Wireless Extender/converter: n to b/g

[Alex Sinov]

Hi all,

I have recently bought the Asus RT-N18U to replace my old Linksys WRT 160NL.
I have a wireless printer that does not support the N protocol, so until now I stayed with the old router on b/g.

Now that I have two routers, I wonder if I can stay with the Asus on N for the phones and computers and use the old Linksys to connect the printer to the network by keeping it on b/g.

So basically I wonder if I can set up the Linksys router to connect to the Asus one by using the N protocol and and have it emit wi-fi signal on b/g for the printer.

I know you can set up a wi-fi extender using the old router, but I found info only for using it as a range booster, not a wi-fi signal converter.

So, can it be done?

Thanks!

LE: I have dd-wrt on the Linksys

 

[JackMDS]

Wireless Routers are b/g/n Compatible.

There is No thing like Wireless converter.

When a b/g device connects, it uses b/g when an N device is connected then it uses N.

 

[smitbret]

Hi all,

I have recently bought the Asus RT-N18U to replace my old Linksys WRT 160NL.
I have a wireless printer that does not support the N protocol, so until now I stayed with the old router on b/g.

Now that I have two routers, I wonder if I can stay with the Asus on N for the phones and computers and use the old Linksys to connect the printer to the network by keeping it on b/g.

So basically I wonder if I can set up the Linksys router to connect to the Asus one by using the N protocol and and have it emit wi-fi signal on b/g for the printer.

I know you can set up a wi-fi extender using the old router, but I found info only for using it as a range booster, not a wi-fi signal converter.

So, can it be done?

Thanks!

LE: I have dd-wrt on the Linksys

Couldn't you daisy chain the Linksys from the Asus via Cat5e and then just have the printer connect to that AP with a unique SSID?

However, as JackMDS suggested, why would you want to do this anyway? Everything is backwards compatible so the printer will be fine with the Asus' wireless signal. I guess you could save some wireless bandwidth by letting it use its own AP, but the data transfer between the printer and the AP would not be small and brief enough that I can't imagine it would interefere with anything.

 

[Alex Sinov]

Hi,

I was thinking of doing that because as far as I know the N mode is faster than b/g. And as I said, the printer cannot connect to the router while it is in the N mode.

 

[smitbret]

Hi,

I was thinking of doing that because as far as I know the N mode is faster than b/g. And as I said, the printer cannot connect to the router while it is in the N mode.

Right, if you leave the router in "N Only" mode, then the printer won't be able to connect. You should be able to put the router in mixed mode "b,g,n" and the printer should connect fine at that point.

 

[Alex Sinov]

Unfortunately the router only has "Auto", "Legacy" and "N only"...

Could "Auto" be b/g/n?

 

[JackMDS]

Unfortunately the router only has "Auto", "Legacy" and "N only"...

Could "Auto" be b/g/n?

Yeah, it probably means b/g/n.

 

[Alex Sinov]

Hmmm, is there a way to verify that? Something that tells me in what mode my wi-fi adapter connects?

 

[smitbret]

Hmmm, is there a way to verify that? Something that tells me in what mode my wi-fi adapter connects?

If it's Windows, just right-click your network connection icon in the system tasks and hit properties. If the uplink speed is greater than 54mbps then you are connected with N.

 

[azazel1024]

Yeah, it probably means b/g/n.

Yup.

As for what to do, just run the newer one and ditch the old one. The times you want to keep a router around for b/g is if you have a client that is chatty and on b/g. I assume the wireless printer isn't in heavy use, which if so means it isn't messing up the speed of your newer devices much/often.

You'd want a seperate router for b/g, if for instance you had a Playstation 3 that you streamed a lot of video to or something (which has an 11g adapter in it). Wireless printer, not so much.

Then you'd also need to ensure you set seperate non-overlapping channels for both APs.

 

[Alex Sinov]

OK, thanks everybody, you've been great, as always!

[thread closed]