Completely lost with adding a wireless router to my network!

I have 4 PCs wired to a modem/router, and this works great. This router does
DHCP.
I also have a laptop which I'd like to connect wirelessly to the rest of the
network.
I have borrowed a Linksys WRT54G wireless router (no modem).
From what I've read (in the simple Linksys instructions), I should be able
to connect a port on my existing router to the 'internet' port on the
Linksys, then other PCs can be wired to the Linksys's ports (and use the
wireless too).
I assume the Linksys should have its DHCP turned off, but other than that
I'm lost. Should I set up a routing table, should I change the Linksys's
default IP, etc? Is there any guide (idiot proof) that you know of that'll
ket me get this running?

On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 23:04:19 -0000, in uk.telecom.broadband , "Grumps"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have borrowed a Linksys WRT54G wireless router (no modem).
>From what I've read (in the simple Linksys instructions), I should be able
>to connect a port on my existing router to the 'internet' port on the
>Linksys,

no. don't do that.

>then other PCs can be wired to the Linksys's ports (and use the
>wireless too).

Simplest is to connect the Linksys to one of the LAN ports on your
existing router, disable DHCP in the linksys, and that'll do the
trick.

If you don't have enough ports on your original router, just use one
of the other LAN ports on the linksys for one of hte PCs.

All you have to do then is battle with wireless config...
--
Mark McIntyre

"Grumps" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have 4 PCs wired to a modem/router, and this works great. This router
>does DHCP.
> I also have a laptop which I'd like to connect wirelessly to the rest of
> the network.
> I have borrowed a Linksys WRT54G wireless router (no modem).
> From what I've read (in the simple Linksys instructions), I should be able
> to connect a port on my existing router to the 'internet' port on the
> Linksys, then other PCs can be wired to the Linksys's ports (and use the
> wireless too).
> I assume the Linksys should have its DHCP turned off, but other than that
> I'm lost. Should I set up a routing table, should I change the Linksys's
> default IP, etc? Is there any guide (idiot proof) that you know of that'll
> ket me get this running?
>
>

try connecting the Linksys to your usual router LAN to LAN, turn DHCP on
the Linksys off, and hopefully it will act purely as a wireless access
point.

P.

"Grumps" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)
> I have 4 PCs wired to a modem/router, and this works
> great. This router does DHCP.
> I also have a laptop which I'd like to connect wirelessly
> to the rest of the network.
> I have borrowed a Linksys WRT54G wireless router (no
> modem). From what I've read (in the simple Linksys instructions),
> I should be able to connect a port on my existing router
> to the 'internet' port on the Linksys, then other PCs can
> be wired to the Linksys's ports (and use the wireless
> too). I assume the Linksys should have its DHCP turned off, but
> other than that I'm lost. Should I set up a routing
> table, should I change the Linksys's default IP, etc? Is
> there any guide (idiot proof) that you know of that'll
> ket me get this running?

Without a lot of faffing about, it's not easy to connect one router to
another.

What you should have done is get a standalone Wireless Access Point - this
is simply a box with an Ethernet socket and a couple of aerials. You then
plug this into your existing router and set it up to talk to your laptop.

Ivor

"Flyer" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Grumps" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I have 4 PCs wired to a modem/router, and this works great. This router
>>does DHCP.
>> I also have a laptop which I'd like to connect wirelessly to the rest of
>> the network.
>> I have borrowed a Linksys WRT54G wireless router (no modem).
>> From what I've read (in the simple Linksys instructions), I should be
>> able to connect a port on my existing router to the 'internet' port on
>> the Linksys, then other PCs can be wired to the Linksys's ports (and use
>> the wireless too).
>> I assume the Linksys should have its DHCP turned off, but other than that
>> I'm lost. Should I set up a routing table, should I change the Linksys's
>> default IP, etc? Is there any guide (idiot proof) that you know of
>> that'll ket me get this running?
>>
>>
>
> try connecting the Linksys to your usual router LAN to LAN, turn DHCP on
> the Linksys off, and hopefully it will act purely as a wireless access
> point.

Thanks all.
Last night I played and managed to get internet browsing working by;
1) Connecting the Linksys internet port to my existing router LAN port.
2) Changing the Linksys default IP to 192.168.2.1 (when it is only connected
to one PC).
3) Leaving DHCP on.
Now all Linksys connected devices obtain their IP from the Linksys; but in
this situation I can't browse PCs on my other router.

So, this morning;
1) Leave the Linksys default IP at 192.168.2.1
2) Connect my existing router to a Linksys LAN port.
3) Turn DHCP off.
In this situation all Linksys connected devices get an IP from my existing
router and browsing (internet and to other network PCs) works fine.
However, now I can't connect to the Linksys web interface to set up the
wireless. Normally you'd enter the 192.168.2.1 address in IE, but with DHCP
off that doesn't want to work. (Fortunately I'd already enabled WEP so it is
secure.)
I guess with DHCP off it's just acting as a dumb switch and WAP.

Ho hum!

On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 23:04:19 -0000, "Grumps"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have borrowed a Linksys WRT54G wireless router (no modem).
>From what I've read (in the simple Linksys instructions), I should be able
>to connect a port on my existing router to the 'internet' port on the
>Linksys, then other PCs can be wired to the Linksys's ports (and use the
>wireless too).
>I assume the Linksys should have its DHCP turned off, but other than that
>I'm lost. Should I set up a routing table, should I change the Linksys's
>default IP, etc? Is there any guide (idiot proof) that you know of that'll
>ket me get this running?

plug it in as you describe and it'll very likely just work. You are
thinking about it too hard.

