How To Set Up Multiple Routers In Your House

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If y'all accept a large home or even merely a big home network with lots of devices, adding a second router tin not but amend coverage both wired and wirelessly, but also improve overall performance. In this article, nosotros'll look at how to fix two routers on the same network, besides as some of the benefits and some alternatives yous may want to consider.

Tin Ii Routers Be Prepare up on the Same Network?

Ii, or even more if you wish, routers tin admittedly be ready up on the same home network.

A second router can be set up to act every bit a range extender, or it can be configured to share the same SSID equally the principal router, meaning the devices on your network will connect to whichever router provides the stronger signal.

Y'all may too similar: 7 Best Wireless Routers for Lots of Devices: Buyer's Guide

What Are the Benefits of Having Two Routers on the Aforementioned Network?

Setting up a dual-router home network comes with a number of benefits, including:

More than connectivity for wired devices: Information technology is likely that your main router simply has a limited number of LAN ports bachelor to connect wired devices to it (five if you are lucky). Calculation a 2nd router immediately provides additional Ethernet ports that provide more devices with wired connectivity without the need for a network switch.
Amend support for mixed wired/wireless setups: Having a 2d router is useful if you accept a wired habitation network merely as well want to connect some Wi-Fi enabled devices. The routers can be separated in the sense that the wired devices will continue to connect to the main router, whereas all of the wireless devices would connect to the secondary. This is particularly helpful if the wired devices are positioned at the other cease of the habitation to the wireless devices.
Isolation for certain devices: If sure devices in your dwelling house utilize the network connection peculiarly heavily, dual routers can exist fix upwardly to isolate certain devices and prevent a big amount of network traffic affecting the other devices. As an instance, you may want to look at isolating a particular PC that frequently transfers large files or plays a lot of online games from a smart TV that is streaming video.
Improved wireless coverage: A second router can simply be used to extend an existing Wi-Fi connection, greatly improving the coverage in your domicile and providing even those far abroad devices with a stable wireless connexion.
Fill-in device: It doesn't hurt having a working backup router bachelor in instance 1 suddenly fails.

How to Set up Two Routers on the Same Network

Now yous know the benefits of adding a 2nd router to your dwelling house network, allow'south take a look at how to really set information technology up.

When information technology comes to connectivity between the two, you take a choice of a wired or wireless connection. We will cover both methods below, but in both cases, there are a few things that you demand to consider and set up showtime.

Firstly, yous need to decide which of the routers volition be the master and which will be the secondary. Ideally, yous volition option the newer, fully-featured router to exist the primary, but if you have two of the same router it doesn't really matter which is which.

Next, identify both of the routers shut to the calculator you will be using to configure them both. This is merely for ease of access; both routers can be moved to their permanent location later.

Finally, yous need to make up one's mind what yous desire to reach from the second router every bit there are two dissimilar connectedness types you can setup: LAN-to-LAN or LAN-to-WAN.

LAN-to-LAN: This extends your existing network connectedness and SSID to include the second router. LAN-to-LAN connectivity allows you to share files between devices regardless of which router they connect to.
LAN-to-WAN: Creates a second network within the main network which allows you to place restrictions on any devices that connect to it and therefore is a proficient idea if y'all wish to isolate certain devices. A LAN-to-WAN setup doesn't support the sharing of files across the ii divide networks.

Got all that sorted? Let's move on to performing the setup.

Related article: What Is the WAN Port on My Router For?

Setting up a Second Router Using Ethernet

1. Connecting to the Primary Router

First things first, we demand to perform the initial setup on the primary router. Brand sure the router is first connected to your modem via an Ethernet cable, then connect the computer you are using to the router using another Ethernet cable.

Some Windows PCs and Macs will no longer come with a built-in Ethernet port, so you may need to buy either an Ethernet to USB adapter to make that wired connection.

2. Logging in to the Primary Router

This principal router will exist taking command of the connectedness to the Cyberspace through the modem and should be ready up as if it were the merely router in the domicile.

Y'all'll need to access the router's spider web interface which is typically done by entering the router'southward IP address into the URL bar of your web browser and and then logging in.

