Potential issue with router daisy chaining

[79wjd]

I'd like to buy a second router to daisy chain off my Asus RT-A66u for the sole purpose as being a dedicated connection point for Dropcams and Nest smoke detectors. I realized that the cameras/smoke detectors were seriously affecting the networks performance so I would like to place them on their own isolated network. 

 

Now, are there any issues with running a cheap/random router off my primary one (LAN from the AC66u to the WAN port on the new secondary router)? Would any random router work, or would I need to get one with some specific feature? 

 

Like I said, the sole purpose of this second router will be for connecting Dropcams and Nest smoke detectors (but they need to be on the internet, otherwise I would just throw them on the AC66u's local guest network).

 

And any recommendations for what would be a good router? I shouldn't need anything too fancy, just something with some pretty decent range capable of handling 10 dropcam's streams and 5 Nest smoke detectors. (according to the dropcam support page each camera needs .5mbps upload speeds).

 

Just for clarification: the two routers will have UNIQUE SSIDs

[TechNugget]

So a bit like an access point? I used to use some old netgear router as one, you can have two different SSIDs.
You will want to make sure that DHCP is disabled though

[79wjd]

So a bit like an access point? I used to use some old netgear router as one, you can have two different SSIDs.

You will want to make sure that DHCP is disabled though

Yes. 

 

I didn't realize Access Points could be distinct SSID's. Alright, so any router should be fine then. 

[TechNugget]

Yes. 

 

I didn't realize Access Points could be distinct SSID's. Alright, so any router should be fine then. 

Pretty much, you will want to log onto the router first to change some settings. So juts directly plug it into your PC/Laptop without connecting it to the internet.

[79wjd]

Pretty much, you will want to log onto the router first to change some settings. So juts directly plug it into your PC/Laptop without connecting it to the internet.

Would I need to change anything other than disabling DHCP? 

 

I also have a WNR2000RPT range extender -- if I were to connect all the crap to that and then connect that to my networks wifi would that prevent all the other crap from slowing down the network, by limiting it through the one aggregated connection, or would it be just as bad as connecting all the crap directly to the main router? 

[TechNugget]

Would I need to change anything other than disabling DHCP? 

 

I also have a WNR2000RPT range extender -- if I were to connect all the crap to that and then connect that to my networks wifi would that prevent all the other crap from slowing down the network, by limiting it through the one aggregated connection, or would it be just as bad as connecting all the crap directly to the main router? 

Don't think so, depending on your router there may be a setting to change it automatically to an AP.

 

When you say it slows the network down does it slow the network speed down or the internet speed? Are all these devices connected to the internet?

[79wjd]

Don't think so, depending on your router there may be a setting to change it automatically to an AP.

 

When you say it slows the network down does it slow the network speed down or the internet speed? Are all these devices connected to the internet?

It slows down the internet (and probably the network too). It makes loading web pages take forever and seems to cut the bandwidth down to <1mbps speeds. As soon as they're all off the network the network (wireless) seems to work much better/more consistently. 

 

/yes, they're all connected to the internet

[brwainer]

It slows down the internet (and probably the network too). It makes loading web pages take forever and seems to cut the bandwidth down to <1mbps speeds. As soon as they're all off the network the network (wireless) seems to work much better/more consistently. 

 

/yes, they're all connected to the internet

There are two ways to turn a router into an AP: 1. if it has a switch on it, or a software setting, for being an AP, you turn that on and connect the router using the WAN port. The switch or setting should disable DHCP and set the router to act as a switch, including the WAN port. 2. you can disable DHCP using the settings, and leave the router as is otherwise, and just connect the other network to a LAN port. I prefer this method because if your primary router dies, you can just connect the internet to the WAN port of the second one, enable DHCP, and you're back in business.

 

As for your speeds, it does sound like your issue is with wireless time sharing. So with the second router/AP, make sure the channel used does not overlap the channel used on the first router.

[79wjd]

There are two ways to turn a router into an AP: 1. if it has a switch on it, or a software setting, for being an AP, you turn that on and connect the router using the WAN port. The switch or setting should disable DHCP and set the router to act as a switch, including the WAN port. 2. you can disable DHCP using the settings, and leave the router as is otherwise, and just connect the other network to a LAN port. I prefer this method because if your primary router dies, you can just connect the internet to the WAN port of the second one, enable DHCP, and you're back in business.

 

As for your speeds, it does sound like your issue is with wireless time sharing. So with the second router/AP, make sure the channel used does not overlap the channel used on the first router.

Do all (even cheap routers) include the ability to change channels manually? And any suggestions for a cheap router with pretty good range (it can be either 2.4 or 5ghz, it doesn't really matter other than that 2.4ghz usually penetrates better and is cheaper).

[brwainer]

Do all (even cheap routers) include the ability to change channels manually? And any suggestions for a cheap router with pretty good range (it can be either 2.4 or 5ghz, it doesn't really matter other than that 2.4ghz usually penetrates better and is cheaper).

I can't say that *all* do, but I've worked with hundreds of customer devices, many on the cheap end, and we have always found a way to set the channel.

[79wjd]

I can't say that *all* do, but I've worked with hundreds of customer devices, many on the cheap end, and we have always found a way to set the channel.

Alright. When I got home from work I set up my range extender and put all the crap on that and that seems to be working so far.