Adding an old WRT54G as an access point with a new dual band router

[goombawaho]

Anyone have a feeling for how this might work?? Goal is to increase the upstairs wireless coverage (main router is in basement and cannot be moved).

Old WRT54G set up as an access point (no DHCP, static IP address out of DHCP range of the main router, connected via cable LAN to LAN port). Was going to keep security and SSIDs the same for seamless transition of the laptops around the house.

The new router is a dual band 2.4/5 GHz. Wondering whether I should turn OFF the 5GHz radio on the new router so that the two will have matching bands. I know the 5GHz band has less range than the 2.4 anyway, so seems like not much to lose turning it off. Range is a priority over speed.

 

[rclarke250]

If you have no 5Ghz devices, turn it off, just wasting energy anyways. Should work, just like an AP, but limited to G speeds, so no N speeds going through the AP.

 

[goombawaho]

There ARE N devices and I don't care that they would be limited to 2.4 band. I AM concerned about clients transitioning from one router to the other if one router supports 2.4/5 and the other can only do 2.4

 

[rclarke250]

Typically 5Ghz is used only for High speed media transmission. But you can turn it off. I have mine turned off, because I don't have any 5Ghz devices, the N and G, both use the 2.4Ghz spectrum. I don't have an AP set up, but was thinking of using an old G only router, or if I can find out what happened to my D-link DIR 655 I can use that, but the unit keeps rebooting on it's own.

 

[goombawaho]

Well, there's one way to find out. I'll set it up and see what the customer says about how roaming works between the two access points.

Their N devices will still connect to the main router when it's within range at higher speeds, but all they do is surf the internet so the difference won't be noticeable when they connect to the old access point.

 

[goombawaho]

Well, it's now set up and running. No issues so far but waiting to see what customer says. Conveniently, the only nearby 2.4GHz networks are a neighbor on 11 and the customer on 6, so I set the 2nd access point on channel 1.

After that I start blaming the ipad.