I have now sold my wireless ADSL modem router and purchased a wired 4 port modem router and separate 4 port router for upstairs.

The modem router works fine, but as I understand it, I need to configure static routing to enable an extension of the network on the second router.

Both routers are addressed as IP 192.168.1.1. I presume my first job is to change one IP address, perhaps to 192.168.1.2? How do I then tell both routers how to communicate?

Thanks,

Jon.

You shouldn't be trying to use two routers.

Have your normal 4 port router connected downstairs then use a 5 or 8 port switch upstairs connected via a long cable.

Chances are the 4 port router you have upstairs will work as a 4 port switch... so you should b able to connect the 2 together with a cable.

Depending on if the ports are auto-sensing or not you may have to set one end to cross-over.. this is usually a small switch next to one of the network ports..

Will this help:

Possible to hook 2 routers together - TechSpot OpenBoards

Take the second router back and go buy a 5 or 8 port switch.

Much easier, much less to go wrong as there is no configuration to do.

Thanks for the advice. Why they didn't give me a switch in the first place I don't know. All sorted now.

Cheers

In case someone cares/knows, you can always use the LAN side of the second router & turn off the DHCP server within it. Then it will behave like a (potentially slow) switch. At least you can still use it then

Still, a switch is the right tool for the job here

Will have to give that a go for my son at New Year - he has a single port wired ADSL router, and a 4 port wireless ethernet router. By the sound of the articles on the link posted above, it should be possible to set the wireless router as an access point, and get wireless, without having to buy a new ADSL wireless router

It sure is - contrary to the advise given here I actually use several routers, but my network is a tad more complex than most

Twin load balancers, 2 ADSL lines + 1 cable line + separate segments/routers for some equipment that is not allowed to talk to other equipment for security reasons is used at the moment (separate segment for wireless for example).

I've now got a managed switch + a bunch of other junk to go in which may achieve the same effect with less complexity

Yeah using lots of routers is all fine and well when you have techies supporting them and watching routing tables, but for home switch is easier.

I have my old adsl router with 4 ethernet ports in the living room working only as a 4 port switch just fine... no extra config needed.. just plugged it in.. DHCP was already disabled and I've never had any trouble.

Basically a router with DHPC disabled should behave like a switch at the LAN side, I totally agree that a single-box solution is the easiest by a long shot.

I used to have an ADSL router + wireless AP/router and it's just harder to configure then a single box doing both jobs. Generally I'd go for the 'simple is best' for home (and business) use though