2 Wireless Routers and a wireless Bridge help

Ok hope I am detailed as possible and dont confuse anyone =)

I have a verizon modem connected to a linksys wrt54g v5 G router, its
in our parents room. Now I had bought a new Linksys N wireless Router
for my room which I have devices hooked up (PS3,Wii, Apple TV, and my
Netgear Storage, and my laptop), well I wanted to hook up my router in
my room to access the internet in my parents room, but no funds for a
bridge, and sadly my linksys WRT54G is v5 so no tomato or DD-WRT can
be installed to act as a bridge. But I did have a wireless G music
bridge, so I hooked it up and it worked!! But the connection keeps
dropping...so here is my question.

Do I need to set both routers to act as a DHCP server? and do I need
to change the internet connection type from (automatically
configurtaion-DHCP) to an actual ip address?

As of right now I need to connect the cable from the music bridge to
the (WAN) input behind my N wireless router and renew the ip address
then hook it back up to a ethernet port usually 4.

ANy help would be great!!! sorry for the long novel.

On Nov 7, 8:12*pm, queequee...@gmail.com wrote:
> Ok hope I am detailed as possible and dont confuse anyone =)
>
> I have a verizon modem connected to a linksys wrt54g v5 G router, its
> in our parents room. Now I had bought a new Linksys N wireless Router
> for my room which I have devices hooked up (PS3,Wii, Apple TV, and my
> Netgear Storage, and my laptop), well I wanted to hook up my router in
> my room to access the internet in my parents room, but no funds for a
> bridge, and sadly my linksys WRT54G is v5 so no tomato or DD-WRT can
> be installed to act as a bridge.

Are you sure about that? I seem to remember seeing that they worked
out the fix and you can flash a micro or mini DD-WRT version after
doing something to the VXworks firmware. Go to DDWRT.com wiki and
check. I think they can do V5,6,7,8 now.


But I did have a wireless G music
> bridge, so I hooked it up and it worked!! But the connection keeps
> dropping...so here is my question.
>
> Do I need to set both routers to act as a DHCP server? and do I need
> to change the internet connection type from (automatically
> configurtaion-DHCP) to an actual ip address?
>

I have the second router (behind the bridge) just act as an AP/switch
and pass it on to the main router. That way everything is on the same
subnet and there should be less confusion.


> As of right now I need to connect the cable from the music bridge to
> the (WAN) input behind my N wireless router and renew the ip address
> then hook it back up to a ethernet port usually 4.
>
> ANy help would be great!!! sorry for the long novel.


Yes, give router #2 a LAN address in the main subnet if using it as an
AP/switch. Connect the bridge to a LAN port on the 2nd router.
This is the simpler setup and just uses the bridge and 2nd router as
an extension of one subnet. WAN side or router #2 is ignored.

I guess that the other configuration would be to give it or let it be
assigned a WAN address (?) and keep it connected through the WAN port
to the bridge. In that case it would be used with it's DHCP on for a
different subnet. Firewall off?

Steve

On Fri, 7 Nov 2008 18:12:45 -0800 (PST), queequeeg78@gmail.com wrote:

>but no funds for a
>bridge, and sadly my linksys WRT54G is v5 so no tomato or DD-WRT can
>be installed to act as a bridge.

Wrong. I have DD-WRT mini installed on several WRT54G v5 and one v8.
I had problems with v23 on v5, but v24 SP1 works perfectly. However,
I don't use it for a wireless router. I use these for client wireless
bridges, which is what I think you want for your PS3, Wii, etc. It
would require that you buy a better wireless router, but good routers
are not that expensive. If you want to save money and disappointment,
just an ordinary 802.11g router will do fine. You can probably live
without MIMO and other enhanced modes, which are really all about
speed, not range, or interior wall penetration. No clue if this fits
into your plans.

> Now I had bought a new Linksys N wireless Router

Maker and model of the Linksys N wireless router? Linksys makes
several. Incidentally, before you blunder onward with your testing,
be sure to check the Linksys web pile for the latest firmware.
Firmware updates tend to fix some connection problems and is generally
a good idea. Same with your other wireless hardware.

>But I did have a wireless G music
>bridge,

Maker and model of the music bridge?

