How to connect two wireless routers to a single cable modem?
August 3, 2010 12:59 PM Subscribe
How can I connect two wireless routers (Fonera first generation and Apple Airport Express) to a single cable modem through an ethernet hub to establish two separate networks? I am able to connect one or the other to the cable modem through the ethernet hub, but I cannot connect both. Both wireless routers have only a single ethernet port. I currently have Comcast as my ISP, if that helps.
Since both routers only have a single Ethernet port, this is basically impossible if your ISP doesn't allow it. You'll have to get a router that has both a WAN port and LAN ports, like the Airport Extreme, and plug the Fonera router into one of the LAN ports.
posted by zsazsa at 1:03 PM on August 3, 2010
posted by zsazsa at 1:03 PM on August 3, 2010
Actually, this is possible, it's just not commonly done, and will most likely require that your cable company will allow your modem to provide more than one IP address.
Based on the fact that it is only allowing one to work at a time (at a guess, it's probably whatever one boots up first) your account is almost assuredly set to only allow a single IP.
Give them a call and see about adding a second one, my cable company charges a small fee (I think it's something less that $5 per month.) Either way, its less that getting a second cable modem, which is your only other option.
posted by quin at 1:16 PM on August 3, 2010
Based on the fact that it is only allowing one to work at a time (at a guess, it's probably whatever one boots up first) your account is almost assuredly set to only allow a single IP.
Give them a call and see about adding a second one, my cable company charges a small fee (I think it's something less that $5 per month.) Either way, its less that getting a second cable modem, which is your only other option.
posted by quin at 1:16 PM on August 3, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for all the great answers! My research was pointing me in the direction of the multiple IP address issue, but figured it was smart to confirm with the MeFi braintrust.
posted by eden at 1:33 PM on August 3, 2010
posted by eden at 1:33 PM on August 3, 2010
I don't understand what you mean by 'ethernet hub.' If you mean the port on the back of your modem, then you can not currently do what you want.
Buy an ethernet switch and connect all your devices to it (modem, Fonera, Airport).
Your modem is also a router*, it just doesn't have a built-in ethernet switch to physically connect your devices.
*I'm assuming you have a Motorola SB5xxx modem.
posted by pants tent at 1:43 PM on August 3, 2010
Buy an ethernet switch and connect all your devices to it (modem, Fonera, Airport).
Your modem is also a router*, it just doesn't have a built-in ethernet switch to physically connect your devices.
*I'm assuming you have a Motorola SB5xxx modem.
posted by pants tent at 1:43 PM on August 3, 2010
This one is $10 after rebate and has a lifetime warranty:
NETGEAR FS105 10/100Mbps Desktop Switch
posted by pants tent at 1:46 PM on August 3, 2010
NETGEAR FS105 10/100Mbps Desktop Switch
posted by pants tent at 1:46 PM on August 3, 2010
You can daisy chain the routers (double NAT- not recommended, but works) to use a single WAN IP, but since each only has a WAN port and no LAN ports, you will need additional hardware to do so.
posted by wongcorgi at 1:52 PM on August 3, 2010
posted by wongcorgi at 1:52 PM on August 3, 2010
An ethernet hub is just a dumb device ("dumb" as in not-switched) it doesn't prevent network collisions, but would work fine for a simple network like this.
That said, a switch would be a better choice for a long term solution.
But the routers that are plugged in are still going to be limited by how many IPs the cable company is allocating.
posted by quin at 2:03 PM on August 3, 2010
That said, a switch would be a better choice for a long term solution.
But the routers that are plugged in are still going to be limited by how many IPs the cable company is allocating.
posted by quin at 2:03 PM on August 3, 2010
First off, I am not a computer expert. I may be drastically wrong. But I have set up multiple wireless networks coming from a single IP address more than once.
You do NOT need to pay the cable company for multiple IP addresses. This is a case where "bridge mode" is your friend.
The Fon router sounds interesting. I am assuming you want to set up a public network for the Fon, and then a private network with the APE.
Basically, there are two kinds of IP addresses- the local IP address, and the IP address that the rest of the world sees. The latter is the IP address that the ISP gives you. That is why when you track a IP address down on the internet, it often doesn't lead you to a specific computer, but only to a certain connection. That's also why people do bad things using their neighbor's unsecured wireless networks.
To assign those internal IP Addresses to computers and devices as they add or leave the internal network you need a DCHP server. Any router can be a DCHP server. However, if you have TWO DCHP servers on one network, things can get extremely unpleasant very quickly. They are both trying to assign addresses, and it is just a mess. That's where Bridge mode, and a cheap wired broadband router (not switch) comes in.
Get a cheap wired broadband router like this one. Do not get a switch, do not get a hub. Get a router.
The router will act as the DCHP server. Plug the router into the cable modem. Then you have have to set up "bridge mode" on both the APE and the FON. Bridge mode basically disables the DCHP server on the wireless routers, so things don't get messed up.
Do the set up one router at a time.
Setting up bridge mode on your airport express is very easy. Plug it into the router, fire up the airport utility, and work through the instructions for extending a wired network.
Setting up bridge mode on the FON should be easy, but I have no idea how to do so. It appears that it has plenty of forums, so it is probably doable.
I would probably figure out how to firewall off the fon from everything else, but I will let you figure that one out...
Good luck!
posted by rockindata at 6:50 PM on August 3, 2010
You do NOT need to pay the cable company for multiple IP addresses. This is a case where "bridge mode" is your friend.
The Fon router sounds interesting. I am assuming you want to set up a public network for the Fon, and then a private network with the APE.
Basically, there are two kinds of IP addresses- the local IP address, and the IP address that the rest of the world sees. The latter is the IP address that the ISP gives you. That is why when you track a IP address down on the internet, it often doesn't lead you to a specific computer, but only to a certain connection. That's also why people do bad things using their neighbor's unsecured wireless networks.
To assign those internal IP Addresses to computers and devices as they add or leave the internal network you need a DCHP server. Any router can be a DCHP server. However, if you have TWO DCHP servers on one network, things can get extremely unpleasant very quickly. They are both trying to assign addresses, and it is just a mess. That's where Bridge mode, and a cheap wired broadband router (not switch) comes in.
Get a cheap wired broadband router like this one. Do not get a switch, do not get a hub. Get a router.
The router will act as the DCHP server. Plug the router into the cable modem. Then you have have to set up "bridge mode" on both the APE and the FON. Bridge mode basically disables the DCHP server on the wireless routers, so things don't get messed up.
Do the set up one router at a time.
Setting up bridge mode on your airport express is very easy. Plug it into the router, fire up the airport utility, and work through the instructions for extending a wired network.
Setting up bridge mode on the FON should be easy, but I have no idea how to do so. It appears that it has plenty of forums, so it is probably doable.
I would probably figure out how to firewall off the fon from everything else, but I will let you figure that one out...
Good luck!
posted by rockindata at 6:50 PM on August 3, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 1:03 PM on August 3, 2010