need some more help using Linksys wireless router as access point

[kbutterly]

Good evening!

I posted last month about trying to use my Linksys router as an access
point. I was directed to

http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo#Use_a_wireless_router_as_a_wireless_access_point

which gives the following instructions:

Set IP address (manually)
--In the same address range as your other devices
--That doesn't conflict with any other device (e.g., router)
Disable internal DHCP server.
Connect (Ethernet) cable to LAN port, not WAN/Internet port.
--Nothing connected to WAN/Internet port.
--May need to use crossover type cable.
Disable any wireless-to-wired isolation feature

Maybe it's just too late at night, but how do I get into the old
wireless router. Do I plug it into one of the CAT5 outlets in the
house, and let it register and log into it using the IP? or do I
directly connect it to a PC and somehow get into it that way.

sorry to be asking such as obvious question, but I'm a programmer and
hardware is just not my gig.

Thanks for any help,
Kathryn

[Jeff Liebermann]

kbutterly <kbutterly@yahoo.com> hath wroth:

>Good evening!

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn!

>I posted last month about trying to use my Linksys router as an access
>point. I was directed to
>
>http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo#Use_a_wireless_router_as_a_wireless_access_point
>
>which gives the following instructions:
>
>Set IP address (manually)
>--In the same address range as your other devices
>--That doesn't conflict with any other device (e.g., router)
>Disable internal DHCP server.
>Connect (Ethernet) cable to LAN port, not WAN/Internet port.
>--Nothing connected to WAN/Internet port.
>--May need to use crossover type cable.
>Disable any wireless-to-wired isolation feature

>Maybe it's just too late at night, but how do I get into the old
>wireless router.

Did you scribble down the IP address of the router when you set the IP
address? If so, just point your browser to that IP address as in:
http://192.168.1.1
If that fails, try:
http://192.168.1.1/
Don't ask me why that works. If you're just starting, Linksys usually
uses 192.168.1.1 as the default IP address for the router. Point your
browser at that IP address.

>Do I plug it into one of the CAT5 outlets in the
>house, and let it register and log into it using the IP? or do I
>directly connect it to a PC and somehow get into it that way.

Connect a standard CAT5 cable directly from the ethernet port on your
PC, to one of the 4 LAN ports on your unspecified model Linksys
wireless router. Never mind any other wiring you have scattered
around the house.

Once you set the IP address manually on the router, and disable the
DHCP server in the router, your computer will not longer be able to
get a DHCP assigned IP address. Therefore, you must also manually
assign the IP address of the computer.

>sorry to be asking such as obvious question, but I'm a programmer and
>hardware is just not my gig.

Sigh. Think of it as a plastic box with software inside.

>Thanks for any help,
>Kathryn
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

[Bill Kearney]

> Connect (Ethernet) cable to LAN port, not WAN/Internet port.
> --Nothing connected to WAN/Internet port.

This is not necessarily the right advice. Some routers, when working as an
access point, can make use of the WAN port just fine. Why waste one of the
wired switch ports if you need them for other gear?

> Maybe it's just too late at night, but how do I get into the old
> wireless router. Do I plug it into one of the CAT5 outlets in the
> house, and let it register and log into it using the IP? or do I
> directly connect it to a PC and somehow get into it that way.

You're generally better off plugging it directly into a PC. This way you
can configure your PC in such a way as to best connect to the router. That
is, without disrupting your other, working, network. Since it's a PC to
switch connection no cross-over cable should be necessary. And even in an
uplink situation a lot of gear is smart enough to handle it.

One tip, start from scratch on that router. Force it back to factory
settings.

How to do this varies widely. This is why it's IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE MAKE
and MODEL numbers of the devices you're using.

Once you've got it back to factory settings, follow the manufacturer's
instructions on how to set it up as an access point. This usually means
configuring your laptop with a static address, cabling JUST to the router
alone, using a web browser to contact the router and reconfiguring it. If
your network is not using the same IP numbering (and most shouldn't) then
you'll then also need to change your PC's static address to match whatever
network the router needs.

As in, factory address of the router is 192.168.1.1, so set your PC to use
192.168.1.2 (or anything else in the .2 to .254 range). Your main network
uses, let's say, 172.16.1.1. So you'd change the router to act as an access
point and use an address in that range, along with the correct gateway
address. When you make this change you, and the router reboots itself, then
you'll have to also change your PC. Probably best to just change it back to
DHCP or whatever it was using before. Now plug the router into the wired
network (using the WAN port is often ok) and your PC into one of the
router's other LAN ports. See that you can access it's setup pages. If so
then you're more or less done with that phase. Move on to configuring the
wireless part of it.

-Bill Kearney