Help me add a wireless router onto a wired router

[jay clock]

My daughter has a new job and her employers have installed a phone line with wired (Zyxel) router. For "security reasons" they don't provide a wireless one and don't officially support it, but she is allowed to although no support is given!

She has bought a Netgear router like this http://www.netgear.co.uk/home/products/wirelessrouters/work-and-play/DGN2200.aspx but we could not get it working as the main modem/router, but I then googled how to piggyback the Netgear onto the Zyxel

Is this as simple as plug a network cable between the two? Does it go in one of the LAN sockets? From the Zyxel I assume it does, but I am wondering whether into the Netgear some connection goes into the phone socket see here http://www.netgear.co.uk/images/dgn2200_productimage_backview73-4996.jpg

(You may be laughing at this point!)

Apparently I have to turn off DHCP on the Netgear, then set the IP address one notch above the one on the Zyxel. I am probably just about capable of lumbering through this mallarkey alone, but if anyone is much cleverer than me and can provide some guidance I would be delighted.

 

[rusky]

You could just replace the zyxel with the netgear

 

[MossCommuter]

That's not going to work I am afraid - it's a modem/router so its input is from the ADSL phone line, not from a modem (as you suspected). Best bet would have been to replace the existing Zyxel router with the device you have but you said that would not work (I imagine it could be made to work).

If you must continue to use the Zyxel then you're going to need one of these (or similar)... It has an input for a Cable/DSL modem (labelled "Internet") whereas the one you have only has ADSL input. Connect that to one of the Zyxel's LAN sockets.

 

[mcshroom]

That's not going to work I am afraid - it's a modem/router so its input is from the ADSL phone line, not from a modem (as you suspected). Best bet would have been to replace the existing Zyxel router with the device you have but you said that would not work (I imagine it could be made to work).

If you must continue to use the Zyxel then you're going to need one of these (or similar)... It has an input for a Cable/DSL modem (labelled "Internet") whereas the one you have only has ADSL input. Connect that to one of the Zyxel's LAN sockets.

Why should the fact that it's ADSL make any difference? You are turning off the DHCP server in the wireless unit anyway and using an ethernet cable between the two so it shouldn't make much difference I'd have thought

 

[rusky]

You can go from the zyxel to a lan port on the netgear with DHCP disabled but you would have to set everything to static IPs

the easiest option would be to replace the zyxel with the netgear as they are both adsl modems. Else, return the netgear & get a broadband router & plug the lan of the zyxel in to the WAN/internet port of that

 

[mcshroom]

That would be the simplest way of doing it, as long as you can access all the settings on the zxytel router and transfer them to the wireless one

 

[MossCommuter]

Why should the fact that it's ADSL make any difference? You are turning off the DHCP server in the wireless unit anyway and using an ethernet cable between the two so it shouldn't make much difference I'd have thought

OK, I'd be prepared to give it a try but I have tried before (not with this model but with a cable modem and Edimax modem/router) it would not have it.

Even with the router I guess you'd be turning off DHCP so my suggestion is no less complex either... the router would be a bit cheaper though if it were possible to return the modem/router.

 

[Edge705]

Assuming there is a network port (RJ45) input on the Zyxel then it will work

Basicaly your works router acts as your access to the inetrnet

first of all you have to determin the subnet mask your works router is using its important that both you netgear and the works router have the same subnet mask

In order to detrmin you works router ip details you will have to go to the command prompt of your pc and type in ipconfig this will give you three sets of ip addresses so the following example

IP address 1.1.1.10
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway 1.1.1.1

What you now need to do is diconnect from your works modem router and connect directly to the netgear using the same cable

You need to go into the netgear admin console (login page)

In the netgear setup page on the left hand side there should be a selction of LAN Settings select this and make sure DHCP is disabled (by default it is enabled) You will also have the opportunity to input a fixed IP address using the above example the fixed ip you choose should have the third octet different using the above we could use 1.1.2.1 being the third octet thats different

While you in the netgear disable the adsl (unless its a wirelsss only then dont bother) The netgear must be configured in the wireless section it is by default its where you can set the wireless password as well

Once you have done this connect a cable between the netgear and the Zyxel and connect to the netgear wirelessly from your computer

your pc will or shoud pick up ist IP address from the Zyxel and your good to go

Ive not got access to a netgear at the mo so most of this is from memory but if you struggle you can export the netgear config and email it me and I will email you the config back which will automatically set up your netgear

 

[jay clock]

Many thanks for the various comments.

