Adding a router to home network

[Zynch175]

First thing I have to say is, that I do not have much knowledge of anything networking related.

 

So on my network is currently just the ISP's modem, to which all computers and tv's are connected and has wifi, and I decided to add a router to get a few more ports and get better wifi coverage.

What I got is the TP-LINK TL-WR841N. I made a new wifi network and put the channels away from each other.

But now I have two different (sub)networks (192.168.1.x and 192.168.0.x), but I would mainly like access to the wireless printer that I have from both (or maybe merge them into one) networks since I have trouble printing drom some PC's right now.

 

How can I do anything like that.

 

EDIT: I would also like to know why is my laptop forgetting the new network, although I have it set to remember and automatically connect. I do not like to type in the password every time I turn the laptop off.

[suchamoneypit]

It sounds like that "Modem" is actually a "gateway". This is a Modem and router in one. Because of this, adding a router to this gateway effectively puts every device under the router on a different network than devices on the gateway, which is why your having these connectivity issues. The way these devices works, you cant make two routers merge into one network. Switches connect devices, routers connect networks (although pretty much every household router has a built in 4 port switch)

 

I suggest buying a $20-25 switch and hooking that to your router, then all the devices into the switch and no devices other than the router connected to the gateway. This will give good speed to all devices and have all devices under one network fixing your problem as well as having good wifi. Having only a gateway is generally regarded a very poor decision security wise for a home network. You can probably set the wifi in the gateway into AP mode (access point) which would let your router use it to extend the wifi range under the one network, although I know this works with two routers, I'm not sure if its doable with a router and a gateway.

 

EDIT: Visual of your Network. See how PC1,2 and 3 on Network 2 are separated from PC1 and PC2 on Network 1, therefore they can't communicate directly. In your case stopping you from accessing your wireless printer from some devices.

 

EDIT 2:

 

An ideal network for you would be to buy a Modem (and just a modem) and then connect your router to that, and also have a switch, giving you this layout. Right now you have a switch, router, and modem all in one device, which might sound good; but as the saying goes, jack of all trades, master of none.

[Zynch175]

Your network map is preety spot on. 

As to getting a new modem I cannot do that, since it is from the isp and manages the phone line, tv signal and internet (it is basicly a all in one connection), so I have to live with it. 

 

I also did some reading as to how I could solve this and I it seems to me, that I need to just set that only my modem assings Ip addresses and disable it on the router. I've tried that, but if I turn dhcp (or whatever the setting is called) off on the router, then I cannot connect to the router, as it stays at getting the ip adress. Am I missing something.

 

I know, that it is somehow possible, since a friend has a similar setup, but he is out of the country, so I cannot ask him. 

[Eniqmatic]

Why do you need to have 2 different networks? Maybe I'm missing something

[Zynch175]

51 minutes ago, Eniqmatic said:

Why do you need to have 2 different networks? Maybe I'm missing something

I don't need two networks, and it is actualy causing me problems, so I want to make them into only one network, but am planing on keeping two different wifi's if possible. 

[Eniqmatic]

Two different WiFi's as in two different SSID's? In that case it is simple.

 

Change your new router IP address to the the same subnet as the original but obviously use an address not in use.

 

For example:

 

Router 1 (ISP) - 192.168.1.1

Router 2 (New router) - 192.168.1.254

 

And set your default gateway on Router 2 to the IP address of router 1.

 

Make sense?

[Zynch175]

10 minutes ago, Eniqmatic said:

Two different WiFi's as in two different SSID's? In that case it is simple.

 

Change your new router IP address to the the same subnet as the original but obviously use an address not in use.

 

For example:

 

Router 1 (ISP) - 192.168.1.1

Router 2 (New router) - 192.168.1.254

 

And set your default gateway on Router 2 to the IP address of router 1.

 

Make sense?

I will try it in a few hours when I get home from work, and will post results. 

[Zynch175]

So I tried changing the setting of my router to the same subnet, but it says that the wan and lan networks cannot be on the same subnet.

 

Attached are the pictures of the wan and lan setup pages of my new router.

The Modem (router 1) has the new one set on a static ip.

 

For clarification here are the ip's:

Router 2: 192.168.1.74

Modem: 192.168.1.254