Two routers ?

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peejayw

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Topic # 175404 28-Jun-2015 09:07

Can I connect one router to another so I have 2 wifi networks? ie DHCP NOT disabled in the second router.
Trying to get Chromecast/Netflix/Unotelly working and I dont want to block the Google DNS servers on the main router at this stage. The second router can have static routes set up on it but if I connect it as an access point I assume the Unotelly DNS entries will be ignored?
Is there a downside to having 2 routers, both running DHCP?

timmmay

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Reply # 1332862 28-Jun-2015 09:49

Yes and no. Yes you can have as many routers as you want, but on the second router you disable DHCP and if there's a passthrough option you turn that on. Your second router can have a different DNS from the main one.

This Open WRT page has all sorts of guides that will point you in the right direction. There's one for having a second switch/router on your network, but I can't remember which one it is and tbh I can't be bothered reading the whole page. The guide that lets you set up a second WAP would be the right one, just ignore the wireless bits.

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peejayw

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Reply # 1332864 28-Jun-2015 09:53

Thanks, will have a look. So, if I turn off DHCP on the second router it will still use its DNS server entries rather than the ones on the first router?

richms

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Reply # 1332865 28-Jun-2015 09:54

Just plug the WAN of the second one into the LAN of the main router. You will need to ensure that the second routers LAN ip range is different to the main routers one. Most routers will not work at all if they try to nat between the same IP range on both sides.

Richard rich.ms

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Reply # 1332886 28-Jun-2015 10:50

peejayw: Thanks, will have a look. So, if I turn off DHCP on the second router it will still use its DNS server entries rather than the ones on the first router?

No obviously, if devices get address via DHCP from first router then they get fed a DNS address from that router. If wired as suggested the second router becomes nothing more than a layer 2 switch and access point and you achieve nothing in respect to want you want to do.

Maybe advise what routers you have, using a single router and running different subnet/DHCP server/firewall config on different interfaces can achieve what you want but an ISPs toy typically doesn't provide such functionality.

Ross

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