RT-N56U as access point with DIR-655

[sinman02]

Hello all. Hope I can get some info and advice here regarding this... I'm not a network engineer so forgive me if I'm not using all the proper terminology. I just ordered the RT-N56U from amazon. I'm hoping to use it primarily to extend the wireless range in my three level home where the connection and cable modem comes in through the basement. I currently have a wired connection to most of my bandwidth hogs but I couldn't get every room hard wired so I have to rely on my wifi connection for these areas. My dir-655 does an adequate job giving me enough bandwidth for basic tasks but not enough to stream video to my second floor master bedroom where I don't have a hard wire connection. I'm hoping to use one of these routers as a wired access point to extend the wifi from my basement by connecting it to my gigabit ethernet connection in my office on the second floor. I'm hoping that doing so will enable me to get enough wifi bandwidth to my master bedroom.

Given all the extra features of the RT-N56U, is it better to use it as my primary router in the basement to take advantage of all the features? i.e. If I use the RT-N56U as the access point, will I still be able to use features like print sharing (my printers are in my office), NAS, ftp, media server, HW acceration (for devices connected directly)? One reason that I may want to use the RT as the access point is that it only provides 16 MAC filters whereas the DIR has 24. Another is that I don't think the DIR has an access point mode so setting it up as one would make me lose a connection port on the switch. Lastly the DIR doesn't have print server function so I would lose that if the RT was in the basement (My printers don't have networking capabilities).

Thanks.

 

[sinman02]

nothing???

 

[stevech]

To cover three levels in your home, you will likely need a second WiFi device, located on the 2nd or 3rd level. This is functionally an Access Point (AP), as an adjunct to your main WiFi router. Any WiFi router can be re-purposed as an AP, or you can purchase an AP. Place the AP and connect it to the WiFi Router via (1) cat5 cable if possible; (2) a pair of HPNA devices that move your LAN from the WiFi router to the AP's location via home power wiring; (3) MoCA, same as HPNA but via TV coax cable in the walls. See the MoCA/HPNA section in this forum.

You might also try placing the WiFi router on the middle floor of course, but typically you'll have a weak signal in the lowest level doing it this way.