Two wireless routers connected togetherNetwork setup with two Wi-Fi devices
Two wireless routers connected togetherNetwork setup with two Wi-Fi devices
Recently, I plan to add two routers to my ISP modem, hoping it will help ease the internet traffic and expand coverage for certain users. Questions: 1. Is it accurate that placing two routers on one modem boosts speed (though it may be limited) or resolves speed caps, congestion, and range issues? 2. If so, how should I set it up? (Avoiding mesh Wi-Fi since it's too costly, sticking to a single LAN network instead) 3. When using an access point or extender, which option performs better? How can I configure it?
You're in the UK, and you're using bt broadband extenders at home.
I recommend connecting everything to a single network segment. Run the modem to the wan port on the first router, then connect the lan port on router 1 to the lan port on router 2. Turn off the firewall and DHCP settings on router 2. Configure the wireless networks with unique SSIDs and add both to your devices so they automatically choose the best one. This approach provides higher speeds compared to using an extender and ensures all your devices stay on the same network.
Malaysia's internet services often face problems such as losing connection, and it seems your room is the farthest from your home router, which is quite puzzling.
Essentially, you’re using one router to manage DHCP and firewall tasks while the other acts as a wired hotspot or switch. You’d turn off the DHCP server and firewall on the second router, skip the wan port, and use the LAN port to let devices communicate directly. This approach should give you strong Wi-Fi performance without much extra configuration beyond setting static IPs, turning off DHCP, and disabling the firewall on the second device. You can complete everything from the web console in under five minutes. Once done, configure both networks with different SSIDs so your devices can switch between them based on signal strength. This setup offers the best possible speed while keeping things simple. If you need to purchase both routers, consider a DST (Dual Stream) model like the R7200, which combines wireless AP with powerline communication for better performance.