Can I use a second router to relay/boost signal?

Hi,

I have 2 Billion 7300GX routers. At the moment I'm only using one and this connects to internet, ethernet and one wireless connection.

My question is, can I position the second router closer to the wireless connection and use it as a relay/signal booster for the wireless connection?

I don't really have any clue how to do this or even if it is possible. My hunch would be to set the primary router as a network gateway. Am I on the right track here? Is it possible?

Any help would be appreciated.

Flanders said:

Hi,

I have 2 Billion 7300GX routers. At the moment I'm only using one and this connects to internet, ethernet and one wireless connection.

My question is, can I position the second router closer to the wireless connection and use it as a relay/signal booster for the wireless connection?

I don't really have any clue how to do this or even if it is possible. My hunch would be to set the primary router as a network gateway. Am I on the right track here? Is it possible?

Any help would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

Yes you can.
What you need:
1. Log into both routers click on configuration --> LAN -- > Wireless, write down the wireless MAC address on the right on both of the routers.
2. Disable security on both routers.

Do the following:
1 St router configuration: (IP Address 192.168.1.254)

1. Click on configuration --> LAN -- > Wireless, on the right hand side scroll until you see WDS, enable it.
2. Enter the wireless MAC address of the 2nd router in the first slot.
3. Click APPLY
4. Save config

2nd router configuration: (IP Address 192.168.1.253)

1. Click on configuration --> LAN -- > Wireless, on the right hand side scroll until you see WDS, enable it.
2. Enter the wireless MAC address of the 1st router in the first slot.
3. Click APPLY
4. Click on Configuration --> LAN --> DHCP server --> Select DHCP Relay Agent and enter the 1st router's IP address (192.168.1.254)
5. Click Apply
6. Save Config

Things to note:

1. The wireless security must be WEP on both routers and must be the same password when you enable it again.
2. You can make the SSID and channel numbers the same if you want "roaming" between the two routers.
3. The first and second router's IP address must not be the same. Make the 1st router 192.168.1.254 and the second 192.168.1.253.

Hi Snormossel,

Thanks for the help on this. I only got around to trying this today and I think I'm almost there but I'm still having a problem and I think it has to do with the wireless MAC addresses.

Where you say "Enter the wireless MAC address of the 2nd router in the first slot" - is this the MAC address listed in Configuration>LAN>Wireless - AP MAC Address or the MAC address listed under Advanced - Device Information - MAC address?

Right now I have the wireless pc hooked up to the second router with a good strong signal but I cannot browse. (I have channel and SSID different on router no.2 as I don't want "roaming").

Hi again,

I've got bigger problems than I thought. Been tearing my hair out trying to get this working.

The netgear wireless adapter will not connect to the second router. The router is showing a good strong signal but after following these instructions, I cannot get an address assigned on this network. I've tried going through everything incrementally to catch where the problem occurs and here's what I get.

On second router:

-Apply new IP address: no problem
-Assign new SSID: no problem
-Assign new channel: no problem
-Apply WDS check: no problem
-Apply MAC address to WDS field: no problem although I'm still confused about this (please refer to my previous post)
-Apply DHCP Relay Agent: HERE'S WHERE THE PROBLEM COMES IN

As soon as I do this, go back to my available networks and try to connect to this network, it will not assign a network address and the netgear device just keeps scanning through the channels in a cycle.

Please help.

Flanders said:

Where you say "Enter the wireless MAC address of the 2nd router in the first slot" - is this the MAC address listed in Configuration>LAN>Wireless - AP MAC Address or the MAC address listed under Advanced - Device Information - MAC address?

Click to expand...

It will be the one listed under Configuration>LAN>Wireless - AP MAC Address

Right now I have the wireless pc hooked up to the second router with a good strong signal but I cannot browse. (I have channel and SSID different on router no.2 as I don't want "roaming").

Click to expand...

What is your IP that you get when you connect to the second router?

The netgear wireless adapter will not connect to the second router. The router is showing a good strong signal but after following these instructions, I cannot get an address assigned on this network. I've tried going through everything incrementally to catch where the problem occurs and here's what I get.

Click to expand...

You wont be able to connect to the second router if the WDS is not working between the router's. The second router cannot get an IP from the 1st router and cannot relay anything. (If you put a static IP on your PC you would be able to connect to it, but wont be able to browse because WDS aint working.)

On second router:

-Apply new IP address: no problem
-Assign new SSID: no problem
-Assign new channel: no problem
-Apply WDS check: no problem
-Apply MAC address to WDS field: no problem although I'm still confused about this (please refer to my previous post)

Click to expand...

Make sure that the WDS is set up correctly and you can ping both routers.
The MAC address must be entered as follows on both routers: 00:04:ED:0E:E4:F5

-Apply DHCP Relay Agent: HERE'S WHERE THE PROBLEM COMES IN

Click to expand...

This will only work once the WDS is working.

Hi again, Snormossel.

I've applied the MAC addresses as per your advice with the AP MAC address on both routers. Now I'm getting a little bit further but still not resolved. Now I can connect to the second router instead of Netgear scanning through the channels and never getting anywhere. It takes longer to connect than before but eventually does connect. It says it's connected as though address is assigned but only stays that way for a second or two and then it gives "limited or no connectivity status" but at least is connected to the router.

Snormossel said:

What is your IP that you get when you connect to the second router?

Click to expand...

Before applying the DHCP setting, the IP is 192.168.1.101. Once I have the DHCP relay setting in place, it gives me the ol' 0.0.0.0.

PS. At this point I have still not re-applied any security to the network at all. The network is completely unsecure with 'admin' passwords on both routers. Will this make a difference? I ask because I notice the message:

** WDS depends on the settings of main security encrption type. **

Click to expand...

You have a PM

Snormossel, thanks a million for going out of your way to help me with this.

It's still not working but I'm getting there - slowly! Seems that after all the missioning, NETGEAR doesn't like the new setup. It's very strange. Netgear adapter would not even pick up router2's signal at all. After reinstalling the NETGEAR software, I get a good strong signal showing router1 network and if I turn router no.2 off, then I still see the router1 network, it just drops in signal strength (which is correct - it means that it picks up both routers on router1 SSID) except now, I get a completely new and unique problem. The network is shown as secure (this is correct) but as soon as I try and connect (here it should be asking me for the WEP key), windows says "detecting network type" then times out and tells me that the network is no longer valid and is probably out of range, please refresh for list of networks.

At this point I reinstalled the netgear software again and elected to let the netgear wizard manage my connections. This time I am able to connect to the router1 network on router no.2 except am unable to browse.

Something I am unsure of: I am not sure that my last change on router no.2 was saved to flash. The final change we made was to the DHCP setting. I can't remember what we changed there (I think it's supposed to be set to relay with the 254 address) but have tried it in all modes and I still get no joy. I keep chipping away and let you know if I have any luck.

Thanks again, man. I owe you a night's worth of beer!

Cheers