Wireless router set up as a wireless repeater

lifestooshort81

Hey folks! I sometimes have spotty wii-fi coverage out in my workshop which is over 100 feet from the wireless router in my house. So I had a thought; I have an "old" linksys wireless router I'm not using. There's nothing wrong with it other than it being a b/g wireless signal. What do I have to do to set this up as a wireless switch/repeater/booster (I'm not familiar with the proper term)??? the linksys router is a wrt54g I believe.

I'm just trying to avoid buying anything. Times are tough and if I already have on that could work why go buy one??
Thanks
Al C

gregzoll

Connect to the router with a patch cord from your computer, Set a static IP (ie router IP is 192.168.1.1/255.255.255.0, you set your computer static IP as 192.168.1.100/255.255.255.0), then open up your favorite browser, in the address bar type in the IP of the router, log into the administration page, then turn off DHCP. If your other router you are connecting to, say is 192.168.254.1, you can set your other router with a static IP of 192.168.254.2, so you can easily access if need be later on.

After all of this is said and done, you disconnect your router that you just setup up for the DHCP off, change the Static IP setting on the computer you used, back to automatic, then shut down your other router, connect a patch cord from that one, from the LAN port, to the LAN port on the router you wish to use as an Access Point.

Turn back on the modem, let it sync to the ISP. Then turn on your router connected to the modem, let it sync with the modem. Then turn on the newly configured router as an Access Point, let it connect to the Router, then you have yourself a A/P instead of a router.

There is a lot of good networking info over at http://www.ezlan.net.

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lifestooshort81

Thanks man! Worked like a charm!!! I figured it was something rather simple.

whiskers

If I understand correctly, you are suggesting linking the two routers with a LAN cable?

OP, if you want to have a true wireless repeater or if you have trouble with stability, look into updating your WRT54G with free custom firmware such as DD-WRT
http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/index

Installing the firmware is not the difficult if you follow the procedure carefully: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Installation

Then, you can easily use the second router as a wireless bridge/repeater:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge

gregzoll

Whiskers, what I explained, is how you setup a router as an Access Point. The reason of connecting to the LAN vs WAN port on a router, when not running 3rd party firmware, is because you do not want to go through the NAT. Otherwise, you have to setup a Router behind router scheme, and go through a whole lot of work to get the two LAN's to talk to each other.

With DD-WRT, it is fine, but for most it is more of just a band-aid, vs. actually purchasing true AP/Bridge/Repeater equipment.

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