How do I use a Wireless Cable/DSL Router as a Switch with an Access Point (or a Wired Router as a passive Switch)?

Note: If you would like to use a None Wireless Router as a passive switch you can use the same type of configuration as described in this page

Entry Level Wireless Cable/DSL Routers cost less than Entry Level Access Points. Access Points are more expensive since less of them are used by the general public, and they are able to provide several Wireless configuration modes as oppose to Wireless Routers that are usually set fix to Gateway Mode. 

See here:  Wireless Hardware - Communication Modes

Over 95% of users need only the gateway Mode, using a Wireless Router as an Access Point can save a substantial amount of money. .

 But you already have a Wireless Cable/DSL Router, and want to use it as an  Access Point and  or a secondary switch.

The process should be as follow:

First Step:  Plug a  single computer to the second Router (make sure that the computer is configured to obtain DHCP automatically from the Router), change the IP address of the Router so that it's in the same subnet as the main Router (the one that is connected to the Internet Modem); give it an IP that doesn’t conflict with the main router's base IP address, or the DHCP server range.  This will ensure that you can reach the admin server of the old router from any LAN machine, and that the Wireless Clients IPs are assigned correctly.

Example:

- Main Router’s base address is 192.168.1.1, with a DHCP server range of 192.168.1.100  to 192.168.1.150

- Set the Cable/DSL Router to (the one you're using as an Access Point) base address to any IP address between 192.168.1.151 to 192.168.1.250 

Second Step:  Switch Off the DHCP on the Wireless Cable/DSL Router, and set to Off any filters or special settings that is On if it is used as the main Router.

Plug the Wireless Router to the main Router. Regular Port to Regular Port, using crossover cable (or straight patch if one port is an Uplink).

 The WAN input of the Wireless Router should stay open. 

  Do not connect any thing to the WAN input.

The LAN’s computers (wired or wireless) should get the IP from one Router only.   

If  DHCP in on one Router make sure that it  set to provide amount of IPs  that totals the whole system.

The second Router has to act as a passive switch.

The result of this arrangement will be a wired Network with wired ports equal to the sum of the two Routers ports – 2, (i.e. two Routers with 4 ports each will yield 6 available wired ports), and a Wireless capacity.

Unfortunately I can not give more detailed instructions.  Each manufacture has his own "Shticks" to go about their hardware settings.  Each one has his way of organizing the Menus, and assign labels.  Reading the Hardware Manuals is essential in order to know how to set correctly the hardware.

Using the above method makes sure that you have one coherent Network that shares Internet connection and Files.

A second Router can be use differently to create (for security purposes) two independent Networks, see this page for instructions: http://www.ezlan.net/shield.html

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