[FAQ] Using two routers together/ Extending Wi-Fi

mickevh

I had a thought about your problems yesterday when I doing some testing at work with an iPad: If you're having to tell your Apple device to "forget" a network to get it to associate with your other AP, then this a big indicator that the SSID's being advertised by both your device are not "the same."

If you can't make the HH "the same" as your EDI, maybe you should tackle it the other way around and tweak the EDI so that it matches the HH.

mickevh

DHCP leases have a lifetime (24 hours is not uncommon, but it can be longer or shorter.) Once a device has received a lease, it is entitled to keep using it until the lifetime expires.

So there's no problem with the DHCP server being unavailable for a while, where you get issues is when the lease needs to be renewed. If the DHCP server isn't there, then the device can't renew it's lease and will give it up and fall off the network.

Lease renewal usually occurs at half the lease time, or at power up if your devices are not clever enough to "remember" leases when you power it down.

So with a suitably long lease length and clever enough client devices, you could disconnect your router-router links so long as you remember to connect it back up often enough to obtain/renew your leases.

However, that all sounds like a lot of hassle to me, I'd leave the router-router link active all the time and save myself the headaches.

kikapu

That does sound like a headache!

Sounds like I better get me some home plugs!!

uzi123

I tried various combinations with both mates. Even when I had them set up with different SSIDs I could disconnect from one and connect the other. However I have now solved the problem!

I purchased a different router to replace the home hub and now I have seamless roaming set up once more! I used the same settings I tried with the HH and it actually worked this time so all is well!

leecavturbo

home hubs have been know to give "unusual" problems
even with correct setup. i would ditch it

PeterCox

Ta for the sticky, this is very helpful but I'm having problems. I think I may know the answer but am looking to those who know more than me about these things to help me break through.

My aim is to extend the wireless range of my network using homeplugs and spare routers.

I have several routers and am using a BT HomeHub3 as the primary (I want to keep on using this as the primary). Of my other routers, I've chosen a Netgear Wireless N as the secondary...
                                                                                                                                               

Mod Edit: don't hotlink to images without the hosting sites permission, image re-hosted


My aim is to get this working first and then expand again with one of the other routers.

I've tried to follow the instructions given and this is the result (I've obscured the network keys as I am paranoid regards security , but I have checked over and over again and they are the same).

BTHomeHub3
    Location              Kitchen
    SSID                    BTHub3-X7QF
    Network key        **********
    Security               WPA & WPA2 (recommended)
    Channel               Automatic (channel 1 as at 26/6/12 at 1853)
    Admin IP              home.bthomehub3
    LAN IP address    192.168.1.254
    DHCP Start          192.168.1.64
    DHCP End           192.168.1.253

There is an econnect home plug networked from the HomeHub into an adjacent power socket in the kitchen.

Belkin N
    Location                       Lounge
    SSID                             BTHub3-X7QF
    Network key                 **********
    Security                        WPA & WPA2 (PSK)
    Channel                        6
    original Admin IP         192.168.2.1
    New LAN IP address    192.168.1.252

There is an econnect home plug networked from the Belkin into an adjacent power socket in the lounge.

Though this is a new house (to me that is, I moved in May, house is from mid-60's, electrics redone in last decade), there appears to be no RCB/ junction box/ meter between the sockets in use (i.e. they appear to be on the same mains ring/ spurs).

In the kitchen, I can connect wirelessly to the HomeHub.

In the lounge
- the Homehub wireless signal still becomes flaky (as you'd expect)
- the Belkin wireless signal is strong
- I can connect wirelessly to the Belkin but there is no Internet access
- Having turned off the laptop wireless adaptor, I can connect wired to the Belkin but there is no Internet access
- Having turned off the laptop wireless adaptor, if I connect that econnect homeplug turbo direct into the back of my laptop, there is no network recognised (in the kitchen the Homehub is still connected to the internet and that homeplug is still on, so shouldn't there be a network? i.e. I thought they were [irony] "plug and play").

Does this demonstrate that the most likely culprit is the homeplug(s)? (I recognise that the 2nd most likely culprit is me )

By the way, I haven't got any configuration software for my Econnect Homeplug Turbos.

Any help, suggested next steps gratefully appreciated.

PeterCox

So, having found Graham's homeplug FAQ I now understand that the plugs should indeed be plugnplay without any software.

I've got a 3rd homeplug - I'll do some specific homeplug testing at the weekend and see whether I can isolate the problem to one of the units (or, conversely, prove that they enable a wired network and that the problem therefore lies elsewhere).

uzi123

I found that: When in doubt, blame the Homehub.

I was having all sorts of problems enabling two APs in my house (Something I use to do before I got the HH) until I replaced the Homehub...

dUnKle

Off to give this a go shortly

Been and got myself a 5 Meter network cable to connect my sky router (primary router, connected to phone line in hall) to a spare router (I have 2, at moment cant find any)

Hope all works

dUnKle

Ok

Having a go and not sure what I have done

I got my old router (the netgear) and changed its LAN IP address to 192.168.0.2
I know this bit worked as I had to reconnect to it

I then turned off (or at least think I did) the wireless

I then set the SSID part the same

Now I then reconnected my Sky Router and connected the Netgear router to it

However I cant access the netgear router