Non-Wireless Router or Switch With Cable Modem?

[amtbr]

I'm not sure if the title accurately describes my issue. I have a closet that has my internet into the house (comcast coax) and also is a centralized location for cat 5 cabling. Right now I have my cable modem and router in the closet (Asus A68U). The router is also connected to the cat 5 cabling giving me internet in other areas of the house. I want to take the router out of the closet and place it in another room with an Ethernet port. It is not feasible to run ethernet cable out of the closet. I believe I will get more reliable wifi if I can get the router in a spot where it is not so impeded by walls.

How do I set this up? Do I need a switch in the closet? Or some kind of router that will not emit a wireless signal, just route the traffic? How will I need to setup my router, just like a normal or will I need to change specific settings?

Thank you!

 

[degrub]

if it is working now as you wish and the only issue is the location of the wireless, just get a wireless AP (AC version preferably match the existing) or another Asus A68U (in AP mode) and connect it to a port in a room where you think it would help the most. Set it up on a different wireless channel (1, 6 , or 11)with the same SSID as the existing wireless.

Otherwise, yes you will need an unmanaged gigabit switch, full duplex, number of ports matching number of cables (you can start with an 8 port if you want). plug in the ISP LAN out port to a port on the switch and the rest of the cables as well. Plug in your Asus wherever in the house you think best and see if it helps.

 

[ColinTaylor]

plug in the ISP LAN out port to a port on the switch and the rest of the cables as well. Plug in your Asus wherever in the house you think best and see if it helps.

That won't work because he said the ISP equipment is a cable modem not a router, so it is the Asus that is providing the LAN connections. As you said, buying a wireless AP seems to be the simplest option.

 

[amtbr]

I think I figured it out, I am going to use an old N66U I have laying around in the closet and turn off the wireless bands, then setup my A68U in another part of the house as an access point. I am going to put the A68U about 20 feet from the N66U, I want to do this because I have a smart tv, steam link, etc...out in the living room I want to hardwire through the A68U. Practically, it seems better to have the A68U out in the open since it is more powerful and if I turn off the wireless on the N66U I won't have to worry about handoffs between the two, given the close proximity.

My question is - will my A68U work as an access point if my N66U has the wireless off? Will this idea work?

 

[ColinTaylor]

My question is - will my A68U work as an access point if my N66U has the wireless off? Will this idea work?

That sounds like a good compromise. I'm assuming that when you say A68U you really mean RT-AC68U?

The RT-AC68U is a much more capable wireless device and there should be no problems running in Access Point mode. The only downside I can think of is with the RT-N66U as your router. The slower CPU in the RT-N66U will become a limiting factor if you use QOS, VPN, or IPTraffic monitoring.

 

[amtbr]

That sounds like a good compromise. I'm assuming that when you say A68U you really mean RT-AC68U?

The RT-AC68U is a much more capable wireless device and there should be no problems running in Access Point mode. The only downside I can think of is with the RT-N66U as your router. The slower CPU in the RT-N66U will become a limiting factor if you use QOS, VPN, or IPTraffic monitoring.

Yeah sorry, AC68U...I'll give this idea a whirl. Thanks for the input.