Need A Router To Connect To A VM Super Hub

earlofbarrett

I have a VM super hub located upstairs but my signal downstairs in some rooms is very weak.


I have connected an Ethernet cable to the back of the vm super hub and run the cable downstairs to the point where the signal is weak.


What router do I need to buy and is it just a case of plugging in the other end of the Ethernet cable & I will be able to connect straight away? I want to keep costs to a minimum since it's not vital I get the connection in the weak areas of the house but handy.


Would something like this do the job??http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Belkin-N-Wireless-DSL-WIFI-Router-Access-Point-150Mbps-4-Port-for-Cable-/251436617761?pt=UK_Computing_Wireless_Routers&hash=item3a8aca5021

Roland_Sausage

No, you don't want to connect a router to a router, as then you are running double NAT, not to mention potential problems if they both have the same IP range.

All you need is a wireless access point without a router. Cheapest is probably the TP-Link Nano running in AP mode.

sekrapa

Another option is to use a power line network. This is when a ethernet lead from the router goes into a plug which transmits the data through the electrical circuit to another plug in another room that is connected to your device - like this. Fast connection and works well.

Roland_Sausage

sekrapa wrote: »

Another option is to use a power line network. This is when a ethernet lead from the router goes into a plug which transmits the data through the electrical circuit to another plug in another room that is connected to your device - like this. Fast connection and works well.

The OP has already got an ethernet cable running downstairs so powerline devices would just duplicate this. I think the idea was to expand the wireless network to downstairs.

earlofbarrett

sekrapa wrote: »

Another option is to use a power line network. This is when a ethernet lead from the router goes into a plug which transmits the data through the electrical circuit to another plug in another room that is connected to your device - like this. Fast connection and works well.

Already tried this option. 1 day it works fine next day nothing & so on. Experimented with it for 2 weeks before returning it for a refund, far too unreliable.


This is why I ran a lead from the hub to the weak area of the house hoping that a wired connection would be stable but what do I need to buy to plug into it??

earlofbarrett

Roland_Sausage wrote: »

The OP has already got an ethernet cable running downstairs so powerline devices would just duplicate this. I think the idea was to expand the wireless network to downstairs.

You have hit the nail on the head thanks.


The home plug device is useless imo.

messes

I've done exactly this with a Linksys WRT54g v7 model and the older v1&2 54g's could take a copy of DDWRT which can be configured to do almost anything. DDWRT is also compatible with many other routers.

If you are comfortable doing a bit of work, this would be a fairly cheap way of getting a wireless repeater.

Roland_Sausage

earlofbarrett wrote: »

Already tried this option. 1 day it works fine next day nothing & so on. Experimented with it for 2 weeks before returning it for a refund, far too unreliable.


This is why I ran a lead from the hub to the weak area of the house hoping that a wired connection would be stable but what do I need to buy to plug into it??

Pretty much any wireless access point will do. Or a router that allows you to switch off the router part, such as the TP-Link Nano that I linked to above.

getmore4less

What were you using for wireless before the superhub?

As above you can configure just about any old router with wifi to do this and loads of people have spare kit as most ISP give them out new ones for free.

If you don't need wireless in the area a standard wired switch will do.

esuhl

earlofbarrett wrote: »

Would something like this do the job??http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Belkin-N-Wireless-DSL-WIFI-Router-Access-Point-150Mbps-4-Port-for-Cable-/251436617761?pt=UK_Computing_Wireless_Routers&hash=item3a8aca5021

Roland_Sausage wrote: »

No, you don't want to connect a router to a router

Roland_Sausage wrote: »

Pretty much any wireless access point will do. Or a router that allows you to switch off the router part...

So... wouldn't the router the OP mentioned actually be fine, then...?

I have a second "router" connected to my main one. I just disabled DHCP, gave it an IP address on the first router's subnet and connected one of the ethernet ports on one router to one on the other. The remaining ports and both wifi access points work fine.

I don't think you even need to disable the router part of the "router". Just don't connect the cable/ADSL port to an external network, and the second "router" won't be able to route.

dave_dph

I would recommend the D-Link DIR615 if you can get one off ebay. Flash it with DDWRT firmware and connect it to the SH which you set to modem mode, this will give you a much stronger wireless signal.

If you can find a DIR615, make sure it is hardware version D, I don't think you can flash hardware version E. Virgin used to issue the 615 (hardware version D4) with their own firmware before they introduced the SH1, it's rock solid once flashed with DDWRT.