Using separate wifi routers for 802.11b and 802.11g clients

October 27, 2005 11:50 AM

In an effort to segregate the 802.11g devices from the 802.11b devices on my wireless network, I've added an additional wireless router to the mix, set to accept only connections from b clients. However it's not working as well as I had hoped - dropped connections, rebuffering of streaming media, etc.

The original router is connected to the cable modem and is alloting NAT IP addresses via DHCP. I have a CAT 5 cable running from a LAN port on the original router to a LAN port on the new one, which has a hard-coded IP address within my subnet. I am successful in accessing the new router's web interface from a client attached to the original router. The new router is set to act as an access point, and its DHCP function is disabled.

The wireless clients on the new router (a TiVo and a couple of Roku Soundbridge media players) can all get an IP address from the original router, but they seem to lose the connection after a while, then reacquire it. The Soundbridges are rebuffering, which is something that didn't happen when they were connected (wirelessly) to the original router.

So hardware-wise, do I have this set up correctly for what I want to do? Is there anything I might have missed?

posted by DandyRandy to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

You might want to check which channels you're using for each of the routers, and make sure they're sufficiently different (several channels apart, since there's overlap between them). My guess is that you have too many conflicting signals on the same frequencies, and the routers are having a hard time keeping up it.
posted by Godbert at 12:01 PM on October 27, 2005

Response by poster: I was careful about the channels, and the routers are physically separated by about 10 feet.
posted by DandyRandy at 12:04 PM on October 27, 2005

I found that assigning static addresses vs dynamic can help with the dropped connections: What encryption protocol are you using? Which router is which? What kind are they? This might be helpful to know "pour nous."
posted by AllesKlar at 12:09 PM on October 27, 2005

Shit, I just reread your question... my apologies; You specified which was which. Why are you segregating them?
posted by AllesKlar at 12:13 PM on October 27, 2005

AllesKlar: Probably because a single 802.11b device on the AP causes all traffic drop to b speeds.
posted by Eamon at 12:58 PM on October 27, 2005

I used Sveasoft's firmware on my Linksys, and am about to embark on a similar project (two WiFi routers, one for B, one for G - for exactly the same reason).

To second "AllesKlar's" comment, for any devices on my network that are "permanent", they consume dynamic IP's, but are statically assigned, I have setup the extra firmware options to server a set IP for a set MAC address. This is also useful for setting up routes, etc. I always know my PRINTER will be assigned the same IP - many consumer devices seem to 'prefer' DHCP assigned addresses of manually assigning them.

Another place to ask this question may be at the Netstumbler.com forums - they have many folks VERY knowledgable about WiFi routers/configuration.
posted by jkaczor at 3:08 PM on October 27, 2005