Configuring Wireless Network for New Home

dmw16

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2000
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My wife and I are moving into our new home in a few months and I am putting together a shopping list of networking equipment.

The home will have a "connectivity" cabinet in the bedroom closet where the cable comes in from outside and then from there I can plug into the various phone and network jacks in the house.

I need to connect the following devices:
2 Laptops
1 Desktop
1 Xbox360
1 PS3
1 VOIP Box
1 ReadyNAS
1 SqueezBox

My plan was to put one router upstairs and one downstairs and install OpenWRT on them and configure them to have the same SSID. The building has multiple units in it and others (in already constructed units) have had issues holding a good wifi connection due to the number of networks in the area. So I figured having two routers was the best option. And OpenWRT also allows me to up the signal strength.

I figure the connection will go like this (hopefully not too confusing, it's hard to diagram in text :) ):

INTERNET <-> Modem <-> Wired Router

WIRED ROUTER <-> VOIP
WIRED ROUTER <-> Downstairs Wireless Router
WIRED ROUTER <-> Upstairs Wireless Router
WIRED ROUTER <-> ReadyNAS

DOWNSTAIRS WIRELESS ROUTER <-> Xbox360 (wired)
DOWNSTAIRS WIRELESS ROUTER <-> PS3 (wired)
DOWNSTAIRS WIRELESS ROUTER <-> Laptops (wireless, as required)

UPSTAIRS WIRELESS ROUTER <-> Desktop (wired)
UPSTAIRS WIRELESS ROUTER <-> Laptops (wireless, as required)
UPSTAIRS WIRELESS ROUTER <-> SqueezBox (wireless)

The VOIP box, ReadyNAS, wired router, and modem will reside in the connectivity cabinet. The wireless routers will connect to the wired router via what are essentially patch cables the are pre-run thru the house.

The Questions...

So my first question is will this basic configuration work? Will all the devices be able to see each other?

My other question is, it is worth spending the extra money on a gigabit wireless router?

Any other specific or general advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 

TheKub

Golden Member
Oct 2, 2001
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Make sure you disable the routing features on the wireless routers. You only want the first wired router actually doing routing\dhsp\dns\etc, the wireless units should be configured as switches\APs.
 

bobdole369

Diamond Member
Dec 15, 2004
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And OpenWRT also allows me to up the signal strength.

All you are really doing there is to increase noise and harmonic interference. In any case - Enable WDS on the 2 devices, and you'll be good to go. What runs DHCP?
 

TheKub

Golden Member
Oct 2, 2001
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Originally posted by: bobdole369
And OpenWRT also allows me to up the signal strength.

All you are really doing there is to increase noise and harmonic interference. In any case - Enable WDS on the 2 devices, and you'll be good to go. What runs DHCP?

I dont think he really needs WDS as he is going to have wired backbone connections to the wireless devices.

 

dmw16

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2000
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Originally posted by: TheKub
Originally posted by: bobdole369
And OpenWRT also allows me to up the signal strength.

All you are really doing there is to increase noise and harmonic interference. In any case - Enable WDS on the 2 devices, and you'll be good to go. What runs DHCP?

I dont think he really needs WDS as he is going to have wired backbone connections to the wireless devices.

WDS (after doing some reading) seems like the best solution. Perhaps a little overkill, but it should be pretty effective.

My plan was to do DHCP with the wired router and plug the two wireless devices into that. Will that work with WDS?
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
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dmw16

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2000
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Thanks. So with two routers, should they both have the same SSID and WEP passwords and just be on different channels?

Also, in that write up he mentions that if plugging the AP into the router w/ a regular patch cable I should use the uplink port. I assume that is the uplink port on the AP?
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
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Originally posted by: dmw16
Thanks. So with two routers, should they both have the same SSID and WEP passwords and just be on different channels?

Also, in that write up he mentions that if plugging the AP into the router w/ a regular patch cable I should use the uplink port. I assume that is the uplink port on the AP?

1. Yes, same SSID, and WPA (WEP is Not safe) and different channels.

2. Most newer Routers switches are MDX, so crossover or uplink are not needed.

Try first regular ports with regular patch cable.