Issue with 2nd Wireless Router Connected

[ankapadi]

Hello,

I have a bit of a frustrating problem that I was hoping someone could help me with.

I have the standard Verizon Actiontec wireless router. I also have a Linksys E2500 wireless router and a Cisco switch.

The way I have configured the network is as follows:

Coaxial from Verizon ---> Actiontec router -----> Linksys E2500 router. / Cisco switch

So the coaxial comes from outside into the Actiontec router. From there I have an Ethernet connected from port 1 to the Linksys E2500 Port 1 and Actiontec port 2 connected to port 1 of Cisco switch.

Here's where it gets frustrating... I have 0 problems with anything connected to the Cisco switch whether it be internet access or internal network access.

However, getting wireless internet access with the Linksys is a frustrating problem I have. The wireless is set up as follows: the Actiontec router has one SSID and the Linksys router has a separate SSID. So if I am connecting to the Actiontec router it is SSID1 and if I want to connect to Linksys router it is SSID2. The whole reason for two wifi routers is simply the size of the house and the wifi signal is not strong enough from Actiontec to reach the whole house.

I have no problems connecting to the Linksys wireless router (SSID2), however, there appears to be no internet access at times. If I connect a computer to one of the Ethernet ports I have no problems with internet access so I know it's a problem with my wifi setup on this router. There's no signal issue as I can be right next to the router and still not have wireless internet access. So it seems (to me at least) the Linksys router is somehow losing internet access.

The Linksys configuration is as follows: Ethernet from Actiontec (connected in port 1) is connected into Linksys Ethernet port 1. Linksys DHCP Server off and IP address of router is 192.168.1.130 (which is within the Actiontec IP address range).

If I unplug the Linksys router's power and plug back in I usually don't have a problem ... at least for awhile.

My question is, what am I doing wrong? Why am I losing internet access to Linksys router when everything else works fine? Is there some settings on the Linksys that I need to change? Finally, is there something with the Actiontec router that needs to be changed?

Thank you very much in advance for your help with this.

 

[scoob8000]

Does it seem like you loose connectivity after a set amount of time after connecting a device? (like 24 hours)?

A cleaner solution would be to replace one of the routers with a wireless access point, or wireless repeater.

 

[ankapadi]

Yes, it seems to lose connectivity after a certain time. What that time is, I am not sure. It could be 24 hours but I will monitor.

I thought by turning of the DHCP I am achieving the same thing as an access point.

 

[scoob8000]

Yes, it seems to lose connectivity after a certain time. What that time is, I am not sure. It could be 24 hours but I will monitor.

I thought by turning of the DHCP I am achieving the same thing as an access point.

You pretty much are. I was thinking somehow the second router was messing with the DHCP or even ARP cache from the first router.

I understood right that the actiontec (first router) was handing out DHCP addresses right?

You could also try changing the linksys to an IP that is outside of the range that the actiontec will hand out. (Unless your sure your not getting an IP conflict)

 

[ankapadi]

Okay, so it's definitely some setting. When I reset the Linksys router it works fine. So, either something on the Actiontec router is blocking the wireless internet access to the Linksys router or some setting on the Linksys router that requires the router to be reset.

When I reset the Linksys router the wireless internet access works like clockwork (though when connected to the Ethernet it always works).

Any ideas?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Get the Linksys router's (WAP) IP out of the DHCP range configured on the Actiontec.

On the Linksys, the WAN should be disabled, firewalls disabled, DHCP and DNS disabled, staticly set the LAN IP to an IP outside of the actiontec DHCP range. do not use the WAN port on the linksys...

http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html