Network Setup

[SuperMiguel]

So my house is a bit big and i want to have wireless everywhere... So atm here is how it is setup:

ISP modem is connected to a D-link DGL-4500 (MiguelNetA) on my back yard... There is a hardwired connection going to my room where it is connected to a Apple Airport Extreme(MiguelNetB).. there is also another hardwired connection going from that D-link router to another room, connected to a switch and to that switch a EnGenius ECB-9500(MiguelNetC), to this router there is a Airport Express wirelessly connected to it so i can play music on my pool speakers...

So the question is... atm i have 3 separate wireless networks, MiguelNetA/B/C should i delete 2 of them and keep only 1 and just use the routers as range extenders??

Also should i make my apple Airport Extreme my main router, discard the D-Link and the EnGenius and get 2 more Airport Express and extend signal with them???

 

[TerryNet]

Instead of trying to get Range Extenders working I think that you should keep the current cables in place. Use the secondary routers as just ethernet switches and wireless access points and everything will be on one LAN.

JohnWill's procedure (Aug. 30, 2008) for configuring a secondary router as a switch and, optionally, wireless access point follows.

Connecting two (or more) SOHO broadband routers together.

Note: The "primary" router can be an actual router, a software gateway like Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing, or a server connection that has the capability to supply more than one IP address using DHCP server capability. No changes are made to the primary "router" configuration.

Configure the IP address of the secondary router(s) to be in the same subnet as the primary router, but out of the range of the DHCP server in the primary router. For instance DHCP server addresses 192.168.0.2 through 192.168.0.100, I'd assign the secondary router 192.168.0.254 as it's IP address, 192.168.0.253 for another router, etc.

Note: Do this first, as you will have to reboot the computer to connect to the router again for the remaining changes.

Disable the DHCP server in the secondary router.

Setup the wireless section just the way you would if it was the primary router, channels, encryption, etc.

Connect from the primary router's LAN port to one of the LAN ports on the secondary router. If there is no uplink port and neither of the routers have auto-sensing ports, use a cross-over cable. [You will not need a cross-over cable if one of the "routers" is a computer.] Leave the WAN port unconnected!

This procedure bypasses the routing function (NAT layer) and configures the router as a switch (or wireless access point for wireless routers).

For reference, here's a link to a Typical example config using a Netgear router

 

[SuperMiguel]

thats kinda how i have it setup but i don't like the fact that it doest auto change based on signal % since it has 3 different AP names.. so i tough that by extending it.. it will auto switch

 

[TerryNet]

Some people use the same SSID and encryption on all access points.

 

[dpl]

it is possible if the router supports repeater set.up, but you need to hide broadcast of net b and c.