Adding a second wi-fi router to my network


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Hello friends,

I recently bought a Cisco Linksys E2000 Router (5Ghz, N-300) so that I would be on the 5ghz range and avoid interference with my many neighbours. The problem I have is that some of my computers are on the main router (a D-Link ADSL router, 2.4Ghz, G-54).

My D-Link has a default IP address of 192.168.0.1

My NEW Cisco E2000 has a default IP address of 192.168.1.1, but it get's the address 192.168.0.7 from the D-Link router.

This obviously is a strange networking configuration, and my devices cannot talk to each other, unless they are on the same router.

What are my options? How do I set up some kind of gateway for my machines to talk to each-other no matter what network they are on?

Also, they are both on the 255.255.255.0 Subnet.

Thank you so much for your help.

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Ok, i've a similar setup to yourself.

Firstly, you want to manually set the IP address of your second router, for example, router 1 should have the IP address 192.168.0.1 and router 2 192.168.0.254.

Both on the same subnet, which you've already got. Its really important that you don't have the second router giving out DHCP information as that just makes things messy (and I can't remember exactly why - but its something you shouldn't do)

There may be a port on the router that is specifically for this purpose (check the manual) but the "Internet" port - should be empty (Unless it doubles up as a different port through settings on the router configuration page - again the manual will tell you).

If you are trying to do this completely wirelessly - then I'm unsure exactly how this works, as i've never tried it myself, but this should get you up and going, just remember to manually set the IP address of both routers, and disable DHCP on the second router, that should make communication possible to all computers on the network - regardless of the access point they connect to.

Hope it helps

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There's an easy and very good way to do this. You will need to do a few things though.

1: Make sure both use the same SSID and use the exact same WPA2 AES key. No WPA1/WEP, no TKIP. When you force WPA2 AES-only your clients gain seamless roaming, and you won't notice it when your smartphone/laptop switches between the two access points. (this step is optional and only useful if they're in two different locations or if one uses 2.4Ghz and one uses 5Ghz - then clients will automatically switch between what's best (usually 5Ghz).)

2: Connect one of the LAN ports on the DLINK to one of the LAN ports (not internet) on the Linksys

3: Completely disable DHCP on the Linksys

Result: one seamless network. All routing will be done through the D-Link and the Linksys will function as a pure access point. Pretty easy :)

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When you force WPA2 AES-only your clients gain seamless roaming"

Source??? --- You can seamlesssly switch between accesspoints without having to be using wpa2 aes. Are you talking about 802.11r "Fast Basic Service Set Transition"

If you are talking about 802.11r you know a few more things are required other than "wpa2 aes", and to be honest I don't recall reading that it couldn't use wpa or tkip? -- for starters what hardware is he using? To be honest not really a lot of r and or k supported. And in the home router market -- unlikely!

The whole thing comes down to time required too switch, but normally never an issue unless your talking about VOIP..

Also 802.11k ties in with seemless switching as well -- again these standards need to be supported by the hardware.. You can't just say his devices will seemlessly switch if using wpa2 aes or that it can't with wpa1, etc.

Regardless of this hardware support for different wifi standards - its pretty much a given that his clients would roam between his AP, as to how seemless the switch is -- to be honets to him it would be seemless.. He might have a slight hicup most likely never notice - time frame could be longer if using 802.1x, etc. your talking ms here, not going to loose connection to his ftp download or IM chat, etc. Or even if streaming a movie not going to be an interruption -- I would say that is seemless.

But yes there are standards that are for faster switching, and actually switching to a different AP with a weaker signal if its less crowded 802.11k -- the odds of his 2 different HOME wireless "routers" supporting such features is pretty freaking sleem, along with different makers. And what wireless card is he using?

I agree 100% if your devices support it you should be using WPA2 AES, but it is not a requirement for his clients to move between access points "seemlessly" to the user.

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From the Cisco CCNA Wireless Study Group:

WPA2, aka 802.11i

Fully conforms with 802.11i as it implements all mandatory features.

