Best Setup for Home Network with Wired and Wireless Connections

[AccessGuruCarl]

Hello All,

I'm wondering what the best method is to set these devices up for a home network.

Cable Modem for ISP
Linksys - VPN Router *In use now Model BEFVP41
Linksys 8 port Workgroup Switch * In Use Model EZXS88W

I want to **add US Robotics Wireless Router, for additional ports and wireless access. Model USR8054

Me question here is should I leave the Linksys as the primary router, and set the US Robotic to a wireless access point, if so, where should I plug into, the router or the workstation? or should I use the US Robotics as the primary and feed everything off that?

I would prefer my lan connection to have the best performance, but need the wireless connection reliable enough for an X-Box connection.

So basically I think I'm asking for the best topology for this senerio...

Thanks,
Carl

AccessGuruCarl
Programmers helping programmers
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[Frank4d]

Depends on where the modem and PCs are located. In my home the cable modem is in a corner at one end of the house. There is one PC there. I have three PCs at the other end of the house, two of them are wireless.

I connected my wired router to the modem and plugged one PC into it. I ran one CAT5 line to the other end of the house and connected wired router LAN to wireless router LAN at the other end of the house with one PC plugged into it.

The wired router DHCP is set up to serve all IPs. DHCP is turned off on the wireless router and it uses the wired router for DNS and gateway.

Link to diagram of my setup:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/Frank4d/frank4dnetwork.jpg

 

[AccessGuruCarl]

Hi Frank,

Thanks for the reply...

Do you know if there is any performance issues?

Which would be better to assign DNS, the Wired or Wireless router. Or does it really matter!

By the way, nice image layout!!!

Thanks,
Carl

AccessGuruCarl
Programmers helping programmers
you can't find a better site.

 

[Frank4d]

I can't think of any performance issues, the WAN side of the wired and wireless routers are about the same. So unless the routers are next to each other I would place the wireless router closer to the X-Box.

 

[AccessGuruCarl]

Thanks,

My thoughts were the same....
However I did not want the router in my son's room, so I thought I'd place it in the Livingroom near the wife's PC.

I'm also using an internet phone service, when I try hooking everything up there way. The phone works, but I have no internet connection on the pc's. This is because I assign IP addresses to specfic PC's, so they say! I don't see how that matters. Everything works w/o the phone box as the primary IP/DNS assigner.

There setting is:
Cable Modem to (WAN)-Phone(LAN) out to Router(They have no Switch senerio) But, say to plug switch into router and it should work. Long story short.. It didn't!

To make the Phone work I went this route:
Cable Modem to (WAN)Router(PORT 1) to (WAN)-Phone
Router(Port2) to Switch and no longer use the LAN port on the phone. I think it's a defective box, but tech support says it reads fine.

Seems like whenever I miss with this, I loose one or the other, then I go through a whole series of rebooting or resetting things.

I have everything finally working....
And I'm Not Messing with a thing!

Used the wireless, as an access point, in the basement.
Plugged into the router(Port3). Had it upstairs but it wouldn't get the DNS info, Re-Shut everything down, brought it downstairs and fired everything up and what do know.

Everything Works!!!????????????????
At least until the next power outage!
That will be the true test!

Thanks for the posts....

AccessGuruCarl
Programmers helping programmers
you can't find a better site.

 

[AccessGuruCarl]

Hi Frank,

Quick question..

Using your diagram as example...

Can you still access the wireless routers setup menu from PC #3 using the routers IP address.

When I attempt this, I get Page Can Not Be Displayed.

Thanks

AccessGuruCarl
Programmers helping programmers
you can't find a better site.

 

[Frank4d]

You should be able to access the menus for both routers from PC #3 as long as the two routers IP addresses are different.

If both are factory default of 192.168.0.1 (example), you would need to setup each router before connecting them together.

 

[AccessGuruCarl]

My Linksys - Wired Router is set to 192.168.2.1

The wireless Robotics is set to the default 192.168.123.254

I can access the Linksys from anywhere....but cannot login into the Robotics, could it be because of the default IP on the wireless. Should it be set to something like 192.168.2.254?

Thanks
Carl

AccessGuruCarl
Programmers helping programmers
you can't find a better site.