Best config for home network with multiple devices

[Synergy]

So here is the basic config, I need more ports on my switch, so I added an old router. Now I can not find the router on the network.

Cable Modem - cat5 - Netgear Router - cat5 - Dlink switch - cat5 - Wan on Linksys router.

Should I go from router to router then switch?
Wireless on the Linksys is not necessary, wouldn't hurt to have a signal on the other side of the house though.
Should I just run the Linksys as switch?

[orchard]

It depends on what you previously used the router for in the network. You may have to attach the router directly to a PC so you can change the settings. Unless you want separate subnets, you will need to reconfigure the Wan and the Lan settings.

[Ricky-Ray]

It would be alot easier if you just got a second switch.

[Bluedevil]

This. Simpler solutions are usually best. In this case, you wouldn't have to worry about a power outage resetting a router and then having multiple IP address conflicts due to overlapping DHCP scopes. It's happened.

It would be alot easier if you just got a second switch.

[Ninety]

I think I used to do it this way..

http://www.wikihow.com/Connect-One-Router-to-Another-to-Expand-a-Network

[ibanezfoo]

So here is the basic config, I need more ports on my switch, so I added an old router. Now I can not find the router on the network.

Cable Modem - cat5 - Netgear Router - cat5 - Dlink switch - cat5 - Wan on Linksys router.

Should I go from router to router then switch?
Wireless on the Linksys is not necessary, wouldn't hurt to have a signal on the other side of the house though.
Should I just run the Linksys as switch?

The only WAN port you should be using should be connected directly to your cable modem. You can use just the LAN ports on the other router just make sure your LAN IP address on that router isnt the same as your internet router. So, plug that dlink switch into the LAN side of your linksys with your other devices. Forget about the wan port on the linksys, dont use it.

[bigbearbear]

Don't connect to the WAN port of your Linksys router, if you do that, the device connected on the other ports on that router will not be "visible" to the other devices.

What you'll want to do, is to disable the DHCP feature of the Linksys, then connect from your D-Link switch to one of the other ports on the Linksys router (the non-WAN one).

This way, your Linksys router will function just like a switch.

If I were you though, I'll simply replace both your existing switch and the Linksys router with a bigger switch with more ports. Less hassle and less cables running all over the friggin place.

[ocabj]

Whatever additional switch/router you plug into the existing top level switch needs to have an uplink port or you'll need to use a crossover cable.

[bearone2]

what all are you trying to do?

i run 3 wireless laptops & 2 smartphones & 1 pc on wi-fi with an older linksys wrt54g router/wep, 1pc hardwired.

cox into wan, dhcp enabled, hide ssid broadcast.

[bigbearbear]

Whatever additional switch/router you plug into the existing top level switch needs to have an uplink port or you'll need to use a crossover cable.

Most of them have Auto-Sensing MDI/MDIX now so you probably won't have to worry about this. These days, the young engineers I hire don't know what a cross ethernet cable is for and when I mention a "serial cable" they think it is a USB cable or when I mention "null modem cable" they think I'm just being an old fart talking nonsense.

[ibanezfoo]

Most of them have Auto-Sensing MDI/MDIX now so you probably won't have to worry about this. These days, the young engineers I hire don't know what a cross ethernet cable is for and when I mention a "serial cable" they think it is a USB cable or when I mention "null modem cable" they think I'm just being an old fart talking nonsense.

Make their head spin and ask them about a rolled cable or a T1 crossover...