Networking & wireless forum: Connecting a Wireless Router to a Switch

Hello:

Since you already have a wired router, it probably is already performing the DHCP function. Therefore, the new wireless router should be configured to disable its DHCP so it acts only like a wireless hub and does not try to assign IP addresses to the subnet. You may want to buy a wireless "access point" that does not have the router function.

An ethernet line from the wired router should be connected to one of the regular ports on the wireless "hub", but not the "WAN" or "Internet" input.

This was necessary in order for a D-Link DI-524 wireless router to operate with a 2Wire Home Portal 1070 DSL Modem.

Good Luck.

Similar to runescope on the first message of this thread, I'm trying to hook up a new wireless router (D-Link Wireless N 150 Home Router) to a switch but I am having troubles.

I know that this isn't the best practices in the first place, but here's how I got to this place:

My landlord has dsl and has run an ethernet line from his (wireless) router to our back house since we don't have our own access to the internet (and the wireless signal is too low for a repeater to work well) -- this has been great for the few times that we ever need to use laptops to work at home. I even set up a switch so that we could work off of it
at the same time.

However, my husband is going to need surgery that will keep him at home about 8 weeks so I wanted to get wireless access for our house so he can use the laptops (toshiba sattelite and/or NB 305 -- small with no cd drives) from bed or the couch etc while he recuperates. I did a little research online and it looked like the easiest thing to do is get a wireless access point and plug it into the switch.

The guy at the store talked me into a cheaper router that he said could be easily configured into an access point, but I have been frustrated at every turn in trying to do this. It looks like from this thread that the key is to configure the router to turn off the DHCP server, but I can't set up the router (the set-up cd, which I copied to a thumb-drive, doesn't have a configuration to set up to a Switch -- I'm sure it's such a backward idea to some that no one ever considered that). But I also can't get to 192.168.1.1 to configure the router. The router is broadcasting a very strong signal that I can connect to, but I can't get on the internet.

Clearly I am not tech savvy so ANY help is so much appreciated!

Hello,

This post got a lot longer than I had expected originally.

I would suggest that you keep as many systems wired as possible. By adding a standard 4-port router, you effectively gain 2 ports. 4 port router + 8 port switch - 2 ports to connect the 2 devices. Also, 16+ port 10/100 switches are getting very affordable these days.

Depending on the amount and kind of traffic you have on your network, you may be better off getting a SOHO/Corporate router and a Wireless Access Point. Some consumer routers are not up to the job of a whole office.

Wired Ethernet is dependable and stable. Wireless is well, neither. At least not to the same degree. Wired Ethernet is a proven technology with very long track record. Wireless is nice to have for PDAs and laptops, but if you are sitting at a desk, the lower network speed can be a problem. Also the more load you have on a given wireless connection, the slower it will be for everyone sharing it.

Another thing to think about is the wireless standard to use. I would suggest going with a Router/Access Point that does both 802.11A & 802.11G. This will cover all current wireless standards. A has 8 clear channels in the 5GHz radio frequency range. G which will cover B as well, but only has 3 clear channels in the 2.4GHz range. The G radio frequencies are very crowded. I would suggest you use A for any desktops that must be wireless and leave G/B for mobile users. Please be aware that 802.11A does not have the object penetrating ability that 802.11G does. If you have heavy walls between the desktop system that needs to be wired and the AP/Router, A may not work as well for you.

Best regards,
RH

https://www.google.com/search?q=How+to+use+a+router+as+an+access+point