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MikeD · Nov 6, 2003, 03:16 PM

Okay, I found a bunch of posts but not real specific configuration information. I currently have a wireless network in my home. What I want to do is add another wireless/wired network in a separate area of the house that is bridged to the current wireless/wired network (which get's access to the internet via DSL). I hope that makes sense.

This is what I have so far:
Linksys WET11 to pickup the signal from my current wireless network. I had to borrow a windows laptop to set it up initially. I'm assuming it works since the WLAN light is on and when I plug the WET11 into my powerbooks ethernet port, I can access the internet without having my airport turned on.

This is where things are screwy and I need help with:
I also have another Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless Broadband Router w/4 extra wired ports.

Well, I plug the WET11 into the "internet" port on the back of the router. Now, I have no idea what to set the router (in terms of configuration) because, well, it's "not working". Should I change the IP information, should I select, "Discover IP automatically"? I've tried so many different combinations and I still don't have it working. It's as though the internet stops at the router. Both wired and wireless. Should I keep the same SSID? If anyone can help, that would be great. It seems like a lot of people recommend this setup but I just can't get it to work.

Is there something about MAC #'s that I need to be entering manually?

Mike

John Strung · Nov 6, 2003, 03:37 PM

It's a bit tricky, but this is what I would do:

Run a cable from the Wet-11 to the uplink port of the BEFW11S4 (not to the WAN port). Go into the BEFW11S4 admin program and turn off DHCP. Set the SSID to be the same as your other wireless router, but use a different channel, say channel 1 instead of channel 6. You may also have to change the LAN IP address so it is different from your other base station. If the other one is 192.168.1.1, change this one to 192.168.1.2. (You will then have to access the admin program of that router at http://192.168.1.2 from thereon.)

The result is that this second router will act as a wireless bridge, rather than as a NAT router.

In the TCP/IP settings of your computers, make sure that the default gateway or router is 192.168.1.1 (if that is the LAN address of the router that is attached directly to the cable modem, and put 192.168.1.1 into the Name Server Addr. box of the TCP/IP control panel (if you are using OS 9 -- into the Domain Name Server box of the TCP/IP prefs panel in OS X). Good luck.

MikeD · Nov 6, 2003, 04:27 PM

Sigh.. Okay, I just tried that, and none of it worked. I'm really getting sad about not being able to figure this one out. BTW, my BEFW11S4 doesn't have a WAN port, just one single port that says "Internet" and then 4 ports for 4 computers. BUT, my other router (That's running the network now) Does have the port for the DSL and a port (Either port #4 or 5) labeled as Uplink. Should I swap the wireless routers? What is the function of the uplink port? Here are some pictures of the setup:

Above: Settings for Router 2 (That's giving me probs)

Above: Settings for Internet connection. Should I have it obtain the IP automatically (From the WET11?)

Above: Network control panel showing manual selection of my original/working linksys router.

Above: Network control panel showing DHCP activated and it picks up on the second linksys router (not working) BTW, DHCP IS enabled on this router.

Hope some of this info helps. I can't wait to get this finally up and running.

Mike

Originally posted by John Strung:
It's a bit tricky, but this is what I would do:

Run a cable from the Wet-11 to the uplink port of the BEFW11S4 (not to the WAN port). Go into the BEFW11S4 admin program and turn off DHCP. Set the SSID to be the same as your other wireless router, but use a different channel, say channel 1 instead of channel 6. You may also have to change the LAN IP address so it is different from your other base station. If the other one is 192.168.1.1, change this one to 192.168.1.2. (You will then have to access the admin program of that router at http://192.168.1.2 from thereon.)

The result is that this second router will act as a wireless bridge, rather than as a NAT router.

In the TCP/IP settings of your computers, make sure that the default gateway or router is 192.168.1.1 (if that is the LAN address of the router that is attached directly to the cable modem, and put 192.168.1.1 into the Name Server Addr. box of the TCP/IP control panel (if you are using OS 9 -- into the Domain Name Server box of the TCP/IP prefs panel in OS X). Good luck.

MikeD · Nov 6, 2003, 11:16 PM

Anyone with any ideas?

John Strung · Nov 7, 2003, 07:25 AM

Your Linksys probably has Auto-MDIX ports and that is why there is no uplink port. The uplink port on the other LinkSys is exactly the same as the numbered ports (and in fact it physically connencted to either port 1 or port 4, I forget which -- whichever one is right beside it.) An uplink port is just a regular port wired backwards so that you do not need a cross-over cable to link the router to another router or hub.

Assuming the numbered ports on the newer Linky are AutoMIDX (which means they automatically detect whether to act as an uplink or straight-through port), just attached the WET11 to one of the four numbered ports. If the link light lights when you plug the WET-11 in, then you know it is working.

Your settings look okay to me. Just remember to go to the DHCP tab of the BEFW11S4 and turn off DHCP.

