# 2 routers, 1 cup.. eh, network.



## blaineevans (Jul 11, 2011)

Figured I'd post this here since I'm heading to bed and will need some ideas tomorrow afternoon.

Basically, where my primary wireless router is, is perfect for anywhere in the house except my room. It's always bugged me that I have terrible speeds while laying in bed/etc. So, I finally decided to do something about it. Called a buddy up, and had another (wireless) router in my hand after a quick trip to the store for some bartering supplies (a six pack of Mirror Pond).

First, I said fuck it and was just going to setup 2 wireless networks and let the phone decide when to switch. This worked great.. until I tried to download something. At random intervals the download would fail on both my phone and my PC. What I assume is happening (keep in my mind I'm not a networking guru) is some sort of packet collision due to both routers attempting to hand out IP's. The only reason I came to this assumption, was the fact that browsing the web/etc was never, ever affected. Never had a page not load/no connectivity/etc. Only when I would attempt to download larger files (such as a rom).

So, to fix that I went ahead and setup the first router to hand out 193.168.0.100-.199. Setup the second router with wireless settings to match the firsts exactly, then disabled DHCP and gave it a static IP (.2). (So I set it up as a access point.. or attempted to.) This works fine on my PC thus far (didn't attempt a download yet). But, my phone seems to be having a really hard time choosing which router it wants to use. I have anywhere from 1-2 bars on the primary router in my room, and of course full bars for the second. Yet, it keeps defaulting to the primary. This is where I left off, I'm up at 4AM tomorrow so I'm out of time.

I guess my long winded request is, any advice? I did some Googling and from what I've read the current setup _should_ work. What am I missing?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

So are you trying to make one a repeater? That's the most optimal solution so your devices are no longer confused.

The other thing you should do if not is make sure both are on a different subnet.

E.g. 192.168.1.1/24 for the one and 192.168.2.1/24 for the other.

Really recommend making one a repeater though. If firmware doesn't support it, flash ddwrt as it can do it if your router supports it.


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## MikereDD (Jun 6, 2011)

yarly said:


> So are you trying to make one a repeater? That's the most optimal solution so your devices are no longer confused.
> 
> The other thing you should do if not is make sure both are on a different subnet.
> 
> ...


thats what i do.
buffalo dualban 5g/2.5g ddwrt in my room a switch in living room (did that for an htpc I never use, roommate loves it) and a second router just a cheap belkin n1 on far side of living room.
buffalo *.0.1/24 | belkin *.1.1/24
theouterweb > buffalo > switch > belkin
Somewhere packed away is my linksys gateway(never used it) or some lucky chap at the last place I lived has one.
decent wifi range all in house, front and backyard.


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## blaineevans (Jul 11, 2011)

yarly said:


> So are you trying to make one a repeater? That's the most optimal solution so your devices are no longer confused.
> 
> The other thing you should do if not is make sure both are on a different subnet.
> 
> ...


Okay so I took a little deeper look, and I found that setting it up as a wireless repeater is not ideal for my situation. When setup this way, it will not broadcast internet access from a LAN cable. So, basically I do need to set it up as an access point.

Unfortunately, for some reason when I attempt to edit the second routers IP address (using 192.168.0.2), I'm unable to get back into the admin of said router (I am of course attempting to login at 192.168.0.2). I'm pretty sure I've gotten everything else worked out (I could be wrong), but this is really bugging me. Any ideas?


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

> Unfortunately, for some reason when I attempt to edit the second routers IP address (using 192.168.0.2), I'm unable to get back into the admin of said router (I am of course attempting to login at 192.168.0.2). I'm pretty sure I've gotten everything else worked out (I could be wrong), but this is really bugging me. Any ideas?


If you change it to be on its own subnet ip, (like 192.168.2.1), then you also have to log in going to that IP afterwards


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## blaineevans (Jul 11, 2011)

yarly said:


> If you change it to be on its own subnet ip, (like 192.168.2.1), then you also have to log in going to that IP afterwards


I know this, haha. But it will not allow me to do so.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

Hmm, idk, that's weird


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## j35u5fr34k (Aug 30, 2011)

You would have to change your PC IP address as well if you are not on the same subnet as the other wlan router or you could have an ip address conflict. Also, I agree a repeater is the best way.

Sent from my aokp_tenderloin using Tapatalk 2


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

j35u5fr34k said:


> You would have to change your PC IP address as well if you are not on the same subnet as the other wlan router or you could have an ip address conflict. Also, I agree a repeater is the best way.
> 
> Sent from my aokp_tenderloin using Tapatalk 2


Yeah, did you change your IP on your PC to be on the different subnet like he mentioned? That would definitely be the issue if you did not.


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## bryantjopplin (Oct 4, 2011)

Let's ask another question is your modem a router as well? (ie) cable or dsl? If your modem is routing as well I would set it up as having no dhcp and set the static ip on the modem as say a 192.168.1.254 and then the closer router as a static of a wan at 192.168.1.1 and a lan ip of 192.168.2.1 with a lan dhcp pool range of 2.2-2.99 and then set the farthest router as a static of of wan 192.168.1.2 and a lan ip of 192.168.2.254 with a lan dhcp range of 2.100-2.200. Set both of the routers to point to the gateway as the modem (192.168.1.254) and then just set the dns servers as Google's 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 and then you won't need for different subnets or worry about any conflicts. I can tell you this works as I have the same setup with a repeater bridge as my second router. As long as you don't have any dhcp overlapping and both routers pointing out to the modem (ie: gateway) your gravy. Also since you set your routers as a static you can still set port forwarding to one of the routers and then in that router port forward to you destination for outside access.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## blaineevans (Jul 11, 2011)

yarly said:


> Let's ask another question is your modem a router as well? (ie) cable or dsl? If your modem is routing as well I would set it up as having no dhcp and set the static ip on the modem as say a 192.168.1.254 and then the closer router as a static of a wan at 192.168.1.1 and a lan ip of 192.168.2.1 with a lan dhcp pool range of 2.2-2.99 and then set the farthest router as a static of of wan 192.168.1.2 and a lan ip of 192.168.2.254 with a lan dhcp range of 2.100-2.200. Set both of the routers to point to the gateway as the modem (192.168.1.254) and then just set the dns servers as Google's 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 and then you won't need for different subnets or worry about any conflicts. I can tell you this works as I have the same setup with a repeater bridge as my second router. As long as you don't have any dhcp overlapping and both routers pointing out to the modem (ie: gateway) your gravy. Also since you set your routers as a static you can still set port forwarding to one of the routers and then in that router port forward to you destination for outside access.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


Gonna have to try and read this when I get home. Cable modem, though.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## bryantjopplin (Oct 4, 2011)

It might be easier in a pic no joke

Edit: does the modem route

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## bryantjopplin (Oct 4, 2011)

Plug your computer directly into the modem and pull up cmd prompt and run ipconfig /all and see if you are getting a wan ip or lan ip

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## blaineevans (Jul 11, 2011)

bryantjopplin said:


> Plug your computer directly into the modem and pull up cmd prompt and run ipconfig /all and see if you are getting a wan ip or lan ip
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


I don't think the modem does, but I will try this none the less. Apologize guys, I have limited time to mess with this shit atm. Appreciate all the help though.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## bryantjopplin (Oct 4, 2011)

blaineevans said:


> I don't think the modem does, but I will try this none the less. Apologize guys, I have limited time to mess with this shit atm. Appreciate all the help though.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


Does give lan or does give u a wan?

There are only 3 subnets for the lan that can be used without conflict. 192s 10s 173s if any other then that it is wan ip

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