Edge705, yours in partic seems very specific, and aligns with what I had been told.

Re

Assuming there is a network port (RJ45) input on the Zyxel then it will work

do you just mean an ethernet socket . The sockets are power, input for the phone line, and 4 x ethernet sockets (where you would plug in PCs etc).

So at the end I will have the wired Zyxel device with power and phone cable coming in, and a LAN cable going out from one of the four sockets?

On the Zyxel the current settings are (this based on a screenshot I took when I plugged into it, and am not there at present to to the ipconfig thingie)

IP address 89.93.30.121
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway MyISP

How will I disable the ADSL on the Netgear? I am not there at present, but assume there is some panel called ADSL setting when I plug into the Netgear router?

Final question is about changing the third octet, but will have a look when I go over!

Look forward to more feedback.

Jay

 

[Edge705]

Hi Jay the ip address and subnet mask your displaying is either your daughters work if its using an vpn tunnel or the ISP provider your daughters work has signed up to

I need to understand the configuration

Putting the netgear to one side

Your work has installed the Zyxel and has connected it to your PC using a hard wire is this USB or ethernet? ethernert cables have a telephone type rj45 plug at each end - If its USB your PC will be using a dialler to go on the internet if its ethernet it will be using NAT'ing to get onto the internet

So If its usb disconnect it and connect an ethernet cable between your PC and the Zyxel router what should happen now is the router should assign a NAT'able ip address to your PC and subnet mask and default gateway these will be entirely different to the ISP ones you have in your post and its the local IP address thats the most important in the configuration your trying to achieve.

Lets say you do this and the zyexl assigns your PC something like 192.168.1.2 the subnet is 255.0.0.0 and the gateway is 192.168.1.1 (it could be dfferent thats fine it does not matter) We now know that the Zyexl is Nat'ing on the four octets what you now need to do is make sure the netgear does not have its local LAN settings simmilar so what you would do on the netgear is set the local lan setings to 192.168.2.1 and the subnet mask to 255.0.0.0 the netgear's LAN ip address becomes the gateway for the netgear so this does not matter BUT make sure you turn DHCP off on the Netgear it must be disabled!!

All you need now is an ethernet cable between the netgear and the Zyexl and you use your wireless PC to connect to the netgear (at this point you can do away with any cables between the pc and the Zyexl

In this configuration because the netgear cannot assign your PC an ip address it passes you to the next hop in this case the Zyexl the Zyexl responds to the PC's request and passes back an ip address and your good to go

Let me know how you get on

 

[jay clock]

I DID IT!! A few issues in getting there- will post back later as off for a celebratory ride- but it works with secured wifi!!

Many thanks to all!

Jay

 

[Edge705]

good man and you will have learned a thing or two on the way

 

[jay clock]

In terms of IP addresses I could not really follow the instructions above, but by changing 192.168.1.1 to ....2.1 it worked (having turned off DHCP.). However, every time I then tried to go back into the roueter via the cable it simply would not work without resetting to factory default. I had to do this a few times to get the wifi WEP etc done.

My daughter and boyfriend were VERY happy and also a bit surprised!

 

[Piemaster]

Bit late for you now, but I've just been up in the loft and found a netgear wireless access point you could have had for, oooh, £charitable donation and postage. Connect up to your Zyxcel and off you go.

Still, well done.

 

[crazy580]

Im after a wireless access point Piemaster