I posted last month about trying to use my Linksys router as an access point. I was directed to
formatting link
which gives the following instructions:
Set IP address (manually)
--In the same address range as your other devices
--That doesn't conflict with any other device (e.g., router) Disable internal DHCP server. Connect (Ethernet) cable to LAN port, not WAN/Internet port.
--Nothing connected to WAN/Internet port.
--May need to use crossover type cable. Disable any wireless-to-wired isolation feature
Maybe it's just too late at night, but how do I get into the old wireless router. Do I plug it into one of the CAT5 outlets in the house, and let it register and log into it using the IP? or do I directly connect it to a PC and somehow get into it that way.
sorry to be asking such as obvious question, but I'm a programmer and hardware is just not my gig.
Did you scribble down the IP address of the router when you set the IP address? If so, just point your browser to that IP address as in: http://192.168.1.1 If that fails, try: http://192.168.1.1/Don't ask me why that works. If you're just starting, Linksys usually uses 192.168.1.1 as the default IP address for the router. Point your browser at that IP address.
Connect a standard CAT5 cable directly from the ethernet port on your PC, to one of the 4 LAN ports on your unspecified model Linksys wireless router. Never mind any other wiring you have scattered around the house.
Once you set the IP address manually on the router, and disable the DHCP server in the router, your computer will not longer be able to get a DHCP assigned IP address. Therefore, you must also manually assign the IP address of the computer.
Sigh. Think of it as a plastic box with software inside.
This is not necessarily the right advice. Some routers, when working as an access point, can make use of the WAN port just fine. Why waste one of the wired switch ports if you need them for other gear?
You're generally better off plugging it directly into a PC. This way you can configure your PC in such a way as to best connect to the router. That is, without disrupting your other, working, network. Since it's a PC to switch connection no cross-over cable should be necessary. And even in an uplink situation a lot of gear is smart enough to handle it.
One tip, start from scratch on that router. Force it back to factory settings.
How to do this varies widely. This is why it's IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE MAKE and MODEL numbers of the devices you're using.
Once you've got it back to factory settings, follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to set it up as an access point. This usually means configuring your laptop with a static address, cabling JUST to the router alone, using a web browser to contact the router and reconfiguring it. If your network is not using the same IP numbering (and most shouldn't) then you'll then also need to change your PC's static address to match whatever network the router needs.
As in, factory address of the router is 192.168.1.1, so set your PC to use
192.168.1.2 (or anything else in the .2 to .254 range). Your main network uses, let's say, 172.16.1.1. So you'd change the router to act as an access point and use an address in that range, along with the correct gateway address. When you make this change you, and the router reboots itself, then you'll have to also change your PC. Probably best to just change it back to DHCP or whatever it was using before. Now plug the router into the wired network (using the WAN port is often ok) and your PC into one of the router's other LAN ports. See that you can access it's setup pages. If so then you're more or less done with that phase. Move on to configuring the wireless part of it.
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