I bought a new router today, a Netgear WGR614v6. I got it set up and working 100% with wireless and wired connections. I then got the idea to connect my old router through it, a Netgear RP614v2, which worked fine for wired connections; it doesn't have wireless capability.

I want to plug my old router into the new one, and be able to run multiple computers through the old router, which is not located in a different room. I tried simply plugging it in and plugging my computer into it, but or course this didn't work. I plugged my computer in, and the notification showing an unplugged network wire went away. I tried accessing the internet with no luck.

I then searched google for this situation, and found a helpful website, this one. It almost explains my exact situation, with the exception of the router models. I followed the directions, setting up "Router A," my new router, to only issue IPs between 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.60. I went onto the next step, disabling DHCP for "Router B," my old router, which also worked fine. I ran into problems when I tried to configure its WAN to any STATIC IP. The problem is, the WAN Setup section under my router's config tool (192.168.0.1 in browser) only the options: Respond to Ping on Internet Port, Default DMZ Server, MTU Size (in bytes) and Default DMZ Server.

Is there another way to configure my router, other than accessing through 192.168.0.1 that I don't know about? Does my old router simply not support configuring it's WAN this way? Some answers would be greatly appreciated, in the mean time I'll be searching google for an answer.

For those who may be a bit confused about what I'm trying to accomplish, here's a diagram (it was fun to make )

In the router setup set the primary router to Gateway and the secondary to router.

Thanks for the reply, but that's a linksys configuration. I don't have the same options on a netgear.

Here's a screenshot of what my main config options look like (for my new router, the old is almost exactly the same):

I don't know much about this stuff, but since it was suggested that you need to set the first one to gateway, maybe you need to set the IP from statis to gateway?

Did you disable DHCP and the firewall on the second router?

I did disable DHCP, but not the firewall. I want to best buy and while I was buying a new printer I asked the guy if he kn ew anything about routers. I explained my problem, and he said I needed a cross-over wire between the two routers. Anybody know if this may fix my problem, or would it just be more time and effort?

I was going to say that you needed a crossover cable, but then i read somewhere that you didn't. I am not sure who is right, but I would try it.

In most cases you don't need a crossover cable.
There will be a port called uplink where the 'wires' are already crossed. In a lot of routers this will be the same port as a non-crossed one (eg. port 1). These 2 ports cannot be used simultaneously (1 and uplink) but the crossing is done internally if you use uplink.
You will need to do something along the lines of making it non-gateway though.

That said - I'm not familiar with your hardware.
What is the model of the old router? Are all your pcs on static ips or are they dhcp?

My old router is a Netgear RP614v2, the new one is a Netgear WGR614v6.
My ISP gives me a static, IP, and the router assigns each computer its own IP, so I'm assuming they're DHCP? I don't know much about how the router works, but I can get info and such if you know what I should be looking for.

I tried making the old router non-gateway, and got the same results. Should I set it's static IP address the address my new router assigns it?

It looks like your new router autodetects the crossover vs. non-crossover issue - so it shouldn't really be an issue.
It is likely that both of the routers configure automatically at the same address though. If you leave the new one with 192.168.0.1 you should give the old one a different addy - try making it 192.168.0.2

Please note that you might have trouble with some config software for the old router after that and will need to change something to reflect the new ip for the router? ( I never leave mine at the standard settings anyway - but am not using netgear - so I can't provide the details on that)

If you get it running at some point - it is probably wise that you configure the dhcp ranges differently for the 2 - eg. you can have the primary router/gateway assign in the range 192.168.x.50 -- 192.168.x.60 and the old one at 192.168.x.100 -- 192.168.x.110 (or something similar) -- or better - turn dhcp off on the old one if you can.

This sort of diagram is similar to (but not an exact match) for what you want.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/Fra...nk4dnetwork.jpg

What is the "static IP address the address my new router assigns it?"

A little typo on my part. What I mean: if I plug the old router into the first port on my new router (the one that would assign 192.168.0.2 to a PC) should I set my old router's static IP to 192.168.0.2 or should I leave it as the IP my ISP gave me?


EDIT: looking at your diagram, it has some thing I haven't though of setting. I'll try to set it up just like that and post back what happens.

AMAZING! Thank you so much IMM. The thing I wasn't setting correctly was the DNS Server and the IP address. Here's what I had to do:

Internet IP Address: Get Dynamically from ISP. After changing both routers to the exact settings you supplied in your diagram, and it still not working, I simply changed the IP status from Static to Dynamic.

The DNS Server I wasn't even changing before. Since I don't know what any of these mean and what they do, I didn't know if it would affect anything, so I originally left it alone. After chaning My primary and secondary DNS Servers to 192.168.0.1, I was able to access the internet.

Thank you all sooo much. I'm now able to use my laptops on this router instead of buying wireless cards for them. THANK YOU!




Just a little question now.. How would I access the computers on the old router from ones on the new router? On this computer (on the old router) I'm able to see the other PCs connected to the new router, but not access them. The PCs on the new router don't even detect the ones on the Old router.

Before I say anything further, I think I need to know what you actually have at this point and what you need for flexibility.

My preference is usu. static IPs on the home lan -- would you consider giving your pcs on the second router a static addy each (eg 192.168.1.40, 192.168.1.41,etc ...) (make them outside the DHCP range of the routers) and turning DHCP off on the second router ?

At any rate (on the old router which is not the gateway - ie. not connected to the modem) is there an easy way to turn NAT off ? (you will still get NAT for the internet through the new router)

I'm not exactly following what you're asking in the first statement. Right now I have 3 Desktop PCs and one Wireless laptop hooked up to my first (new) router. The fourth port on that router is being used for my second (old) router. On the second router, I have 1 Desktop PC and 1 Laptop connected. All I need to be able to do with them is access the internet and access the home network.

