Wall-->Wireless Router Connection not working (Internet port no light)

esco786

Honorable
Nov 11, 2012
2
0
10,510
Hi,

I'm trying to connect the internet port router in the following way but it's not working.

I have my modem in the basement and would like to place my wireless router in the main floor. I have my house pre-networked with RJ45 so I do have a wall connection in the room where I'm setting up the router.

When I try the following setup:

Modem -->Wireless Router-->Ethernet-->Wall-->Ethernet-->Computer: It works
Modem-->Ethernet-->Wall-->Ethernet-->Wireless Router: Not working
Modem-->Ethernet-->Wall-->Ethernet-->Router-->Wireless Router: Working

What I'm trying to do is connecting the wireless router directly into the wall but it doesn't work because the Internet port on the router does not light up (Linksys router).

I'm thinking there's a switch somewhere in the foundation of the house as connection is in every room.

Any idea why the wireless doesn't work when connecting the router directly into the wall and does work it comes through another router? I want to eliminate the need to have 2 routers.
 

RealBeast

Titan
Moderator
Are you attaching the Ethernet cable from the modem, via the cable in the wall to the WAN port of the wireless router?

If there is a patch panel and/or switch placed somewhere like a utility closet (the switch would need a power supply) then the wireless router should still work if it is connected and powered on before any other devices so it can obtain the WAN IP address -- then each connected machine should use a default gateway that is the IP address of the wireless router, say 192.168.x.1 -- but the better thing to do if you can find the patch panel/switch is to put the router in that closet too and connect the switch to one of the router LAN ports, so modem-->Ethernet-->Router-->Switch-->Ethernet patch panel with cables entering wall-->Wireless Router

If you already have the router and wireless router, configure the wireless router as an AP (turn off DHCP, use a different wireless radio channel from the main router if the main router also has wireless, use same SSID and security type and key. The wireless router needs to be configured with a static (or reserved dynamic) address to act as an AP; so if your router is 192.168.x.1, assign the wireless router 192.168.x.2 and then set the router DHCP range to 192.168.x.3 to .254 (and also assigning network printers static addresses and taking them out of the assignable DHCP range either static or reserved dynamic).
 

esco786

Honorable
Nov 11, 2012
2
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10,510


Yes. When I do that, it does not connect (Internet/WAN light does not light up). It only lights up when I have another router in the middle of the connection.

So if I Modem-->Ethernet-->Router-->Ethernet-->Wall-->Wireless Router: WORKS.

However, if I try the wireless router without another router in the picture, it does not work.
The main setup I would like is Modem-->Wall-->Wireless Router (Internet Port). not sure if it's because of the brand of the router or something else.

I'm not sure if I have a switch/hub somewhere in the foundations of the house, but I would think yes since there's a wall connection in every room.

Thank you for your in depth reply.
 

john-b691

Honorable
Sep 29, 2012
703
1
11,160
I am going to guess that the router that does not work does not have auto mdi/mdix feature on its port. This used to be the reason you always had to worry if you need a straight or a cross cable. I would try a crossover cable and see what happens. Now if both the modem and router are gig ports then this is not your problem since all gig ports must have this feature as part of the specification.

The key here that indicates it is a cable problem is no lights. This is very basic stuff and is controlled in the hardware so it is generally not a configuration problem....assuming you did not hard set the port speeds.

And I agree with realbeast you need to find the switch if it exists

 

RealBeast

Titan
Moderator
Agreed, it should light up and work in the WAN port so it is either a cable or WAN port issue, but unless you want a different subnet you should not be using the WAN port anyway. It is much easier to manage a single network for home use.

The patch panel and/or switch is likely going to be somewhere like in a small panel off of a utility or bedroom closet; possibly in the basement or attic if you have either -- in any case they are usually placed in a location protected from the weather and with all the rooms wired there must be one somewhere. In one house I owned in San Diego it (a Leviton patch panel for both network and phones) was in a small space with a wooden cover in an upstairs bedroom closet. It took me a while to find it. :)