Router to router connection

[ajbrun]

You're all probably fed up of hearing about my router by now, but anyway here's another thread about me and my router .

BEFORE I START - LET IT BE KNOWN (ALTHOUGH IT PROBABLY ALREADY IS!) THAT I HAVEN'T A CLUE. I MAY HAVE GOT THE WRONG END OF THE STICK.

Downstairs, we have 1 computer, and upstairs we have 2. We have a 2 port (1 USB and 1 ethernet) BT 205 voyager router downstairs connected to a broadband line which will be disconnected soon.

Upstairs, we have a safecom SAMR-4114 connected to another line that we're keeping. If you're confused about my setup, here's a handy diagram. At the moment, we'll have no way of both the downstairs and the upstairs computers being online at the same time when that broadband line goes. Therefore, as I see it, we have 2 choices:

1. Use 1 router downstairs, and wire 2 cat5 cables upstairs to the computers. The routers has to be downstairs as that has to be connected via USB to the computer there.

2. Use 2 routers - one upstairs and one downstairs, but with only one directly connected to the net. A wire will then connect both routers, so that all three computers can access the net at the same time.

I prefer option 2, and AFAIK, it'll work. The safecom router has a gateway thing which is what I think is needed.

So my questions are:

* Is it the gateway thing that's needed? Ie - will my router work?
* Do both routers need this gateway thing?
* which router will be directly connected to the net?
* What cable will be needed to connect the routers? I'm guessing CAT5.
* What special settings in the router(s) will be needed?
* Anything else I need to know?

Also, I know there are 2 other ways of doing this - buying either a switch or a network card, but I'd rather not if I can help it. Basically, is that possible - if now, I'll get a network card for the downstairs PC.

Thanks - I'm pretty sure that'll be the last router thread I'll be doing fo a while .

[Apex]

Or

One router and a cheap 4 port 10/100 switch

router>switch>pc's

simple and a lot less hassle.

it is possible to do the router>router thing but your asking for trouble and you adding to the points of failure.

Keep it simple.

[ajbrun]

OK, I might find out how to do it, and decide for myself. If it is too much hasstle like you suggest, then it'll probably just be best to by a network card for the downstairs PC, have the router upstairs and run one line downstairs.

This is all and attempt to just run one wire and not two.

[Apex]

Simple.

The router upstairs acts as a dhcp/dns server, you disable these functions on the router downsatirs but you tell it the router upstairs is the default gateway thus when the computers connect to the router downstairs it passes all the dhcp/dns requests to the router upstairs.

How ever this can be fickel and theres no garantee it will work.

You might be trying to save running cable and i understand this but in the long run it's worth it to run the cable.

[ajbrun]

What?

Are you saying buy a network card for the downstairs PC, and have the router upstairs?

That's what I'll do if I can't get this router-router thing to work, or if it seems too complicated.

[Apex]

also worth noteing is the fact that most home adsl modem/routers are not ment to route threw another router "in house"

I have seen this done with cable routers but adsl routers are another matter.

You don't get this problem on comercial routers

[ajbrun]

I've had a bit of a search, and found this:

Just make sure your second router points to your first router as its gateway.

Is that all I need to do, because I'm sure I can easily do that.

[Apex]

basicly, one point turn all the firewalling off on the 2nd router it can cause no ammount of headaces.

also

make sure dhcp/dns server is turn off on the 2nd router, theres nothing more fustrating then having 2 dhcp servers trying to assign you a ip

[ajbrun]

Well, so far, you're probably right - it's looking very complicated.

[ajbrun]

I've given up, unless someone can provide a really easy way to do this. I'll just buy a network card. So, my question now if, are all network cards the same, or should I go for a certain one. Otherwise, I'll just find the cheapest ebuyer have.

[Apex]

Just get the cheapest one m8

[ajbrun]

This one for £4 doesn't seem bad then.
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=37966

[Apex]

yup that will be fine

[ajbrun]

Nice one - thanks for the help.

[Defiant]

Network card for downstairs PC and dont use the router to router connection. your just asking for problems doing that.

£3 network card and £3 RJ45 cable linking them is the fastest way to sorting your issues. A pain to lay, but you can just lay the cable under the floor or just tack it to your wall. I laided 2 cables running from my bedroom to the downstair and the other bedroom, worth it 3 years ago. But WiFi is a easy way of doing networks now

[ajbrun]

That's what we're going to do. Except, my parents like everything kept tidely away. Therefore, nothing will be tacked to the walls. This means we're going to send a wire outside, up the wall of our house, into the loft and then down the house in a wall to the room we need it.

I did make another thread about the wiring side of it. I hope to do it myself with the tuition of my dad. Hope all goes to plan .