WRT54G DHCP configuration question

[Atragon]

At the moment, my Internet connection (Rogers highspeed) goes through a BEFSR41 router and from there to my computers, I'm going to be getting a wireless device and bought a WRT54G router to act as an access point. Fairly straightforwards, just disable DHCP on the 54G and change its local IP...right?

Well. What I want to do is a little more complicated.

Due to the firmware version I'm running on the BEFSR41, I cannot have both port forwarding and DHCP enabled on it at the same time. Since I need port forwarding, I have to disable the DHCP server, and here's where the fun begins. I was thinking that with getting a second router, I could use its DHCP server and just have it hand out the appropriate settings to connect through my first router...

So I set it up, noticing that there was no option to choose a gateway IP address to assign and crossed my fingers. It didn't work, the computer got a DHCP assigned address in the right range, with the right subnet mask and DNS servers...but the default gateway was that of the 54G, not the BEFSR which is where my 'net connection enters.

It is a physical impossibility to use the 54G as my primary router due to the network topology (cable enters in the basement, wireless access point needs to be on first floor.)

Is there any way to work around the problem with the gateway IP address being handed out by the 54G?

IPCONFIG with DHCP enabled, note the wrong gateway.
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.253

IPCONFIG with static settings. This is the right gateway.
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

At the moment, this is an approximate overview of my network:

 

[bigstusexy]

Why not just replcate the old one with the new? Will the signal not go through the floor?

 

[omega-x]

aye, just do that, replace WRT's firmware with sveasofts, boost signal to 40-50 milliwatts.
its a far better router than the BEFsr41......so replace it, use the BEF as a switch (update the firmware too, no excuse not to)

 

[Atragon]

It's not the floor, it's the geometry...if I put it in the basement, there's a concrete wall and a few meters of dirt between it and the backyard which I don't think would be the best thing for a wifi signal.

Believe me, if I could use it as my WAN connection, I would since it's a much better router.

 

[omega-x]

it may not be a totally perfect signal, but you might associate at 2-12 mbit...
either way
start by replaceing the bef with the wrt and using hacked firmware for power boostage.

if that doesnt work, you can get a cheapo 11b AP to put higher, and run it on a different channel and SSID (or get a 2nd WRT)