Using router as wireless access point, is this possible?

I have a Linksys WAG354G wireless router situated upstairs that all my wifi devices use to connect to the internet and each other.

Assume I have just bought a none wifi enabled PC for downstairs, situated well away from my Linksys. As it happens I have 2 spare wireless routers kicking around, one of which is a Netgear WG834GT.

My question is, can I connect none wifi PC to the netgear router via ethernet and then have the netgear act as a wireless access point and communicate with the linksys upstairs? ie, I don't want to have an ethernet cable going from downstairs to upstairs and I don't want to buy a wireless adaptor (for this example).

I've just tried doing the above, I log into the netgear, turn off DHCP and assign it an IP within the range of the linksys router. But what settings do I put for subnet mask, wireless SSID, security etc? do I simply match the settings on the Linksys?

Or is what I want to do even possible?

Certainly your last question is where to start: what function do you want and will the netgear do that.

If you are hoping to use the Netgear as a "repeater", that picks up the signal and then repeats it to your downstairs pc, then no, I doubt it has that mode. I'm too lazy to check, but check if it has WDS mode or range extender mode.

It would certainly work as an Access Point, wired into your linksys by cable. An AP "broadcasts" you could say, but you don't want to connect it by cable.

It's possible, but not likely, that the netgear has a client mode, that would pick up from the linksys and allow you to connect to it by cable from your pc.

So, assuming that neither WDS nor range extender mode, and you do not want a cable, I can suggest this:

Get a set of Powerline Networking wall-plug units and plug one into the router and one downstairs into the netgear's LAN port. Reset the Netgear router and it may work just fine like that. Make sure you have security to the admin access and wireless on both routers.

Powerline adapters cost about $100 new for a pair - or less for used. They don't always work, depends on the device and you home wiring. The Netgear 103 84 Mbps are known to work well. There are others that I don't have any experience with but may also be good.

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