Question re: multiply routers?

[TheNiteHwk]

In my house we have five computers hooked up to one hard wired router. My section of the house is locked up from upstairs where the router is.

Here is my question.

Can I plug me connection into another router and split the connection again?

More specifically I would like to plug my connection into a wireless router/connection so I can take my laptop outside in the back yard with my wireless card and cruise net while chilling in back yard?

If so how much and any suggestions for wireless router. I don’t want cheapest or most expensive. Think middle of the road decent value.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Papi Chulo]

Yes, you should be able to plug one router into the other

I worked for me

 

[hunter001]

Yes. Any wireless router will do. Most guy on here link linksys products. You can do a search.

 

[ladez1st]

Linksys is a good product, but I've also had good luck with several D-Link products (wired & wireless), and I think they are a little less expensive than Linksys.

 

[osanowo]

I would not recommend as it will make your ping skyrocket.

Instead you should try to buy one wifi router with 6 or 8 ports.

 

[Dash]

Dont get a dlink. I have one and it cuts off the internet every 15 minutes.

I've been meaning to replace it and change it to a linksys. But I'm doing you a favor and warning you NOT to get a dlink. I heard many people had the same disconnecting problem every 15 minutes. Its a faulty piece of equipment and company....get linksys. Trust me.

 

[Never Compromised]

Dont get a dlink. I have one and it cuts off the internet every 15 minutes.

I've been meaning to replace it and change it to a linksys. But I'm doing you a favor and warning you NOT to get a dlink. I heard many people had the same disconnecting problem every 15 minutes. Its a faulty piece of equipment and company....get linksys. Trust me.

Asante, more expensive but rock solid.

I"m not sure that daisy chaining routers is a good idea. Better to get a switch if you need more lines.

Or, as one poster already suggested, get a wireless router with more ports at the start.

 

[l69norm]

..Can I plug me connection into another router and split the connection again?....More specifically I would like to plug my connection into a wireless router/connection so I can take my laptop outside in the back yard with my wireless card and cruise net while chilling in back yard?...

Yes, this will work. Some people use a similar set-up with one router for wireless gaming with a second router for thier PCs and wireless laptops.
Linksys WRT54G .

PS, Just about every consumer grade wireless router uses chipsets from Broadcom or Atheros, so they are all pretty much the same.

 

[benstt]

In my house we have five computers hooked up to one hard wired router. My section of the house is locked up from upstairs where the router is.

Here is my question.

Can I plug me connection into another router and split the connection again?

More specifically I would like to plug my connection into a wireless router/connection so I can take my laptop outside in the back yard with my wireless card and cruise net while chilling in back yard?

If so how much and any suggestions for wireless router. I don’t want cheapest or most expensive. Think middle of the road decent value.

Thanks in advance.

The usual device to do this is a plain wireless access point, not a wireless router. Ie Linksys WAP54G as an example.

The difference is the device just bridges the wireless side of the network to the ethernet port. You don't have to fiddle with setting up a router to try to obtain an IP via DHCP, firewalling, etc. If you had a wireless router that could be configured to just act as a bridge, it would be another way to skin the cat.

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=628089&CatId=372

 

[vavog]

Wireless Access Point is the way to go unless you're comfortable playing with the router settings. Some wireless routers can be configured as an Access Point so if you find a deal on a good wireless router, check out the setting options. I've found that WAPs are somewhat expensive for what they do.

 

[Mauk]

Why not replace your existing router with a wireless one as they have 4 ports. If you need more ports for wired connections pickup a cheap 5 or 8 port SWITCH from like best buy for like 20 dollars. If you get a Linksys WRT54G then replace the firmware with DD-WRT for more stable use.

Having multiple routers can work but you will have to change IP's from defaults as most routers use 192.168.1.1 so your other router will need to be changed to 192.168.2.1 or so on. Also the networks will be completely split up so you cannot share folders or print share.

 

[Horney_Senior]

I heard that using a hub is a better option for splitting a connection.

Not true. Hubs will split the bandwidth and give slower response when more than one system is connected. A switch (or a router) looks a lot like a hub and serves the same purpose but doesn't split the bandwidth. The router has extra features that might not be needed if your just splitting the connection.

 

[wstam]

Actually, a wireless router include the following component:
1. a router that share ONE connection and NAT to all other computers.
2. a switch to connect computers
3. Wireless Access Point (AP)
4. DHCP server to assign IP to internal computers

Usually, there is 1 port for the internet (#1), 4 ports (#2) for internal network, and antanna (#3) for the Wireless AP. You can't see the DHCP server externally because it is just a piece of software.

To connect a wireless router to an existing working router, the best is to disable the #1 and #4 and only use the #2 and #3. It will prevent ping skyrocket problem said by osanowo. Also, it will not spilt the network as Mauk said. The file and printer sharing should work if you set up correctly.

Follow the steps below:
1. write down you existing router IP address and the DHCP range. e.g Router IP is 192.168.1.1 and the range is 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.200
2. Connect one of your computer to the internal network pot (the 4 ports) of the new wireless router. Open the router set up page and set the IP of the new Wireless Router to a value that is never used and outside the DHCP range. e.g. 192.168.1.230. please note, the first 3 set number (e.g. 192.168.1) should be the same
3. Disable the DHCP server in the new Wireless router. Note: since the IP is change, you have to use the new IP to open the router setup page.
4. disconnect the new Wireless router from the computer. Connect the new wireless router and existing router using the internal network port (the 4 ports) in both routers.
5. Connect the computer to the new wireless router internal network port (the 4 ports). Test if the computer can get the IP from the old router DHCP server (open command prompt and type IPCONFIG to view the IP). Test if it can go to internet. If the computer cannot get the IP, you have to manual assign an IP (e.g. 192.168.1.10) in the TCP/IP of Network Property. Then open the set up page of the new Wireless router and verify all the setting. After finsh, set back the IP to "Obtain IP automatically".
6. Open the new Wireless router set up page to set up the wireless network (e.g. SSID, Channel, Security)

PS: you don't have to disable the #1 in the new Wireless router. Just set it to DHCP client for the WAN (Internet) set up.

Final:
Internet connect to the WAN port of the existing router. 1 out of 4 internal network port is used to connect both routers. So there is still 6 (3*2) port to connect 6 computers by wires. Wireless network is provided by the AP in the new router.

For suggestion of the wireless router. Since you are not using the #1 part of the router, any 802.11G 54Mbps router is good for you. You don't need the 108Mbps or pre-N router. Those router require a matched adapter (same manufacturer is better) in your notebook to use the extra feature. Save you money for a basic 802.11G 54Mbps router now.