Unless you accept previously changed the username and password to access the router, which is recommended for security purposes, the router volition oft send with a carte containing these credentials.

Think that the settings of each router can vary drastically depending on the manufacturer and model. If you always get stuck finding a particular setting, information technology is recommended that y'all consult the router'due south manual or the support section on the manufacturer'due south website.

iii. Modify the DHCP Settings

If you have decided on setting up a LAN-to-LAN network, yous can skip over this step every bit the DHCP settings can be left every bit they are.

If setting upward a LAN-to-WAN network, you will demand to set the DHCP to provide addresses between 192.168.one.ii and 192.168.1.50.

Once these changes accept been saved, log out of the router and disconnect your computer from it. That is all of the piece of work completed on the primary router.

four. Configuring the 2d Router

Connect and login to the 2nd router every bit you did with the first and navigate to the screen that allows you to set the IP address of the router itself.

What you set the IP address to is important depending on whether you are going LAN-to-LAN or LAN-to-WAN

LAN-to-LAN: Alter the IP address to match that of the primary router, just increase the second-to-terminal digit by one. And so if the primary router has an IP address of 192.168.one.1, the second router needs to use 192.168.2.1.
LAN-to-WAN: Change the IP accost to 192.168.1.51. Notice this is merely outside of the DHCP range nosotros gear up on the main router.

Once the IP address is set, just make certain that the subnet mask matches that of the master router and that you disable UPnP if the option is there.

5. Configuring DHCP on the Second Router

Again, this pace is different depending on whether you are setting up LAN-to-LAN or LAN-to-WAN.

LAN-to-LAN: Turn off the DHCP service completely
LAN-to-WAN: Change the DHCP to provide addresses between 192.168.ii.two and 192.168.2.l

6. Alter the Wireless Channels

If both of your routers are wireless, as most are these days, you will need to manually change the channels so the ii signals don't interfere with i another. This is easily done past setting the primary router to utilize any channel between 1 and 6 and and then setting the 2d router to use channel 11.

7. Position the Routers

Then that's all of the configuration piece of work on both routers washed. Make sure to salve changes, log out and disconnect the router from your estimator every bit it is now time to place both routers where y'all need them.

Just remember, you lot volition need to use an Ethernet cable to connect the two together.

For convenience and so you don't accept more wires than needed abaft around your home, you may want to place the master router next to the modem if you are using 1 that is a carve up device.

viii. Connect the Routers

Regardless of which network setup you are using, the routers need to connect to each other, but the port you must utilise will differ.

LAN-to-LAN: Plug one terminate of the Ethernet cable into ane of the available LAN ports on the back of the master router, and then plug the other end into an bachelor LAN port on the dorsum of the second router.
LAN-to-WAN: Plug one stop of the Ethernet cable into one of the bachelor LAN ports on the back of the main router, and and so plug the other end into the WAN port (may be labeled equally "Internet") on the back of the second router.

Once connected, you take successfully connected to a second router to your home network using a wired connexion.

Setting up a 2d Router Using Wireless

1. Is Your Equipment Even Compatible?

Before going downwards the route of setting upwards the second router wirelessly, y'all will first make sure that information technology is fifty-fifty possible using the equipment yous have.

Most wireless routers can be used every bit a wireless admission point or range extender, nonetheless, not all can be used to create their ain network within the chief router's network.

You must ensure that your secondary router has a "bridge" or "repeater" style.

If yous are unsure, bank check the transmission that came with the router or check on the manufacturer's website.

two. Connecting to the Primary Router

If you haven't already, you will demand to perform the initial setup on the primary router. Make sure the router is beginning continued to your modem via an Ethernet cable if you lot have 1, then connect the reckoner you are using to the router using a split up Ethernet cable.

Some Windows PCs and Macs will no longer come with a congenital-in Ethernet port, so you lot may demand to purchase either an Ethernet to USB adapter to make that wired connection.

3. Logging Into the Chief Router

This master router will be taking control of the connectedness to the Internet through the modem and should exist set upwards every bit if it were the only router in the home.

