How to Connect One Router to Another to Expand a Network

How to Connect One Router to Another to Expand a Network

For home and small business networks, there is sometimes a need to expand network capacity. Maybe you are adding more computers or other network devices to your office, or perhaps you would like to improve wireless reception in your basement. A simple way to expand your network capacity is to connect another router to your current network, expanding the ports available and the wireless range if your routers are wireless-enabled. This guide outlines a method that uses your existing router to assign dynamic IPs and uses the second router as an extension.

1. Identify the devices you will be working with. For the purposes of this guide, different crucial network devices will be given names like "Router 1," "Computer 2," etc.

• Your existing router will be referred to as Router 1. You will need at least one free LAN port available on Router 1. Identify the existing IP address of Router 1 and the relevant credentials to log into it with your browser. If your router is wireless-enabled, take note of the ESSID and key for the encryption.
• The router you will be using to extend your network will be called Router 2. Identify its IP address and credentials as well. If it is a new router, this information should be supplied in the provided instruction manuals.
• Identify Computer 1. You will need at least one working Windows, Mac or Linux machine to configure the router settings.
• Identify any other devices that you will need to connect to the network.
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2.Plug in Router 1. Connect your high-speed modem to the WAN port if you have one. Connect Computer 1 using either a wired LAN connection or a WLAN connection.

• Log into the router using your credentials. Check and see what the IP is; most routers default to 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.
• Make sure that DHCP is enabled. This router will be assigning IP addresses to your whole network.
• Test your network connections and internet connection, and make sure that the physical configuration of your network leaves room for one LAN port to be open on Router 1. Do not connect any devices yet.

3.Plug in Router 2 and connect Computer 1 to its LAN. Log into Router 2 by dialing its default IP in a browser and type in the default administrative credentials so you can change some settings.

• You will not be using WAN on this router; no changes need to be made to WAN settings.
• Disable DHCP on this router. You are already using Router 1 to assign IP addresses.
• Configure the IP address for Router 2. Make sure that you are in the same subnet. In most cases this means the numbers before the first three decimal points are the same 192.168.0.?. The only requirement is that it does not share an IP with Router 1; they must have different IP addresses.
• If you are using wireless, configure Router 2's wireless settings to be identical to Router 1. Match the SSID and passkey.

4.Grab an Ethernet cable and connect the open LAN port on Router 1 to the first LAN port on Router 2. Remember not to plug into the WAN port on Router 2
5.Restart Computer 1. Connect all other devices to your network and log your wireless devices into the WLAN.




6.Enjoy your expanded network! Remember that Router 1 is the one handling the DHCP and WAN connection if you ever need to troubleshoot your network.