How to Connect Two Routers on the Same Network - Configure the Second Router

Now that you have successfully configured the first router as well as its assigned computers, you can go to the other places in your office (or home) and configure the second router. Your network should like this:

Ideally, if you are not using Router 2, Router 1 will handle all routing signals from computer 1 to computer 3 (which is near main router 1) and computer 4 to computer 6 (further away, possibly using wire or wireless). The only problem is that if computers 4, 5 and 6 are very far from router 1, they may experience a weak signal using wireless or costly LAN cable connections -- in that case, a Router 2 is needed.

Based on the screen shot above, a LAN cable is the best way to connect router 1 to router 2 to provide the best bandwidth to be distributed to the rest of computers (4 to 6). LAN Ethernet has around 100 Mbps bandwidth as compared to wireless, which is around 54Mbps.

To configure the second router, follow these important steps:

• Do NOT yet connect router 1 to router 2.
  
• Connect router 2 to a single computer (it doesn't matter whether you connect it to computer 4, 5 or 6). 
  
• Access the router using a browser at http://192.168.1.1; then, at the router configuration panel, use the settings below:

Internet Connection Type: Automatic Configuration -DHCP

Host name: Leave this blank

Domain Name: Leave this blank

MTU: Auto

Size: 1500

Local IP address: 192.168.2.1

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

DHCP Server: Enabled

Starting IP address: 192.168.2.100

Maximum number of DHCP users: 50

IP range: 192.168.2.100~149

Client Lease time: 0

WINs: 0.0.0.0

Time zone: You select the time zone of your country.

After clicking "save settings," you will see a warning that you should reconnect to the router using the new IP: 192.168.2.1. Ignore this and just close your browser.

You need to restart your connection by doing a Windows XP network repair. Go to Control Panel -> Network Connections and right click on the active network connections. Click "Repair."

Ping Router 2 in DOS mode, and it should connect by giving a reply. If it does, connect router 1 to router 2; select any Ethernet port number on router 1, and then connect to the WAN PORT OF ROUTER 2 ONLY.

Finally, connect the rest of the computers to router 2 and test to see if an Internet connection has been made. After doing this, your single large home or office network has been broken down into two sub-networks (network 1 and network 2) using two routers.