Computer network question that I'm sure none of you can help with...

[girth]

Got a wired Linksys 4-port router. Works great. Now trying to add a d-link wireLESS router into the network.....not to act as an actual router mind you, just to act as a wireless access point. Problem is, the b**** isn't working.

I changed the wireless router's IP address to "be in" the same range as the Linksys -- Linksys is 192.168.1.1 and the D-Link is now 192.168.1.88. DHCP is enabled on the Linksys and DISABLED on the D-Link. This, to my knowledge, should make the wireless router act as a simple wireless access point and that's it....but once I try to disconnect my computer from the wired network and connect to the wireless network I can't establish a wireless connection and get an IP address. The computer "sees" the wireless network just fine, but when I say 'connect' to it it tries to get the IP and can't. Anyone know why?

As a side problem, now it seems nothing is working through the wireless router (i.e. I connected the WAN port of the wireless router to the Linksys router, then connected a normal cat-5 cable from Port 4 of the wireless router to my laptop's NIC...but even that simple connection will not allow me to use the wired network. That WAS working earlier in the evening but not anymore. WTF? This shouldn't be that hard.

 

[NoRotorNoMotor]

since none of us can answer it you kinda wasted your time typing it

 

[girth]

Na, I copied and pasted it from another board (computer board) that probably WILL be able to answer it. This board has a little more traffic though...so we'll see who comes up with any help first.

 

[Lord_Zath]

the computer's probably trying to get an IP address from the access point/router.

Have you tried having both routers set up to do DHCP, with the second router's ip leasing range between 101 and 255, and the first router's ip range between 2 and 99 (set the second router's ip to 100)?

Just a shot in the dark.

 

[RyanJayG]

you cannot connect two routers together with a standard cable without dissabling one to a switch. or you coul use a crossover cable between them.

this is ofcourse unless your wireless "router" isn't a router and just an access point.

can you confirm or give us model numbers?

 

[ChopstickHero]

i never liked mixing different branded networking hardware together.

 

[girth]

you cannot connect two routers together with a standard cable without dissabling one to a switch. or you coul use a crossover cable between them.

this is ofcourse unless your wireless "router" isn't a router and just an access point.

can you confirm or give us model numbers?

The wireless router is indeed a router, not just a switch. I know what I'm trying to do is possible - basically I'm just trying to change this wireless router into a wireless access point. I'd have just bought an access point rather than a router except access points are 3 times the price as routers. I have the wired router connected to the wireless one via a standard cat-5 cable (not cross-over) because I think that's what it needs to be and I've disabled DHCP on the wireless router. I'm wondering if I should set my laptop to obtain a static IP of 192.168.1.88 - the same IP as the wireless router that it's connecting to?

 

[girth]

the computer's probably trying to get an IP address from the access point/router.

Have you tried having both routers set up to do DHCP, with the second router's ip leasing range between 101 and 255, and the first router's ip range between 2 and 99 (set the second router's ip to 100)?

Just a shot in the dark.

Not a bad suggestion....if I can't get it working that's worth a shot.

 

[-pixy-]

I thought Linksys and D-Link wireless routers are incompatible with each other.

yeah, i tried it and it didnt work easily enough so i quit and returned the D-link for another linksys and it worked fine (2thumbs)

 

[DeanSweet]

I would call D-Link support and ask them.
Linksys has its own d/l that troubleshoots most network issues.

 

[ChopstickHero]

yeah, i tried it and it didnt work easily enough so i quit and returned the D-link for another linksys and it worked fine (2thumbs)

yeah.. i never liked D-Link products. i bought just a wired 4-port router and it still didn't work properly. returned that for a Linksys and i just plugged it in and it worked right out of the box. no need to adjust any settings.

i bought my gf a linksys wireless router and hooked it up to her existing linksys wired router (wireless upstairs, wired in the basement) and it worked without adjusting any settings.

 

[Y2Breeze]

Hmmmm...

If you only want to connect to internet using the wireless one, plug it in one of the 4 linksys ports, and disable DHCP on the d-link... That should work.

I'm using a D-Link DI-524 as a switch/acces point, connected to a Linksys 8 ports wired router at home.

 

[girth]

Hmmmm...

If you only want to connect to internet using the wireless one, plug it in one of the 4 linksys ports, and disable DHCP on the d-link... That should work.

I'm using a D-Link DI-524 as a switch/acces point, connected to a Linksys 8 ports wired router at home.

Well f*ck, that's exactly what I did. I wonder why she don't work. It could possibly just be how I have the computer set up....I'm trying to have the computer set up to access either the wired or wireless network...maybe I simply have a setting incorrect on the computer for the wireless access. I don't know. I'll fiddle with it some more maybe tonight. This isn't rocket science - it HAS to work.

