Networking/apartment/multiple routers question.

[DavidHill76]

I live in an apartment. There are two internet jacks. My neighbors below me are friendly.

I was wondering if it would be possible to connect wireless routers up to all four and have them be assigned the same Network ID, creating a "super wireless hub" or something...

Do you understand?

Is it possible?

 

[eibgrad]

It certainly is *possible* you all could share the same physical network (and thus share resources). But it’s impossible for anyone here to say for sure since we have NO CLUE how the apartment complex is wired (if at all, it’s entirely possible those lines lead to nowhere). You need to ask the landlord about what can and can’t be done.

 

[DavidHill76]

It certainly is *possible* you all could share the same physical network (and thus share resources). But it’s impossible for anyone here to say for sure since we have NO CLUE how the apartment complex is wired (if at all, it’s entirely possible those lines lead to nowhere). You need to ask the landlord about what can and can’t be done.

Well I have no idea who the ISP is. I'm assuming it would be easier since we are in the same area of the complex. I just figured it could offer a better connection if we somehow linked all four internet jacks to the same wireless network, instead of using one per computer.


I guess I have some semi-complicated math going on in my head about it. But, I guess it would offer a much faster connection this way.

 

[eibgrad]

Well I have no idea who the ISP is. I'm assuming it would be easier since we are in the same area of the complex. I just figured it could offer a better connection if we somehow linked all four internet jacks to the same wireless network, instead of using one per computer.


I guess I have some semi-complicated math going on in my head about it. But, I guess it would offer a much faster connection this way.

If indeed those ethernet jacks provide internet access, then in all likelihood the landlord has everyone connected to a common router, and thus has established a common local network as well, and therefore potentially you could have access to resources between apartments. However, that's a big *if* since if it was *me* and I was responsible for that network, I would institute switching rules in the router to prevent such communications since it's normally considered a security risk. After all, although you're all local wrt the router, the assumption should be that you are strangers and potential risks to each other, at least in terms of network security.

Anyway, if the landlord has not bothered to prevent it, it's certainly possible you could communicate directly between apartments. But that's not going to lead to better internet connections. There's no means to "bond" all those connections into some sort of "super wireless hub" (whatever that means). You’re just sharing a common local network, plus internet access.

 

[DavidHill76]

If indeed those ethernet jacks provide internet access, then in all likelihood the landlord has everyone connected to a common router, and thus has established a common local network as well, and therefore potentially you could have access to resources between apartments. However, that's a big *if* since if it was *me* and I was responsible for that network, I would institute switching rules in the router to prevent such communications since it's normally considered a security risk. After all, although you're all local wrt the router, the assumption should be that you are strangers and potential risks to each other, at least in terms of network security.

Anyway, if the landlord has not bothered to prevent it, it's certainly possible you could communicate directly between apartments. But that's not going to lead to better internet connections. There's no means to "bond" all those connections into some sort of "super wireless hub" (whatever that means). You’re just sharing a common local network, plus internet access.

So, there's no need to go through all the trouble, because it would be mostly pointless, as there would be no boost in connection.

 

[eibgrad]

So, there's no need to go through all the trouble, because it would be mostly pointless, as there would be no boost in connection.

No boost. In fact, most likely the landlord's ISP provides a limited amount of bandwidth (let's say, business class, 50mbps, just to pick something out of a hat) that must be shared among all those using the service in the apartment complex. The more ppl using that service at the same time, the worse the "per ethernet connection" performance. Or to put it another way, there’s one pie, and it has to be split among many ppl. The more ppl, the smaller the slices.

 

[DavidHill76]

Best answer selected by DavidHill76.