Adding second router to home network

[N4g4rok]

I came back home for the summer, and it looks like i have more machines than our home router has available Ethernet ports.

I have one cable going from the main router into the room with my desktops, and i wanted to add a second router off of that cable just for those systems. I'm not sure how this can be done to avoid conflicts with the default gateway and broadcasting IP addresses between the main router and the one i will be adding. How would one go about subnetting a room like that?

Also, if you can make a recommendation for a gigabit router to use for it, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[PCTC2]

You could just use a switch. Then you could just use the gateway and DHCP of the main router.

If you need wireless in the second room and must use a router, you must disable DHCP, change the IP of the router (so it is in the same subnet as the main router, but not the same IP), and then NOT use the "WAN" jack on the router.

As for a switch, I don't particularly like the Netgear Gigabit GS105 (5-port) switches, but they're cheap. If someone else has a suggestion, I could go with theirs.

As for a second router, the Cisco E4200 v2 is a pretty nice dual-band router.

 

[N4g4rok]

If you need wireless in the second room and must use a router, you must disable DHCP, change the IP of the router (so it is in the same subnet as the main router, but not the same IP), and then NOT use the "WAN" jack on the router.

The more i think about it, the less i need wireless. The switch should work great. What's your preferred brand?

 

[PCTC2]

I like Cisco switches, but I haven't used a Cisco gigabit switch that doesn't cost a couple grand.
I use a 5-port 10/100 Cisco switch I have had for a while and it works well. I don't have any experience with their newer gigabit switches like this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833124025

I personally use Netgear GS105/108/116 switches but the new models aren't anything like the older models. Sure, they're 1/3 of the size as the old models, but I only get 40-50 MB/s out of the new ones, compared to 60-78 MB/s out of the older models.
OLD Model:

NEW Model:

 

[JackMDS]

Just as good as the Cisco for less money.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156250

 

[kornphlake]

our IT consultant has good things to say about TRENDnet, prices look real good.