Adding a Router to a Router

[Jagger100]

I have what was once a pricey dual band router with a gigabit ethernet switch built in.
The 2.5 GHz lower band is giving me problems lately. Its weak and causing drop outs. I set up a $12 linksys refurb to replace it. And its working much better for wireless.

I want to run the 'internet' port of the new router into the LAN port of the old router and turn off the lower 2.5 GHz band of the old router and make the New Router take care of the Wireless access duties of the old router's lower band. I want to still use the gigabit LAN ports and upper band of the old router since they seem to be working fine.

How do I turn over IP assignment duties from the New Router to the Old Router so I have one big happy network where everyone can see everyone else?

 

[Pabuchok]

The exact process depends on what router and firmware you're using. On DD-WRT it's as easy as changing the Operating Mode from "Gateway" to "Router."

Basically what you are doing is disabling NAT. I have seen where two routers have been connected together without any configuration changes and they worked fine.

 

[wizdum]

On most consumer routers the wireless AP part is connected directly to the LAN ports. So disable DHCP on the new router, connect a LAN port from the old router to a LAN port on the new router, and you're good to go. This way your old router will still handle all routing and DHCP duties, and the new router will act just like a dumb switch (and wireless access point).

You will probably also want to set up your new router with an IP address in the same subnet as your old router, but outside the DHCP pool. Something like 192.168.1.2. That way you can still access the control panel on it if you need to.

 

[Jagger100]

On most consumer routers the wireless AP part is connected directly to the LAN ports. So disable DHCP on the new router, connect a LAN port from the old router to a LAN port on the new router, and you're good to go. This way your old router will still handle all routing and DHCP duties, and the new router will act just like a dumb switch (and wireless access point).

You will probably also want to set up your new router with an IP address in the same subnet as your old router, but outside the DHCP pool. Something like 192.168.1.2. That way you can still access the control panel on it if you need to.

This actually made some sense to me. Thanks.