Setting up new home network with two routers

[BlackDragon24]

When my niece bought a new Samsung Smart TV for her room, we knew it was going to be a bit of a project to get a good wireless signal to her TV, seeing as the only wireless router in the home was downstairs and on the opposite side of the house. So after experimenting with fancy new routers and repeaters and failing with every attempt, we decided to drill some holes and run a Cat 6 cable up to her room. $30 solution. Done.

While installing the Cat 6 cable, it became apparent that it would be very easy to wire in the remaining 3 bedrooms in the house. So I started reading about switches and access points and bridges, and I came across an article that said you can use a second router as a wireless AP by turning off DHCP and connecting it via hardwire to the first router. This sounds like a great idea because it would give her the wireless coverage upstairs that she now doesn't have. So I think I have a plan that I would like to run by you guys before I buy anything. Please keep in mind....I'm a total noob when it comes to this stuff, so pointing and laughing is highly recommended.

DSL Modem --- Router --- Unmanaged 4 port Switch ----- Bedrooms ----- 2nd router

She has a crappy Actiontec PK5000 DSL Modem router that can be put into RFC1483 bridge mode, which from my understanding then will pass all routing duties onto the 1st router. This way she doesn't have to buy/rent a new DSL modem.

I'm looking for recommendations on hardware (and corrections if the diagram looks wonky). Since we are wiring in all of the bedrooms, the wireless signal in the house will only be utilized by 3 cell phones, 1 laptop, and 1 tablet for basic surfing/you-tube streaming and stuff. Also, the second router must be able to act as a switch so she can plug in her TV, which was the whole point of this in the first place

Routers?
http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Wi-Fi-...words=wnr3500l

Switch?
http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-ProSaf...netgear+switch

Any and all recommendations and advice are appreciated.

 

[Danstek]

Yep, just put the second router in AP only mode so it will disable DHCP. The connection from the main router to the second router should be to its LAN port, not the WAN port. Make sure you assign a static IP address to the second router that is outside of the DHCP range of your main router and you'll be good to go. As for wireless, you can set both to the same SSID or you can give them separate names depending on your preference. Just make sure they operate on non-overlapping channels to avoid inference.

Just note that if you set them as the same SSID you might encounter roaming and handoff problems on wireless clients between the two APs. Sadly this is because some client devices lack any intelligence in their wifi implementation so they just remain attached to one AP even when throughput and RSSI has dropped considerably. The solution is a managed network controller, but that can be a bit expensive for a simple home network. Some higher end routers like the Asus RT N66U (with latest firmware update) allows the user to set a cutoff RSSI threshold which may help in assisting clients roam between multiple APs.

 

[lexco]

DSL Modem --- Router --- Unmanaged 4 port Switch ----- Bedrooms ----- 2nd router

She has a crappy Actiontec PK5000 DSL Modem router that can be put into RFC1483 bridge mode, which from my understanding then will pass all routing duties onto the 1st router. This way she doesn't have to buy/rent a new DSL modem. I'm looking for recommendations on hardware (and corrections if the diagram looks wonky). Since we are wiring in all of the bedrooms, the wireless signal in the house will only be utilized by 3 cell phones, 1 laptop, and 1 tablet for basic surfing/you-tube streaming and stuff.

Also, the second router must be able to act as a switch so she can plug in her TV, which was the whole point of this in the first place

Just note that if you set them as the same SSID you might encounter roaming and handoff problems on wireless clients between the two APs. Sadly this is because some client devices lack any intelligence in their wifi implementation so they just remain attached to one AP even when throughput and RSSI has dropped considerably. The solution is a managed network controller, but that can be a bit expensive for a simple home network.

Some higher end routers like the Asus RT N66U (with latest firmware update) allows the user to set a cutoff RSSI threshold which may help in assisting clients roam between multiple APs and cascade multiple routers using the link below.
https://www.corenetworkz.com/2008/02/router-to-router-cascading-simple-guide.html

If you feel wireless connection has issues https://www.corenetworkz.com/2014/12/wireless-network-connection-doesnt-have.html
The solution is a managed network controller, but that can be a bit expensive for a simple home network.

I don't think there is any issues with your network diagram. You do not actually need to convert second router as Access Point (converting to Access Point reduces headaches) but you can perform a router cascading.


Router 1(LAN Port) ------Switch ------(LAN Port)Router 2

Assign router 2 IP address an address in the same network beyond the DHCP range to avoid conflicts.

Eg: Router 1 (192.168.1.1 and DHCP range is 50)

Assign Router 2 --192.168.1.100 and the LAN Port 1 of router 2 is connected to switch. In this way both routers are in same network.

If you do not want to keep the router 2 in the same network, you can simply change the class C address ( 192.168.X.1) to a different digits from that of Router1.

Eg: router 1 address 192.168.1.1
router 2 address 192.168.2.1

Router 1 ----switch ----(WAN Port)Router2

Here the Switch is connected to the WAN port/Internet port of router 2.

 

[s44]

You don't need a separate switch... Just use the four LAN ports on the main router (3500L is fine). You can use switches in the bedrooms instead of routers/APs.

