Routing Guidance - Connecting 2 Routers

pallys · 2 Jul 2013 at 15:52

Hi, I'm hoping someone who is familiar with network routing can help me.
I'm specifically trying to connect 2 routers in different locations of my house and the clients on each router seeing each other's devices.

I've drawn the following diagram to help.

Problem 1: Devices connected to the Linksys router cannot see devices connected to the ADSL Modem router. However if I connect with my wireless laptop than I can see devices on both routers. It is as if with a wireless connection both routers are bridged together, but not if hard wired into the RJ45 ports.

Problem 2: My PC will only connect to the Linksys router if I add a 2nd homeplug to the router. I want to get rid of the 2nd homeplug on the Linksys because it doesn't make sense to me that 1 router needs 2 homeplugs.

I've setup a DMZ on the ADSL Router to connect the 2 routers but I think this is not the best way to connect the 2 routers. I want all my devices to see each other as 1 seamless network. ADSL router is connected to the WAN port of the Linksys WRT54GL.

I think I need to configure a static route but not sure in my assumption, or how to do it.
Here is my current routing table on the Linksys router (which has a tomato derivative firmware which is very similar to dd-wrt).

Some more settings:

Update: I want the Linksys Router to be master of the LAN, and the ADSL Modem Router to accept and share the internet and act as an access point including wireless. The ADSL Modem Router is a Technicolor TG 582n router from TescoBB.

HecFam · 2 Jul 2013 at 15:57

They should be on the same local network, so where the ADSL modem is plugged into the Wan port, it should be plugged into port 1,2,3 or 4 and leave the WAN untouched i believe. Thats how i had it with the wan, but was told to stick it in the local port.

That does mean one device will be sacrificed for its port, so you may need a switch...

I assume the homeplugs are the same make? The home plug in port one of the adsl should be able to give out signal to the router homeplug and the PC homeplug, assuming they are capable of multiple connections and the wiring and distance between them is suitable.

drizzy · 2 Jul 2013 at 16:42

Don't understand why you have the second router - why not just a switch?

Also, had a look at this dummy tomato GUI here: http://victek.is-a-geek.com/virtual/tomatok26/basic-network.html

Can you set WAN/Internet to disabled and then 'Use WAN port for LAN'? Then disable DHCP on the tomato router and clients on Router2 should get their IP from Router1 - essentially turning Router2 into a wireless AP/switch

Attu90 · 2 Jul 2013 at 17:10

As drizzy said, disable DHCP on one device allowing the one with DHCP enabled to take control of the IP's for the whole network.

I have Virgin HUB (DHCP enabled wireless disabled) > 8 port switch > 8 port switch > Linksys router (DHCP disabled, wireless enabled) 14 things connected the network and all assign perfectly.

ots3go · 2 Jul 2013 at 17:12

Do you need two separate subnets?

Deleted member 77746 · 2 Jul 2013 at 22:07

Switch required not a router. Is there a reason why you require another router?

On Holiday · 2 Jul 2013 at 23:54

pallys · 3 Jul 2013 at 12:45

YarwoodUK said:
@pallys
Sorry, somewhat unrelated, but I'm looking for a new router with good QoS / Bandwidth limiting..
Is it possible to limit an individual device with that firmware you're using? i.e. wifi devices less than 40kb/s maximum download etc etc.

Yes.

mrbell1984 said:
Switch required not a router. Is there a reason why you require another router?

drizzy said:
Don't understand why you have the second router - why not just a switch?

Also, had a look at this dummy tomato GUI here: http://victek.is-a-geek.com/virtual/tomatok26/basic-network.html

Can you set WAN/Internet to disabled and then 'Use WAN port for LAN'? Then disable DHCP on the tomato router and clients on Router2 should get their IP from Router1 - essentially turning Router2 into a wireless AP/switch

I've just realised that I want the Linksys router to control the LAN and give out IP's because with the tomato firmware it allows me me control/monitoring that my rubbish ADSL Modem/Router from TescoBB doesn't do. I also still need wireless enabled on both routers because of coverage, the Linksys won't each all the rooms upstairs.

I don't have the use 'WAN port for LAN', but I think I can use that from the VLAN area on my firmware below.

I really need the ADSL Modem/Router to still take the ADSL line but become a switch, so that everything connected to it is seen as a connected device on the Linksys which I want to be the master of the LAN so to speak so I can use its advanced features like BW throttling/monitoring. (homeplugs are all the same model).

Is this possible? If so point me in the right direction and I'll have a play with the settings. The ADSL Modem Router is a Technicolor TG 582n.

skyripper · 3 Jul 2013 at 12:58

Put the ADSL connection details into your Tomato router. Move that to your Dining room.
Use DHCP, traffic management etc. on that.

Move the TescoBB router to the other position. Turn off DHCP on this.

Connect using HomePlug from one router to the other. Use just the LAN ports on your Tesco router, whack some tape over the WAN port.

Everything will then be on the same network.

EDIT: This was assuming the Linksys was ADSL capable. If it has a WAN port (ie. Cable Modem usage not ADSL usage) - this won't help you.

ippe · 3 Jul 2013 at 13:10

I haven't used Tomato before but I know on some routers you can tag a VLAN to a device via its MAC address (this way you could manage BW on devices that are not directly connected). If you can do that turn DHCP off on the TescoBB router and have it serve only as the internet gateway, then let the Linksys serve as the 'master of the LAN'.