Right now, all my computers work on the internet. I'm able to access the network between computers hooked up on the same router, but I can't access computers between routers. Meaning that a computer connected to the new router cannot access the shared folder of a computer connected to the old router.

I've already turned DHCP off on the second router. It was required to get the internet working on the computers connected to it. As far as assigning (manually?) static IPs to each computer on the second router, I have nothing wrong with that. If it will allow me to network with every other computer and use the internet as well, I'd actually prefer it.

Sorry I added a question ot the previous one w/o seeing your latest.
The modem is attached to the new router ?
Is there an easy way to turn NAT off on the old router?
Regarding the various PCs - are they all part of the same workgroup? All running windows? Netbios over TCP/IP enabled on them?

The old router is configured as
LAN IP addresses—192.168.0.2
Subnet mask—255.255.255.0
?

Yes, the modem connects to the new router.

I went through all the settings for my old router and didn't see anything with NAT in it, so I would say No, there isn't an easy way.

Regarding the various PCs:

are they all part of the same workgroup
No, I don't think so. When I go into "View Workgroup computers" in My Network Places I only see the computer I'm using.

All running windows?
The wireless laptop is running Mac OS X with AirPort.
One of the desktops on the first router is running Mac OS 9.1 with AirPort.
The rest of the computers run Windows XP.

Netbios over TCP/IP enabled on them?
I don't know, I've never changed or seen an option for this. How would I go about checking it?

The trouble with this stuff is that there is always more than one way to skin a cat and it's difficult to do long-distance - I feel like I should bail out at this point

Is there a rip option for 2B ? If so, use it (both directions) That would handle subnets ok I think if it is present.


Regarding netbios over TCP/IP - in XP
Control Panel > Network Connections > Local Area Connection > Properties > Highlight Tcp/Ip and choose properties > Advanced > WINS tab > etc.
but you might wait to do that.

First see that the default gateways AND dns servers point to 192.168.0.1 (the gateway router) in that windows config. TCP/IP properties is also where you would set a static IP for that machine.

Work group names (for xp) are set as
control panel >system >computer name > change button
You probably only want to look at this point.

--------
edit - was thinking (always dangerous) and it may be simpler to set the old router as
LAN IP addresses—192.168.0.254

Now that I've gone a bunch of different directions - I think I'll bow out before I create any more confusion

It may be some use to you (in terms of crippling the old router's functions which you don't want and can't find configs for) to point the setups at localhost as seen partway down http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hqh/html/tworouters.htm

Thanks for all the help so far. If you do choose to bail out now I wouldn't blame ya, I know it can be frustrating working with someone who doesn't know what they're doing half the time.

I found the RIP options, and set RIP-2B to Both directions. I set it on the old router, should I set the new one as well?

I found the NetBIOS setting in XP. All my PCs are set to use NetBIOS setting from the DHCP server.

Both my Default gateway and DNS servers (primary and secondary) point to 192.168.0.1 (that's what got my internet working through the second router.)

2B on both I guess - but this is like a cheat and I (if it was me) prefer to sort it out so that isn't required Perhaps you'll want to play for a while -- this should all be achievable using RIP-1 (both directions - both routers)

I'll at least sit back for a while but I think the direction you probably want to go is to 'brain-dead' the old router (as in the last link) so that it isn't doing much and use static IPs for what is attached to the old one. You will likely have config switches available to disable functions - but localhost is always an option
It's probably best to get the PC's attached to the new router happy with each other first so that you know what's required there. Were they talking to each other before?

I read through that artile you posted a few posts back, and I think I'm starting to "get" all the instructions. I may try doing it the way he did if any other ways don't work.

Yes, when all the PCs were connected to the primary router I was able to transfer between them, as well as the Mac OS X. For the Mac 9.1, I would need additional software to successfuly network it, so that one will be internet-only.

Just one final question before you bow out... Would manually setting static IPs on the computers conencted to the secondary router allow me to network them with computers on the primary router, or would I need to change some more settings?

Thanks for all your help. You haven't just solved my problem, you've taught me a lot about networking, an area I'm very weak in.

Not really - but it makes it simpler to brain dead that older router if it doesn't have to try and assign IPs (ie. you can 'lose' it's DHCP abilities). Keep your static IPs outside of whatever range you configure the new one to be able to provide IPs in (leaving a range of 8 IPs on the lan which can be auto-assigned using DHCP is probably overkill - but routers often ship with 50 or more configured)
If you leave machines using DHCP - use the new router to do the assignments I guess.
I think that the first priority is probably to get the PCs which are on the new router talking to each other. Do you think it might be an encryption issue or filters on the new router?

The PCs on the new router already talk to eachother fine. It's like each router sey up it's own network, but they can't talk to eachother.

A big fear there is that you do have subnets - I was kinda hoping that killing NAT on the old one might help (as well as making sure the old one wasn't trying to outthink the new router)
The other issue that might be config is the firewall in the old router - kill it if you can.
Does it ping from a machine on one router to one on the other OK? Is everything on the lan using the same netmask? (255.255.255.0)
Is there an option in the new router to add the MAC from the old router to the lan? This is probably essential to add the lower level of netwrecking to your lan.
In the worst case you may have to configure some static routes on the new router - good luck - wish I was familiar with netgear stuff.

Any updates - or did you go out and buy a switch?

Nah, I just ended up re-arranging the computers. Since I don't need the Mac desktop or my laptop on the home network, I put them on the old router and the rest of the computers on the new router. I have everything I need now.