Using router as access point

[bkribbs]

So pardon any incorrect use of terminology, and feel free to ask any other questions. Anyways:

I had a cheap Linksys E1200 router. I was using it on a network with a DHCP server. Basically, reset to default, changed name, added password, disabled DHCP server, plugged ethernet cord from internet port in room to a LAN port.

Got an upgrade! Dual band router with storage! Cool! I go to set it up.

Change name, add password, awesome. Disabled DHCP, all clear! So now I just plug the cord into the LAN port, and... nothing. No internet. But if I plug it into the WAN port, I can use the internet on it.

So is it going to cause problems for the network if I have the cord going into the WAN port?

If so I'm a little stuck. Thanks!

EDIT: So I just tried the original router and if its in a LAN port, the internet works, if I put it in the WAN port, it just sits. So perhaps the new router is just seeing the DHCP server is down (on the router) and switches it with the others or something? The new router is a WD MyNet N600

 

[johnb35]

Ethernet cable from lan port on router 1 to lan port on router 2. IP address for router 1 example should be 192.168.1.1 and IP address for router 2 should be 192.168.1.2. Disable dhcp on router 2, this allows router 1 to handle all IP addresses within the network.

 

[Cromewell]

To use the WAN port you have to turn off routing on the inside router. Usually it's called bridged mode.

If you don't have that setting, as John mentioned above, just use one of the regular switch ports.

 

[bkribbs]

Ethernet cable from lan port on router 1 to lan port on router 2. IP address for router 1 example should be 192.168.1.1 and IP address for router 2 should be 192.168.1.2. Disable dhcp on router 2, this allows router 1 to handle all IP addresses within the network.

That's how the first was set up (except I don't set the IP, I make it DHCP so I loose access to the control panel, but that's ok.) However, that doesn't work on the new router.

To use the WAN port you have to turn off routing on the inside router. Usually it's called bridged mode.

If you don't have that setting, as John mentioned above, just use one of the regular switch ports.

Well there is a router mode and an extender mode. If I leave it in router mode though, and turn off the DHCP server, would that accomplish pretty much the same thing?

It's weird because if I disable the DHCP server and use the LAN port, it doesn't work, the page just hangs. But plugging the cord into the WAN port makes it work, as I would think it would in the extender mode.

 

[Geoff]

Also turn off NAT. Usually there are 3 or more modes, router, bridged, and access point.

 

[bkribbs]

Also turn off NAT. Usually there are 3 or more modes, router, bridged, and access point.

*snip*

I'm not sure I saw a setting for that. I know I haven't been doing that on my other router, how important is turning that off?

This router isn't super high quality, it just has "Router Mode" and "Extender Mode (Wired AP)"

 

[Cromewell]

Extender mode may be it. However dhcp off and connecting to a lan port should work just fine.

 

[johnb35]

I'm thinking it should work in router mode anyway. As long as the wan port isn't being used the router is just being used as a switch to extend the network.

 

[Cromewell]

I'm thinking it should work in router mode anyway. As long as the wan port isn't being used the router is just being used as a switch to extend the network.

Pretty much. All this other stuff is for using the wan port. Just using the regular lan ports dhcp off is all I'd expect you need

 

[johnb35]

The wan port would just create a second network with no sharing ability. I have an Asus router as router 1 and an old linksys wrt54g as a second router in a bedroom connected with cable between the 2. I didn't change the mode at all, just connected cable to an lan port and changed the internal IP.

 

[bkribbs]

I'm thinking it should work in router mode anyway. As long as the wan port isn't being used the router is just being used as a switch to extend the network.

Extender mode may be it. However dhcp off and connecting to a lan port should work just fine.

Well in extender mode it was only letting two devices get an IP. So I was messing with it in router setup.

I set it up as I set the only one up, and it seemed half the time it would give IPs as I expect, and half the time it was still giving out IPs like the DHCP was on (its not). The reset button also is now not resetting it... so back to the seller it goes!

Thanks guys.