Router behind a router?

[BoomerD]

We just switched back to Uverse, (for now) and their "gateway" doesn't have enough ethernet ports for my needs. (it has 4, I need at least 5, maybe 6.)

I have an old SMC7004VWBR DSL router that I used for many years. I've tried connecting this router directly to one of the ethernet ports on the AT&T router...but it doesn't work
I used a different computer to log into the router and disabled DHCP which is SUPPOSED to allow this to work...but no.

What I have now is something like this:

AT&T Gateway
1) My PC
2) Wife's PC
3) Networked printer
4) DirecTV "device"

What I WANTED to do is like this:

AT&T Gateway
1) My PC
2) Wife's PC
3) connect to SMC router
3a) Networked printer
3b) Spare
4) DirecTV "device"

(could trade either spare or printer connection for the DirecTV "device")

Any suggestions on how to make this work?

 

[JackMDS]

Using a Wireless Router as a switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

 

[notposting]

If it doesn't work, find an 8 port Gb switch (remember you lose one port for the uplink) on sale and go for that. On the bright side, it makes internal transfers much faster.

 

[bobdole369]

Boomer - Which gateway, the 3600 or 3800? You cannot switch either one to "bridge-mode" you can only assign the WAN IP on one device connected to the switch port, which in essence places that device in the DMZ. All other devices on that switch would be given 192.168.1.0/24 addresses, while those behind the DMZ device (router) would be given whatever addresses your DMZ device (router) is giving out.

Essentially another way to do it is to forget about the routing function of the SMC and just use the switch ports. So just connect 3 to the LAN ports on the SMC and your good to go. If it doesn't work (no data) might need to use a crossover but that would be a reaaaaaly old shitty switch if it needs that.

On which router did you disable DHCP?

 

[BoomerD]

Using a Wireless Router as a switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

Thanks, I'll check that out over the weekend.

Boomer - Which gateway, the 3600 or 3800? You cannot switch either one to "bridge-mode" you can only assign the WAN IP on one device connected to the switch port, which in essence places that device in the DMZ. All other devices on that switch would be given 192.168.1.0/24 addresses, while those behind the DMZ device (router) would be given whatever addresses your DMZ device (router) is giving out.

Essentially another way to do it is to forget about the routing function of the SMC and just use the switch ports. So just connect 3 to the LAN ports on the SMC and your good to go. If it doesn't work (no data) might need to use a crossover but that would be a reaaaaaly old shitty switch if it needs that.

On which router did you disable DHCP?

IIRC, it's the 3800 gateway. I disabled DHCP on the SMC router. This kind of networking is beyond my knowledge...and apparently, it's beyond AT&T's second tier support's knowledge as well. When I called them, the tech I spoke to said, "This is really geeky stuff you're getting into here. I spoke to a couple of my co-workers and we don't know how to do it."

It seems like I SHOULD be able to connect a cable from the gateway to the SMC router and use it like a hub...right? Whether I connect to the WAN port, or just to one of the LAN ports, I'm not sure...but in my attempts the other day, neither works.

 

[bobdole369]

Your last paragraph is correct in your assumptions. A single cable from gateway (LAN) port 3 0 to just one of the LAN ports will give any device connected to the SMC access to the gateway and its riches of the Internet. It is conceivable you need a crossover cable, but very unlikely. Absolutely without question the 3800 and the 3600 have auto-switching, so the problem is in the SMC if it isn't.

 

[Rifter]

Dude just spend the $20 for a 8 port gigabit switch and call it a day, the cheap trednets are fine.

This one is on sale fairly often for $20

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156281

 

[Mongrelchops]

BoomerD - not sure if its worth mentioning - but have you tried looking in the settings of the SMC to see if it has manual IP configuration?

you could potentially do it that way? - if the SMC has the same IP address as the Uverse - making it conflict?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Just get a real switch, and don't bother with the old SMC. They're cheap enough.