Wireless Between 2 Routers?

Just moved a PC and an old IBM laptop (used as a print server) into the upstairs spare bedroon to create a study.

The O2 box IV router is connected to the master socket downstairs.

Is it possible to connect the 2 computers via ethernet, upstairs, to my old O2 box II router and access the downstairs router wirelessly?

If so, what settings on both routers are required?

I will, in the fullness of time, be trying to get an ethernet connection from downstairs to upstairs.

You can, but it will be low perforformance and use WEP security at best.

I'm sure if any hacker wanted to access my network they could.

Have a look here

http://beusergroup.co.uk/technotes/index.php?title=WDS

You could also consider homeplugs to connect the routers (better option IMHO although not as good as ethernet)

Edited by IanBB (Sun 20-May-12 06:48:18)

Thanks for that. Will have a bash tomorrow.

Tried the instructions but the GUI is not the same as the Thomson. Looks like the normal O2 box II interface and I can't see any reference to WDS.

Dunno what the current O2 boxes do but any old DD-WRT or OpenWRT router would do the job fine, and you can get 300mbps wireless N ones off ebay for less than £10. delivered.

Pair of those and you'll be able to keep full security and performance will max out the 100mbps network ports if the signal is good.

The WDS configuration has been removed from the GUI in later versions of the firmware.

Telnet commands can be found here http://npr.me.uk/wds.html

Thanks IanBB.

After carrying out the instructions I managed to get the 2 routers to link via ethernet and can ethernet to the laptop.

When I disconnect the ethernet between the 2 routers (still having the laptop connected to the slave router) and attempt to connect wirelessly then nothing happens.

The icon in the system tray says connected to router (slave) but "no internet connection".

Is it just a case of setting up WDS and same wireless details on both routers and off we go or is there an extra step I've missed?

Both routers have WEP set and same key and same channel. Should the default gateway on the slave be different to the main router or not? The "setting up of thomson routers" page doesn't show a change in the gateway address.

Thanks for help so far.

Try everything with NO encryption at the start
Then add encryption once it's working.

Otherwise you can be messing with all the settings when the actual problems the encryption.

Default gateway should be different as far as I'm aware but still within the same IP range

When linked via ethernet they are not using WDS. This is wireless only solution.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Thu 24-May-12 13:58:54)