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Home Network Configuration

N

nitz12

Weaksauce
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
88
I have the following components:

3 Desktop PC's running Windows 7
3 Laptops running Vista - each wireless capable
LG BD390 Blu-ray player w/wireless

TRENDnet TEW 639GR wireless router
Netgear RP614 wired router (not sure if it's v1 or v2)
Linksys 4 port hub

I have wired ethernet throughout the home but got the wireless router because it was a steal and I wouldn't have to unplug an ethernet line from a PC when I wanted to use the Blu-ray player to access movies. Most of the time, any PC in use will be through a wired ethernet connection

I would like to use the Trendnet as the primary router from the RoadRunner modem since it's new technology compared to the others which are both at least 5 years old.

What would be the best configuration that would allow me to see all networked machines (wired and wireless) on the network map and will optimize bandwidth and throughput for all users?

Thanks
 
Replace hub with a switch. Don't go wireless for Bluray, as throughput would not be acceptable (instead use another switch at that location). Follow all other common aspects of home networking (internet <--> router <--> primary switch <--> computers, devices, other switches if needed)
 
Don't have a switch and want to use the items that I currently have on hand. Can the second router be used as a switch?

Wireless will be used for the blu-ray player, for aesthetics and the fact there is no room. This blu-ray has internal wireless so there is no need for one of those wireless USB things.

I want to work with what I have without incurring additional expense. Does using two routers make it impossible to see all networked items at once? There are also a couple printers hooked up to desktops that I would like networked as well.
 
You can turn the old router into a switch by turning off DHCP on it. It would also be helpful to change its IP address to something unused and outside of the DHCP range that the other router (aka main router) is using.

Will the Bluray be using wireless to broadcast the disc's content to other machines, or just to access Internet or other LAN devices for bits of content? If it's the latter, then no big deal. If it's the former, then just be aware of the limitations of wireless throughput.
 
I connected the old router to my computer and changed the setting for DHCP to off. Now anything connected to that router cannot get internet connectivity. Once the old router is connected to the new router, I have no way of changing any settings on the old router. I also cannot get two Windows 7 computers that are connected to the new router to be part of the same Homegroup. One computer continually gets an error message that it cannot be part of a Homegroup, or some variation of it. Is there anyone that can provide me with a configuration that has the modem connected to the new router along with 4 computers, then 3 additional computers connected to the old router (presumably now a switch), so that I can at least see all computers on the network? What settings would I have to change and is there any way to change settings on the non-primary router without hooking up to it directly?
 
I have been reading conflicting instructions from the web such as:

"Check the second router's IP address value and reset it if necessary to work within the valid address range of the first router (and to not conflict with any other device on the network)"

This seems to contradict what was stated above.

When I tried to change the IP address value, after unchecking DHCP, it would not allow me to.
 
Configure the second router to be in the same subnet of the first router, but outside the DHCP range so that it won't assign that IP to something else and cause a conflict. If your main router is 192.168.0.1 with a DHCP range of 192.168.0.100-.200, then make the second router 192.168.0.2 or something similar. Make sure this is the LAN/internal side of the router. You want to completely ignore the WAN/internet side of the second router. Run a cable from the main router into one of the LAN ports on the second router. Again, completely ignore the WAN side of the second router.
 
nitz12 said:
I connected the old router to my computer and changed the setting for DHCP to off. Now anything connected to that router cannot get internet connectivity. Once the old router is connected to the new router, I have no way of changing any settings on the old router. I also cannot get two Windows 7 computers that are connected to the new router to be part of the same Homegroup. One computer continually gets an error message that it cannot be part of a Homegroup, or some variation of it. Is there anyone that can provide me with a configuration that has the modem connected to the new router along with 4 computers, then 3 additional computers connected to the old router (presumably now a switch), so that I can at least see all computers on the network? What settings would I have to change and is there any way to change settings on the non-primary router without hooking up to it directly?
Click to expand...

When you turn off DHCP you have to move the ethernet cable from the CABLE/DSL/LAN port to one of the other four ports on the router. Once you disable DHCP you are essentially using a switch and that main port will not function as it previously did. Do this before changing any other settings as the setup you are using will not work with an ethernet cable in the main port.
 
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