Ask Me Help Desk - Running two wireless routers

Scott:

It would really help if you posted the results of the ping/arp scan of that network.

Results from the cmd prompt can be copied to the clipboard by right-clicking on the top of the window, selecting mark. Highligt and depress <return>.

If what you say is true about the hard-coding, it just reinforces "I hate Linksys" additude that I have. Their stuff doesn't work and their support is bad. My experience anyway. Once you make changes like that, the router typically has to re-boot or power-up/power down for those changes to take effect.

The new router needs an address on the network that doesn't conflict.

If the address is not on the original network, then the WAN of the new router gets connected to the LAN of the existing one. NAT and DHCP should be enabled.

If the address is on the existing network, then the LAN of the new to the LAN of the old should suffice. No firewall stuff happens. NAT and DHCP should not be enabled.

In both cases, we asre assuming that the router's address is not assigned via DHCP.

Scott,
Change the router address to 192.168.2.1 then save it. You will find that the "hard coded" DHCP Scope will then automatically change with the router's network ID.

Found that out the hard way too; got the mug and T-shirt on that lengthy visit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckhole

Scott,
Change the router address to 192.168.2.1 then save it. You will find that the "hard coded" DHCP Scope will then automatically change with the router's network ID.

Found that out the hard way too; got the mug and T-shirt on that lengthy visit.

Ahh that's been done and saved. So the next time I open up the config It should show 192.168.2.200? Even if is shows 192.168.2.100 that's fine as long as it doesn't conflict with their router.

So my next step will be to connect hers to theirs. Should I go into her WAN port or the uplink port?

Aside to Kiss, the laptop is 800 miles away. Right now I can't get it to connect to their network to do any pings. When I can get it to do so, I'll post the results.

Any computer on the network will do.

Connecting into the computer probably won't happen either, because you have to port forward the required ports on the router you aparently don't have access to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottGem

So my next step will be to connect hers to theirs. Should I go into her WAN port or the uplink port?

When you change the IP of the router, you will have to reconnect to it using the new address. You should immediately see the change in your DHCP Scope. It should then agree with the new network ID of 192.168.2.x instead of 192.168.1.x.

Set the WAN port on the second router to obtain an IP address manually and assign one to it in the 192.168.1.x network that does not confict with any other addresses (example 192.168.1.2). You could set it to DHCP but there is a lease period for DHCP and it would have to continuously reaquire the address and update the route table if it changed. Not a big deal if you did set it to DHCP. Add a static route on router #1 to route 192.168.2.0 mask 255.255.255.0 to 192.168.1.2 (as in example above). This will provide your return path from the primary to the secondary network. Herein lies the problem. You still have to make a change to the setup of the first router.:(

Connect WAN port on router #2 to LAN port on router #1. Connect kiddo's laptop to either LAN port ethernet cable or to wireless on router #2. All of the other family computers would connect to LAN port ethernet or wireless on router #1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckhole

Add a static route on router #1 to route 192.168.2.0 mask 255.255.255.0 to 192.168.1.2 (as in example above). This will provide your return path from the primary to the secondary network. Herein lies the problem. You still have to make a change to the setup of the first router.:(

The first router doesn't need to know anything about the .2 network or a route to it if the second router NATs. Any return packets will have a destination address of the second router's WAN port which is on the local LAN of the first router.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scleros

The first router doesn't need to know anything about the .2 network or a route to it if the second router NATs. Any return packets will have a destination address of the second router's WAN port which is on the local LAN of the first router.

Totally agree... IF it NATs. Using DHCP on the WAN port of router #2 would help in this regard since the address it is provided automatically becomes part of the table in router #1.

Just wanted to l;et you guys know the results.

It Works!!

When she reloaded the router config, the scope did change to 192.168.2.200. She then connected their router to the WAN port on hers and she had Internet access. So she then disconnected her laptop from her router and searched for wireless networks, the SSID she setup was listed and she was able to connect to it and get Internet access. Nor was their network interfered with. I then setup MAC filtering for her so they can't get on her network.

And she is a happy camper.