# Help! Enhance my signal



## FXB

I have a Belkin N600 DB in the Office directly connected to my modem.  the N600 is connected to a set of Belkin powerline adapters. It is also connected to my xbox in the living room and to a printer also located in the office.

The second powerline adapter is connected in my room. It now connects my laptop, desktop and printer with a wired connection.

I'd like to use my old Router as a wireless access point to enhance my wifi signal. Ho would I do this?

The second router is a Belkin F5S8233-4v3
I have a PC, 2 mac laptops and some iOS devices on my network laptops mus work wired and wirelessly when needed.


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## User0one

I don't totally get your setup, I went to powerline adapters because the Wireless Router really didn't have range to reach where I used the wireless Laptop. That worked fine but having the Laptop tethered to a cable was sometimes a hassle.

What I did, and it works, is the powerline adapter at the Laptop location was to plug its Lan Cable into the Wireless Routers Wan Port. I had to Power cycle the Router, and reset auto DHCP on it. 

So now the Wireless Router is close to the Laptop, and I can use the Routers wifi. or use the router as a Switch to plug the Laptop in to the extra Router Lan Ports if I need faster network speed.


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## FXB

User0one said:


> I don't totally get your setup, I went to powerline adapters because the Wireless Router really didn't have range to reach where I used the wireless Laptop. That worked fine but having the Laptop tethered to a cable was sometimes a hassle.
> 
> What I did, and it works, is the powerline adapter at the Laptop location was to plug its Lan Cable into the Wireless Routers Wan Port. I had to Power cycle the Router, and reset auto DHCP on it.
> 
> So now the Wireless Router is close to the Laptop, and I can use the Routers wifi. or use the router as a Switch to plug the Laptop in to the extra Router Lan Ports if I need faster network speed.



And that doesn't create another network?


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## User0one

And that doesn't create another network? not sure what you mean

Are you talking about combining the wireless signal from two wireless Routers, if so you can't do that.


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## kobaj

User0one said:


> And that doesn't create another network? not sure what you mean
> 
> Are you talking about combining the wireless signal from two wireless Routers, if so you can't do that.



Learn your facts.

Learn DDWRT.

It can be done, very easily.

To FXB, Your secondary Belkin router might have the option to act as a access point, if so enable that (should be a setting on your control panel 192.168.2.1). If it does not have that option, your router doesn't have support for DDWRT, so in order to extend your wireless network you'll need to do the following. Get a dedicated access point. Or get a router (or two) that /does/ support DDWRT. 

You need to stop using Belkin, their equipment is rubbish.


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## FXB

kobaj said:


> Learn your facts.
> 
> Learn DDWRT.
> 
> It can be done, very easily.
> 
> To FXB, Your secondary Belkin router might have the option to act as a access point, if so enable that (should be a setting on your control panel 192.168.2.1). If it does not have that option, your router doesn't have support for DDWRT, so in order to extend your wireless network you'll need to do the following. Get a dedicated access point. Or get a router (or two) that /does/ support DDWRT.
> 
> You need to stop using Belkin, their equipment is rubbish.



I'll give it a try and report back.  What's so wrong with Belkin?


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## FXB

kobaj said:


> To FXB, Your secondary Belkin router might have the option to act as a access point, if so enable that (should be a setting on your control panel 192.168.2.1). If it does not have that option, your router doesn't have support for DDWRT, so in order to extend your wireless network you'll need to do the following. Get a dedicated access point. Or get a router (or two) that /does/ support DDWRT.
> 
> You need to stop using Belkin, their equipment is rubbish.



Apparently my Belkin F5D8233-4v3 does support DDWRT. I'm not sure which control panel to access now that I have 2 routers on my network.


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## FXB

How do I access my secondary router with CMD?  The N600 DB (main router) has ip address 192.168.2.1

What would be the address for the other router?


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## kobaj

FXB said:


> How do I access my secondary router with CMD?  The N600 DB (main router) has ip address 192.168.2.1
> 
> What would be the address for the other router?



I'm a bit confused on what you mean but I'll try to help. 

DDWRT by default is 192.168.1.1

If you have two routers on the network with the same address (say 192.168.2.1) you'll have to unplug one of them (call it A), so that you can then change the address of (B). With DDWRT its Setup > Network Setup > Router IP > Local IP Address. Set it to something (192.168.2.2) Then you can plug back in A. 

To access A, you would go to 192.168.2.1.
To access B, you would go to 192.168.2.2. (or whatever you set it to, of course).


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## turbodiesel

you can get something a bit like this 






it is basically a homeplug/powerline with a wireless acess point built in it is a lot easier to use then DD-WRT


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