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Basement router questions

post #1 of 13
4/12/12 at 12:45pm
Thread Starter 
Basic question on how to best broadcast wireless network in new home (under construction) - pretty typical install I would guess.

Question: Basically can I put my main wireless router off of an ethernet outlet on the main floor instead of hooking it into the cable modem in mechanical basement room and still have a single network in the house to stream between? I would use a multiple port switch to make all the other runs hot from the cable modem. This would be to give better range in a 2 story.

Consideration: Would like to have a central network so I can hook up PC upstairs and stream directly down to WDTV in main living room. Would not having wireless router right behind cable modem defeat this idea?

Details:

- new home construction - multiple cat5e jacks all running back to the basement mechanical room as well as main ct5e run from exterior for service hookup.

- Will have a total of 7 cable runs and the run from exterior in the mechanical room.

- Cable modem (comcast) will be installed in mechanical room.

- Would like to try using a netgear (similar) switch to connect the cable modem to and then feed live signal to all the cable runs going to jacks in the house.

- Would just plug router into one of ports on main floor and try to broadcast my wireless network from there.

I would like to have it setup like I do now, where I can stream from PC down to WDTV or from Mac to WDTV and access Mac from PC and vice versa.

I just don't know if putting the wireless router on the main floor instead of connected to cable modem directly would impede this.

Thanks!
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post #2 of 13
4/12/12 at 1:01pm
You'd likely get more and better responses in the Networking, Media Servers and Streaming forum.
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post #3 of 13
4/12/12 at 1:09pm
First, I assume you are connecting to a network switch, downstream from your router (or integrated into your router).

I would consider using a wireless range extender on one floor, along with the main wi-fi router on another floor. They can be connected into the network switch, and communicate with any other device connected to the switch.
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post #4 of 13
4/12/12 at 1:12pm
In order to use the router as a A/P, you have to turn off DHCP, unless the router is capable of being a AP through the firmware. There is also DDWRT & Tomato which are 3rd party firmwares.

When you connect the router as a A/P, make sure you connect the ethernet cord to the LAN jack.
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post #5 of 13
4/12/12 at 1:22pm
^^^^

Which is why I said he'd get better results in the other thread. It all starts to sound like Greek to me!

However, I think I managed to do this....
Quote:
a wireless range extender on one floor, along with the main wi-fi router on another floor.

My modem and wireless router are on the top floor, the repeater on the second floor and I can stream using Roku no problem in the basement.
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post #6 of 13
4/12/12 at 2:15pm
I'd recommend connecting a router before the switch so all your devices will be behind a firewall and it will serve as a DHCP server. Even a cheap $10 dollar router will work. Then, like others have said, you can connect access points to your ports that are coming off of the switch. A switch directly into a cable modem would leave me worried (not to mention having to assign static IPs to all the devices).
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post #7 of 13
4/12/12 at 2:41pm
Also be sure whether you're getting a cable modem AND a router, or if you're getting a router with the cable modem built-into it. I don't know what comcast supplies in your market. But they do exist and it would affect how your network would get set up.

The best plan if you move the wifi connection away from the main link to your ISP is to set the wifi router up as an access point and then use a wired router (or one with wifi turned off) at the connection to the ISP. This way you avoid there being more than one network inside your house. Which you'd usually avoid unless you already knew what you're doing.

Using switches helps segregate traffic. If you've got heavy device to device traffic (like video transfers between DVRs) then you might want to use a switch to segregate that bulk traffic from the rest of the network. Do not use wireless for this, it's too slow, unreliable and the video traffic would kill anything else needing to use the wireless connection.
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post #8 of 13
4/12/12 at 5:16pm
I disabled the wifi part of my telco supplied router/modem (which lives in the basement).

I installed a high power wireless access point upstairs hidden in a houseplant. I easily hit all points in my house as well as out in the yard. I bought the AP at the egg.
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post #9 of 13
4/12/12 at 5:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petew View Post

I installed a high power wireless access point upstairs hidden in a houseplant. I easily hit all points in my house as well as out in the yard.

So, what is the technology that you are using, that the AP gets watered along with the houseplant?
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post #10 of 13
4/12/12 at 5:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlogan6797 View Post

^^^^

Which is why I said he'd get better results in the other thread. It all starts to sound like Greek to me.

Actually it is very easy to do. You figured it out, so it could not have been that hard to do. Best way to learn is by doing, and then you know how to do it for the next person.
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post #11 of 13
4/12/12 at 5:37pm
wkearney99, actually you can leave the wifi on on the telco supplied, regardless if you have another AP or router turned into a AP. You just tell the computer which one to connect to. It is DHCP that you want to turn off on the second router, unless you want to place a barrier to not allow people on your network. Then you have to change the DNS settings on the second router, and also use RIP to allow the two to communicate.

Some of the people that have UVerse are going with Wireless-N AP's and some have left the Wireless-G turned on, others have turned it off.
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post #12 of 13
4/12/12 at 7:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by scl23enn4m3 View Post

I'd recommend connecting a router before the switch so all your devices will be behind a firewall and it will serve as a DHCP server. Even a cheap $10 dollar router will work. Then, like others have said, you can connect access points to your ports that are coming off of the switch. A switch directly into a cable modem would leave me worried (not to mention having to assign static IPs to all the devices).

My thoughts too.

............................................................ .........................Host (or AP)
............................................................ ......................../
Coax -> cable modem -> (wireless) router/firewall -> switch -- Host
............................................................ ........................\\
............................................................ ......................... Host


Location doesn't matter as long as you're within cable lengths limits. In most cases, the router/firewall will have a small switch built in, so you may not need a dedicated switch.

Maybe I'm old school, but I still like to physically wire as much as I can. It's fast, more secure, requires zero setup, and is far more reliable than wireless.
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post #13 of 13
4/12/12 at 9:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregzoll View Post

wkearney99, actually you can leave the wifi on on the telco supplied, regardless if you have another AP or router turned into a AP. You just tell the computer which one to connect to. It is DHCP that you want to turn off on the second router, unless you want to place a barrier to not allow people on your network. Then you have to change the DNS settings on the second router, and also use RIP to allow the two to communicate.

Some of the people that have UVerse are going with Wireless-N AP's and some have left the Wireless-G turned on, others have turned it off.

I agree with the multiple wireless network suggestion but you really don't want more than 1 DHCP server on your network unless you really know what you're doing, otherwise you're just asking for trouble (with relatively little benefit).
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