help with networking

ejmna1

Hi
hope someone can help
I am running a wireless N router (belkin) but its not reaching throughout the house so intended to run an ethernet cable from one of the belkins outs to the kitchen and then use a us robotics wireless router to reach the rest of the house.

i've done this and it works but only briefly if i plug the ethernet (out end) into one of the the 4 outputs on the us robotics but in the end it drops out and seems to kill the internet at the belkin end.

Now in my head (theoretically) i should be using the following set up:

Virgin modem ethernet to input on Belkin N router

Belkin router out to various bits of networked kit out of ports 1- 3

Belkin router out to us robotics router out of port 4

ethernet (not crossover(should it be?) to US robotics Input port (as if it were a modem)

does the above make sense - it would electrically or sound wise but not sure about computer

any help gratefully received

thanks
n

RobTang

Crossover cables usually are not needed these day as devices will auto-detect and crossover the wire themselves if needed.

Your current setup should be fine, but you probably need to make some configuration adjustments.

You NEED to turn of the dhcp server OFF on the US Robotics router.

and (ideally) you need to put the US Robotics router's ip address somwhere on the belkins ip subnet.

TimothyEBaldwin

And put the cable into one of the LAN sockets on the US Robotics router. That way it's routing function isn't used. You can then set the SSIDs and WPA keys to be the same.

The IP addresses must be unique, perhaps the defaults on both routers are the same.

If you use the US Robotics router as a router the SSIDs must be different.

patman99

A switch would have been better than a router. No need to mess around with IP Addresses.
As for cables, use a crossover if the components are like-for-like, i.e. PC - PC, router - router etc.
If the US Robotics router is not wireless, then no need to worry about WPA or SSID settings.
I am surprised that your Wireless N has a problem covering your entire house (although I have read that 'N' kit can have a far smaller range than some 'G' kit).

Just a thought, but can the USR unit be re-configured as a 'Wireless Access Point'?. This would preserve all your network security settings and simply act like another 'ariel' on the Belkin.

Lil306

Just another suggestion, what about Belkin Powerline kits ?

Haven't tried them myself personally, however methodology on the way they work is simple enough. Plug-in and go...