Using a wireless router as a bridge?

[Ranthalion]

Hello all,
I just purchased a new wireless router for my house to upgrade to 802.11g, so I have an extra 802.11b router laying around now. I have been thinking of trying XBox live, but at $70 for the linksys wireless adapter, I've been discouraged. So I was wondering if it would be possible to just hook the xbox into the old B router and use it like a wireless bridge to wirelessly connect the xbox to the G router which is connected to the modem?

They are both netgear routers if that makes any difference.
Thanks.

[Spider]

If you make sure DHCP is disabled in the old router and the gateway points
to the new router, then yes you can.

I would hold off a couple of months. The newer 802.11r is coming
and the price on the older stuff (802.11b, 802.11g) will drop.

[Ranthalion]

Well, I've already got the router, it was practically free. The main router is a Belkin 802.11G (model F5D7230) and the old router is a Netgear 802.11B (model MR814).

So far I have tried what you suggested, but with no success. Is there any more information you could give me, or another site with this information already?

[Spider]

How To Turn A Router Into A Bridge

The routers will be set up this way...

• Router 1 (has Internet in WAN port)
  IP Address: 192.168.2.1
  netmask 255.255.255.0
  DHCP on
• Router 2
  IP Address: 192.168.0.1
  netmask: 255.255.255.0
  DHCP on

....you want them set up this way

• Router #1 stays the same (has Internet in WAN port)
  IP Address: 192.168.2.1
  netmask 255.255.255.0
  DHCP on
• Router #2 gets changed
  (you have to make the IP Static) IP Address: 192.168.10.1
  netmask: 255.255.255.0
  Gateway: 192.168.2.1
  DHCP off

#2 will always look to #1 for DHCP and Internet.

[Ranthalion]

I gave that a shot, but no luck. I may have been doing it wrong.
Router #1 is set up fine, so I'm having trouble configuring router #2.

I have DHCP disabled on router #2, and I am putting the information you gave me into the Internet IP Address section.
IP Address 192.168.10.1
NetMask 255.255.255.0
and my Gateway IP is 192.168.2.1

When I do that, it says that "The Gateway IP Address must be on the same Subnet Mask as the Internet (WAN) IP Address"

So should I be putting the IP information you gave me in the LAN IP setup instead?

[Spider]

Yes the LAN. #2 LAN = 192.168.10.1

[Ranthalion]

Thanks for all your help. I still can't seem to get it working though. I got it to work if I run a patch cable from the WAN port of Router #2 up to an available port on Router #1, but that kind of defeats the purpose...

Maybe I'll try switching the two routers, since the Belkin has an option to use it as an access point or a bridge. I tried that at first with no luck, but I'll give it another shot, even though it would mean leaving the main network on a 802.11b speed...

[Spider]

Running a cable should be better results.

[z1p]

Ranthalion -

I don't believe you can do what you are looking to do with the netgear. This is my understanding of what you'd like the configuration to be.

Modem<--wired-->Belkin<--- wireless --->Netgear<--wired-->xbox

The netgear doesn't work in a bridge mode, so there is no way to configure it to bind to the belkin.

[Ranthalion]

Yeah, if I had another Belkin router, I could use that set up, but the netgear doesn't support it. I think I'm just going to run a wire from the xbox to the downstairs computer and bridge the wireless connection with the wired connection on my computer. As far as I know, that should work.

Thanks for all the advice and info. ^_^