HELP! Can I Plug A Router Into Another Router?

dmcgibbodmcgibbo
edited May 2004 in Science & Tech
i have a linksys wireless router but my computer upstairs doesn't get a good signal. i also have a netgear wireless router that is faster and gets better range so i was wondering if it was possible to plug my netgear one into the linksys one so that the other computers could use the linksys but my computer upstairs could use the netgear wireless router?

i plugged them in and got a great signal with my card upstairs but it didn't connect to internet so i was wondering if it is incorrectly setup (i didn't configure it at all yet) or if it is impossible to plug one router into another router b/c of firewalls or something and i'll never get it to work.

basically, i have 2 routers at my disposal and one internet connection downstairs. what can i do to improve the range for the upstairs computer - i wanted to just use the netgear kinda like an ethernet bridge but i don't know if it's possible andi didn't want to shell out money for a range extender or whatever b/c i bet they are pricey. is it possible to split the internet before the linksys router so i can plug both in?

Comments

  • Red-SquirrelRed-Squirrel Ontario, Canada
    edited May 2004
    It should work, If you plug router A into router B, you're basically creating a sub network on your lan, so whatever is behind router A is not accessable from what is behind router B (unless ports are fowarded etc...) the same way stuff on the internet cannot access stuff behind router B. I say "stuff" because it can be anything from a computer, server, printer etc...

    Routers usually have a built-in switch, and I know with mine I can actually bypass the router and just use the switch, so that is probably what you will want to do. The uplink port will do this, while the WAN port will make it use the router. I never tried this so I'm not 100% positive so someone correct me about this if I'm wrong, but I noticed the uplink port on mine and I'm pretty sure this is what it's for.

    I also heart you can bridge routers with a cross over cable but I never tried this before, but I think it's the same concept as using the uplink, as an uplink is just crossed over, basically.
  • verselloversello New
    edited May 2004
    LinkSys WAP54g... all you'll ever need.

    Anyways, plug router B into router A via patch cable. Just plug an unused port to an unused port, but do not use the WAN port on router B. On router B, disable the DHCP service on it and set up your wireless settings for the second wireless network.

    That should be it.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited May 2004
    Versello's got it. YOu don't want to use the Wan or internet or uplink ports on router be just plug it in from one of the 1-4 number ports into one of the other 1-4 number ports on router A.

    If you are using any of the wan/internet/uplink ports on router b it'll think that it's being plugged into a modem and will screw everything up.
  • Red-SquirrelRed-Squirrel Ontario, Canada
    edited May 2004
    Would't it still work if you use WAN? It would just make a "sub lan" no? Probably not what is wanted though in most situations but I can see how it would be needed in an office or what not. Or am I wrong? I don't own two routers so I never tried.
  • verselloversello New
    edited May 2004
    You're right, it would create a subnet, but it makes things more complicated for a simple home network (like if you wanted file sharing)... not worth the trouble.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited May 2004
    True it would work but you have to set up pass throughs for the ports which is a huge pain in the ass. Also some DSL connections may have a problem with it because of the PPPOE protical.

    So my general answer to this is no it won't work because explaining how to get it to work certainly isn't worth the trouble for a home network. Or a small buisness network for that matter.
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