Connecting multiple routers but keeping same subnet

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 08, 2006 Posts: 2

I'm using two routers in our house; one for wireless access, the other for just my Vonage phone. My computer is on a different subnet and I can't connect to my roommate's computers because they're on the other router. So, I'm connected to their router THROUGH the Vonage router (Linksys RTP300). Is there any way to configure this so that we are all on the same network?

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

Yes, you can set up your RTP300 as a switch instead of a router. Basically, you disable DNS and DHCP, plug the line from the first router into a LAN port on the RTP300 instead of the WAN port, run another ethernet cable from a second LAN port on the RTP300 to the WAN port in the RTP300 (!), and plug your PC into a third LAN port on the RTP300.

Read here for more details.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:05 pm Post subject:

As has been mentioned a few times lately, I do not like doing this, due to some symptoms I had (unable to reach the router config page, indicating a possible circular loop and some deeply funky routes on the resulting LAN).

I would recommend, instead, just getting a cheap 4- or 8-port switch, and using that instead of the switch in the RTP300.

So, run a wire from the main router to the cheap switch, then plug the WAN port of the Vonage router into one of the ports on the cheap switch, then you have a couple of ports left on that switch for other computers.

I use the WAN-to-LAN lashup on my WRTP54G (same as the RTP300 but with wireless) occasionally for temporary use, but I wouldn't leave it like that for any length of time.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 08, 2006 Posts: 2

Problem solved! Thanks, Steve! I now have Vonage phone and I'm on the correct subnet! I won't need to access the router setup (hopefully) and if I do, I'll just switch the ports back to their standard configuration. One small issue I found though-- I am unable to use the "dial from my computer" capabilities. Is there a workaround for this too? Thought I'd check. Thanks again for your help!

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

If you're referring to Click 2 Call, I've never had much luck with it, regardless of configuration. Don't for get to check out what Nate Hoy has written. He knows his stuff.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 8:29 am Post subject:

jparm1 wrote:

One small issue I found though-- I am unable to use the "dial from my computer" capabilities. Is there a workaround for this too? Thought I'd check. Thanks again for your help!

"Click2call" works great for me. Just remember that your "calling from" (Vonage phone number) HAS to start with a "1". If you skip adding the "1" to the beginning, it won't work at all. Also, when the phone rings on your end, pick it up immediately.

The "other end" is already ringing, and if the person on the other end answers quickly, you'll end up sounding like a telemarketer while the other end has to wait for you to pick up. Wink

If I had my 'druthers, it would wait until I picked up, then have a voice saying "dialing your number", or something, and the same would apply to Camp-On. But, it's Good Stuff all the same.

Side note: the same rule applies when using a remote access number to access your voice mail. No "1", no access.

If you use Firefox, there's a user here who has written a most useful extension that allows you to right-click on any phone number on any web page (or, if you install it in Thunderbird, in your Address Book) and dial it on your Vonage line. The ULTIMATE SPEED DIAL. Wink