Networking – Home network setup with 2wire router, Linksys WRT54GL router and Linksys repeater

home-networkingmodemnetworkingrepeater

I'll preface this by saying forgive me. I'm far from expert on this topic so I may get some of the terminology wrong.

I'm trying to setup a home network and am having some difficulty. Here's the scenario. I have an AT&T DSL feed to my office, which is detached from the main house. I would like wired and wireless network access in office. I would like wireless (and wired if possible) connectivity in the main house. I would also like file sharing between all clients on the network. It is an old house and I believe the construction severely limits the range of the wireless signal. So I am running a CAT 5 cable from the office to the house. Here is the equipment I have:

  • 2wire modem (issued from AT&T). My understanding is that this serves as a modem, router and wireless access point

  • Linksys WRT54gl (I have flashed with DD-WRT, so I can tweak the settings of this some. BTW, I've tried upping the power to allow connectivity in the house to no avail)

  • Linksys repeater (I don't have the model number with me, but it's a cheepy that has one connection port. This port can be used as either a wired connection to the network, or it can receive its connection wirelessly. It then repeats the signal wirelessly and/or through the connection port).

These components can be mixed and matched as needed to provide the best results. The only fixed thing is that the 2wire must remain in the office.

My thought is that I can use the 2wire for both a wired and wireless access point in the office. The cable from the house to the office can connect the WRT54gl to the 2wire. The WRT54gl can then be used as a wired and wireless access point in the house. Lastly, the repeater can be placed elsewhere in the house to repeat the signal and provide better coverage in the house.

First, is this a good configuration? If not, what might be a better configuration?

Second, what settings apply to each of these components? This is where my knowledge really breaks down. I have an idea of what bridging a modem is and the difference between static and dynamic IP addresses is. But when it comes down to setting the configuration of each component, I am pretty lost.

Any detailed help that can be provided would be very much appreciated.

Best Answer

use the 2wire modem/access point in the office.

set up the WRT54gl as follows:

  1. Change internal ip address from 192.168.1.1 to be on the same subnet that the 2wire modem gives out, but not the exact same address as the 2wire device. This will be something like 192.168.0.2 or even 192.168.1.2.
  2. Disable the DHCP server
  3. Connect a lan port on the 2wire device to a lan port on the WRT54gl. Do not use the wan port on the WRT54gl.

plug the other device in wherever you want, you probably won't need it though.

If you just connect the wan port on the WRT54gl to the 2wire device, things will appear to work, but file sharing will not work right. You will have 2 networks and any hosts on the house network will not be visible from the office.

Related Question