Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2015 6:35 Post subject: Connecting two routers
My ISP (TelCo) gave me a Prolink H5004N modem/router combo unit. What I want to do is add my D-Link DIR600 rev. B2 router (currently running DD-WRT 3.0 build 28844) such that:
1. DHCP is still enabled on the Prolink, so that I can access its status and configuration webpage (I can't get to that page any more if I disable DHCP on the Prolink.)
2. The D-Link's clients can access the Prolink's status page as well as the Internet.
3. Clients can connect to the D-Link via both Ethernet and wifi.
4. I need to set up a virtual access point on the D-Link with the restrictions described in the wiki article http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Guest_WiFi_%2B_abuse_control_for_beginners, especially the part about setting QoS to restrict the VAP's client's bandwidth to Bulk and everyone else set to Maximum. I'd also like to force the VAP's clients to use OpenDNS as described.
I plan to have all clients connecting to the Internet via the D-Link, therefore it doesn't matter to me if I have wifi enabled or disabled on the Prolink. I'll disable it unless I need it to establish a wireless connection with the D-Link.
Which should I use to accomplish what I need to do: repeater, repeater bridge, client mode, wireless access point? Will I need to mess around with the routing tables or can I do all configuration via the DD-WRT GUI?
Thanks for the suggestion, but when I try that I can't connect to either the Internet nor the Prolink's status page when my PC's connected to the dd-wrt router (via Ethernet and using DHCP.)
The Prolink is on 192.168.1.1, subnet mask 255.255.255.0. In its DHCP settings I assigned a static IP of 192.168.1.100 to my dd-wrt router's MAC and also put that IP in the Prolink's DMZ. DHCP is enabled. WAN mode is 1483 MERL. I verified that 192.168.1.100 was available and not in use by another device nor assigned to anything via the Prolink's DHCP server.
In the dd-wrt router's settings I have the WAN Connection as static IP, 192.168.1.100, subnet mask 255.255.255.0, gateway 192.168.1.1. Static DNS 1 & 2 are set to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 respectively (Google DNS.) Under Network Setup the router's local IP is 192.168.2.1, subnet mask 255.255.255.0. Both gateway and local DNS are left at their defaults (0.0.0.0) DHCP server is enabled.
On the Advanced Routing tab, operating mode is router, dynamic routing's interface is "disable" (the default) and static routing settings are at their defaults.
On the dd-wrt modem my power and Internet LEDs are both on but amber (for some reason on this router, when either of those are green it doesn't work, but when they're amber it does. For instance, when power is green I can't even access the dd-wrt configuration page but I can after the LED changes to amber. It's always been like that.) My Ethernet indicator is green for the port I'm plugged in to. The wifi LED is not lit even though wifi is enabled and configured, but right now I'm just using Ethernet anyway so that doesn't matter.
I've tried both a crossover cable and a straight Ethernet cable between an Ethernet port on the Prolink and the WAN port on the dd-wrt box, but it doesn't matter which one I use. The Internet LED is still lit up amber in either case.
I can't even ping 192.168.1.1 so it's acting like I'm not getting a proper connection, or maybe route, to/from the Prolink.
(I forgot to mention, I had reset the dd-wrt router prior to starting all of this, so everything was set to defaults.)
That works! Thanks. Silly me for taking you so literally when you said configure it as a router.
Also, thanks for actually explaining why it didn't work the way I had it set up at first. I'd much rather be taught to fish than just be given a fish. I appreciate that.
