Can I convert a router into a switch

[InsertName]

I have an old TP Link router, and I need a switch. My powerline only has one port and I need 2 connections (PC And freeview box)

[MattyHeal]

You can it's not difficult just time consuming, if you google around you can probably find plenty of guides to follow, I don't have the time to post anything in depth but to answer your question, yes you can

[Electronics Wizardy]

You can, just don't use the wan port.

[Oshino Shinobu]

Yes. You essentially just need to disable everything in the router's settings. WiFi, NAT, DHCP, firewall, DNS etc. Then pretty much only the switch part of the router will be doing anything. While you can just use it as a switch without changing settings, it can cause some issues if it is still trying to perform routing functions. 

[paddy-stone]

Yeah, pretty much just go into settings, turn off DHCP, change IP address (in case it conflicts with your current router), that should then be abke to work as a switch and/or access point... and you can leave the wireless on too if you want a better signal, just make sure you enter the same settings as your cuirrent wifi, except the channel it uses.. in my experience it works better that way when the channels are seperate and not close together either. eg I have router wifi on channel 4, access point wifi on channel 9, works perfectly.

This was just a quick expalnation of how it should go... I hope there wasn't too much left out.

[InsertName]

1 hour ago, MattyHeal said:

You can it's not difficult just time consuming, if you google around you can probably find plenty of guides to follow, I don't have the time to post anything in depth but to answer your question, yes you can

 

1 hour ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

You can, just don't use the wan port.

 

1 hour ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

Yes. You essentially just need to disable everything in the router's settings. WiFi, NAT, DHCP, firewall, DNS etc. Then pretty much only the switch part of the router will be doing anything. While you can just use it as a switch without changing settings, it can cause some issues if it is still trying to perform routing functions. 

 

1 hour ago, paddy-stone said:

Yeah, pretty much just go into settings, turn off DHCP, change IP address (in case it conflicts with your current router), that should then be abke to work as a switch and/or access point... and you can leave the wireless on too if you want a better signal, just make sure you enter the same settings as your cuirrent wifi, except the channel it uses.. in my experience it works better that way when the channels are seperate and not close together either. eg I have router wifi on channel 4, access point wifi on channel 9, works perfectly.

This was just a quick expalnation of how it should go... I hope there wasn't too much left out.

But it inputs line, can I make it ethernet?

[brwainer]

14 minutes ago, InsertName said:

 

 

 

But it inputs line, can I make it ethernet?

I am not sure what you mean. Maybe it would help if you told us the model number? It sounds like you have a router/modem combo unit, and the WAN port is DSL only (a phone line connection). This does not matter, because when you use a router as a switch, you can only use the LAN ports, the WAN port becomes useless (unless the router has an AP mode, but that is unlikely if it is a router/modem combo unit)

[InsertName]

1 minute ago, brwainer said:

I am not sure what you mean. Maybe it would help if you told us the model number? It sounds like you have a router/modem combo unit, and the WAN port is DSL only (a phone line connection). This does not matter, because when you use a router as a switch, you can only use the LAN ports, the WAN port becomes useless (unless the router has an AP mode, but that is unlikely if it is a router/modem combo unit)

Ok, thanks

[Donut417]

12 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

You can, just don't use the wan port.

Also should turn off the DHCP server too.