How to Use a Second Router to Boost

Range
By David Weedmark, eHow Contributor , last updated July 06, 2013

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Conne#t your #omputer to t!e router$s %&' port to #on(i)ure its
settin)s*
+( your Wi,i router isn$t ade-uately #overin) t!e rooms in your !ouse, you #an install a
se#ond router to boost its ran)e usin) it as a brid)e or wireless repeater* 'ot all routers
!ave t!is ability, so #!e#k t!e manu(a#turer$s do#umentation be(ore buyin) a se#ond
router* &(ter #on(i)urin) it to #onne#t dire#tly to your primary router, you #an use eit!er
router to #onne#t to t!e +nternet (rom your #omputer or ot!er Wi.,i devi#es* Have a
-uestion/ 0et an answer (rom online te#! support now1
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Instructions
1. Physical Setup
o 1
%ook around your !ouse and de#ide w!ere ea#! router s!ould be pla#ed*
Dependin) on t!e layout, you may want to move t!e primary router
#loser to one end o( t!e !ouse i( t!e se#ond router is )oin) to #over t!e
ot!er end* 6eep in mind t!at t!e primary router needs to be #lose to a
telep!one or #able 7a#k (or +nternet a##ess*
o 2
ele#t a new router t!at !as a brid)e mode or wireless repeatin) option,
w!i#! bot! serve t!e same (un#tion* 8!is in(ormation s!ould be in t!e
manu(a#turer$s produ#t des#ription or user$s )uide* +( you already
pur#!ased t!e router and it doesn$t !ave a brid)e mode option, )o to t!e
manu(a#turer$s support website to see i( t!ere$s a (irmware up)rade t!at
will )ive it t!is ability* +( your #urrent router !as a brid)e mode option,
you #an repla#e it wit! a new router and t!en use your #urrent router as
t!e brid)e*
o 3
et up your primary router and #onne#t it to t!e +nternet a##ordin) to t!e
manu(a#turer$s instru#tions i( you !aven$t done so already* Consult t!e
do#umentation (or t!e se#ond router to see w!at in(ormation you need
(rom t!e (irst router* 9ake a note o( en#ryption met!od used by t!e
primary router, like W"&2 or W"&*
o :
9ake a note o( t!e primary router$s +" address, su#! as ;1<2*16=*0*1,;
and its subnet mask, su#! as ;2>>*2>>*2>>*0,; i( t!e se#ond router uses
an +" address (or brid)in) to t!e primary router* %inksys and D.%ink
routers use t!is met!od*
o >
9ake a note o( t!e primary router$s 9&C address i( t!e se#ond router
uses it to #onne#t, as 'et)ear routers do* 8!e 9&C address s!ould be
lo#ated on t!e bottom o( t!e primary router, su#! as ;1,.23.?0.64.21.
H<*;
o 6
"la#e a laptop, tablet or Wi.,i.enabled smartp!one in t!e lo#ation w!ere
you plan to put t!e se#ond router* %ook at t!e Wi.,i i#on on t!e devi#e$s
s#reen* &d7ust its position or t!e position o( t!e primary router as needed
until t!e Wi.,i i#on s!ows (ull bars, indi#atin) (ull si)nal stren)t!*
2. Coniguration
o ?
Conne#t t!e se#ond router to a power outlet* Conne#t your #omputer to
t!e router usin) an 2t!ernet #able plu))ed into any numbered %&' port
on t!e router .. t!at is, any port e3#ept t!e +nternet or W&' port*
o =
ele#t t!e router on a Windows = #omputer by puttin) t!e #ursor in t!e
upper ri)!t #orner o( t!e desktop and dra))in) it downward* ele#t
;ettin)s,; and t!en #li#k t!e ;'etwork; i#on* ele#t t!e ;Conne#ted;
2t!ernet network* %aun#! a Web browser and enter t!e router$s +"
address in t!e address bar at t!e top o( t!e browser, like ;1<2*16=*0*1; or
t!e one used by your router$s manu(a#turer* 2nter t!e manu(a#turer$s
de(ault username and password, su#! as ;admin; and ;admin; on a
%inksys router*
o <
ele#t ;Wireless 5epeater; mode i( your router !as t!is option, like a
'et)ear router* 2nter t!e primary router$s 9&C address in t!e ;5epeater
9&C &ddress; (ield* ele#t t!e same wireless en#ryption met!od as t!e
primary route* Cli#k ;&pply*;
o 10
ele#t ;Brid)e 9ode; as t!e +nternet #onne#tion type on t!e router$s
setup pa)e i( t!e router uses t!is met!od* W!ere t!e router asks you to
spe#i(y an +" address, enter t!e same (irst t!ree numbers as t!e primary
router$s +" address and t!en #!an)e t!e last number* ,or e3ample, i( t!e
primary router$s +" address is ;1<2*16=*0*1,; you #ould use
;1<2*16=*0*12; as se#ond router$s +" address* 4se t!e same subnet mask
as t!e primary router, su#! as ;2>>*2>>*2>>*0*; 2nter t!e primary router$s
+" address in t!e ;De(ault 0ateway; (ield* Cli#k ;&pply*;
o 11
C!an)e t!e en#ryption met!od to mat#! t!at o( t!e primary router*
Dependin) on t!e router, t!is is usually on t!e Wireless ettin)s pa)e,
under t!e etup tab or Wireless tab* ave t!e #!an)es and t!en
dis#onne#t t!e #omputer (rom t!e router*
5ead more@ !ttp@AAwww*e!ow*#omA!owB122<20>1Buse.se#ond.router.boost.
ran)e*!tmlCi3DD33EF!5GHD