Using Second Router As Access Point

[mattspeer01]

I have two TP-LINK Archer C7 routers, one of which is my main router and the other which I use to extend my wi-fi network. I have a large single story home, so wi-fi does not reach from one side to the other. My office where the main router and cable modem are located is at one end of the home. My TV, DirecTV Genie, PS4, XBO, and repeater router are all co-located in the middle of the house and all connect via wi-fi (from the repeater router) to the internet.

My issue is that the wi-fi connection on the repeater router seems to drop connections often and I frequently have to reset the router to get it back. I've read about connecting the two routers via an ethernet cable rather than via wi-fi like they are currently. Is there a way to do that without running a cable over 100 feet from my office, through my kitchen and breakfast nook, into the living room? I don't think the wife would take too kindly to a cable running across the house.

Every room in the house is wired for internet (via a COX coax connection), but in the living room, the coax cable coming from the wall goes into my DirecTV Genie (not that coax is what's I'd need to connect a router).

 

[Ichinisan]

Does the DirecTV Genie have an Ethernet socket? Some devices like IPTV boxes and others that do MoCA networking through coax will also let you get a wired Internet connection from the Ethernet socket to use with whatever you want. I've run an Apple TV from an AT&T Uverse box.

If every room is wired, you could bridge some connections in the place where they all come together.

If your router doesn't have an AP mode, you can still force the secondary one to behave as an AP. Just disable LAN DHCP and connect the incoming connection to any one of the numbered LAN ports.

 

[mattspeer01]

Does the DirecTV Genie have an Ethernet socket? Some devices like IPTV boxes and others that do MoCA networking through coax will also let you get a wired Internet connection from the Ethernet socket to use with whatever you want. I've run an Apple TV from an AT&T Uverse box.

If every room is wired, you could bridge some connections in the place where they all come together.

If your router doesn't have an AP mode, you can still force the secondary one to behave as an AP. Just disable LAN DHCP and connect the incoming connection to any one of the numbered LAN ports.

Yes it has ethernet. Hmm, so you're saying I might be able to hook my second router to that ethernet port (assuming it isn't being used)? If it is open, would I connect the cable to the WAN or a LAN port on the router? I know there is also some little white box cinema connection kit DTV uses that is in-between the Genie and the wall coax which I believe has an ethernet port on it (may or may not be connected to the Genie).

 

[JackMDS]

Using Wireless Routers (or Modem/Wireless Router) as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

 

[Ichinisan]

Yes it has ethernet. Hmm, so you're saying I might be able to hook my second router to that ethernet port (assuming it isn't being used)? If it is open, would I connect the cable to the WAN or a LAN port on the router? I know there is also some little white box cinema connection kit DTV uses that is in-between the Genie and the wall coax which I believe has an ethernet port on it (may or may not be connected to the Genie).

There's a good chance you can get a wired Ethernet connection from that port on your DirecTV box. You can do an initial test by connecting it to your router's WAN/Internet port.

If it works, try configuring your router in AP mode. If it has no such setting, you'll be connecting the line to one of the router's LAN ports after following JackMDS' guide link.