How to pair wired & wireless routers

[dalcini]

Hello all, new here. Love the site! I am in need of more than the four ports provided by my Asus RT-N56u - so it seems like adding a wired router would be the solution. Should I get a router or a switch? What is the best way to pair this with my wireless? Should I set the wired router as dhcp server and the wireless N56u as an access point?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!



(backstory): Up to last month, I had UltraTv service from my cable provider (Wowway), which included a wireless router/DVR. I configured my N56U as an access point off of it - but it never worked well. After cancelling the tv portion, the wireless DVR was replaced with a cable modem. Now I actually get better wifi reception thorughout the house. So I'm not sure if the problem was wireless interference between the two units (about 30 feet apart, separated by 1 wall, channels 6 and 11) or because of the "notoriously" bad all-in-one cable provider wireless box. My suspicion is the latter. In any case, this has made me wary of adding a second wireless unit to the network.

 

[microchip]

if you need to make your network as simple as possible and wired is more important than wireless, I'd use switches. If you also need to extend not only wired but wireless as well, then use routers as APs (and you can connect extra switches if the 4 ports of the APs are not enough)

 

[fistv]

Depends on how deep your pockets are, I like the Cisco 891W but new is over a grand and they are not just power on and it works.
Your router is relatively new, I'd just go pick up a like a GB 24 port TP Link switch and call it good or pickup a newer router, the switch and turn the Asus RT-N56u into an AP. Personally I prefer the dedicated router non wireless approach, you can always upgrade the wireless as stand alone items.

 

[dalcini]

Thanks for the advice guys. So if I only need extra ports near my wifi router, a switch behind the router will do. However, if I decide to move my wifi router to a remote location in my home (attic, etc), then a wired router would be necessary to serve as the gateway to the WAN, and I would connect the wifi router to it as an AP. (I've read that a switch is *basically* a router without the ability to connect the LAN to a WAN.) Have I got all this correct?

Also, I'm having a bit of difficulty understanding the advantages of a switch over a wired (or even wireless) router for the same price. Is it because they don't make many routers with more than 4 ports? I know I'd like a wifi router with 8 but the pickings are slim - which is why I'm here looking for advice. Just trying to understand if I would be better off adding a more mass produced (therefore cheaper) wired (or even wireless) router for an additional 4 ports - or if a switch still offers a performance/value advantage somewhere.

Thanks again!

 

[stevech]

Thanks for the advice guys. So if I only need extra ports near my wifi router, a switch behind the router will do. However, if I decide to move my wifi router to a remote location in my home (attic, etc), then a wired router would be necessary to serve as the gateway to the WAN, and I would connect the wifi router to it as an AP. (I've read that a switch is *basically* a router without the ability to connect the LAN to a WAN.) Have I got all this correct?

Also, I'm having a bit of difficulty understanding the advantages of a switch over a wired (or even wireless) router for the same price. Is it because they don't make many routers with more than 4 ports? I know I'd like a wifi router with 8 but the pickings are slim - which is why I'm here looking for advice. Just trying to understand if I would be better off adding a more mass produced (therefore cheaper) wired (or even wireless) router for an additional 4 ports - or if a switch still offers a performance/value advantage somewhere.

Thanks again!

Always use a switch to get more ports. Not a router.
A switch is kind of like an AC power strip.. just a bunch of sockets - dumb. It's called a switch because internally, it takes care of moving packets from one port to the correct destination port. Packets going to the Internet go to the port that is connected to your router. And so on.

Each home local area network(LAN) should have but one router. You can but don't need the complexities of 2+ LANs, each with a different range of addresses, and one router per LAN, and all kinds of hassles setting up for inter-LAN traffic passing (static routes). This is often naively done by cascading a router: connecting router #2's WAN port to router #1's LAN port. Don't do that.

To improve coverage, add an access point (AP). The AP connects to your router or to a switch that is connected to your router.

There are "routers" sold that can be configured as a router, an AP, or other things. When in AP mode, it is an AP, no matter what the labels say.

Some reading:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...onvert-a-wireless-router-into-an-access-point

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...w-to-add-an-access-point-to-a-wireless-router

My add-on access point has long been an ASUS RT-N12. It services downstairs, iPad, Android phone, RPi, etc.