2 router setup

Hi all,

I have had such a good experience with the malware side of this forum i thought i'd ask a network issue that i have had for some time. This is long!!

Here is the setup:
I have a modem in the basement of a building (comcast motorolla) this plugs directly into a (netgear fs105 5 port) switch. I then have 2 ethernet cat5 cables that travel from the switch to 2 routers (both linksys WRT54G2). Each router is on a different side/floor of the building. The building is old with a lot of concrete walls and ceilings - hence the need for 2 routers.

I originally set this the routers up serially (cascading). This worked in the sense that both routers broadcast but (due to lack of sufficient cabling this router has to sit in the basement next to the modem) the router in the basement could only be seen from in the basement - concrete/cinder blocks!

So my issue now is that i have 2 routers in different parts of a building connected via a switch to a comcast modem and i want to set these routers up so i cannect wirelessly to either.

I have heard that i should set one up as DHCP the other as an access point, i have heard that one router can only use static ips. Not sure what to believe.

If there are any networking wizards out there that could help i'd be greatly appreciative.


recap:

modem -> switch(next to modem) -> router 1 (say on floor 1)
modem -> switch(same one as above) -> router 2 (say on floor 2)

cheers

 

anyone have any ideas?

 

For clarity the 2 routers which you say you have are actually used as wireless access point. Is that correct?

You could use the 2 waps in repeater mode if they have that functionality, that way you could seamessly move around and the client (laptop) would reconnect to the stronger signal.

As regards DHCP functions, your set up does not appear to be right, since it appears from what you are saying that both routers have DHCP functionality enabled.

Your set up should be as follows. Modem in basement ->connected to a router (in basement also) ie DHCP on / wireless off if using a combo. Then connect the router to the switch if you want (or just connect the 2 cat5 cables into the ethernet ports on the router) and run those cables to the current routers siutated in you building.

On those 2 routers disable DHCP as this is now handled by the kit in the basement.

As I said above if the waps allow repeater functionality, then you can have the seamless scenario I detailed above.

Good Luck

 

No. Both routers have out of the box settings. i believe DHCP

that is correct

Do i need that router in the basement? That means i'd need 3 routers in total. Right now all i have is a switch in the basement. Can i not configure the 2 i have without the 3rd? or is the only option to have that 3rd router "kit"?

thanks

 

At the moment you have 2 routers and both have DHCP functionality turned on. That means that they are both issuing LAN IP addresses.

Furthermore, I am not sure if they have the same gateway address also. Possibly another clash.

Only one unit should be a router ie DHCP enabled and issuing LAN IP addresses.

The easiest way to do this is to have the set up I described in my previous post ie in basement modem connected to router ie DHCP on, the 2 routers which you have are then turned into waps ie DHCP is off on both these units.

If have assumed that there are more than 2 floors but if you only have 2 floors, then you could place Router1 adjacent to the modem and connect it to the modem (on that router make sure DHCP is turned on). Then place Router2 on the other floor and connect it to Router1. Router2 must have DHCP off.

Hope that is all clearer for you

Good Luck

 

Could not edit above post. For clarity Router1 should have DHCP and wireless ON. Router2 DHCP OFF and wireless ON

Good Luck

 

Thanks, i do get what you are saying with the 3rd router.

All i was wondering that if i did not have that 3rd router whether there is a way to configure the other 2 to avoid that setuo. I understand both could not be DHCP but wondered if i could have 1 of them using DHCP and then configure the other to avoid conflicts and to do this without cascading them like you mention.

i guess not.
thanks for your advice

Andy

 

Well you could do as I said

Which ever way you go for make sure that which ever unit you select as your router, then the IP address of the other units will have to be manually changed from the default. By that I mean that router combos say Netgears for example have a default gateway IP address of 192.168.0.1. So for the other waps the default (which will be the same) needs changing to a fixed IP address of 192.168.0.2 (and 192.168.0.3 if you use another wap). You can find this setting (to change the unit's IP address manually) in the router's interface and probably adjacent to the disable DHCP button.

Should be pretty easy to get this up and running

Good Luck

 

I believe what you are wanting to do is possible but not with the firmware that comes pre-installed in the WRT54G series routers. I would think that you need to change your firmware to something likne DD-WRT (open source and very manageable router software). Once you have done so there are many pages on the net that describe what you are attempting to do. Do a Google search and research it a bit and I'm certain you will find what you need.

Jack