Home Broadband & Home Phone

[Azz1n]

Hi all,
I have a new O2 Wireless IV box and I'd like to use the old Wireless II box to extend the coverage in the house.
For example, I have ethernet in the living room, so can I connect the WII box in there and configure it to simply act as a repeater?
Cheers.

[npr Level 26: Upbeat]

You need to set the O2 box II to a different IP and disable DHCP.
On the O2 box II go to home network > interfaces > local network > configure >
under IP addresses >
192.168.1.254/24 -- click edit
change 192.168.1.254 to 192.168.1.1 -- click apply
You'll now need to reconnect to the O2 box II on 192.168.1.1 -- same user name / password.
Go back to the same place and remove the tick from "Use DHCP server" -- click apply. You'll loose connection to the router again but don't worry you'll get it back when the two routers are connected together.
Just connect the routers together with the ethernet cable and that's it.
In place of having a choice of two wireless you could place both routers on the same SSID, security settings and security key but different wireless channels. This way the PC will connect to whichever signal is strongest.

[Azz1n]

You need to set the O2 box II to a different IP and disable DHCP.
On the O2 box II go to home network > interfaces > local network > configure >
under IP addresses >
192.168.1.254/24 -- click edit
change 192.168.1.254 to 192.168.1.1 -- click apply
You'll now need to reconnect to the O2 box II on 192.168.1.1 -- same user name / password.
Go back to the same place and remove the tick from "Use DHCP server" -- click apply. You'll loose connection to the router again but don't worry you'll get it back when the two routers are connected together.
Just connect the routers together with the ethernet cable and that's it.

Gotcha, thanks!
Presumably, when you say "connect the routers together with the ethernet cable" you mean I can just stick the W2 box in the living room and connect it to "the network" using the ethernet cable that is in there (that in turns connects to the ethernet switch in my garage, that in turn connects to my router!)?

In place of having a choice of two wireless you could place both routers on the same SSID, security settings and security key but different wireless channels. This way the PC will connect to whichever signal is strongest.

I'm not sure I follow, could you elaborate please?
Thanks again, much appreciated.

[npr Level 26: Upbeat]

Yes but I didn't expect a switch in the setup, don't think it will cause a problem but it's something I've never tried.
If you set the same SSID (wireless name), encryption type, encryption key on both routers. The laptop will connect to the router with the strongest signal, if you then take the laptop closer to the second router it will automatically switch it's connection to the second router as that signal becomes strongest. ie you don't need to take any action yourself to switch to the router with the strongest signal.
It's best to set the wireless channel to manual and on different channels so they don't interfere with each other.
Once it's all working, don't forget you now need to use 192.168.1.1 to login to the O2 boxII's web interface.
Let us know how you get on.

[Azz1n]

Yes but I didn't expect a switch in the setup, don't think it will cause a problem but it's something I've never tried.

Sorry, I should have listed my setup.
The Wireless IV box is at the very front of the house and I've run an ethernet cable from it into the garage, where it connects to a 24 port switch and everything in turn connects to/from this.
I have run ethernet cables into the living room and this is where I'd like to connect the Wireless II box to extend the signal to the rear of the house.

[csashton]

silly question but do you HAVE to connect both routers via ethernet cable ? can one router not pick up the wifi signal from the main router and extend that wifi signal futher around the house ?
sorry if that sounds thick , im not overly clued up on routers but i have THREE o2 boxes lol,i was hoping to put one upstairs to extend our wifi signal from downstairs

[npr Level 26: Upbeat]

You can connect the two routers via wireless but it give poor results, it's called WDS.
Best to connect the two via ethernet cable or a pair of homeplugs.
The following two links may help explain thing.
http://npr.me.uk/wds.html
http://npr.me.uk/together.html

[csashton]

got it working thanks to this guide,unfortunately my powerline plugs are abit flakey so it kept dropping sync,i'll have to invest in some new ones
thanks again npr1