setting up belkin router as access point

[s10sleeper]

I got ahold of a Belkin N+ router recently to replace my old Linksys. It turned out my modem was bad too, and I found out a netgear n300 modem/wireless router was cheaper than a regular modem.

I decided to get a usb 802.11n usb card since I was switching to an N router and ended up getting 2 of them. This gave me an idea since I had a spare router and network card, and alot of hard drives to use the Belkin router as an access point to network my drives.

I have tried following the steps in the manual, on the tech support website, and each time that I click on enable as access point and save the IP address, I can never connect, and then it won't connect with the old IP either, not even with a wired connection. The reason I am doing it this way is because all of my info that I keep stored has to be kept away from everyone else in the house.

I am just trying to find out if anyone has any ideas on where I can get easy to understand step by step info on this as it never works when I follow the owners manual, and belkin tech support seems to know less than me.

BTW my computer is a Dell Latitude E6500 with vista ultimate sp 2 32 bit.

[etaf]

so you are using the Netgear n300 to supply broadband services - correct

then you have a Belkin (can we have the exact model - often start with a F )

alot of hard drives to use the Belkin router as an access point to network my drives.

Are all the drives connected to a PC or how did you expect to connect to the router ?

i you expecting to connect the belkin to the netgear by wireless or are you able to connect the two together with a cable

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Connecting two (or more) SOHO broadband routers together

Connecting two (or more) SOHO broadband routers together
Shamelessly stolen from a John Will Post :)

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. 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

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[s10sleeper]

Thanks for the help, I ended up calling Belkin again as the level 2 tech never followed up, but this time he called right back after I called and expliained it to me, turns out my problem was that i needed to run a wire from one of the netgear ports to one of the grey jacks on the Belkin. Then he explained what my causes of my trouble was, but my router is a fd8235-4. As far as messing much further in the settings I am going to do a lot of studying on it.
In reference to having a lot of info stored, I have a number of external hard drives that are pretty full, I want to learn to build an NAS as I am actually unable to work, and I also have three computers I use myself that all have info I can’t let others know. So I am trying to figure out ways to set it all up in home without a bunch of wires all over, plus if possible being able to access it when I am gone.

[s10sleeper]

I also meant to add, right now it is by wire, but I know there is a way to do it wireless, but I don't want to make more of a mess at the moment.

As far as the hard drives go, I am hoping to build an NAS as I have towers that will fit the hard drives, adapters to convert them all, besides I just found out my brother may have a small server board, so it may not be too much trouble. I also have an enclosure coming in that I ordered.

[etaf]

As far as the hard drives go, I am hoping to build an NAS as I have towers that will fit the hard drives, adapters to convert them all, besides I just found out my brother may have a small server board, so it may not be too much trouble. I also have an enclosure coming in that I ordered.

i would keep them connected to the router by cable

I also meant to add, right now it is by wire, but I know there is a way to do it wireless,

Need to see if the router will act as a repeater - often not - i cant find that part number on the belkin site

[s10sleeper]

I was thinking about hooking them up with an ethernet card as I found my old motherboard, although I will have to use alot of usb hubs

[etaf]

although I will have to use alot of usb hubs

you may find that a little slow - I had some HDD connected to a USB Adapter
the NONE wireless version of this Belkin : Network USB Hub
And i found two of the USB HDD in an enclosure over heat and so I could not keep the drives on a running - so are these HDD you have already in a USB enclosure - if you are planning to put them into enclosures make sure they have some cooling fans

how many drives are you talking about - what sort of drives Sata IDE
you may be able to use on the motherboard maybe with a raid controller

make and exact model of the motherboard
PSU wattage

[s10sleeper]

my plan is to disassemble them most likely and mount them in the enclosure, I have probably 50 12 v fans, some are cheap ones but others are higher end, and also have alot of 5 v fans too. I am sure airflow shouldn't be too much of a problem, plus I plan to start out slow, not overloading too much. Speed is not a major issue with these as some are just for redundant backup, others for spreadsheets and databases