Using two routers

frothy top · 19 December 2007, 21:48

I have a Belkin modem/wireless router which is connected to the internet fine, I also have a zoom wireless router which i'm currently not using. What i want to do if possible is to connect the Zoom to the Belkin using a network cable so that i can use the wireless internet from the Zoom. Because the wireless signal from the Belkin is not strong enough to reach the other end of the house.

So the question is, is this possible and if so how?

Thanks in advance.

alt · 19 December 2007, 21:50

Is your broadband through the phone line?

Are the routers Wireless Routers, or ADSL modems? Give me model numbers of both please

frothy top · 19 December 2007, 22:03

A cable comes straight from the phone line into the back of the router which is a Belkin ADSL modem with Wireless G router 54mbps wireless. The other router is a Zoom ADSL X6, on the side of the Zoom box it says ADSL 2/2+modem + Wireless-G router + Switch

Bigmuz7 · 19 December 2007, 23:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by frothy top

I have a Belkin modem/wireless router which is connected to the internet fine, I also have a zoom wireless router which i'm currently not using. What i want to do if possible is to connect the Zoom to the Belkin using a network cable so that i can use the wireless internet from the Zoom. Because the wireless signal from the Belkin is not strong enough to reach the other end of the house.

So the question is, is this possible and if so how?

Thanks in advance.

No.. you can only have one connected to the internet.(on a single line) Keep it as the main connection and hard wire the others (as switches ) into it.. trust me... thats the simple answer

v666 · 20 December 2007, 06:07

So thats a yes?

As the zoom would just act as a wireless switch.

Tim

Apherel · 20 December 2007, 07:11

I've tried to use a router as a switch - and while it should work in theory, I had trouble configuring it, It would connect to the internet, but wouldn't see other computers on the network (ie problems print sharing)- it was far easier and a better use of my time just to buy a switch.

Can you move the modem? also worthwhile checking the modem power settings - they might be on a low default setting.

Bigmuz7 · 20 December 2007, 07:52

Just use one wireless device, and hard wire anything else. Using two routers together is not good.(they work for about 30 seconds then have address conflicts) ... DEPENDING on the software that they come with, disabling all the DHCP functions is not always possible so that you can use just the switch part, so best buy a cheapo hub from http://www.netgear.com/Products/Swit...pSwitches.aspx or similar to network any other pc's into the one and only router connected to the internet !

Don't believe me ? Carry on then

John Kennett · 20 December 2007, 08:19

Can you configure the Zoom router to act as an access point only, so it acts as a repeater? Have a look on the setup page to see if it's an option.

That's what I have done here: I have two Belkin wireless routers, one is connected to the cable modem, and the other just sits at the top of the house, not physically connected to anything apart from power, but extending the wireless range of my network.

John

perk · 20 December 2007, 08:52

I think you won't know for sure until you try it. If you wish to use such a setup, you would likely have to connect the switch side of the Zoom to the switch of the Belkin. You have not given a model number of the Belkin, so I cannot tell if there is a switch on it.

disable then all DHCP services (except client) on the Zoom, that should take care of IP address conflicts. Probably, you'll have to hardcode an IP address on the ethernet side of the zoom as typically that's a dhcp server side but not client. Pick an address way up in the range and try to exclude that on the Belkin dhcp range. If you cannot exclude it... pick it way up.

In theory; the Zoom would then act as a bridge between it's switch side and wireless side. It will all depend how the software in the zoom handles it's interfaces. This advise is given without me reading the manual on both devices, I'm just telling you what my experance with such devices is and how they usually work... no guaranties.

I have a setup alike this at home with 1 adsl router, 1 access point and a 1 wifi router that's just acting as a wifi-ethernet switch. It can work... I have then 2 SSID's in the house for different PCs. I only have 1 DHCP range, generated from the ADSL router.

so far the theory. Now, you need to ask yourself why the zoom would be any better then the Belkin for wifi? I take you will position them far apart, cause next to eachother you won't gain much - or anything at all.

Patrick

alt · 20 December 2007, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

Just use one wireless device, and hard wire anything else. Using two routers together is not good.(they work for about 30 seconds then have address conflicts) ... DEPENDING on the software that they come with, disabling all the DHCP functions is not always possible so that you can use just the switch part, so best buy a cheapo hub from http://www.netgear.com/Products/Swit...pSwitches.aspx or similar to network any other pc's into the one and only router connected to the internet !

