Need a secondary Wireless router, recommendations?

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NathanP2007

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Dec 17, 2007
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So my house currently has a D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Gigabit Wireless Router, and we are loving it. However with the size of our house, the back of the house has a second story, and it gets no signal. Under that second story is a bedroom that has wired ethernet running through it. In the past we had our old Linksys Wireless router in that room, the ethernet plugged in and it was putting out a second LAN signal that gave the second story/back of the house a full signal connection. Long story short, the Linksys router sucked so bad we tossed it, and upstairs has had to use Wired since.

-Im looking to buy a wireless router now so the upstairs can get full signal again. Obviously considering our D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Gigabit Wireless Router has been so awesome, iv been considering buying it. However considering its $60, i was curious if i should go with it, or are there any other options iv overlooked? A signal amplifier that the ethernet can plug into and amplifies the LAN signal (so i wont have to make a separate LAN?) If so, is there a most loved/bought model you can link?

If i do get the D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Gigabit Wireless Router, do i have to create a separate LAN? or is there a way for it to use the same network/password? and lastly, if i get the DIR-655, will the two signals degrade each other? Or compliment each other?
 
I won't get into what model to buy, if you already have a nice WAP you like, go ahead and buy another one.

To answer the other questions...

Yes, if you configure a new wireless network with the same SSID and password, your wireless clients will almost pass between the 2 APs seamlessly. Some devices, such as wireless VOIP phones, may drop their connection when they roam between APs, but your basic windows laptop will be fine. Note I said roam, I literally mean if you're carrying your laptop watching youtube as you walk from one end of the building to the other.

Make sure that you put the 2nd router into AP only mode, and connect the LAN port of it to the LAN port of the other router. You also need to change the IP address of it. If something goes haywire and the 2nd router reboots and gets set back to defaults, it's going to conflict with the IP address of the 1st router, which will cause problems. That's not likely to happen, but be aware, if you have a power outage and nothing seems to work right, unplug that 2nd router and see if it helps.

When you setup the new router make sure it uses a different channel for the wireless than the 1st, which will give you the best performance.
 
Great advice thank you. Though i dont think i understand the "connect the LAN port of it to the LAN port of the other router" part. Sorry.
 
He means to connect the two routers... you'll need to run network cable between the 2 with them each plugged into a LAN port... I know the Apple AirPort Extreme will wirelessly extend another (or AirPort Express) as long as the signal strength is strong enough... but that doesn't help since you already have one D-Link... but maybe D-Link has the same option?
 
Ok well i checked the house's setup and ethernet is run from the D-Link 655's LAN port too the back of the house too that bedroom. So it will be LAN to LAN. Does that mean i do NOT plug the ethernet into the "Ethernet" port on the back of the second D-Link 655? I put it into one of the LAN ports correct?
 
Well i tried looking in the manual PDF but couldnt find anything about linking wirelessly, however it doesnt really matter cause the wire is right there and il just grab a laptop and set it up. I ordered the 655 today and will be getting it in 2 days. I'll make sure when setting it up to follow the instructions you guys have laid out.
 
Realize that the router has a couple different components, all bundled into a single unit.

You have a firewall, a switch, and a wireless access point.

The firewall has 2 interfaces, a WAN (AKA outside) and a LAN (AKA inside). The WAN interface gets plugged into the internet and uses public IP addressing. The firewall does NAT and PAT and assorted stuff to allow your inside devices using private IP addresses (192.168.x.y) to communicate on the Internet using the 1 public IP address you get from your ISP.

Now, the LAN interface is connected internally, to the switch and to the wireless access point. So a device connected to any of the wireless networks or to the physical switch ports will all be able to see each other on the network, without going through the firewall. If you attach another switch to one of the switch ports, it's just an extension of the switch built into the router. In your case, the new switch you're installing happens to be built into another router. So by hooking the LAN of one router to the LAN of another, you're bridging together the 2 switches and the 2 WAPs into a single network.

But, just make sure you disable the parts of the router you don't need, namely, DHCP. And make sure the IP address on the router is different than the existing router.

The wireless settings should be identical, except for channel, which should be as different as possible.
 
Just a final Update. Finally set it all up today. Had some issues but they were my fault. Followed your directions and some step-by-steps online and its all setup and working great. Seamless transition from main Wireless router to AP secondary router.
Thanks guys.
 
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