Wireless networking help

[Swoopie]

Hi,

I have a Bluray player downstairs, which allows me to connect it to the internet via a RJ45 cable, and also another appliance that allows use of the RJ45 cable.

What I already have is my router (wireless) + modem upstairs, but I really don't want to run 2 cables from upstairs downstairs, what I would like to do is to some how have a wireless point downstairs which these 2 appliances can connect to, and the point connects to my router, therefore no cables running upstairs to downstairs.

I believe I can do this with an access point, but they only have 1 RJ45 port (well the ones I have been looking at)

Would I be wise just getting another router and setting that up? I am wanting to do it today, and the only router I can get hold off atm is just a cheapish one from argos ( http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...hTerms=6750385 ) OR the netgear WGR614

Now if I brought this, would it work the way I am intending it to (well after I setup the router to become a bridge/access point?)

Thanks alot.

[Hom3r]

You may be able to connect an access point to a wireless router and link this to another router.

[caph]

In short yes. Two wifi routers (no access points) will do what you want BUT make sure your existing router and the new router definitely support bridge mode (or point to point, point to multi-point, or WDS). You are quite right that access points on the whole only have one RJ45. I guess there's just no room in the market between access point and router.

The wireless is always on the LAN side of a router so basically you'll only be plugging cables in to the LAN ports on your new router. The WAN side will remain unused.

I've had this working with various Edimax wireless access points and a Draytek cable router and a no-name Tawianese ADSL router. The only problems I've had is with security. In my current setup I've had to drop the access points back to WEP 128 even though I've got both WPA and WPA2 working fine on my router in access point mode. Some sort of compatibility issue I guess. I can't say for definite that it will work with your exact router and the exact router you intend to buy but in my limited experience, compatibility in bridge mode has been very good across different brands.

[oliver1948uk]

Would a Linksys WET54G do it? It connects by ethernet to, for example, a BluRay player and then wirelessly to your router.

I have one. It was a sod to set up (had to phone India) but now works well

Link

[Dai]

If you add an access point that will bridge across to your existing router then that will carry the connection to the downstairs area. Add a cheap switch into the one RJ45 port which will give you extra ports available. The original router will still be handling DHCP so all the systems connected through the switch should get IP addresses correctly.

[Swoopie]

Sorted it, brought an WGR614 and used WDS, works a treat, got the BluRay player and Sky+HD connected to it currently. Now to figure out what the ethernet port on the Sky+HD Box is for :o)

[caph]

Originally Posted by oliver1948uk

Would a Linksys WET54G do it? It connects by ethernet to, for example, a BluRay player and then wirelessly to your router.

Quite right Oliver, I assumed the router would have a 4-port hub/switch which in this case was incorrect. I should have checked before posting.

Swoopie, I'm glad you got a 4 port router in the end otherwise you may well have had a bone to pick with me! Did you manage to bridge with WPA security OK?

[Swoopie]

It would only allow me to setup with WEP only, so I've had to manualy add MAC address to be allowed to connect wirelessly.

[Jonnymeg]

I am curious why you would even want to do this.

The SKY HD port is not used.

[Swoopie]

It wasn't intended for Sky in the first place but with the extra ports there, why not just put it in anyway just incase it's used in the future hmmm.