Don't believe me ? Carry on then

The link you gave is to a switch. Why would you recommend a hub? A hub is a Layer 1 device that does not 'think' and causes collision - Not good in a network enviornment. At least a switch (Layer 2) bases decisions on MAC addresses

.... Or did you mean to say switch istead of hub?

alt · 20 December 2007, 11:54

Back to the question - As said above, can you just use the Belkin as an AP, and then bridge the 2 routers?

2 routers are messy and asking for conflict. Routers are designed to connect DIFFERENT networks to each other.

If I were you i'd just buy a bigger antenna for your Zoom router

(The most complicated solution is not always the best - Take it from a Systems&Networks and Cisco student)

perk · 20 December 2007, 12:03

euh, I don't understand how a switch alone is going to solve the issue of having more wifi coverage in a house.

switches are used to attach multiple access points/routers, that you then position across a facility or building to increase coverage.

Ps, even switches have collisions on their ports. A collision is normal in any ethernet network that's based on carrier sense operations (half duplex). Switches however segment networks logically and physically to protect against excessive collisions and other junk.

Patrick

perk · 20 December 2007, 12:20

@ Alt,

you're right saying routers are designed to seperate L3 networks. However on these devides the router function is usually found between the ADSL interface and the LAN. The LAN itself is a typically a (hard of software) bridge between the switch and wifi function. So the key is not to use the WAN interface in the setup.

buying a bigger antenna MIGHT help - but not always. Wifi signals could be bouncing around the house and increasing the power might actually make it worse... one could not tell without a survey (costs likely way more then just buying new AP's).

besides that ... you're legally limited to x amount of transmitted power, so putting a bigger antenna is not always legal he :-) Anyway, it's certainly done in the field.

profesional advise could be : install more access points that all together end on the same switch that then goes to a router.

DIY advise could be : you might want to look into a wireless repeater. This stuff you just plug into a power outlet at the edge of your current coverage and it boosts the signal. Drawback, it cuts network speed in half and introduces a delay. Then again, most home usage would not care about that. Cheap and reasonalbly scalable.

Patrick

frothy top · 20 December 2007, 19:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by perk

switches are used to attach multiple access points/routers, that you then position across a facility or building to increase coverage.

Patrick

So does this mean that if i purchase a switch and use that i could plug both routers into that?

Sorry im not the most technically minded person

Thanks all for the help.

perk · 20 December 2007, 19:24

well, the zoom has a switch on it, isn't it? So you would not have to buy an extra switch.

one question before you start buying things : are you going to position both routers next to eachother? If so, this is not going to help you much. You might as well better buy that large antenna, repeater,...

Patrick

Poly · 20 December 2007, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by perk

well, the zoom has a switch on it, isn't it? So you would not have to buy an extra switch.

one question before you start buying things : are you going to position both routers next to eachother? If so, this is not going to help you much. You might as well better buy that large antenna, repeater,...

Patrick

Or if the software will allow it do as JK suggested above and run one box as a repeater only. I also have used this with other WAP/Routers. No extra cost - and I think this is what the original question was asking.

frothy top · 20 December 2007, 19:38

The plan is to have one wireless router at one end of the house and another at the other end of the house. yes the zoom router does have a switch on it. I also already have an ethernet cable running to the room i plan to have the other router in from the existing router.

Biggles · 20 December 2007, 19:44

For me would it be possible to have two 4 Port cable routers linked together to give me 6 LAN ports ?

perk · 20 December 2007, 19:51

Biggles,

without knowing the exact types of routers, it's hard to tell for sure. Generally speaking, I would think you can do this and I'd try it out. But be carefull to switch of the DHCP server on 1 of then, otherwise you WILL end up in a mess as people mentioned before with IP addresses etc...

I assume you would only connect one of the cable routers to the internet!

The equipment is not really designed to work this way, then again... our boats are not always designed to do what we want them to do either :-)

perk · 20 December 2007, 19:56

I just remember something... everything I wrote is based on the assumption you have equipment and internet connections that don't limit you in any way.

I assume routers have no limitation on their DHCP server (put there for commercial reasons) and no limits on MAC address count etc...

P.