Using secondary router to create another network

To put things quickly into context, I've just moved into a shared house. The internet here is provided through a wireless router.

I have some devices in my room that I would like to be networked, but these can only be connected using a wire (I have a NAS, PS3 and 360)

What I'm wondering is....can I somehow connect to the internet through a secondary router? What I mean by this is.....

Router #2 picks up wireless signal from main router and acts as a bridge
I connect all my devices to router #2 and this forwards any packets destined for the outside world to the main router - and visa versa.

I know the easiest option would be to trail an ethernet cable from downstairs but this isn't really an option

Hope this makes sense

djhworld

Posted 2010-07-28T17:31:05.607

Reputation: 155

Makes sense and is possible; still I don't know if there is a SOHO router that can do bridging without heavy modification. – mbq – 2010-07-28T17:37:52.860

– Greg Bray – 2010-07-28T18:08:23.503

Answers

Yep, it's called a Wireless Distribution System.

Basically you set up second wireless router in your room to pick up the signal from the main router, and your router acts as a repeater. It'll get signal from the main router but give you wired access (unfortunately at wireless speeds).

JNK

Posted 2010-07-28T17:31:05.607

Reputation: 7 642

thanks for your reply. I've been spending ages messing around with settings on my 2nd router (a netgear WGR614v9) and I've failed to get this to work as the main router does not support WDS – djhworld – 2010-07-28T21:25:34.097

Doh! You can maybe find another third party firmware besides dd-wrt for your router to bridge it. – JNK – 2010-07-29T00:00:34.670

looked to no avail, I think the RAM on board the device is too small for the open source/3rd party alternative firmwares – djhworld – 2010-07-29T16:06:13.323

Take a look at dd-wrt open source firmware for wireless routers. It provides advanced options for configuring WDS and may provide what you need without the expense of buying new hardware.

Robert S Ciaccio

Posted 2010-07-28T17:31:05.607

Reputation: 1 470

1I wish I could load DD-WRT onto my router but it's one that is not supported (the website says it's 'work in progress' - but the corresponding forum discussion suggests that it will probably never arrive) – djhworld – 2010-07-28T21:24:18.297

oh that's too bad... do you have any access to the primary router? – Robert S Ciaccio – 2010-07-28T23:10:59.670

Yep, full access. I've checked that too on the DD-WRT website and there's no firmware available for that either :( – djhworld – 2010-07-29T16:05:22.250

maybe i'm missing this somewhere on the page but could you edit the question with the make/model/revision/firmware version of both routers? – Robert S Ciaccio – 2010-07-29T19:40:37.743

All you need is a WiFi Bridge. Newegg has a bunch of them for < $100.

Greg Bray

Posted 2010-07-28T17:31:05.607

Reputation: 1 772

I'm from the UK, but I'll look into this thanks – djhworld – 2010-07-28T21:24:36.907