>so I hooked it up and it worked!! But the connection keeps
>dropping...so here is my question.

Distance between WRT54G and this "music bridge".
Number of inside walls that you're trying to penetrate?
Wall constructions? (Paper, plastic, steel, or concrete?)
Type of antennas involved? Any reflectors?
Check for interefence (site survey)? Try different channels.

>Do I need to set both routers to act as a DHCP server?

No. There should be exactly one DHCP server in the system. At this
time, it's probably your existing WRT54G v5.

You may be confused with DHCP server and client. The WRT54G router is
the servers. The other devices, including your wireless music bridge,
are all DHCP clients.

>and do I need
>to change the internet connection type from (automatically
>configurtaion-DHCP) to an actual ip address?

No. DHCP (automatic) configuration is fine, as long as it properly
obtains an IP adress from the WRT54G DHCP server. You might test this
by temporarily relocating the bridge in the same room as the WRT54G.

>As of right now I need to connect the cable

What cable? Ethernet cable?

>from the music bridge to
>the (WAN) input behind my N wireless router and renew the ip address
>then hook it back up to a ethernet port usually 4.

Huh? I thought you said that it worked? My guess(tm) is that you
don't have enough signal to run the wireless bridge. It might be too
much distance or too many walls in between. Hard to tell from here.

>ANy help would be great!!! sorry for the long novel.

Hint: Makers, models, numbers, details.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Nov 8, 10:53*am, Jeff Liebermann <je...@cruzio.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 7 Nov 2008 18:12:45 -0800 (PST), queequee...@gmail.com wrote:

>
> >and do I need
> >to change the internet connection type from (automatically
> >configurtaion-DHCP) to an actual ip address?
>
> No. *DHCP (automatic) configuration is fine, as long as it properly
> obtains an IP adress from the WRT54G DHCP server. *You might test this
> by temporarily relocating the bridge in the same room as the WRT54G.
>

Jeff, don't you think it's better to assign an IP for the bridge and
AP/switch in a setup like this? I know that at the least, going in
to check the interface of these devices is a lot easier if their
address is not changing all the time. For example, I set the main
router at xxx.1, various APs at .2, .3, .4 and then I can put them in
my favorites and go check on each one in a single click.

It also seems neater to keep them outside of the range of the DHCP
pool as well, gives a little added clarity for the administrator...

Steve

On Sun, 9 Nov 2008 08:25:17 -0800 (PST), seaweedsl
<seaweedsteve@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Nov 8, 10:53*am, Jeff Liebermann <je...@cruzio.com> wrote:
>> On Fri, 7 Nov 2008 18:12:45 -0800 (PST), queequee...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>>
>> >and do I need
>> >to change the internet connection type from (automatically
>> >configurtaion-DHCP) to an actual ip address?
>>
>> No. *DHCP (automatic) configuration is fine, as long as it properly
>> obtains an IP adress from the WRT54G DHCP server. *You might test this
>> by temporarily relocating the bridge in the same room as the WRT54G.
>>
>
>Jeff, don't you think it's better to assign an IP for the bridge and
>AP/switch in a setup like this?

Yes, it's probably better to use a static IP for a device that doesn't
move around (routers, bridges, print servers, network devices, etc).
The original question was whether it was necessary to use a static IP,
which I answered that it was not necessary.

It's also possible to use a pre-assigned DHCP address, where the
router has a table of MAC addresses and corresponding DHCP
pre-assigned IP addresses (which incidentally does NOT need to be
inside the DHCP assigned address range).

>I know that at the least, going in
>to check the interface of these devices is a lot easier if their
>address is not changing all the time. For example, I set the main
>router at xxx.1, various APs at .2, .3, .4 and then I can put them in
>my favorites and go check on each one in a single click.
>
>It also seems neater to keep them outside of the range of the DHCP
>pool as well, gives a little added clarity for the administrator...
>
>Steve
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Nov 10, 11:14*am, Jeff Liebermann <je...@cruzio.com> wrote:

> The original question was whether it was necessary to use a static IP,
> which I answered that it was not necessary. *
>

Yes, I caught that, just trying to clarify from what works to best
practice.

Steve