Adding a router after the extender

[Chris801]

Hello there folks, I have set up the extender just fine, but I need to have a router on the far end of the extension for a Philips Hue hub and another cabled devices; so I need to run a network cable from the extender to where the cabled devices are and add a router there so I can add multiple cabled connections.

I tried this but the internet doesn't make it through the extra router - I set it up with DHCP disabled and was hoping that would do the trick but no luck - is there joy to be found messing with the gateway addresses on the added router or is this something that an extender just doesn't support ?

Thanks in advance,

Chris

[TheEther · Accepted solution]

If all of the devices you want to connect are wired, then you don't need a router.  A simple switch connected to the extender will work.

If the router has an AP (Access Point) mode setting, then turn it on.  This will disable the routing functions and turn the router into a switch+Wi-Fi Access Point.

If the router doesn't have an AP mode setting, then disable the DHCP server and connect one of the router's LAN ports to the extender.  Leave the WAN port disconnected.  Make sure to set the router's LAN IP address so that it doesn't conflict with any other device.  Routers typically don't have a DHCP Client to acquire a dynamic IP address, so you will have to manually set the address.  The address should be in the subnet maintained by the main router but outside of the main router's DHCP address pool.  For example, if the main router's DHCP pool is 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.100, then use 192.168.1.200.

[TheEther · Accepted solution]

If all of the devices you want to connect are wired, then you don't need a router.  A simple switch connected to the extender will work.

If the router has an AP (Access Point) mode setting, then turn it on.  This will disable the routing functions and turn the router into a switch+Wi-Fi Access Point.

If the router doesn't have an AP mode setting, then disable the DHCP server and connect one of the router's LAN ports to the extender.  Leave the WAN port disconnected.  Make sure to set the router's LAN IP address so that it doesn't conflict with any other device.  Routers typically don't have a DHCP Client to acquire a dynamic IP address, so you will have to manually set the address.  The address should be in the subnet maintained by the main router but outside of the main router's DHCP address pool.  For example, if the main router's DHCP pool is 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.100, then use 192.168.1.200.

[Chris801]

Thanks for very speedy reply, there are wireless devices to connect at the far end too, I already have the spare router and am trtying not to buy any more kit (I just spent 50 quid on a dual band extender, I'm told the mains isn't on one circuit or I could use a mains extender).

The main problem is that I am not allowed to run a cable from the main router so can't use the extender as an access point (I'd not get a cable to attach my router to if I did that anyway ?), nor run a 60m cable and cut out the extender completely, so I'm a bit stuck with my proposed layout.

Re the IP address config - understood, much appreciated - so I need to keep the DCHP running and farm out IPs that the main router doesn't and have the second router as a fixed IP that isn't in either of the ranges being assigned, check, thanks :^)

[TheEther]

I may have misread your reply, but you should disable the DHCP server on the second router.  

And wire the second router to the extender.  You mentioned that you could do this.

[Chris801]

My mis-reading, got you, thanks very much - will go home and try it right now !