 

[Lord_Zath]

The problem is that if you call tech support, they won't support the problem since it's between their router and another company's. So do what I do - lie. Familiarize yourself with the menus and try to follow along w/what the techie says

 

[Asterchild]

Ripped from http://www.dslwebserver.com/main/fr_index.html?/main/wireless-router-as-access-point.html


[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Here's how to do it:[/size][/font]

1. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]First thing, plug in the power to the wireless router, but do not connect it to your network yet.[/size][/font]
2. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Attach one computer using a category 5 network cable to one of the wireless router's LAN ports. Make sure this computer is set to automatically receive a IP address from the wireless router's DHCP server.[/size][/font]
3. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Login to the wireless router using the computer that is connected to it. Now that we're in the router configuration, we can make the changes we need to turn this wireless router into a wireless access point.[/size][/font]
4. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]You can leave the WAN configuration in the wireless router completely empty. The WAN part of the wireless router won't be used when it is being used as a wireless access point.[/size][/font]
5. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Set the LAN IP address of the wireless router so it is compatible with your existing network. For example, if your current network uses the 192.168.1.x network, then make sure the wireless router is on the same network. Different companies use different LAN numbers such as 192.168.0.x or 192.168.2.x. We need the wireless router to function on the existing network. Give it an IP address that is easy to remember. For example, if your current wired router is 192.168.0.1, then you can give the wireless router 192.168.0.2 which is only one number away from the wired router number (which you probably already know by heart).[/size][/font]
6. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Turn off the DHCP server on the wireless router. There can only be one DHCP server on your network, and it should be the DHCP server on your wired router, not the wireless router.[/size][/font]
7. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Implement the same wireless security settings as detailed in this article: How to Secure Your Wireless Network. You want to keep your wireless network as safe as possible.[/size][/font]
8. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Now that your wireless router uses the same IP numbering scheme and has the DHCP server turned off, it is basically a wireless access point. We have to hook it up to our existing network. You do this by connecting a Category 5 cable between the LAN port of your existing router / network to the LAN port of your new wireless access point. Do not connect it to the WAN port of the wireless access point. Depending on your router / access point manufacturer, you may need to use a crossover cable instead of a standard straight through cable. On my Linksys 802.11b wireless router turned wireless access point, I use a straight through cable without any problems. You may need to experiment with this.[/size][/font]

[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]There you have it. You added wireless capabilities to your existing wired network by using a wireless router as a wireless access point.[/size][/font]

 

[ZenProtege]

I have the same sort of problem. I have an enormous 10 base T router made by hewelett packard that networks my house. I've been trying to make my roomates wireless internet hub run off it and it won't work. The router will output the internet connections fine to all the rooms, but it when I plug one of the outputs into the wireless hub it won't work. The hub works fine if you plug it directly into the modem

 

[girth]

Ripped from http://www.dslwebserver.com/main/fr_index.html?/main/wireless-router-as-access-point.html


[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Here's how to do it:[/size][/font]

1. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]First thing, plug in the power to the wireless router, but do not connect it to your network yet.[/size][/font]
2. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Attach one computer using a category 5 network cable to one of the wireless router's LAN ports. Make sure this computer is set to automatically receive a IP address from the wireless router's DHCP server.[/size][/font]
3. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Login to the wireless router using the computer that is connected to it. Now that we're in the router configuration, we can make the changes we need to turn this wireless router into a wireless access point.[/size][/font]
4. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]You can leave the WAN configuration in the wireless router completely empty. The WAN part of the wireless router won't be used when it is being used as a wireless access point.[/size][/font]
5. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Set the LAN IP address of the wireless router so it is compatible with your existing network. For example, if your current network uses the 192.168.1.x network, then make sure the wireless router is on the same network. Different companies use different LAN numbers such as 192.168.0.x or 192.168.2.x. We need the wireless router to function on the existing network. Give it an IP address that is easy to remember. For example, if your current wired router is 192.168.0.1, then you can give the wireless router 192.168.0.2 which is only one number away from the wired router number (which you probably already know by heart).[/size][/font]
6. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Turn off the DHCP server on the wireless router. There can only be one DHCP server on your network, and it should be the DHCP server on your wired router, not the wireless router.[/size][/font]
7. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Implement the same wireless security settings as detailed in this article: How to Secure Your Wireless Network. You want to keep your wireless network as safe as possible.[/size][/font]
8. [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Now that your wireless router uses the same IP numbering scheme and has the DHCP server turned off, it is basically a wireless access point. We have to hook it up to our existing network. You do this by connecting a Category 5 cable between the LAN port of your existing router / network to the LAN port of your new wireless access point. Do not connect it to the WAN port of the wireless access point. Depending on your router / access point manufacturer, you may need to use a crossover cable instead of a standard straight through cable. On my Linksys 802.11b wireless router turned wireless access point, I use a straight through cable without any problems. You may need to experiment with this.[/size][/font]

[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]There you have it. You added wireless capabilities to your existing wired network by using a wireless router as a wireless access point.[/size][/font]

Ahhh, yeah, I followed that exact procedure already. BUT, I didn't do like point #8 says -- I was connecting my wired router's LAN port to the wireless's WAN. That may be the whole problem (according to those steps listed at least). So, thanks for finding and posting that...it's mostly what I did already but with 1 small, possibly key difference. +rep for you.

 

[girth]

Well, got it to work! Thanks Asterchild - I was doing everything correctly except I was plugging my wired router into the wireless router's WAN port instead of its LAN port. Once I switch to the LAN port, everything works exactly as I had hoped - I can now surf on the wired network as much as I want and then if something comes up where I want to move around with the laptop, I just disconnected the network cable, choose the wireless network connection from Windows control panel, and choose connect. Done and done. Sweet as hell - best of both worlds.

 

[Mr. Win]

I didnt understand most of this thread but you might want to try want linux posted here... http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123616726 it will give you everything you want

 

[toucci]

eh I just hooked my wireless router to the network's auto xover switch in one of the switch ports on the router (NOT wan interface or it will run its firewall rules) and turned dhcp off. works great!

edit: oh see you got it resolved... seems like my advice was spot on hehe