Using a second router as an access point - how?

quarryman

I've just got esat BT broadband. The wireless router i got with it is crap and doesn't make it from downstairs up to my room. I can connect to the neighbour's one fine! It literally needs to be in my room to work.

Anyway i've got a hold of another router the Medion one that aldi sold a while back. I had no problems with it before on another Eircom line coneected to the Eircom router.

Now, although i can access each router I can't get out to the web.

I've tried to give everything static IPs then DHCP but no joy. Also I've upgraded the firmware on the medio so that it can be used to connect to the phone line and pick up BT but do i need to do that if its just an access point?

Any advice?

quarryman

no one's done this before?

might post this in wireless.....

Foxwood

quarryman wrote:

no one's done this before?

Done what before? Your title and your description don't exactly match up (if you can't get to the web why are you even wasting time trying to get an access point working - get the basic funtionality working first), and you haven't given enough useful info to make it worth the effort to offer any advice.

irlrobins

^True.

Post some details of the set up: ie ip address of each router, what subnet are they on, is dhcp enabled, mac filtering, bridge mode on or off, how are you connecting to each router etc.

Be easier to pinpoint the problem then.

CuLT

And seeing as you can connect to the neighbors fine I'd think about changing the channel ID on the BT router, they're almost certainly conflicting.

dub45

CuLT wrote:

And seeing as you can connect to the neighbors fine I'd think about changing the channel ID on the BT router, they're almost certainly conflicting.

Well there will be conflict if the neighbour finds out!

quarryman

Foxwood wrote:

Done what before? Your title and your description don't exactly match up (if you can't get to the web why are you even wasting time trying to get an access point working - get the basic funtionality working first), and you haven't given enough useful info to make it worth the effort to offer any advice.

ok sorry if i was a bit misleading

i can get on the web but this is by connecting to the BT modem.

Since the signal isn't strong enough to connect to unless i'm nearer to it, i've decided to run a lan cable to my room, attach another wireless router to it. Then use that for my room. Am i even right in calling it an access point?

Post some details of the set up: ie ip address of each router, what subnet are they on, is dhcp enabled, mac filtering, bridge mode on or off, how are you connecting to each router etc.

Be easier to pinpoint the problem then.

gonna look that up and get back here

IDM

Don't mean to hijack this thread or anything but I've actually got a similar setup at a friend's place. She's got a Smart modem/router sans wireless so I decided to hook up an old wireless router of mine to it and essentially piggyback off it.

The smart modem/router is running default settings and I've simply run a cable from one of it's ports to the wan port on the wireless. It automatically detected the connection and works nicely ... but I couldn't figure out how to forward any ports. If anybody has any suggestions ... I'm all ears.

irlrobins

Best way to hook up a modem to wireless router is to set the modem into bridge mode (read manual for this or for netopia modem read here). Then connect modem to wireless router's WAN/Internet port. Let the wireless router handle the PPPoE settings (i.e username and password for your ISP) in place of the modem. Then just config the wireless network as normal (DHCP, port forwarding, WEP, etc).

This setup is best as it removes the possibility of conflicting ip addresses being assigned by two DHCP servers, port forwarding probs etc.

dub45

IDM wrote:

Don't mean to hijack this thread or anything but I've actually got a similar setup at a friend's place. She's got a Smart modem/router sans wireless so I decided to hook up an old wireless router of mine to it and essentially piggyback off it.

The smart modem/router is running default settings and I've simply run a cable from one of it's ports to the wan port on the wireless. It automatically detected the connection and works nicely ... but I couldn't figure out how to forward any ports. If anybody has any suggestions ... I'm all ears.

www.portforward.com - theres a lot of stuff on the smart forum which you might be interested in - for example http://support.smarttelecom.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=153

IDM

dub45 wrote:

www.portforward.com - theres a lot of stuff on the smart forum which you might be interested in - for example http://support.smarttelecom.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=153

Aha - that looks promising ! Just what I was looking for. Will try it out as soon as I've gotta bit more spare time & will report back.

Am I right to assume that following those directions in that first port will essentially turn the modem/router into simply a modem and will allow my wireless router to perform all the 'routing' functions ? I'm well aware of how to port forward & all that, it's just that bridging bit which I was trying to work out.

Thanks, dub45 !

irlrobins

IDM wrote:

Am I right to assume that following those directions in that first port will essentially turn the modem/router into simply a modem and will allow my wireless router to perform all the 'routing' functions ?

Correct.

Foxwood

IDM wrote:

The smart modem/router is running default settings and I've simply run a cable from one of it's ports to the wan port on the wireless. It automatically detected the connection and works nicely ... but I couldn't figure out how to forward any ports. If anybody has any suggestions ... I'm all ears.

You'd have to have the original router port fowrard to the wireless router, and then set up port forwarding on the wireless router too.

Since the wireless router is reasonably robust on its WAN ports, you might consider setting it up in the first routers DMZ, if you're using the other ports on the first router. Otherwise, just set the first router to bridge mode as irlrobins suggested.