Creating more ports/adding an access point?

I live in a house with cable internet, which is shared among 4 people using a wired router with 4 ports. Wireless will not work because the walls are too thick.

We need to be able to hook up a fifth and possible sixth computer to the 'net. Would one way to do that be to add an "access point"? I know there are 6-port routers, but as far as I know, they're pricey, and my landlord (who's the one who would be buying it) will take forever to get one. I already own a D-link 614+. There are instructions for configuring it as an access point...is this what I need to do--configure my router as an access point, plug it into one of the 4 ports on the house router, and then plug additional computers into my router?

Also--the instructions for doing this with my D-link (here) says not to use the WAN port on the router that's being used as an access point. That sounds strange--shouldn't I be running a cable from the house router into the WAN port of my router/access point and then plugging other computers into the LAN ports of my router/access point?

And lastly, the instructions strongly advise against using the router as an access point--why? Will it slow things down?

 

What the D-Link tech wrote makes complete sense, and is what you want to do. Although, being the clowns they are, I can see how it can be confusing.

I'm writing this assuming you only have your computers, and a DI-614+.

An access point is a used for wireless connectivity. Since you do not want to use wireless (a wise idea), this will not work.

Your best bet is to go out and get a switch. This is how you would set your network up:

Router (DI-614+)
1) Plug your modem into the WAN port
2) Plug 3 computers in - Ports 1 through 3
3) Plug your switch into port 4

Switch
1) Plug the router into any port on the switch
2) Plug any remaining computers into the available ports

This will provide you with additional ports, without any configuration. You could also do this with a hub, but you're better off to use a swtich because it's full duplex, whereas a hub is only half.