Forum Discussion

Bill_S_1's avatar
Bill_S_1
Explorer
May 05, 2013

Best way to set up temp WAP at home?

We have some guests that will be visiting for a week or so (at our house). I have a Verizon wireless router here for WIFI, but I want to add something more to provide our guests with WIFI, using a different WEP or WPA key from the one we use.

I have a couple wireless routers (Linksys, etc) lying around not being used. I also have a WiFi Ranger in the motorhome, out in the barn out back, but I think it is too far from the house to use as a WIFI repeater, unless I bring it in my garage (where the Verizon router is located).

Anyone have any suggestions? (I am not a wizzard at this stuff, but think I can it done with some guidance).
  • glad it worked out for ya

    good luck!

    always make sure to use different ranges, routers get confused when your in the same subnet and can cause conflicts and collisions
  • Bill, the router was working as a WAP the way I had it set up, but I did notice that the Verizon wireless router was using the same DHCP addresses, so I went into the DLink and changed it as you suggested, and it is working fine. It is located probably 25' from the Verizon router, and they are now on different channels. Login is quick; speed is fast, so I like this arrangement well enough to keep it for future guest use.

    Thanks for your help, and thanks to others for their suggestions as well.
  • no single cable from the lan on the verizon to the wan on the dlink

    yes there is a possibility in this config for a ip conflict

    you are probably on a 192.168.1.x range


    if that is case, make sure the dlink uses a different dhcp range,

    something like 192.168.211.x and your issues should go away

    lmk
  • LittleBill wrote:
    if you just want to use a different wifi password, the easiest is to change the password

    short of that, simply plug 1 of the new routers into a switch port on the existing router, and plug that into the internet port on the temp wap, then simply setup the router like normal, pick a new ssid and password and should work finethen simply setup the router like normal, pick a new ssid and password and should work fine

    try to pick a different channel then the one you currently use


    Bill, I am not clear on the second part of your suggestion. Are you saying that there should be 2 cables connecting the main (Verizon) wireless router/modem and the (D-Link or Netgear) spare wireless router that I would use as a WAP?

    I was under the impression that I could take a D-Link 614+ for example, and set it up as a WAP, then plug it into a port on the Verizon modem/router. No?

    I did that, and it works, but I think there could be some sort of conflict. I took a D-link614+, and plugged it's WAN in, to a LAN jackon the Verizon. I can log in to the D-Link, and have internet access, but when it refreshes, or whatever routes do, I'm thinking that it may issue an IP address that is also being issued by the Verizon router.
  • if you just want to use a different wifi password, the easiest is to change the password

    short of that, simply plug 1 of the new routers into a switch port on the existing router, and plug that into the internet port on the temp wap, then simply setup the router like normal, pick a new ssid and password and should work fine

    try to pick a different channel then the one you currently use
  • Bill.Winegard wrote:
    If you don't care about providing full access to everything on your network you can just bring your WiFi Ranger in and setup the Guest pass code.
    You can also buy a second router (or use the Ranger) and connect the WAN port of the Ranger to the LAN port on your router setting up a separate IP address in that unit. The users connected to that router would have full use of the internet but no access to your in-house network.
    Techo geeks may need to jump in here for some details, but I think I have that right!


    This is what I want to do. I did the other suggestions in the past, but it was a PITA to get the wireless network printers set up, and I really don't want to go back to a network key that was used before.

    I can bring in the Ranger and try to set that up, but I have a few wireless routers here that are notbeing used. Would like to put one of them in service as a WAP, and no problem placing it in the garage, between the existing router and the house.

    I think I vaguely remember that a router like a Netgear or Linksys, can be set up as WAP somehow in a setup menu. I'll check into it.
  • If you don't care about providing full access to everything on your network you can just bring your WiFi Ranger in and setup the Guest pass code.
    You can also buy a second router (or use the Ranger) and connect the WAN port of the Ranger to the LAN port on your router setting up a separate IP address in that unit. The users connected to that router would have full use of the internet but no access to your in-house network.
    Techo geeks may need to jump in here for some details, but I think I have that right!
  • I would change the password before they arrive to a new one, give it to them, after they depart, change it back. If you are that worried about them getting into your computers, they shouldn't be on your wifi.
  • ideally a 'repeater' should half way between the router and the the new user
    not in the same loction as the router

    just turn off file sharing on your computers and give them your router wifi access key/password
    after their visit is over you can turn file sharing on

    unless you have a server hhd and file sharing, they are not going to access your pc, just becuse thy have wifi access

    if you ate really concerened , change the wifi password after they leave
  • My Cradlepoint router has a guest account feature that allows a different password to be used by the guest.
    Maybe the Ranger does also?

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