Can I hook up a secondary router to my FiOS router/modem?

[flvegan]

The wireless signal from the Actiontek POS device given to us sucks, and it's been replaced 3 times already. Verizon, customer service hacks that they are, use the "we don't guarantee wireless" excuse. My roomie went and bought a secondary router (thanks, DS1) on my neanderthallic belief that surely one should be able to plug a secondary router into one of the LAN ports and use it as an extended range wireless router that will broadcast more than 7 feet (again, see POS Actiontek device).

I've done the usual Googling and opinions vary, so as usual, I turn to DU for the true expertise. What say you?

Any help/advice appreciated.

[DarkTirade]

1. ... personally I'd say its less of a hassle to buy a 50 foot cord and some duct tape.

... but that's just me. :)

[rcrush]

2. I just went out and bought my own router and modem to use with my cable internet

Cable company brought me some generic looking modem that sucked so I just replaced it and bought my own router to. Both work great.

[flvegan]

4. I thought of that but was told that FiOS would only work with their shitty device.

[rcrush]

8. They told me that to but all I had to do was call my cable companys

tech support and they had to do something on their end but after a few min they recognized my modem and router.

[Pierre.Suave]

18. FiOS is NOT cable

it is Fiber Optic, normal cable modem will not work, but no reason a router should not work as long as you use their modem.

[HopeHoops]

3. You need to plug a cross-over cable from the "uplink" port on the second router to one of the ports

A cross-over cable is exactly what it sounds like - it crosses over the signals. The send/receive wires from the uplink port are reversed from the ports 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. You can get a 5 port switch for under $20 - Best Buy has one for like $15 in today's circular. The cross-over cable will probably cost $10 or so.

[flvegan]

6. Okay

I've got the 4 port router. That's my "switch" right? Cross over cable? Is that like an ethernet cable?

Hi, I'm an idiot, I know.

Thanks for the help.

[HopeHoops]

22. See the body of the reply for details - you aren't an idiot.

An ethernet cable is basically a set of pairs of signals, the most important of which are send and receive.

On a normal "Cat-5e" ethernet cable, the "send" wire on one end goes to the "receive" wire of the other, and similarly the other way around. When you plug router into one of those ports with a standard ethernet cable it is going to get a "send" to "send" and a "receive" to "receive" because the port called "uplink" is wired opposite of the device ports. A cross-over cable is exactly what it sounds like - it crosses the send and receive lines so it will work when you plug an uplink port into a device port.

If you look at the colors in the connectors, you can see the difference. Just a word of advice - when you buy a cross-over cable, use a black permanent marker and put HUGE "X" marks all over each end - saves your eyeballs.

[flvegan]

23. Damn, that made sense to me.

Thanks!

[HopeHoops]

24. The damn things cost too much - I make my own (the crimper costs more - you have to justify it)

[madinmaryland]

5. No problems with our FiOS Router/modem here. We have two computers

working off of it right now. Now Comcast, their shit sucks.

[flvegan]

7. We had no problems with the original router from Verizon.

Worked great. Then it died, and they "upgraded" the whole system, even switching from ethernet in to coax in. Been shitty ever since.

[madinmaryland]

9. What really sucks is when you buy after-market products and try to connect

them to you ISP. Unless you are an IP addict, the programming of those things is really fucked up.

BTW, have you gotten you furnace hooked up again? Sorry for the snark last night.

[flvegan]

11. Got a guy coming tomorrow.

I was up much of the night checking the outside unit every couple hours, having to turn it off to "defrost" a couple times. I was really worried about damaging the system with zero airflow. No problem on the snark.

[MajorChode]

10. You don't need a 2nd router, you need a WAP

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_access_point

Make sure that you turn OFF the wireless function on the Actiontek and you match the WAP band to your wireless devices.

[flvegan]

12. Interesting. Researching now.

Thanks!

[MajorChode]

13. A WAP will work much better

The reason is because if you have two routers, getting functions like printing or peer to peer networking between wired and wireless computers is tricky because they are essentially on different networks. You can configure a wireless router as a WAP (sort of) but it is a pain in the arse and depending on the wireless router you still may have problems with devices on either side of the wireless router talking to each other.

[flvegan]

14. What if

there's not shared printing (or anything else for that matter) between wireless and wired computers? It's not so much a network as it is simply her being able to get a signal in her room. I see the logic in the WAP. I'm also wondering if it would just be easier to get a wireless laptop card with a better range and forget the whole thing with hooking a device to the existing router/modem.

[MajorChode]

16. The price of a WAP is about the same or less as a good wireless router

You can get a Linksys WAP54G for about $70. You can certainly get a cheap wireless router for less, but cheap wireless routers are hit and miss as far as range go.

I have an Actiontek and it works all throughout my house (which is fairly good sized and one story), so it may just be your wireless device or it could be something in your house that is blocking the signal. I use Linksys notebook cards and all of my kids' wireless devices also work throughout my house.

I have heard about others having problems with the Actiontek though.

[flvegan]

17. I think

she spent about that on the router, and I'm thinking about what you said about two networks. Just sounds problematic. I'm liking the idea of trying a laptop card to extend her range, and if that fails going to the WAP. Seems less...troublesome. There's a wall between the router and her laptop, but it might be a total distance of 25 or 30 feet from between the two.

The Actiontek that we had before (the old model) was perfect in every way for two years. Suddenly it just stopped and this one has been nothing but shit.

[Xipe Totec]

15. That's what we have at home, a router and a WAP

You're absolutely correct; no need for a second router.

[Pierre.Suave]

19. FUCK you and your Verizon FiOS...

I wish we had that here.

:P

I see no reason a router should not work with their modem.

[TZ]

20. you know why you don't have FIOS yet don't you?

cause Florida>>>>>Minnesota...Oh and we have it here if I want it too...My condo association wired the whole development to be FIOS ready..:P

[Pierre.Suave]

21. Pfftttt

never.

[madinmaryland]

27. I'm sorry your dial-up modem died.

:P

[Pierre.Suave]

28. LOL

I am going to set up BASE CAMP on your lawn now...

[TommyO]

29. My sentiments exactly!

i'm deep in Comcast country here and just got everything hooked up *YESTERDAY*. Zippy fast internet connection, Digital Voice, and a cablecard for my TiVO HD so I can get HD programming again. The internet service and phone work great, though we had problems with the TiVo and they're coming out again tomorrow.

We were at a home show today and Verizon was there, touting FIOS, of course, which if we're lucky we'll see it in two years, just about time for me to be bloody sick of Comcast!

[crimsonblue]

25. You can make the Verizon router a bridge device and then pass the signal through to another router

Google "verizon router network bridging" and you should find instructions

[NJmaverick]

26. Turn off the DHCP on the second router

then plug the second router and the FIOS router both into a regulare computer port. That should do the trick, provided the FIOS doesn't interfere with the second one. YOu may need see if the FIOS wireless can be shut off.