[SOLVED] Using a router as a basic hub

[mustard]

I've looked around here and other forums and got my idea of what I want to do, but still don't have it working 100%

First off, I know I could just go buy a cheap hub, or use wireless, but I want to try and get this working (1. So I can learn it, 2. I already have the hardware to do it this way :) )

This is my current setup.

Modem into Linksys
Linksys to PC1 and PC2

This is what I would like to add

Modem into Linksys
Linksys to PC1 and SMC
SMC into PC2 and Xbox

Now I had everything plugged in and working fine without configuring anything, except for browsers. (I was connected and could use any other service requiring internet). I couldn't load pages nor could I even connect to the Linksys from PC2. Which led me to believe some sort of DNS / forwarding problem.

My question is what do I need to configure on either router.
Also if you think I might run into problems with dynamic IPs and I should set static, if so, an example would be great :)

Any help would be greatly appreciated and let me know if you need any more information.

Cheers,

Mustard

[johnwill]

This is what I do with my secondary router. You should not have to do ANYTHING to the configuration of the primary router.

Connecting two SOHO broadband routers together.

Configure the IP address of the secondary router 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.

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).

[mustard]

Thanks a lot for reply, I think my biggest problem was that I was connected it to the WAN.
I don't have uplink, so I will be connecting to LAN, but is it 100% required that I use crossover? The cable I have feed through right now is straight-through and don't have a long enough crossover atm.

edit: 'Spose I could cut off the end and make it crossover, but I'd rather not, if at all possible.

edit: And btw, I mainly need this for internet access.. For the amount of times I use the network to transfer files or anything I can just use a USB or CD/DVD, so the two PCs being connected isn't a big deal, if that helps.
I would assume they would be connected anyway with this setup though.

Thanks again.

Cheers,

Mustard

[johnwill]

If either of the routers has auto-MDX ports, you don't need a crossover cable.

[mustard]

I checked online documentation for both routers, didn't see anything about auto-dx, but tried it anyway and she seems to be working fine. Seems a bit slower overall but that could be my imagination or 'spose that can be expected now that connection going through a second piece of hardware too.

Thanks.

[mustard]

One more question.
I know multiple firewalls on one PC can cause complications, but what about multiple firewalls on a network. I would assume it would be OK and even encouraged to have a software firewall on each PC and firewall turned on on each router, correct?

[mustard]

Well I thought everything was working.. it was for a few hours.. DNS just stopped working again and couldn't connect to any pages, but everything else worked. If I power cycle everything it will work again for a bit, then just quits within a little while.

[johnwill]

First off, a firewall on the router and a software firewall isn't an issue, no problem there.

For the DNS issue, I'd suggest a firmware upgrade for the router that's connected to the ISP.

The other issue with DNS may be that you didn't properly disable DHCP on the secondary router.

[mustard]

Edit: Well I did have that I couldn't find it, but I decided to check yet another time incase I missed something and I did.. Good example of check 3 times, ask questions once I guess :)

Here's hoping I did it right this time and I don't have to bother you anymore :)

Few things I'm just curious about though:

DNS option allows me to put in a DNS IP. right now its just 0.0.0.0. This option is just here if you have a DNS server you need to connect to, given by an admin at work or something, correct? (Before I came here, I was thinking maybe putting in the IP of the 1st router to forward through its DNS would work)

I changed the IP of the router to the same subnet of the primary like you said (so I have a different IP to put in browser to connect to router now), and my router is currently on static. Is that where it should be, or change it to dynamic? (I'm thinking static, because I don't want my IP to change every time I connect because that would require me to change my firewall rules everytime. But on the other end, would it not be more secure if it did change all the time?)

If I did it right this time and every thing works fine and dandy, should I go ahead and check for firmware updates anyway, or just follow the rule, if it 'aint broke, don't fix it?

Thanks for your continued support

Cheers,

Mustard

[johnwill]

Note that when you disable DHCP in the secondary router and don't connect to the WAN port, those settings don't really matter at all. :)

[mustard]

Oh good to know. Thank ye very much for all your help kind sir :)

[johnwill]

Let us know if it all works out.

[mustard]

Seems to be good now.
I was having problems with it cutting out but for only a maybe a minute max, I would just keep refreshing and it would come back.
I decided to give a firmware upgrade a try and voila! Haven't had a problem yet.

Thank you very much johnwill and TSF team, I voted a big YES on Tell us about it! :)

[johnwill]

Glad we could help.