Make Second Router Act as a Switch


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Hi everyone,

Hoping someone can help me out here. I am trying to use an old Netgear router (WGR614 v7) as a switch to extend my network. From the diagram below you can see that my main network (PC1, PC2 and Home Server) is using a Netgear GS605 which then hooks up to a Netgear DG934G using Sky's firmware (Sky being an ISP here in the UK for anyone not familiar with them). The switch is also connected to a Powerline adapter which transmits the network data through the buildings wiring to my other Powerline adapter in the living room. This adapter then feeds into a Netgear WGR614 v7 into the WAN port, with the router then connecting to all other devices.

The issue I am having is that when the router is not involved and the powerline adapter connects directly to the HTPC the HTPC can see the Home Server. When the powerline adapter connects to the Netgear WGR614 v7 and the HTPC connects to the Netgear WGR614 v7 (as shown in the diagram below), the HTPC can no longer see or connect to the Home Server and it isn't being listed as an attached device in the routers config page. I have tried playing with the settings but each time I have the router either becomes inaccessible or I appear to be running around in circles.

Anyone able to offer advice / help with settings? I know this is something to do with router IP address, subnets, DHCP etc but this isn't really an area I am too familiar with.

Thanks

Network Diagram to help aid my description

post-148485-12671861114463_thumb.png

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I am gonna hazard a guess that both the routers are putting out DHCP which could be causing issues

Have you tried turning off DHCP on the Netgear WGR as it is only acting as a switch, the main router should be the only one putting out DHCP, the rest just acting as switches

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Disable the DHCP server on the old router and don't use its WAN port, according to the netgear site it has 4 switched ports plus the WAN so you should have ample capacity. Is the cable between it and the powerline adapter a crossover? If not do you know if it auto-crosses?

If you are using the WAN the DHCP servers won't clash but they may be allocating the same range and will have created two networks (natted by your old router by using the WAN) the other ports are a straight switch and until you use them all the local-subnet mDNS/uPNP stuff won't work.

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"This adapter then feeds into a Netgear WGR614 v7 into the WAN port"

Um WAN port - NO, if your wanting to use it as a switch then your not going to be connecting into the wan port.

As stated turn off DHCP on your router you want to use as your switch, change its LAN IP to be on the same network as your main router and not to conflict with it, so if your main router is say 192.168.1.1 then make your switch routers lan IP 192.168.1.2 -- also depending on your main routers dhcp scope -- lets say its 192.168.1.100-150

Then your good.

Using a router as a switch, is the same as using it as an accesspoint.

http://www.dslwebserver.com/main/fr_index.html?/main/wireless-router-as-access-point.html

If your connecting to its wan port then your double natting most likely - unless you have set it to bridge?? etc.. Use its LAN Port to connect to your network, dhcp off, its IP changed be on your network and shazam you have a switch not a router.

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"This adapter then feeds into a Netgear WGR614 v7 into the WAN port"

Um WAN port - NO, if your wanting to use it as a switch then your not going to be connecting into the wan port.

As stated turn off DHCP on your router you want to use as your switch, change its LAN IP to be on the same network as your main router and not to conflict with it, so if your main router is say 192.168.1.1 then make your switch routers lan IP 192.168.1.2 -- also depending on your main routers dhcp scope -- lets say its 192.168.1.100-150

Then your good.

Using a router as a switch, is the same as using it as an accesspoint.

http://www.dslwebserver.com/main/fr_index.html?/main/wireless-router-as-access-point.html

If your connecting to its wan port then your double natting most likely - unless you have set it to bridge?? etc.. Use its LAN Port to connect to your network, dhcp off, its IP changed be on your network and shazam you have a switch not a router.

It doesn't need an IP in the same range if it's just switching, just not to issue IPs, clash with the existing gateway IP or be routing/natting between.

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True it doesn't actually have to be on the same network -- but if you for whatever reason would like to access it!! Then yeah makes sense to put in your network doesn't it ;) It is a wireless router - so might be helpful to be able to access it so you could setup wireless, or disable it, etc. etc.. ;)

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True it doesn't actually have to be on the same network -- but if you for whatever reason would like to access it!! Then yeah makes sense to put in your network doesn't it ;) It is a wireless router - so might be helpful to be able to access it so you could setup wireless, or disable it, etc. etc.. ;)

Unless it's able to act as a repeater I'd shut the wireless off too and keep it dead simple... EoP still isn't great and I'd rather take the reduced signal to the active router over snappier wifi and traversing the EoP trunk.

I'm particularly wary of the Comtrend, they claim 200mbps but fit 100mb interfaces O.o benchmarks I've looked at show them topping out before the 40mbit mark, lower in sustained transfers so if you're moving data or streaming it will choke relatively quickly.

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Well it does not have to be used as a repeater, since he has it wired to his network - depends on where its actually located in the house - could be just another accesspoint on his network. Just setup same SSID, same password - change the channel prob to not overlap his main wireless. And then it extends his range for wireless. His clients would use which ever one has the better signal.

But sure if his main wireless router provides enough coverage - then sure he could disable it to KISS ;) But either way it makes easier to do if you change its IP to be on same network. But again I agree with you if just being used as a dumb switch with no need to access its interface while its connected to the network - then no the IP does not need to be on the same network, it just needs not to conflict with any existing. So if his network is say 192.168.1.0/24 and his 2nd router being used as a switch is say 10.0.0.0/24 that would be fine too.. Just a pain to access its gui if for whatever reason he might want to. Which is why I would suggest you put in on the same network for possible future needs to access it.

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Cheers guys, worked a treat.

Just went and tackled it, took the ethernet cable out of the Internet Port (labeled on the WGR614 v7, is that a WAN port? Think I may have called it the wrong thing in my description, sorry!) and straight into a normal ethernet port. Switched off DHCP and made it's IP default to 192.168.0.2, the main router being 192.168.0.1, fiddled with a few other settings and it's working fine now.

Thanks :)

In response to the Comtrend powerlines, yeah they are fitted with a 100Mbps NIC, god knows how they are getting away with marketing them at 200Mbps. Didn't realise until after I bought them. Thankfully all they do is stream, MP3, AAC, AVI and 1080p MKV/MP4s so at the moment I can get away with them. Might look at updating them in the future, saw some Belkin 1Gbps for £74.99 for a pair but am a bit dubious about claims of speed after getting the Comtrend ones. Plus the bank balance is pitifully low at the moment so I am trying to be good and limit the spending on non-essentials.

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WAN/Internet port pretty interchangeable terms -- you see it both ways, some device label WAN, others internet. Glad to hear all worked out.

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