I connected another router using a standard Ethernet cable from a previous setup. Was that correct?
I connected another router using a standard Ethernet cable from a previous setup. Was that correct?
I set up the wifi/ethernet connection in the basement using a long cable. I connected it to the main router and purchased a TotoLink router. I linked the cable to the new device, unsure whether to connect it to a regular port or the WAN port. I configured DHCP from the main router and restricted its IP range so it wouldn’t clash with others. The main router assigned addresses from 20 to 100, while the basement would get 0 to 19. I’m having trouble getting internet when I move my phone up after being connected in the basement—it seems it thinks it’s using the same IP. Could you help clarify this setup? Thanks!
Using DHCP allows the second router to automatically assign an IP from the first one. This works, but usually you prefer static, recognizable IPs for routers and servers. It might make more sense to set them manually, like 192.168.0.2, if the first router uses 192.168.0.1. Having two routers act as DHCP servers is okay as long as their ranges don’t overlap. You should also define a suitable netmask so devices know they’re on different networks. In most cases, it’s better to run the second router in bridge mode, forwarding traffic to the first router without managing its own DHCP or double-NAT. Your phone switching between networks can happen for several reasons—often a device tries to stay connected to its current Wi-Fi even if it’s weak. This keeps it tied to the basement network until it determines it’s too weak. When moving to another area, observe how long it takes to switch and verify it receives the correct IP, DNS settings, and default gateway from the new router. If it still appears on the same network (e.g., 192.168.0.x with 255.255.255.0), it may not change IPs initially because it assumes it’s still part of that network.