Extra Router Ports?

roadster1

My Wireless router has 4 wired ports, all occupied (2 x PCs, 1 x NAS Box, 1 x Xbox)

I want to hook up my WDTV to the home network via a USB/Ethernet adaptor. It has to be wired to get the speeds required for streaming video.

I have an old 4 port router somewhere. Is it possible to string the 2 together to give me a couple of extra ports?

stuartk

roadster1 wrote: »

My Wireless router has 4 wired ports, all occupied (2 x PCs, 1 x NAS Box, 1 x Xbox)

I want to hook up my WDTV to the home network via a USB/Ethernet adaptor. It has to be wired to get the speeds required for streaming video.

I have an old 4 port router somewhere. Is it possible to string the 2 together to give me a couple of extra ports?

hi there

yes it is but can be a bit tricky

in essence, just use the other router as a switch with the wan interface turned off

regards

roadster1

Do I need a cross over cable from one to the other?

KILL_BILL

straight through as your connecting like for like

roadster1

Is there any way of "sharing" a port / cable? A long RJ45 cable wanders through the house from the cellar (router) to where the Xbox and WDTV are situated. Currently the cable is moved from one device to the other as they are not used at the same time.

OK brain just slipped into gear, that's where I should put the second router, yes???

RobTang

roadster1 wrote: »

Do I need a cross over cable from one to the other?

the answer is MAYBE, in theory you do need one BUT many devices support auto-switched these days so you dont, alas it all depends on what your hard ware supports.

first get your old router out and plug a computer into it, login to its admin interface the assign it a IP address somwhere in the auto range of your other router (but far enough along so it wont interfear too much).
ie if your normal router is assigned to 192.168.2.1, give the old router 192.168.2.30. then disable DHCP on the old router. (remember to write the number down)

Then just plug the end of your long cable into the old router and then your xbox and wdtv into it. Hopefully it will work if not you will need a cross over cable to connect the 2 routers.;
You can either mod the cable yourself, or buy a short cross over cable and a rj45 daisy chain connector, so it effective turns your long cable into a long crossover.

roadster1

OK

Many thanks, I'll give it a try.