Networking Problems

[Frog]

Well here's my problem. I have two wireless routers in my house, due to the fact that one computer room is above my garage, and my Xbox 360 and laptop are in my basement. Anyway, the first router is also my DSL modem. It's a Westell 327W, and it doubles as a wireless router and DSL modem. It's hooked up to my Desktop computer above the garage. Now, a year after we got DSL, we bought a new laptop and an Xbox 360. We didn't want to use WiFi, because it would be too slow, to connect the laptop and 360 to the network, so we ran Ethernet cable down into the basement, and installed another router down here. The Ethernet comes from one of the Ethernet ports on the upstairs router, and connects into the Internet port of the basement router (which is a Linksys WRT54G). The laptop and 360 are connected to the DSL through ethernet ports on the Linksys router. Now, when it came time to share the printer connected to the desktop upstairs, we encountered some problems. We can't seem to get the computers networked. I can ping the upstairs router from the downstairs laptop, as well as the downstairs router, but not the upstairs computer. The requests just time out. From the upstairs computer, I can't ping either the router or the laptop. I have both primary (upstairs) and secondary (downstairs) routers configured using DHCP. The IP address of the upstairs router is 192.168.1.1, and the downstairs router is 192.168.2.1. I had to set up the IP addresses this way to get the Internet up and running on the devices connected to the downstairs router in the first place. I have DHCP server enabled on both routers as well. I'm wondering if this is the reason I can't network the computers. I know this is really complicated but can someone please help!?
Visual of setup
Router A/DSL modem...connected to...Computer A and...Router B...connected to...Laptop and Xbox 360. Printer connected to Computer A.

[DMB2000uk]

I don't know the settings, but you basically want the second downstairs router's DHCP turned OFF.

It might just work normally, or there might be a setting, but you basically want the first upstairs router/modem to be assigning the downstairs kit IPs (So just that one with DHCP active). This will make both 'subnets' on the same IP range, and hopefully clear your printer sharing/ping problems.

Dan

[snowking03]

from my limited knowledge dealing with routers, I believe dmb2000 is correct. I was entertaining the thought of using two routers for a while, mainly one handling wired and then hooking up to a wireless router that would act as an access point.

I believe I determined that you would need dhcp on the second router turned off in order to get them to all work together nicely.

[Frog]

OK, I get that I need to turn off DHCP. Now, in the configuration menu for the router, it has two places associated with DHCP. One is a drop down menu defined as internet connection type, with options such as "Automatic Configuration- DHCP" and PPPoE, and Static IP. Underneath all these options is the section "Network Setup", and there there is an option called DHCP server, with enable and disable options. Should I just turn off the DHCP server, or do I have have to switch the "Internet Connection Type" to something other than "Automatic Configuration- DHCP" like PPPoE or Static IP?

[Topher]

You don't even need the router (or gateway) capabilities being used by your Linksys router downstairs, you only need the built in switch functionality.
By default, your Linksys is going to be set as a Gateway, you can change this to make it act as a router in Advanced routing settings within the web interface.
However, since you only have two devices downstairs needing network connectivity and your Linksys probably has a four or five port switch built in, I here's a really easy workaround for you to try.

First off, disable the DHCP Server option on your Linksys router downstairs.
Next, take the cable that's coming down from upstairs which you currently have plugged into the "internet" port on your Linksys and unplug it from the "internet" port and then plug it into the last port on the linksys (either port 4 or port 5 depening on your higest port number). Leave the internet port on your linksys unused.

now, reboot your two devices downstairs (PC & Xbox).
Test connectivity from downstairs to upstairs. if it works, great you're done.

If it doesn't work, then try unplugging that cable from the last port on your linksys and try it on another port and then reboot your devices again.
Test connectivity.

Bottom line, each of your two routers which have a switch built in should have one uplink port (this is not the internet port). Some routers/switches have it clearly marked or they will have a port which can act as either a standard port or an uplink port and there might be a small button which toggles the port between uplink and standard. Most switches have their uplink as either port 1 or the last port on the switch. Either way, the cable going from one router to the other will need to be plugged into the uplink port on only ONE of the switches, and a standard port on the other.

I hope these suggestions help.

[Frog]

OK, your solution sounds like it would work, but the wireless from the downstairs router is what extends to most of my house. Seems like it turning into a glorified switch would disable the wifi.

[Topher]

The laptop and 360 are connected to the DSL through ethernet ports on the Linksys router.

Well, because of what you said, I thought you were only using the wired connections on it so why would you be concerned with WiFi on the Linksys downstairs?
Regardless, the wifi settings are seperate from the internet connection settings, I can't say for sure, but the linksys should still work as an access point. It shouldn't have to be a DHCP server for this.

My setup at home is a bit different but I do have a second wireless router sitting downstairs in a bag not being used.
I think I'll see if I can get this same situation set up and working on my LAN here and I'll let you know how it goes.

Right now, I have a linksys router upstairs acting as a gateway to my cable modem and an ethernet cable running from the Linksys to a 24 port switch downstairs. The cable going into the basement switch is plugged into the switche's uplink port.

[Frog]

Just for the record, the laptop is hardwired into the router because I game on it once and a while, but I need the WiFi on the router so I can use the Internet on my laptop in places other than right next to the router (such as the living room). So anyway, it seems I should just disable the DHCP server. Thanks a lot!

[Frog]

OK, new problem. I disabled the DHCP server on the downstairs router, and it works fine as long as I'm not using it's WiFi. If I am using WiFi, I can connect, but with "limited or no connectivity" because apparently the WiFi chip in my computer didn't get an IP address from the router. Once again, help!

[DL126]

Oh wait ... just read your last post again.

So a wired connection to the downstairs Linksys gives you Internet access??

But not a wireless connection to the same Linksys??

If this is the case, go into the Linksys router, then go to the wireless setup pages.
Look for, and Disable, AP Isolation.

[Frog]

I don't think anyone has realized that I have the downstairs router on it's own subnet; (which seems to be the only way to get it to work with the other router)192.168.2.1 as opposed to 192.168.1.1. Isn't one of the fundamental rules of networking that you can't communicate between subnets? Anyways I realized I have a very faint connection to the router from upstairs, which is directly hooked into my printer. It's enough to print from, so whenever I want to print I just connect to that wireless connection. Problem solved.

[DMB2000uk]

With the DHCP disabled on the downstairs subnet, will it not work with both routers on the same IP range?

Dan