Working with 2 routers on same network and a mess . Need help

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stroghty

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Oct 10, 2017
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I have inherited a mess and I am not sure what the best way to handle it is. I have enough knowledge to know its messed up, very messed up. I also know how to access settings in routers but not wise enough to get it set up the best way and dont want to mess things up worse.

I was going to post all the current settings but its probably easier to just ask how to start fresh..

What I have:
1) Att uverse with Pace 5268 router

2) Netgear x8 running dd-wrt firmware

3) A camera nvr connected to 16 ip cameras hardwired throughout the house. Some on both routers but currently able to be seen by the nvr.

4) Large house and property needing the wireless and wired network on both routers to provide adequate service.

5) ability to connect to all devices and see the 2 routers as 1 network but using the 2 routers for coverage

6) ability to port forward the camera nvr system to remote view while away from home.



The 2 routers are on opposite ends of the house and both have hardwired cameras that need to be seen by the NVR which will connect to one of the routers via hardwire. Currently, the ATT Pace router is the 1rst router with the Netgear connected to one of the ports of the pace router.

Please, any help is so greatly appreciated... I have read until I am cross-eyed and just not sure what to do and before I begin I want to know what the right thing is as it is working now and I am afraid if I start messing with things I will not be able to get it up again.
 
Solution
BFG-9000
Yes, that is correct. Network Address Server Settings (DHCP) is where you would disable "DHCP Server." The WAN connection type "Automatic DHCP" setting refers to letting your Modem assign an IP address to the x8, and it doesn't matter what you set there because you won't be using the yellow WAN port on the x8 (but you can disable that too--I usually disable anything I'm not using in DD-WRT for stability because a lot of its features are pretty buggy).

You presently have some of the cameras on IP addresses handed out by the other two routers and the NVR can see those fine. So if all of the other cameras get IP addresses from your Modem/router too, that should work fine as well.

If you disable DHCP on the x8 it becomes an...
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stroghty

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Oct 10, 2017
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Another bit of info that may be needed is that the NVR has dhcp enabled in it and it asigns the ip cameras 192.168.254.x numbers. However, not all cameras have these ips as 2 have 192.168.1.x and 1 that has 192.168.0.x as ips. I am anticipating to have to go in and change the ip addresses in some of the cameras as they are set static with those odd addresses


Obviously this could be changed as well, just thougth I would include the info
 
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BFG-9000

BFG-9000

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Netgear x8 should have DHCP disabled. Unless there's a specific setting in DD-WRT to bridge the WAN port to LAN, you should be using only the LAN ports on it. The clue something is wrong is you have both 192.168.0 and 192.168.1 subnets so right now both routers are trying to hand out DHCP addresses.

NVR doing double-NAT should be fine as you aren't running any application on it that wouldn't work with that. But this only works if the cameras are plugged into the NVR. The subnets should be different in double-NAT--and it sounds like they are with 192.168.254 on the NVR and 192.168.0 or 1 on the Pace router.
 
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stroghty

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Oct 10, 2017
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Dont think my network is working effeciently..

1) Biggest concern is can not figure out how to port forward from the nvr that is behind the 2nd router through the first router to be able to remote view .

2) conflicts and/or slow network speeds

3) to connect to some devices from laptop or phone we have to connect to one router and to connect to other devices have to connect to other router

4) depending where you are in my house the wifi signal gets weak and have to swap to one wifi or the other... Would like 1 network and let it select which is the best signal (if possible)..


Current setup crazy, or seems to be to me anyway but it is working. Its just inconvenient but may be setup the best way it can be.


Here is the current set up:

router 1 - address is 192.168.1.254 with subnet 255.255.255.0 with DHCP enabled and asigning 192.168.1.64 through 192.168.1.253

router 2 (dd-wrt netgear) - 192.168.1.1 subnet 255.255.0.0 ( with this subnet I think its why my desktop on this router can see everyting but only guessing) and asigning 192.168.1.100 through 192.168.1.200.

