Connecting 2 wireless routers

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Renick07

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#30282 3-Feb-2009 18:26

I just bought a new internet connection from Telecom and have received their standard Thomson TG585 v7 ADSL modem with wireless and 4 port router. I already have a similar Netgear DG834G modem/router that is connected to my working internet connection.
Where I live is like a big flat, with dorm-style rooms off a corridor and a seperate communal living area. The Netgear modem however, doesn't seem to have the range for a strong signal in the living area (it's installed in the corridor so that the rooms get good signal).
I want to "piggyback" one modem off the other to increase the wireless zone. Is this possible through the switch of each device? Or do I need to run another ADSL line? (The switch is physically the easiest option as there is wiring already installed).

I know a bit about PCs and ethernet LANs but not much about wireless networks- Help and advice would be much appreciated.

Ragnor

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#193870 4-Feb-2009 01:18

Look for the wireless mode option in both routers, you need to bridge them. You should be able to run the router connected to the phone line as an AP (access point) and the other router as client bridge. You will need to disable DCHP, firewall etc on the client bridge router.

Something similar to this:

Renick07

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#193971 4-Feb-2009 12:51

Brilliant!
I'll give this a try after work.

alikat

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#194020 4-Feb-2009 15:22

I'd be keen to hear how you got on as Telecom are sending me one of those new routers for free (without having to be a new customer... ) and I would like to do a similar arrangement with my DLink G604T-Gen II.

Ragnor

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#194036 4-Feb-2009 15:50

Just be aware the image above is specific to Linksys WRT54GL's running DD-WRT, the settings will probably be named slightly differently in your routers ui but the concept is the same.

trig42

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#194660 7-Feb-2009 16:25

Another, simpler, way of doing it is to run a cable between the two routers, and use the second one as a plain Access Point. Just run a LAN cable between two of the switch ports on the routers.
You may have to configure the second router's wireless to have a different SSID and Channel.

davidcole

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#194669 7-Feb-2009 18:09

To do it via wire, you normally plugin the second router to the first via lan ports (i.e. don't use the wan port onthe second router). If you don't to it this way, or if your second router cannot turn off it's routing/fireall capabilities, then you'll effectively have two networks.

I run two wrt54gs in this manner, and will be running one of them and the thomson 585 come the 19th on Feb. The wrt I'm running it dd-wrt so I'll making it into a access point and dhcp server.. The thomson will be running as router/port forwarder.

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Renick07

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#195633 12-Feb-2009 21:45

The wireless to wireless seemed a bit out of my league, so I tried running lan between them. Initially they both worked, allbeit on two different networks (I couldn't seem to get them to merge into one- maybe down to incompatibility, but I'm not sure). This was ok for a couple of hours, but then DISASTER! The internet dropped out when both wireless networks were operational, interestingly the internet still ran fine through the lan to my pc... Now this is what I get as standard.

LAN (through switch) with internet works fine
Dual wireless networks, but no internet

OR

LAN (through switch) with internet works fine
Single wireless network with internet, but reduced range for what I want

In addition the Thomson gateway that previously gave me status of that device now asks for a username & password to access it, I've tried everything I can think of but am still geting a "not authorised" message. This might be a completely side issue but it appeared not long after I connected the two units so I'll post it here.

Comments/Tips welcome