Connecting Two Routers (With Two Internet Sources)

~~insecticide42~~ · 05-01-2008, 04:18 PM

Alright, this is kinda weird, so let me set this up first.

My roommate and I each have a ethernet connection, connected to our accounts. We each have a router, and several computers plugged into each router. We want each router to be connected to each roommate's wall jack, but we also want to be able to access each other's computers (file sharing and the like). I'm thinking just running a cable across the room into one of the lan ports of each router would work (one router is set to assign from 192.168.1.2 and the other from 192.168.1.100, so there shouldn't be any overlap) but I hesitate to think it would be that easy - would it?

In addition, if we transfer too much in a given day, the signal to our account gets cut down to dial up speeds for twenty four hours. We can bypass that by plugging a computer into the other person's router, and so I'm also wondering if it's possible to on the fly change the routers so that internet signal is only coming in from one of the two, not both. Perhaps by plugging the full speed router into the WAN port of the slow router, or just by unplugging the WAN port of the slow router from the wall?

I hope that's clear enough, if not, I'll try to elaborate.

**johnwill** · 05-01-2008, 05:30 PM

How about investing in a dual-WAN router? This will do load balancing and allow you to share both connections at each machine.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/hawking-...review-75.html

~~insecticide42~~ · 05-02-2008, 09:07 PM

Would that allow us to control which computers use which signal, and be able to change it dynamically? By the looks of the link you gave me, it's more for load balancing / backup than for routing the two different signals to different computers.

**johnwill** · 05-03-2008, 08:20 AM

Unless you spend more money, you are correct that it will really be load balancing.

~~insecticide42~~ · 05-03-2008, 02:13 PM

So then back to the original question, is what I want possible with two separate routers, which I already have?

**johnwill** · 05-04-2008, 01:55 PM

I can't think of a way...

~~insecticide42~~ · 05-04-2008, 05:21 PM

Ok, well thanks for your help.

05-01-2008, 04:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
~~insecticide42~~ Troubled Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 9 OS: Something	Connecting Two Routers (With Two Internet Sources) Alright, this is kinda weird, so let me set this up first. My roommate and I each have a ethernet connection, connected to our accounts. We each have a router, and several computers plugged into each router. We want each router to be connected to each roommate's wall jack, but we also want to be able to access each other's computers (file sharing and the like). I'm thinking just running a cable across the room into one of the lan ports of each router would work (one router is set to assign from 192.168.1.2 and the other from 192.168.1.100, so there shouldn't be any overlap) but I hesitate to think it would be that easy - would it? In addition, if we transfer too much in a given day, the signal to our account gets cut down to dial up speeds for twenty four hours. We can bypass that by plugging a computer into the other person's router, and so I'm also wondering if it's possible to on the fly change the routers so that internet signal is only coming in from one of the two, not both. Perhaps by plugging the full speed router into the WAN port of the slow router, or just by unplugging the WAN port of the slow router from the wall? I hope that's clear enough, if not, I'll try to elaborate.

05-01-2008, 05:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,802 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Connecting Two Routers (With Two Internet Sources) How about investing in a dual-WAN router? This will do load balancing and allow you to share both connections at each machine. http://www.tomsguide.com/us/hawking-...review-75.html __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

05-02-2008, 09:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
~~insecticide42~~ Troubled Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 9 OS: Something	Re: Connecting Two Routers (With Two Internet Sources) Would that allow us to control which computers use which signal, and be able to change it dynamically? By the looks of the link you gave me, it's more for load balancing / backup than for routing the two different signals to different computers. Last edited by insecticide42; 05-02-2008 at 09:16 PM.

05-03-2008, 08:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,802 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Connecting Two Routers (With Two Internet Sources) Unless you spend more money, you are correct that it will really be load balancing. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

05-03-2008, 02:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
~~insecticide42~~ Troubled Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 9 OS: Something	Re: Connecting Two Routers (With Two Internet Sources) So then back to the original question, is what I want possible with two separate routers, which I already have?

05-04-2008, 01:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,802 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Connecting Two Routers (With Two Internet Sources) I can't think of a way... __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

05-04-2008, 05:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
~~insecticide42~~ Troubled Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 9 OS: Something	Re: Connecting Two Routers (With Two Internet Sources) Ok, well thanks for your help.