extending coverage with a second router

[silk186]

I'm back home for the holiday and trying to help my dad out. Currently he has a D-Link DIR-655 and it is not covering the whole house (1800 sqr feet). He can pick up another DIR-655 for $20. It needs to cover all the media devices and a computer upstairs. Their is also a tablet and at least 5 smart phones connect at a time. I'm thinking to flash the DIR-655 and use it in some fashion to extend coverage. What are my options to have continuous coverage so that devices like laptops, tables and smartphones don't have to change between SSID. I'm not very familiar with networking. I'm a bit confused between router/AP/repeater/extender...

 

[Grentz]

The best would be if you could wire the two DLinks together.

Plug them in to one another via the LAN ports (not WAN/Internet) and on the new one that is not connected to the internet modem, disable DHCP, set a static IP that is in the same range as the first router (if the first is 192.168.1.1, set the other to something like 192.168.1.2), and setup the wireless SSID/Key the same as the first router.

Finally, use a unique wireless channel on each, pick either channel 1, 6, 11.

 

[silk186]

This is a possibility, one of the upstairs bedrooms has a LAN port. It doesn't sound too difficult either. Thanks Grentz

 

[Burner27]

The best would be if you could wire the two DLinks together.

Plug them in to one another via the LAN ports (not WAN/Internet) and on the new one that is not connected to the internet modem, disable DHCP, set a static IP that is in the same range as the first router (if the first is 192.168.1.1, set the other to something like 192.168.1.2), and setup the wireless SSID/Key the same as the first router.

Finally, use a unique wireless channel on each, pick either channel 1, 6, 11.

Aren't you double NATing then by doing it your way? It would be easier to get a Netgear WNR3500Lv2 and set it to wireless repeater mode. You would then not be doubling NATing; won't have to run a cable from one router to another and get the coverage you need.

 

[Liger88]

Aren't you double NATing then by doing it your way? It would be easier to get a Netgear WNR3500Lv2 and set it to wireless repeater mode. You would then not be doubling NATing; won't have to run a cable from one router to another and get the coverage you need.

That's why you don't use the WAN port (well one of the reasons, and the easiest). On consumer wireless routers the 4 LAN ports are really nothing more than switch ports that in the software of the device then translates to a public IP via NAT going out the WAN interface. By disabling DHCP on the WAN port and internally you basically turn the entire device into a "dumb" switch.

As far as the wireless settings, I've just recently done this myself and was advised to change the wireless type (Repeater, Bridge, etc.) and I found doing so pretty much broke the wireless network. Leaving it alone however made it all work as it should. I still have to do some further studying as to why that's happening, but that may be how it has to be or some devices like mine are just very strict on how things must be to work.

 

[Deleted member 88227]

Aren't you double NATing then by doing it your way? It would be easier to get a Netgear WNR3500Lv2 and set it to wireless repeater mode. You would then not be doubling NATing; won't have to run a cable from one router to another and get the coverage you need.

No it wont. There will still be one router on the network handing NAT, DHCP and other router duties.

 

[Grentz]

Aren't you double NATing then by doing it your way? It would be easier to get a Netgear WNR3500Lv2 and set it to wireless repeater mode. You would then not be doubling NATing; won't have to run a cable from one router to another and get the coverage you need.

As the other said, if you disable DHCP and do not connect via the WAN/Internet port there will be no double NAT.

Wired is way better for a backhaul than a wireless repeater. I have yet to see a wireless repeater setup work nearly as well as a wired backhaul.

Sometimes you have no other option, but whenever you do, don't go for a wireless repeater.