linksys wrt54gc doesn't connect to other router

[queen]

Since i am a total noob in this field, i would like to get the help to setup internet connection with my router linksys wrt54gc. Here is the description what i would like to do.

room1 modem<---->router level1 model WBR-3406TX wireless router<---->laptop 1 (connected wifi to internet)
room2 router linksys wrt54gc<---->laptop2 (not connected to internet)

I would like to connect with my linksys to the internet.

I can see with my wifi card both routers, but it looks like they don't connect between each other.

Here are the things i have done so far and a couple of questions:
linksys has dhcp enabled. I get ip 192.168.1.100 and access the router settings with 192.168.1.1

I used advanced routing and setup operating mode ROUTER, destination lan 10.0.0.5 default gw 10.0.0.1 netmask 255.255.255.0 and interface WAN (internet)
These are the settings i used to get when i was connected to level one router. Subnet mask of laptop1 is 255.0.0.0

Besides setting up this connection, do i need to leave ssid broadcast enabled or I can disable it (disabling when i need in other cases where security is concerned). Also, can i use wpa2 encryption in such cases as well?

I use linux gentoo, intel ipw2200 wifi card.

 

[Madwand1]

I assume laptop2 doesn't have wireless capability, as that would be the obvious solution -- just connect that to the main router, and don't use the Linksys.

For most Linksys wireless routers, you can obtain third-party firmware, e.g. DD-WRT, that provides a "client bridge" mode -- this would let you connect the Linksys as a client to the main router, and let you connect additional wired devices to the Linksys, thereby sharing the network and internet connections over the Linksys' wireless connection to the other router/AP.

However, I'm not aware of any 3rd-party firmware for the WRT54GC version. Look around, maybe I just missed it.

Another alternative is to use built-in WDS support, if you can get it on both routers. However, in this case it doesn't seem to me to be supported. Moreover, another pitfall of WDS is that some devices don't support WPA encryption over WDS.

So it looks like you'd have to get another device or use a longer wired connection.

As for WPA2, use it if both your wireless router and NIC support it. Otherwise go down to WPA.

 

[queen]

laptop 2 has wireless connection. the other router is far from me. can't connect to him because of the walls. i wanted to put the linksys so that the signal received from other router will be increased.

I can install bridge utilities and enable in the kernel. It must be a 3rd party firmware?

If i will use wired connection, how can i do it? connect the wire to the linksys and then what?

checked again for dd-wrt. seems there is no firmware for my model

 

[queen]

will linksys wap54g work. I will need a third party firmware?

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: queen
If i will use wired connection, how can i do it? connect the wire to the linksys and then what?

The best way would be to wire everything together off the 1st router, and forget about wireless. But this would mean running long cables around the place.

An alternative would be to run a long cable from the 1st router to the 2nd router, positioning the 2nd router so that it's close enough / unobstructed enough to laptop2 to connect, and configure the 2nd router as just a wireless access point, with DHCP and routing disabled. You might even be able to disable the wireless on the 1st router with this technique, assuming that laptop1 can also connect to the Linksys.

 

[queen]

I prefer wireless. i don't like too much wired stuff. which linksys/netgear access point you would recommend? Also, the distance between the routers is big.So, cables won't be a good solution in my case.

 

[Madwand1]

Here are some tips that you might find helpful to start:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/wirelesstips.mspx

The following device pair might be a solution:

http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WGXB102.php

If you're going to try another WDS repeater solution, you'll probably need a pair of compatible devices. A pair of WRT54GL's with DD-WRT might work. I couldn't hope to tell you which products would give you the least trouble / greatest range / etc.

 

[queen]

Thanks for your reply. I don't want to use a repeater. I thought of an access point like 54 Mbps Wireless Access Point
Model WG602
http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WG602.php

or

linksys wap54g.
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellit...name=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

Shouldn't that be a better solution? One more remark, if i go out of the door with my laptop i have a pretty good signal from other router. In the room i don't have, due to concrete walls and because it's low place (like a basement).