Router configuration

[cbrookhart]

I've got two Netgear routers for WiFi. One is an older model (Wndr3400) and the other is a newer, dual band router (n600). I started with just the n600 connected, but the WiFi wasn't very strong. I hooked up the wndr3400 router and connected it to a powerline adapter.

 

I now have two separate networks. The n600 is network 1 and the wndr3400 is network 2. I know that I can type in 192.168.1.1 to access the configuration. With my phone connected to network 2, I tried accessing the router configuration. I could not remember the login since I changed it from the default. 

 

The router has a password recovery by entering the serial number. I entered the serial number twice and got a message stating that it doesn't match what's on file. I looked through my papers and found the login for the wndr3400. I logged in only to find that I was looking at the configuration info for network 1. 

 

How is this possible? How do I view the configuration info for network 2? Why does the password recovery state the serial number doesn't match when there's a label that says serial followed by numbers and letters?

[sc302 Veteran]

Because your network is probably configured in a double Nat state.  

 

Congradulations you have made the most common network misconfiguration. 

 

How do you fix it. Your second router, disable dhcp, set a static address one up from your main (192.168.1.2), put a piece of tape or glue the Internet or wan port shut so you never ever use that port (this is the "I screwed up my second router creating a big mess that I don't understand" port). Then add your ssid and pass key as is on your main router. 

 

Now when you connect to your wireless you will be able to hit your main router at X.x.x.1 and your second router as X.x.x.2

[+BudMan MVC]

Just because router when used as AP is a bad term.  Once you use it as just Access Point is sure is not doing any router.  Lets be clear using your old wifi router as AP it is not longer routing anything.

 

But sc302 is spot on here, if your going to use an older or different wifi router for just wifi to your network.  You do not want it natting, so he procedure is spot on.  Just connect your 2nd router via one its lan ports after you have disabled its dhcp and gave it an IP that is on your network.

 

Now all devices will be on same 192.168.?/24 network be they wired or wireless connecting to the 1st router or 2nd device being used as just AP.

[cbrookhart]

What I figured out is that I need to go to routerlogin.net to access the older router and i need to go to 192.168.1.1 to access the newer one.

 

I did also see that I had in fact made the connection to the internet port on the older router rather than the LAN port. 

 

I'm now experiencing frequent disconnects. This was before switching the cable on the older router. It would disconnect then reconnect, but give me no internet access. 

 

The second router is already setup as an access point and DHCP is off.

[sc302 Veteran]

The first router needs to have the Internet port enabled/plugged in.  The second one does not.   Only one, the one directly connected to the modem, needs the Internet port enabled. 

 

The second just needs to be on the same network, but not have the Internet port connected.   The second needs to have dhcp disabled and has to have an ip on the same inside network as the first and needs to be plugged into ports 1-4 on both devices. 

 

 

Edit:  the two routers cannot have the same IP address on the same network.  dhcp should not include the ip of the routers....I would keep a dhcp ip range of 100-254 or 100-150 (pc's,laptops, tablets, phones, etc) and statically address network devices (printers, access points, routers, servers, etc) between 1 and 99.