MikeD · Nov 7, 2003, 10:15 AM

So I plug the WET11 into one of the four ports that are normally for computers as opposed to the port labeled as "Internet"? So then the port that says "internet" is strictly reserved then for if you're hooking up directly to a DSL/cable modem only then?

The four ports have no label of 'uplink' on them though. I'll give it a shot... and turn off DHCP on this router too..

Mike

Originally posted by John Strung:
Your Linksys probably has Auto-MDIX ports and that is why there is no uplink port. The uplink port on the other LinkSys is exactly the same as the numbered ports (and in fact it physically connencted to either port 1 or port 4, I forget which -- whichever one is right beside it.) An uplink port is just a regular port wired backwards so that you do not need a cross-over cable to link the router to another router or hub.

Assuming the numbered ports on the newer Linky are AutoMIDX (which means they automatically detect whether to act as an uplink or straight-through port), just attached the WET11 to one of the four numbered ports. If the link light lights when you plug the WET-11 in, then you know it is working.

Your settings look okay to me. Just remember to go to the DHCP tab of the BEFW11S4 and turn off DHCP.

John Strung · Nov 7, 2003, 10:42 AM

Originally posted by MikeD:
So I plug the WET11 into one of the four ports that are normally for computers as opposed to the port labeled as "Internet"? So then the port that says "internet" is strictly reserved then for if you're hooking up directly to a DSL/cable modem only then?

The four ports have no label of 'uplink' on them though. I'll give it a shot... and turn off DHCP on this router too..

Mike

That's right. You don't want the router to function as a router. You just want it to function as a bridge to your other router.

MikeD · Nov 7, 2003, 10:56 AM

Originally posted by John Strung:
That's right. You don't want the router to function as a router. You just want it to function as a bridge to your other router.

But isn't the WET11 already the bridge? And the 11S4 get's that bridged signal from the WET11? And then takes that signal and then can redistribute it either through the ports or wirelessly?

Mike

John Strung · Nov 7, 2003, 12:13 PM

When you connect into the Internet or WAN port on a router, the router uses Network Address Translation (NAT) to split the one public IP address you get from your cable modem into multiple local (private) IP addresses for each computer.

You don't need to (or want to) use NAT on the second LinkSys because there is no need to split one IP address into many. You can get up to 254 IP's from the first LinkSys (unlike the modem which supplies only one IP). The other function of the router is to separate your LAN from the internet, and you don't need that function from the second LinkSys, again, because the first LinkSys has already performed that function.

MikeD · Nov 7, 2003, 01:06 PM

Okay, before I go and try that, this is what I do:

Hardware:
For pluggin in the WET11, it should go in any port 1-4 (Just not the internet port)

For settings:
First, I should disable DHCP on my second linksys.
2nd, should I do anything when I configure this second 11s4 to act as a gateway or router (this, I think is in the advanced settings. Currently, it's set to gateway (Default)

Not sure if there is anything else.
Mike

Originally posted by John Strung:
When you connect into the Internet or WAN port on a router, the router uses Network Address Translation (NAT) to split the one public IP address you get from your cable modem into multiple local (private) IP addresses for each computer.

You don't need to (or want to) use NAT on the second LinkSys because there is no need to split one IP address into many. You can get up to 254 IP's from the first LinkSys (unlike the modem which supplies only one IP). The other function of the router is to separate your LAN from the internet, and you don't need that function from the second LinkSys, again, because the first LinkSys has already performed that function.

John Strung · Nov 7, 2003, 03:03 PM

That's right. I don't think you have to change any of the WAN settings because they apply only to the internet port which won't be connected.

MikeD · Nov 8, 2003, 11:36 AM

It worked!! Only thing is, once in awhile (ie: when it wakes from sleep) I get the dreaded 169.x.x.x self-addressed IP. What I have to do, for some strange reason is unplug and replug in the second router. What's going on where it can't get an IP addressed correctly?

Mike

MikeD · Nov 9, 2003, 11:50 AM

Do you think this may have to do with entering DNS server addresses?

Mike

Originally posted by MikeD:
It worked!! Only thing is, once in awhile (ie: when it wakes from sleep) I get the dreaded 169.x.x.x self-addressed IP. What I have to do, for some strange reason is unplug and replug in the second router. What's going on where it can't get an IP addressed correctly?

Mike

John Strung · Nov 9, 2003, 07:33 PM

Try switching your Mac to a fixed IP address. Set your TCP/IP control panel as follows:

IP address = 192.168.1.3
Gateway or Router = 192.168.1.1
Subnet mask = 255.255.255.0

You will also have to specify a DNS address manually. In OS 9, try putting 192.168.1.1 into the Name Server Addr. box. (In OS X, it is called the Domain Name Server box.)

If that doesn't work, go to the LinkSys setup application at http://192.168.1.1 and go to the Status tab. You will find two entries for you ISP's primary and secondary domain name servers. Copy these IP addresses onto separate lines in the Name Server Addr. box.