I have a networking question. I have my modem, router, and 1 PC downstairs. The PC is wired and then my 2 PCs upstairs are wireless and my other PC upstairs has no wireless card. I would like to be able to put another router on the network that I will plug the upstairs computers into and other devices into. How would I do this and configure the router. My downstairs router is Linksys, does it have to be the same brand or model? Any help is much apreciated.

EDIT: 900th post!

What model is the router that you currently have? I'll research a little on it because I'd be interested in finding out what you can do. I'll keep you guys updated.

Linksys WRT54G. But if possible to do this with a difrent brand i have a Netgear i would like to use so i dont have to buy another router. But if i do thats cool.

What's the model of the Netgear? I've really only had experience with using Linksys routers so I'm not familiar with the configurations you can do on Netgear.

Hmmm, well my setup is very similar

Ive got a wireless router (modem built in) downstairs which has my network harddrive wired to it and 1 pc, upstairs i have a router which all my other pcs go into, ive never had to configure anything it just acts like a hub/switch.

(Of cors i had to turn off the DHCP server and other features etc)

Just wire from the downstairs router to the upstairs router and everything should work fine itll just act as a switch/hub

I think the formal word for that is cascading routers, not sure. I had done this alot for LANs. But i would like to do with without a cable. Im not allowed to run a cable around the house



Netgear WGT624

Wait wait wait...why are you looking to add another router? Unless you're planning on segmenting your network (creating multiple subnets) you don't need another router, what you need is a switch. Basically you'd only add another router if you NEEDED the functionality doing that would provide.

If you just need more wired connections adding a switch would be a better (and actually more correct) alternative. Why bother shelling out the extra cash for a router when a switch will serve all your needs and is the correct device for that use? If I'm missing something please let me know, but from your description a router isn't the correct hardware to use.

For those of you thinking a second router is right because that's what you've done; when you use a home router (Linksys/Netgear/etc) and you don't plug anything into the "WAN" or "Internet" and only plug your machines into the 4 or 8 internal ports, you're really just using the built-in switch that's part of the router.

A switch is wired. I dont have the ability to run a wire from my router to my switch. So what i wanted to do was use a second router in like a repeater mode almost like a range extender and allow me to wire connections to it.

Ahhh, see I knew I was missing something. So unfortunately what you're looking to do isn't exactly easy with home networking equipment, I was looking to do something similar recently. Basically a router still isn't the hardware you'll want, you'll need an access point.

The problem with this is that most home use access points have 3 modes you can use them in: repeater, bridge, and access point. The mode you're looking for is the "bridge" mode (repeater mode will let you extend the signal but won't allow you to use the wired port to connect a switch), BUT the kicker is bridge mode only works between two similar (i.e. two Linksys or two Netgear APs that are similar models) APs. I tried using a router and one AP and the access point simply would not work in bridge mode with the router. After verifying this with Linksys support I decided it wasn't worth the $150 or so it would cost to use two access points and get the functionality I wanted, so I ran a damn cable.

If you don't have the option to run a cable, you'll need two access points working in bridge mode to get the configuration you're looking for. Your best bet however would probably be to buy a PCI or USB wireless adapter for the PC upstairs without wireless, after all it's not like you'll get 100Mbps even if you're wired to the access point since that's transmitting via wireless anyway.

Thanks for the info. At this point I think I am going to just get a wireless card for the other PC. Or see if there is maybe just a slight chance i can get that cable run.

Im not really sure about this solution but in theory should work....

How about a wireless bridge/extender and put that into your other router in theory im thinking that should work

Wireless Product

Attached also is a diagram of my thinking lol

[attachmentid=3810]

Well a router especially home routers aren't true routers. More just a 4 port switch with a built in ADSL/Cable modem. You could get it to work by just disabling all of the router extensions(DHCP etc). This would then make it a standard extended start network.

Paul

But then how are the 2 routers communicating. I think my options are by a wireless card, run a cable, or some crazy setup that i dont have money for.

Doing this will not accomplish what he's looking to do. By shutting off the routing extensions as you mention, you'll basically be left with a 4 port switch that can support a wireless network (assuming it's a wireless router). Unfortunately it will only be able to connect wireless clients locally, it won't be able to act as a BRIDGE between wired PCs connected to it and wired PCs on another wireless network (even if SSID and all other info are the same). To accomplish the bridging he's looking for he'll need to use two APs as I mentioned before.

While I completely agree that home routers aren't "true" routers, they do indeed perform basic layer 3 routing tasks and are not simply switches with an integrated cable/dsl modem. If they were simply switches with an integrated modem then they would be unable to perform NAT, RIP, etc.

mmoseley: Your diagram is correct for what he's trying to do, unfortunately the AP/Bridge will not function correctly with a router as a partner. In order to get this to work you'd have to connect another AP to the router and use that to form the bridge with the second AP.

Ohhh I see! - Thanks for the info! i see what you mean yeah, Cheers

Mart