The only failure likely to occur is if your existing modem/router uses
the same IP range on its LAN side as the WRT54G does. You might need
to change the LAN settings of the WRT to 192.168.2.1 for example if
its WAN port gets a 192.168.1.x address from the modem/router.

Phil

Grumps pretended :
> "Flyer" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "Grumps" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>I have 4 PCs wired to a modem/router, and this works great. This router
>>> does DHCP.
>>> I also have a laptop which I'd like to connect wirelessly to the rest of
>>> the network.
>>> I have borrowed a Linksys WRT54G wireless router (no modem).
>>> From what I've read (in the simple Linksys instructions), I should be able
>>> to connect a port on my existing router to the 'internet' port on the
>>> Linksys, then other PCs can be wired to the Linksys's ports (and use the
>>> wireless too).
>>> I assume the Linksys should have its DHCP turned off, but other than that
>>> I'm lost. Should I set up a routing table, should I change the Linksys's
>>> default IP, etc? Is there any guide (idiot proof) that you know of that'll
>>> ket me get this running?
>>>
>>>
>>
>> try connecting the Linksys to your usual router LAN to LAN, turn DHCP on
>> the Linksys off, and hopefully it will act purely as a wireless access
>> point.
>
> Thanks all.
> Last night I played and managed to get internet browsing working by;
> 1) Connecting the Linksys internet port to my existing router LAN port.
> 2) Changing the Linksys default IP to 192.168.2.1 (when it is only connected
> to one PC).
> 3) Leaving DHCP on.
> Now all Linksys connected devices obtain their IP from the Linksys; but in
> this situation I can't browse PCs on my other router.
>
> So, this morning;
> 1) Leave the Linksys default IP at 192.168.2.1
> 2) Connect my existing router to a Linksys LAN port.
> 3) Turn DHCP off.
> In this situation all Linksys connected devices get an IP from my existing
> router and browsing (internet and to other network PCs) works fine.
> However, now I can't connect to the Linksys web interface to set up the
> wireless. Normally you'd enter the 192.168.2.1 address in IE, but with DHCP
> off that doesn't want to work. (Fortunately I'd already enabled WEP so it is
> secure.)
> I guess with DHCP off it's just acting as a dumb switch and WAP.
>
> Ho hum!

Leave DHCP Server off on the Linksys.

Also give the Linksys a static IP address that is in the same range as
your existing router's IP address range. (Same subnet mask too) Then
you'll be able to browse to the web interface from any PC.

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Grumps <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
> Thanks all.
> Last night I played and managed to get internet browsing working by;
> 1) Connecting the Linksys internet port to my existing router LAN
> port. 2) Changing the Linksys default IP to 192.168.2.1 (when it is
> only connected to one PC).
> 3) Leaving DHCP on.
> Now all Linksys connected devices obtain their IP from the Linksys;
> but in this situation I can't browse PCs on my other router.
>
> So, this morning;
> 1) Leave the Linksys default IP at 192.168.2.1
> 2) Connect my existing router to a Linksys LAN port.
> 3) Turn DHCP off.
> In this situation all Linksys connected devices get an IP from my
> existing router and browsing (internet and to other network PCs)
> works fine. However, now I can't connect to the Linksys web interface
> to set up the wireless. Normally you'd enter the 192.168.2.1 address
> in IE, but with DHCP off that doesn't want to work. (Fortunately I'd
> already enabled WEP so it is secure.)
> I guess with DHCP off it's just acting as a dumb switch and WAP.
>
> Ho hum!

What is the IP address of your original router? What addresses is it dishing
out to your PCs?

If you can't talk to the Linksys it's either because its IP address is in a
different range (subnet) from your other kit, or you have a confict (2
devices with the same IP address).

The Linksys needs to have an IP address which is unique - but in the same
subnet as everything else.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
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"Phil Thompson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 23:04:19 -0000, "Grumps"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>I have borrowed a Linksys WRT54G wireless router (no modem).
>>From what I've read (in the simple Linksys instructions), I should be able
>>to connect a port on my existing router to the 'internet' port on the
>>Linksys, then other PCs can be wired to the Linksys's ports (and use the
>>wireless too).
>>I assume the Linksys should have its DHCP turned off, but other than that
>>I'm lost. Should I set up a routing table, should I change the Linksys's
>>default IP, etc? Is there any guide (idiot proof) that you know of that'll
>>ket me get this running?
>
> plug it in as you describe and it'll very likely just work. You are
> thinking about it too hard.
>
> The only failure likely to occur is if your existing modem/router uses
> the same IP range on its LAN side as the WRT54G does. You might need
> to change the LAN settings of the WRT to 192.168.2.1 for example if
> its WAN port gets a 192.168.1.x address from the modem/router.

Thinking too hard! Heh heh! I've never been told that before

I've got it going as needed now.
First router (with the modem) stays as it is. This dishes out IP address
from 192.168.1.3 onwards
Linksys has its default IP changed to 192.168.1.16, and DHCP off.
The modem/router connects via one of its LAN ports to a LAN port on the
Linksys (not the internet port as suggested by Linksys themselves).
Now I can access router1 at 192.168.1.1 and the Linksys at 192.168.1.16. It
all works fine.

Thanks to all for their patience and help.

On Sat, 27 Jan 2007 21:10:13 -0000, "Grumps"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>The modem/router connects via one of its LAN ports to a LAN port on the
>Linksys (not the internet port as suggested by Linksys themselves).

their suggestion works fine here, FWIW.

Phil