Guarantees interoperability certification.

Effectively WPA2 is Wi-Fi Alliance's brand name for 802.11i.

Note: In some cases other optional features of 802.11i may be required, but interoperability may not be guaranteed.

Support for AES encryption and AES-based CCMP message integrity is mandatory (is optional in WPA).

As well as mandatory AES, WPA2 also adds PMK (Pair-wise Master Key) and Pre-authentication to help fast roaming.

WPA2 TKIP+AES = WPA (for compatibility) and WPA2.

WPA2 AES only = WPA2 only. All WPA2-enabled devices support PMK and pre-authentication while roaming, and they actually allow for zero packets dropped. I did the test at home, tried with WPA TKIP only on my AP's (WRT54g with default firmware and the AP integrated in my random nameless cable modem), and a simple download in IE stops when roaming between the access points. When I force WPA2 AES my download just keeps going, I only notice a speed drop (because one is Wireless-N and one is Wireless-G), but no failures so no packets dropped.

It works for me with two completely random completely consumer-oriented AP's. Because it is a part of WPA2, it's as simple as that.

More information on preauthentication: http://etutorials.org/Networking/802.11+security.+wi-fi+protected+access+and+802.11i/Part+II+The+Design+of+Wi-Fi+Security/Chapter+13.+Wi-Fi+LAN+Coordination+ESS+and+IBSS/Preauthentication+Using+IEEE+802.1X/

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More information on preauthentication: http://etutorials.or...ng+IEEE+802.1X/

No, BudMan is correct. From your own link, it says that preauthentication and PMK are only caching 802.1X authentications. 802.1X is a port-based security standard where you authenticate against a RADIUS server using EAP or the like. Those PMK and preauthentication features of WPA2 would only provide benefit if he was using WPA2-Enterprise and authenticating against RADIUS. I doubt original poster is using 802.1X authentication.

I would not think a user would notice any hiccups roaming between two consumer-grade APs if he was using WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK.

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Yes I agree that wpa2 allows for PMK and PMK caching and Pre-auth lots of GREAT things!.. You do understand that those are used normally used with 802.1X -- Not something normally used in the home setup

As to what your devices support -- nor sure without reading the specifications of the hardware and or drivers of that hardware your using. My point is just because your using WPA2, which by default is AES btw.. Does not mean your going to be using pre-auth and PMK caching, etc. etc.. This comes down to the hardware/drivers and AP in use and what their makers has decided to use out of the available standards.

"All WPA2-enabled devices support PMK and pre-authentication while roaming"

You can not make such a blanket statement!! Here quick google

Clearly this router DSL-2640T, does not have allow for pre-auth unless the user says so -- which is MY POINT!

post-14624-0-79580600-1327860456.png

Thats nice that when your using WPA2 aes with your client and your AP that you do not notice any issues when switching between AP.. Does not mean that is an across the board feature off all devices using wpa2 aes.

Nor does it mean that users would have any sort of issues if using WPA and multiple accesspoints on their home network.. Wireless networks drop packets all the time! Moving from one AP to another is normally only going to be at most a say 100ms even without PMK caching, pre-auth, etc. etc. Most home users are not going to have any issues..

And again I am 100% behind using WPA2 in AES mode only -- but that does not out of box include 802.1r and k specifications for fast roaming, etc. Nor is using WPA or WPA2 tkip+aes modes going to be much of a problem with users using multiple AP in their home.

These standard are designed more for the enterprise setup where you have a large number of AP, and lots of users and they are on the move -- especially with mobile phones!! Which when using 802.1x the authentication process can take some time.. For all you know the radius server is other side of the planet for the enterprise - so yeah voip could have some real issues when moving across AP.

These standards and changes are great -- but I think you read some stuff and are trying to apply these technologies and feature sets of high end enterprise wlan controllers and AP to the home market.. Which is just not the case.

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