[neerav]

I have a LinkSys E2000 with ddwrt. Loved it and have done so much with guest networks, dual routers (E1000), and more, but recently needed something more powerful for the bigger house. So, I got a Netgear R8000 with stock firmware. Very nice. I'm not ready to put ddwrt on the R8000 until ddwrt becomes a bit more mature on it.

Old setup: E2000 as primary router with DHCP connected to modem. R8000 in AP mode connected to primary router with ethernet and serving Wifi.

New setup: R8000 as primary router serving Wifi connected to modem. E2000 connected to primary router JUST as a DHCP server and secondary router (no Wifi, no wired devices connected)

Problem: can't get any internet in the new setup when R8000 primary router has DHCP OFF and E2000 has DHCP ON. When the E2000 is plugged into the network, it gives IP addresses just fine, however, there is no internet, which should come/go through the R8000.

All the searches for a few weeks and guides give instructions on DHCP on primary router in a multirouter setup (old setup). I want DHCP on a secondary, and ONLY to supply IP addresses and only because I have so much control over the DHCP server in ddwrt to assign static addresses, device names, and of course non-static address pool.

Suggestions, advice, links to special guide, a hint as to what I'm missing, etc are very much appreciated. Need to regain control of my network ASAP!

[Per Yngve Berg]

Are the clients getting the ip of the R8000 as gateway with dhcp?

[neerav]

If I understand your question, no, the clients are not getting the R8000 as the gateway.

In the NEW setup, the clients are getting an IP from the E2000, as desired, but is ALSO getting it as the gateway. In ddwrt, I even changed the Gateway mode to Router mode.

E2000: x.x.x.1
R8000: x.x.x.2

Currently getting:
DNS:x.x.x.1
DHCP:x.x.x.1
Gateway:x.x.x.1

Without setting it in every client (some clients I wouldn't be able to), what I'm trying to do is:

DNS:x.x.x.1 or x.x.x.2, doesn't matter to me, i think, as long as it works!
DHCP:x.x.x.1
Gateway:x.x.x.2

Does that make sense?

[Per Yngve Berg]

When clients are trying to reach the Internet, they will contact the E2000, but the E2000 will repond with "I don't have an Internett connection. You have to contact R8000"

[neerav]

Is there anything I have to set in ddwrt on the E2000 to instruct it to give the correct response to "contact R8000"? Right now I'm not getting any internet, hence my problem and post. I have a great intranet with a couple dozen devices, though!

[neerav]

On the E2000, I have changed Gateway mode to Router mode, set and unset the gateway setting to x.x.x.2 and 0.0.0.0, and turned the WAN off. And done these in various combinations.

After handing out DHCP IP addresses, the E2000 doesn't appear to respond to internet requests that there is no internet here, please contact R8000 (x.x.x.2).

I am still not able to access the internet with the setup in the original post.

I feel like I'm stuck right at the finish line but unable to cross it.

[neerav]

Finally found the answer! A very overlooked line from DNSMasq as DHCP server