"__spc__" hath wroth:
Sorta. To make this work, you would need to:
- Disable DHCP on the 2nd WRT54G.
- Setup the IP address of the 2nd WRT54G so that it does NOT conflict with the IP address of the main WRT54G. If the main is
- Ignore the WAN port.
- Run a CAT5 cable between the *LAN* ports on the two WRT54G boxes.
The PS2 and the XP Home machine would plug into the LAN ports on the back of the 2nd WRT54G. In effect, you've turned the WRT54G into a dumb ethernet switch. If you don't need wireless in the back end of the property, this can also be done with a $20 ethernet switch.
Yes. Use the WDS feature of the WRT54G. This is exactly the same as the aformentioned setup (turning your wireless router into a wireless access point), except that there's no cable between the two boxes. You do lose half your thruput going wireless through the 2nd WRT54G, but the PS2 and PC plugged into the ethernet ports go at the full speed of the wireless link between WRT54G boxes. See:
Are the two PC's connected via wireless? If so, yes, they might. WDS requires that all wireless devices use the same SSID. There's a chance that the client will select the wrong access point. It's really up to the client adapter software to make that decision. A bit of antenna juggling should reduce that potential problem.
CAT5 between switched ports works up to at least 900ft. I've done it several times.