NVR 192.168.254.1 and asigning 192.168.254.x addresses - The NVR is also connected to both routers - one hardwire to the internet port on the NVR and one hardwire to the other router connected through one of the empty camera channels. I tried disconnecting this from 2nd router but then desktop doesnt see the cameras on the NVR.

So sorry this is so long, just not sure whats important or not so trying to tell everything I know
 
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stroghty

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Oct 10, 2017
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I may have found a solution but would like to hear your thoughts.. I just ran across instructions detailing how to use the x8 with dd-wrt as a repeater bride. From what I read by detting up this way the primary router (pace 5268) would do all the routing and the netgear x8 would be a range extender and the ports would still work with hardwired devices. Does this sound the best solution? Other solutions you may have?
 
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BFG-9000

BFG-9000

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If the Netgear x8 is connected to the Pace router wirelessly, then you would indeed use wireless bridge mode to connect it to the network over WiFi.

If the two are connected with an ethernet cable then no bridging is required, simply disable DHCP on the x8 and everything will be on 192.168.1.x and be able to talk to each other, except what's behind the NVR. It would be best to disable DHCP on that as well so things don't need to traverse multiple subnets.
 
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stroghty

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Oct 10, 2017
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BFG thank you for your help.. Just to clarify before I screw things up..

They are connected via ethernet cable (not wireless).

I disable the dhcp in the Network Address Server Settings (DHCP) correct and not the connection type as I have the option to disable DHCP in both places (I believe what you were saying was in the network address settings)..

If I disable the DHCP in the nvr will it pull ip addresses for the cameras from the primary router's DHCP server? If so I would then be able to access the cameras from anywhere on the network correct?

Silly question I know, but if I disable DHCP on the x8 and I would still be able to wirelessly connect to it but only difference is I would get an IP from the primary router correct?

Would I need to restart all my devices connected to the x8 after I disable?


 
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BFG-9000

BFG-9000

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Sep 17, 2016
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Yes, that is correct. Network Address Server Settings (DHCP) is where you would disable "DHCP Server." The WAN connection type "Automatic DHCP" setting refers to letting your Modem assign an IP address to the x8, and it doesn't matter what you set there because you won't be using the yellow WAN port on the x8 (but you can disable that too--I usually disable anything I'm not using in DD-WRT for stability because a lot of its features are pretty buggy).

You presently have some of the cameras on IP addresses handed out by the other two routers and the NVR can see those fine. So if all of the other cameras get IP addresses from your Modem/router too, that should work fine as well.

If you disable DHCP on the x8 it becomes an AP and switch. Whatever SSID and passkey it had before would not change (for convenience, most people use the same ones for all APs so devices roam to the closest). It's connected via ethernet, same as the one inside the modem/router.

Reboot the routers and NVR if there is a connectivity problem after changing settings. The Pace modem/router should then update IP addresses to all clients, which usually don't need rebooting (but of course reboot the ones that have a problem).
 
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Solution
yamahahornist

yamahahornist

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MERGED QUESTION
Question from stroghty : "Working with 2 routers on same network and a mess . Need help"



Yes this is possible but also a mess haha. So you have some options you will have to go through. First things first; you need to identify your modem. You may think you have two routers; but one might be a modem/router. I am not familiar with ATT Uverse; but its probably a cable line? So the modem would be the device with a cable line going into it. So if you want to communicate with the outside internet world you have to have a modem; that carries your IP address you get from your ISP (ATT in your case). If you are sure you have a modem and two routers (so three devices); you need to plug one of the routers into the other router, and put the one connected to the other router in bridge mode and turn off DHCP for that router. If you have two routers putting out DHCP; then you will get a giant mess.

In my opinion if you really do have two routers get rid of one; you don't need it. Just run like a 12 port switch from your other router to the location you need the wired connections. Or if you just use it for wifi; you could always just get wireless access points and run them through your one router haha.

I just looked up the Pace 5268; its a modem/router. So what you need to do is don't connect anything (wifi, lan) into your modem; except the router itself. Connect everything into your router. And if you need internet access on the other side of the house; get some Ethernet cables and one cheap switches or wireless access points. Also connect your NVR to your router. The only thing that should be in your modem is your router.
 
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