Joining WRT54GR to BEFSR41 via ethernet...help...hehe

[rody084]

hi,

I have a currently existing network with a BEFSR41 router which has the computers connected to it through ethernet cable. I have purchased a linksys WRT54GR router in order to extend the coverage of my wifi service. So I have the BEFSR41 at one floor and the new WRT54GR at another floor in the building. I have a straight-through cable run from the BEFSR41 to the new WRT54GR and attempted to plug it into the WAN port.

Here is what I did:

Note: BEFSR41 is currently set to have an enabled DHCP server.

1. Connected directly to the new WRT54GR and changed its IP address to 192.168.1.254 so that it would not conflict with the BEFSR41 whose address is 192.168.1.1.
2. Connected the cable from the BEFSR41 to the new WRT54GR's WAN port.
3. I set the new WRT54GR on DHCP connection
4. Nothing happened.

I checked linksys' site and found the answer of connected a wireless router to an ethernet router and followed those instrctions with still no sucess. So now what I am trying to do is to set the BEFSR41 to static (no DHCP server) and I am setting the WRT54GR with an IP of 192.168.1.254, gateway of 192.168.1.1, subnet of 255.255.255.0 and DNS numbers provided by my ISP.

I still am having no success... I am wondering if anyone can figure out where I am going wrong here.

I would greatly appreciate any help!

Thank you!

[YeOldeStonecat]

You're close. BEFSR41...LAN set default to 192.168.1.1, it's DHCP server is enabled...you're fine there.

Take your wrt54...changing its LAN port to something other than 192.168.1.1 is good...you're fine at 192.168.1.254. But disable its own DHCP service..and connect it using a LAN port...not the WAN port.

This method..you're using it as just an access point..which is what you want if you already have a router. You don't want 2x routers...so if you connect the wrt using its WAN port to the LAN port of your first router..what you end up doing is double NAT'ing. :nope: Technically if setup correctly most things work "OK"..but on home grade routers..some other things won't work fine...and you lose performance...and you lose the ability to easily setup a home network. Also the big show stopped in your case...you had a 192.168.1.xxx network on both sides of the wrt..so it was confused. "Which way do I go George?" If you change the wrt's LAN IP to something like 192.168.0.xxx or 192.168.2.xxx or 10.1.1.xxx...you'd have gotten it working..but you'd still be doubled NAT'd.