Using Belkin N modem router to boost 2700 wifi range

[lozcart]

I recently replaced my Belkin N router that was dropping sync to often for my likening with a 2wire 2700. Everything worked fine until I replaced my iMac last week with a new model. The new iMac would show it had picked up the 2700s wireless connection but the data throughput was terrible and web pages would not load. I temporary moved my iMac closer to the 2700 and everything worked fine, I therefore concluded the 2700 wireless signal was not strong enough. As it is running firmware V6 I was unable to adjust the wireless power.

My Belkin N router had always had a strong signal so I checked if I could use this as a wireless bridge or wired access point, the Belkin UK site had no details so I checked with support who confirmed it was possible to use it as a wired access point and gave me details from their US site. I set this up without a problem, turned off the wireless mode on the 2700 so now have the best of both worlds the 2700 as a modem and the Belkin N powered wireless signal. The details should anyone be interested are below, my Belkin modem router is a F5D8636.

Connect to the Belkin Router with an Ethernet cable and open up a browser and type 192.168.2.1. Click "login" and enter your password details.

Click on the Wireless settings and make sure these are correct and that wireless is turned on. Save any changes and make sure you know the SSID and WPA/WPA2 password.

Click on "LAN Settings" on the left hand menu, change the IP address to 192.168.1.63 and check the "Off" button on DHCP server, click apply changes.

Disconnect your computer from the Belkin router and connect the 2700 and Belkin router together with the Ethernet cable.

Log into the 2700 by typing 192.168.1.254 go to the wireless settings and turn off the wireless interface, click save.

Now on your computer search for wireless networks, select the SSID of the Belkin router and enter the password, you will not get connected to the network through the Belkin router but with an IP address given out by the 2700.


I hope this makes sense, if not please ask and I will try to help, hopefully it will help some people running V6 firmware who need a stronger wifi signal.

The only problem I had is trying to log back into the Belkin router once the IP has been changed. In theory connecting an Ethernet lead and typing 192.168.1.63 should work but it didn't for me. My only option is to do a factory reset on the Belkin thus clearing all its settings.

The Belkin support instructions are below but they are not to clear, my router doesn't have a "Use as Access Point" menu option.

http://en-us-support.belkin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2780/kw/access point/r_id/166

[Rik]

Thanks for that.

[Steve]

I'm trying to remember how to log in to the router configured as a bridge. I used to do it a few years ago, senility  I trying to think whether  I used a crossover cable.

[Rik]

It's all downhill from here, Steve.

[MisterW]

The only problem I had is trying to log back into the Belkin router once the IP has been changed. In theory connecting an Ethernet lead and typing 192.168.1.63 should work but it didn't for me.

Disconnecting from the 2700 and connecting a PC directly to it with a cable won't work since it has its DHCP server disabled and won't issue the PC with an IP address.
You should just be able to access it from any PC using 192.168.1.63 with it connected to the 2700.

[lozcart]

Disconnecting from the 2700 and connecting a PC directly to it with a cable won't work since it has its DHCP server disabled and won't issue the PC with an IP address.
You should just be able to access it from any PC using 192.168.1.63 with it connected to the 2700.

Thanks, I gave that a try but it comes up with can't find the server 192.168.1.63.

It's not really a problem as hopefully I won't need to alter anything on the Belkin.

The 2700 is not showing the Belkin connection at all on 192.168.1.63 under the LAN settings it is showing 8 ethernet devices on port 1 but these are all the wireless items (computers/phones) which have a wifi connection to the Belkin.

[MisterW]

The 2700 is not showing the Belkin connection at all on 192.168.1.63 under the LAN settings

Ah!, the 2700 can sometimes be reluctant to show devices with static IP's in its network list, especially in this case as it probably never sees any network traffic from its IP address.
Sometimes pinging the device from the 2700 using the network tests ( not sure how you get to that on a v6 but I'm sure Alan(kinmel) will help with that ) can help. More often though you need to ping the 2700 from the device with a static IP and that's going to be tricky since you can't log on to it ( catch 22! ).

[lozcart]

That sorted it, thanks very much 

I pinged 192.168.1.63 from the 2700, this worked fine, I then tried to log into the Belkin, nothing happened.

Left it a few minutes and tried again, bingo, got the Belkin log in screen, thanks again. 

[Polchraine]

Lozcart

I've done much the same using 2 extra 2700s and a Speedtouch 570 ...

There is no need to turn wireless off on the 2700 - in my case they are are spread around to give good coverage as I have steel and water floors which is not conducive to good transmission!

I have not been able to find a way to get the master 2700 to list the other connected devices - but they are all pingable.   I have also now put them outside the allocatable DHCP range - set that to 4 to 63 and the WAPs to 65, 66, 67 which will stop the DHCP server allocating the address to another device.