Linksys E3000 as a access point.

[deep1234]

Hi guys, I am planning to change the Linksys E3000 wireless router to an access point as I will be building my own security gateway. I googled for steps and to do so, the DHCP should be disabled and the router IP should be changed to 192.168.1.2 (If the gateway is 192.168.1.1).

My question here is about NAT, as you know that it will be pointless to have 2 NAT's. That why I am asking if the above will disable the NAT in the wireless router when changing to an access point? as I will be using the one from secuirty gateway.

Kindly advice me on this.

Note: I believe some may ask what security gateway I will be using? It is Astaro Home edition. PM me if you need more info.

Thanks,

[Another Canuck]

In addition to the above, the E3000 also has the option to disable NAT (Setup > Advanced Routing).

As for setting the address, you want to set it to an IP outside of your new DHCP server's range. The typical default configuration is 192.168.1.100-149, so .2 is usually fine, but since you're building your own be sure to check that.

[+BudMan MVC]

Unless the router has a specific AP mode that adds the wan/internet to your wireless/switch bridge -- then your not going to be using the wan/internet port anyway.. So you would never be natting with that device.

Not sure what instructions you read on using a wireless router as AP, but they all clearly state plug in the new AP using a LAN Port of the AP router

example

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

How to Use a Wireless Router as a Wireless Access Point

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Here's how to do it:

1. First thing, plug in the power to the wireless router, but do not connect it to your network yet.

2. Attach one computer using a category 5 network cable to one of the wireless router's LAN ports. Make sure this computer is set to automatically receive a IP address from the wireless router's DHCP server.

3. Login to the wireless router using the computer that is connected to it. Now that we're in the router configuration, we can make the changes we need to turn this wireless router into a wireless access point.

4. You can leave the WAN configuration in the wireless router completely empty. The WAN part of the wireless router won't be used when it is being used as a wireless access point.

5. Set the LAN IP address of the wireless router so it is compatible with your existing network. For example, if your current network uses the 192.168.1.x network, then make sure the wireless router is on the same network. Different companies use different LAN numbers such as 192.168.0.x or 192.168.2.x. We need the wireless router to function on the existing network. Give it an IP address that is easy to remember. For example, if your current wired router is 192.168.0.1, then you can give the wireless router 192.168.0.2 which is only one number away from the wired router number (which you probably already know by heart).

6. Turn off the DHCP server on the wireless router. There can only be one DHCP server on your network, and it should be the DHCP server on your wired router, not the wireless router.

7. Implement the same wireless security settings as detailed in this article: How to Secure Your Wireless Network. You want to keep your wireless network as safe as possible.

8. Now that your wireless router uses the same IP numbering scheme and has the DHCP server turned off, it is basically a wireless access point. We have to hook it up to our existing network. You do this by connecting a Category 5 cable between the LAN port of your existing router / network to the LAN port of your new wireless access point. Do not connect it to the WAN port of the wireless access point. Depending on your router / access point manufacturer, you may need to use a crossover cable instead of a standard straight through cable. On my Linksys 802.11b wireless router turned wireless access point, I use a straight through cable without any problems. You may need to experiment with this.

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Since you not using your WAN/INTERNET port your new AP can an won't be doing any Natting no matter what it's set to do.