I would separate the wired and wireless duties -- get a couple of UniFi APs ($65 each at Amazon) and set them up at/near two of your five wired locations (router/modem spot or any of the bedrooms). They will handle client handoff themselves, and each have really solid radio coverage. You'll have to put them on a local switch at the spot, though, since they only have one ethernet port.

 

[BlackDragon24]

I don't think there is any issues with your network diagram. You do not actually need to convert second router as Access Point (converting to Access Point reduces headaches) but you can perform a router cascading.


Router 1(LAN Port) ------Switch ------(LAN Port)Router 2

Assign router 2 IP address an address in the same network beyond the DHCP range to avoid conflicts.

Eg: Router 1 (192.168.1.1 and DHCP range is 50)

Assign Router 2 --192.168.1.100 and the LAN Port 1 of router 2 is connected to switch. In this way both routers are in same network.

If you do not want to keep the router 2 in the same network, you can simply change the class C address ( 192.168.X.1) to a different digits from that of Router1.

Eg: router 1 address 192.168.1.1
router 2 address 192.168.2.1

Router 1 ----switch ----(WAN Port)Router2

Here the Switch is connected to the WAN port/Internet port of router 2.

Thank you for the reponses guys. I want all devices to be on the same network and be able to communicate with one another, so I'm guessing that means I should disable DHCP on the second, let the first to all of the "routing."

You don't need a separate switch... Just use the four LAN ports on the main router (3500L is fine). You can use switches in the bedrooms instead of routers/APs.

I would separate the wired and wireless duties -- get a couple of UniFi APs ($65 each at Amazon) and set them up at/near two of your five wired locations (router/modem spot or any of the bedrooms). They will handle client handoff themselves, and each have really solid radio coverage. You'll have to put them on a local switch at the spot, though, since they only have one ethernet port.

Does it matter where the switches go? The downstairs router will be plugged into the upstairs cable, the downstairs TV, and the media server....so there is only one port left. Seems to me it is easier to run the one cable across the house and upstairs (already done) and then switch it there to the three bedrooms...the majority of the wired traffic upstairs will be going to only one bedroom (hers)....the wired traffic downstairs will be much higher because that is the location of the computer/server and the family TV.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Thank you for the reponses guys. I want all devices to be on the same network and be able to communicate with one another, so I'm guessing that means I should disable DHCP on the second, let the first to all of the "routing."

http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

Yes, disable DHCP, DNS, WAN port, firewalls, etc...and assign the 2nd device an IP outside of the DHCP range that the 1st device is giving out.

most users here will not say to run two SOHO routers as routers due to a double NAT situation:

http://inmethod.com/forum/posts/list/908.page

just put them all on the same network and be done with it, good idea.

Does it matter where the switches go? The downstairs router will be plugged into the upstairs cable, the downstairs TV, and the media server....so there is only one port left. Seems to me it is easier to run the one cable across the house and upstairs (already done) and then switch it there to the three bedrooms...the majority of the wired traffic upstairs will be going to only one bedroom (hers)....the wired traffic downstairs will be much higher because that is the location of the computer/server and the family TV.

no, it doesn't matter specifically where the switches go. for home users, it's not really a big deal. I recommend getting some gigabit switches, and running gigabit where you can.

 

[BlackDragon24]

Thank you. Looks like I am good to go. The only concerns I have now are with the modem. She uses DSL and received a crappy Actiontec PK5000 DSL modem/router when she first joined centurylink. I want to use it but only as a modem. You can setup the PK5000 in bridge mode which should disable the NAT....then I'm guessing I would need to enter my ISP info into the main routers setup.

Found this thread that looks like a similar setup to mine:

http://forum1.netgear.com/showthread.php?p=315182

This has definitely been a learning experience, hehe

 

[BlackDragon24]

Just to wrap this up:

Putting the DSL/modem into bridge mode worked. Turned off the wifi and connected the LAN 1 port of the DSL/modem to the WAN port of the new router. Instead of purchasing two Netgears, we decided to go for broke on a single ASUS RT-N66. Can't say how amazingly smooth the setup went. The computer immediately recognized the new network connection, brought up the ASUS router GUI, detected my internet connection was DSL, and bam!....connected to the internet immediately with my DSL username and password. 5 minute setup.

Went upstairs to what used to be the wifi black hole of the house. We got three smart phones going, streaming youtube at the same time. No buffering, smooth as silk.

We won't be needing a second router . Thanks for the help.

 

[ch33zw1z]

awesome, thanks for the update. congrats on a functional network!

 

[John Connor]

I don't understand the LAN to LAN thing dealing with a bridge. I always thought that you took router number 1 (main router) and connect to one of its LAN connections and that goes to router number 2's WAN port. Of course you disable DHCP. I did this once and it worked.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I don't understand the LAN to LAN thing dealing with a bridge. I always thought that you took router number 1 (main router) and connect to one of its LAN connections and that goes to router number 2's WAN port. Of course you disable DHCP. I did this once and it worked.

LAN to LAN, John. It's a switch to a switch connection. One time doesn't make it best practice, or default, or guarantee it will work with a different device.

You're also creating a Double NAT situation if you leave it as a router, which is generally avoided.