--(WAN)modem(LAN)---(LAN)switch(LAN)---(LAN)router
......................................................................................|
......................................................................................|-----(LAN)router
......................................................................................|
......................................................................................|-----(LAN)router

 

[bill001g]

If the device is actually a router from the ISP you can do it the way you say.

It must run modem--router-switch. BUT if the modem and the router are the same unit you will not need the extra router.

I suppose you could just try it and see if it works. A actual modem you will only get 1 ip address so only 1 device will function.

The routers you are using to extend you wifi you want to run those in AP mode. Even if they don't have the feature you can use any router as a AP with the proper cabling.

Using the remote routers as AP allows all your devices to be on the same network makes file sharing simpler.

 

[iAserty]

If the device is actually a router from the ISP you can do it the way you say.

It must run modem--router-switch. BUT if the modem and the router are the same unit you will not need the extra router.

I suppose you could just try it and see if it works. A actual modem you will only get 1 ip address so only 1 device will function.

The routers you are using to extend you wifi you want to run those in AP mode. Even if they don't have the feature you can use any router as a AP with the proper cabling.

Using the remote routers as AP allows all your devices to be on the same network makes file sharing simpler.

Yes, the device comes from the ISP, it's a modem/router thing. So when I cascaded before, I just usually connected it directly to the next router. Turned off DHCP on the other routers, etc.

So what you're saying is, I just do the same thing? But how do I configure the other routers in this case? Do I also need to configure the switch? I have no experience so I don't actually know if a switch needs configuration. Before, I usually change the IP addresses of the devices, the modem/router is 192.168.0.1 then the routers would be 192.168.0.2-4 respectively. Do I still just do that when adding the switch in that mix? and also just turn off the DHCP as usual on the other routers as well? What about connections? LAN to LAN as usual, just like when cascading?

I can't test it out yet because I haven't bought a switch. I actually didn't know what to use in this scenario, either switch, hub, or repeater.

 

[nigelivey]

The cables in the wall are just cables, there is no difference to what you had before.
(You will struggle to find a hub, they have been out of service due to little to no point in having them, yes a switch!)

 

[Ketchup79]

Although you say you have "no experience in networking other than cascading " you knew enough to turn off DHCP on the extra routers, which is better than most As far as the setup in the new home, it really depends on how they wired it. However, if every room is wired to one panel in one room, that is gravy, because all you need is a switch for as many connections you will be using. I wouldn't even mess with configuring a second router as switches are cheap. Plug the switch into the new router you have for DHCP and aside from standard configuration on the router you are done.

 

[iAserty]

The cables in the wall are just cables, there is no difference to what you had before.
(You will struggle to find a hub, they have been out of service due to little to no point in having them, yes a switch!)

Although you say you have "no experience in networking other than cascading " you knew enough to turn off DHCP on the extra routers, which is better than most As far as the setup in the new home, it really depends on how they wired it. However, if every room is wired to one panel in one room, that is gravy, because all you need is a switch for as many connections you will be using. I wouldn't even mess with configuring a second router as switches are cheap. Plug the switch into the new router you have for DHCP and aside from standard configuration on the router you are done.

Thanks guys! I'll just do the same then, I'll buy a network switch this weekend. Just to clarify, I don't need to configure the switch or anything, right? It's just plug and play, basically?

 

[Ketchup79]

Yep. Nice and simple.