Chaining WRT54G (DD-WRT) and WRT54GP2

Posts: 11 · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 4:16 pm Post subject:

Oh yeah, I also wanted to be able to access and configure both routers though their web interface, no matter where the PC is located (wired/wireless on either router).

My current config only allows each PC to connect/see/config the router that it is directly linked to (i.e. WRT54GP2, and can't see the WRT54G)

Thanks for any help.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 4:23 pm Post subject:

takabanana wrote:

Valid questions. Smile

I have 2 routers because:

1. Yes, they are on opposite sides of the house; and I'd like to have wireless on all parts of the house. I dont have many options on where to put the routers, so they are currently placed in the best way that I can think of right now.

2. Ideally, I want the WRT54G to be between my LAN and the Internet because of the power and flexibility that the DD-WRT software has over the "non-upgradable firmware" on the WRT54GP2. In addition, when I travel, I can bring the WRT54GP2 with me, and keep the LAN up and running by the WRT54G (I pcAnywhere and FTP to my LAN quite often).

So I need to be able to allow a PC (wired or wireless) on the WRT54GP2 to access the Internet and also a NAS and other computers and printers on the WRT54G... without losing my Vonage phone service coming from the WRT54GP2, and up through the WRT54G also.

Any help would be appreciated. Smile

OK, see the other post for one possible idea ("Option 3", which would give you one seamless network but would require reconfiguration to take the Vonage router travelling).

You may want to try keeping them as two separate LANs, but modifying the address ranges, so that the WRT54G has 192.168.1.1 (and serves up 192.168.1.2-100) and the Vonage router has 192.168.1.150 (and serves up 192.168.1.151-250). Set the subnet mask on both to 255.255.255.0 and get fancy with "advanced routing" on the two routers, and you may be able to pull it off. That's kinda beyond my abilities on network bridging, though.

Obviously, your ideal would be to wire two WRT54G/GS/GL units together (your existing one plus one more), use WDS for a housewide seamless wireless connection and a single LAN, and put the Vonage router on one of them as a dumb client only. That's a $70 fix, though.

Posts: 17 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Sep 20, 2004 Posts: 17

I have a similiar setup with two WRT54Gs both running dd-wrt software. Each has a different SSID. I connect them together via the switched ports (NOT THE WAN PORT) and turn off dhcp server on the "remote" router. I set the default gateway on the second WRT to the IP address of the first WRT. The first is set to DHCP from the WAN port. My Vonage adapter (stand alone Motorolla) is connected between the cable modem and the first WRT. Everything works like a champ. I would NOT use two subnets in my home because there is no reason to and it makes things more complex.

Jim

Posts: 11 · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:35 pm Post subject:

Wow. I got it working exactly the way I wanted to...

Take a look at the very top (first) post here:

http://www.vonage-forum.com/ftopic10250-0-asc-20.html

I did configuration #3, BUT I also enabled the wireless on the WRT54GP2 to be on, with a different SSID than the WRT54G (which is connected to the cable modem). So now I have 2 wireless networks in the house, with 2 different SSIDs. But any PC (wireless or wired) on either router, can see each other, including NAS, surf the internet, and also see each router's config screen.

I have the WRT54G local LAN IP address to be 192.168.1.1
I have the WRT54GP2 local LAN IP address to be 192.168.1.2
I can access either router's web config from any PC using those IP addresses.

Any PCs that use Wireless or Wired onto the WRT54GP2 gets DHCP'd from the WRT54G, and gets their gateway set to 192.168.1.1. (DHCP, NAT, Firewall, QoS, are all turned off on the WRT54GP2).

And my Vonage phone works! exactly the way I wanted it!

Now I hope that the Vonage voice quality stays up.