Running both WPA and WEP on a single dsl modem

[vickyarora]

Hi.. I think I have somewhat of a unique quest here. I recently acquired a dlink DSM 320 wireless streaming device, which supports WEP only. Currently, my home network is using WPA-PSK security and I would like to continue using this as well as the Dlink device. I have two wireless routers (a linksys and a Levelone) which support both WEP and WPA. Is it possible to run the Dlink device without compromising on using WPA-PSK?
I am think about configuring two networks, one with WPA and one with WEP and using the WEP exclusively for the Dlink device. Can I connect two routers to a single dsl modem?
Are there any other options. Many thanks.

Linksys Router is : WKPC54G-CU
LevelOne Router is : WBR 3406TX

 

[Madwand1]

What's the model and version of the Linksys router?

 

[Fardringle]

Keep your existing network set up the way it is with one router connected to the DSL modem and providing wireless access using WPA. Attach the Levelone router to the Linksys as a wireless access point and let the Dlink device connect to it using WEP. To set up the second router as an access point you'll need to do a few things. If you post the exact model number of the router that you want to use as an access point for the streaming device, I can give you step-by-step instructions to make these changes on the router. Otherwise, just check the router's manual to find the proper location within the setup utility.


You will need to attach a computer to the "access point" router using an ethernet cable separate from your existing network. Log in to the router using Internet Explorer and the router's IP address (192.168.1.1 for the Linksys, 192.168.123.254 for the LevelOne) and user name and password. Configure the router to not use DHCP, and to have a LAN IP address within the range of the other router (change the LevelOne to 192.168.1.254 or the Linksys to 192.168.123.253 or something similar). Set up the wireless to use a different channel than the main router (select from channels 1, 6, and 11) and configure WEP. Once all of the changes are made and saved, disconnect the computer from the access point and connect the access point to the main router using a LAN port on both routers. Attach the Dlink device to the access point using the WEP key you created and you should be able to access the streaming device from any computer on your network.

 

[vickyarora]

Originally posted by: Fardringle
Configure the router to not use DHCP, and to have a LAN IP address within the range of the other router (change the LevelOne to 192.168.1.254 or the Linksys to 192.168.123.253 or something similar). .

Thanks! This is the part that confused me.. can you please explain.. I have built many computers in my days.. but am a complete noob when it comes to networks..
I have updated my original post with the router model numbers. Thanks much!!

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: vickyaroraThis is the part that confused me.. can you please explain..

This is the way it should be configured, http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: vickyarora
I have updated my original post with the router model numbers.

Thanks. Unfortunately, neither of your routers appears in this list of supported devices for common third-party firmware.

Well, there are other devices which can do what I was thinking of. They're called various names, including "wireless bridge", "Ethernet converter", "gaming adapter", "consumer bridge", etc. One such relatively inexpensive is showing up on eBay and elsewhere on clearance these days -- the Netgear WGPS606. It's advertised as a wireless print server, but it's a better wireless bridge.

It connects as a client to a wireless router / access point, and shares that connection with any locally wired clients. So you could set it up as a client of your wireless network, then connect the media streaming device with a LAN cable to the bridge.

It supports WPA-PSK, so you don't have to compromise your wireless security with WEP. (Which is the whole point of this exercise.) Any WEP vulnerability is a vulnerability of course, and having some connections secured and some not is only a little better than not having any connections secured, because an attacker will simply go after the low-hanging fruit.

WPA-PSK has a vulnerability with short/weak passkeys, but this is easy to avoid by using a long randomized passkey.

 

[vinod81]

The info at the following link may be useful: http://tips4nongeeks.blogspot....o-routers-at-home.html