Y'all'll need to access the router's web interface which is typically done by entering the router's IP address into the URL bar of your web browser so logging in.

Unless you lot have previously changed the username and password to access the router, which is recommended for security purposes, the router will oftentimes ship with a card containing these credentials.

Remember that the settings of each router tin can vary drastically depending on the manufacturer and model. If you always go stuck finding a item setting, it is recommended that y'all consult the router's manual or the support department on the manufacturer's website.

Once you lot have completed the initial setup, you lot can log out and disconnect from the router as we won't need to connect to the primary again.

4. Logging Into the Second Router

Now it is fourth dimension to connect the second router to your figurer using an Ethernet cable, logging in and opening the configuration folio.

You lot will need to scan to a setup page that is likely to be called either "Internet" or "Wireless".

The router does not need to connect to the modem (if you have one as a separate device) at this stage.

v. Enable Bridge Mode

Within the setup page, you are looking for "Network Mode" nether "Connection Type" or "Wireless Mode".

Select "Bridge Mode" or "Repeater Way" depending on the model of your router (both mean the same thing).

If y'all exercise non see this option, it is likely that the router doesn't support bridging and y'all will therefore either buy a router that does or connect the two routers over Ethernet equally described to a higher place.

6. Set the 2nd Router's IP Accost

The IP address of the second router must be set to fall within the DHCP range of the main router.

For example, if the primary router has a DHCP range of 192.168.one.2 to 192.168.ane.50, you will need to fix the second router's IP address to exist anything in betwixt.

Whilst configuring the IP address, make sure the subnet mask matches that of the primary router.

7. Give the Second Router a Unique Proper noun

Information technology is recommended that you give the 2nd router a unique proper noun and then it is clear which router you lot are connecting to when joining your devices to the network.

You may want to proper noun both routers depending on the position of them in your dwelling, only it really doesn't matter what name y'all choose.

Brand sure both routers are fix to use WPA2 which is probable to exist the case out of the box.

Y'all may also want to brand certain both are set up to use the same password for ease of utilise; just make certain it is something secure that cannot be easily guessed to assist avoid any unauthorized admission.

8. Position the Second Router

The configuration of the second router is now complete, so you can place it in an surface area of your home where you want it to repeat the signal provided by the main router.

For a skilful connection between the routers to exist maintained, it is recommended that the second router is placed where it receives at to the lowest degree l% of the signal strength from the primary router, only the higher the ameliorate.

If there is a direct line-of-sight between both routers, you should notice the 2nd router receives the strongest signal compared to any walls being in the way.

Alternatives to Setting up a 2nd Router

Setting up a second router on your home network is relatively like shooting fish in a barrel, but there are a few alternatives that volition achieve the same issue of extending your network, but without any router, IP accost or DHCP configuration being needed.

You lot may want to instead look at calculation a network switch instead of a second router. Switches come up vary in terms of the number of available Ethernet ports they can add together to your network and the blazon: managed or unmanaged.

For a Wi-Fi network, y'all may want to consider simply adding a wireless access betoken rather than an additional router. These can help extend wireless coverage throughout your home and merely use a unmarried LAN port on your primary router.

Glossary

Nosotros mentioned several technical terms in this article, many of which are abbreviated, so here is a brief description of each to better your understanding of these commonly constitute terms you'll undoubtedly come across when designing and building your dwelling house network.

LAN (Local Area Network): A local network that allows the devices connected to information technology to communicate with each other.
WAN (Wide Area Network): A network that connects multiple LANs with each other.
SSID (Service Fix Identifier): The proper noun of a Wi-Fi network.
LAN-to-LAN: Extends an existing network connection and SSID to a 2nd router.
LAN-to-WAN: Creates a second network within a primary network.
IP Address (Internet Protocol Accost): Numerical label assigned to each device connected to your network.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol): Dynamically assigns an IP address to each device connected to your network.
Subnet Mask: Masks an IP accost and divides information technology into a network accost and a host address.
UPnP (Universal Plug and Play): Permits devices to seamlessly discover each other's presence on a network.
WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2): A type of encryption to secure Wi-Fi networks.