How To Add Additional Ethernet Ports To Router

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Exercise yous need to add more computers or devices to your network but take no available ports? Adding a second router is a great way to expand your network capacity, besides as the achieve of your wireless signal in weak or "coma" areas. We'll guide you through the simplest, most straightforward way to add together a secondary router to your existing network.

1
Connect the modem to the first router. Employ an Ethernet cable to connect to the WAN port of a router to the WAN/Internet port of the high-speed modem. For the purpose of this wikiHow, we will refer to the router that'south connected to the modem as "Router 1."
- Some routers deed as a loftier-speed modem and router. If this is the case for Router one, but connect information technology to the cable that carries your net connection.
- The WAN port may be labeled "Internet."
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Your net provider limits the speed of your cyberspace. Therefore, connecting a 2nd router might non help. Talk to your provider first to come across if calculation a second router will better your internet speed or if they can increase your limit.
2
Connect Router 1 to a figurer. Use an Ethernet cable to connect from one of Router 1's LAN ports to a computer'southward Ethernet port.
- You can also connect to the router wirelessly using the wi-fi name and passkey.
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3

Turn on the modem and Router 1. Allow a few moments for them both to kicking up.
4

Open a web browser. You lot'll need a web browser to connect to the admin user interface of Router ane.
5
Enter Router 1's IP accost in the address bar. Type the IP address for Router 1 into the accost bar at the acme of your web browser. This opens the router's admin login screen. ^[1]Check the user's manual or manufacturer'southward website to observe the default IP accost for Router 1.
- Hither are some default IP addresses for common router brands:
  - 2Wire: 192.168.one.ane, 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.254, 10.0.0.138
  - Apple: 10.0.0.ane
  - Belkin: 192.168.1.1, 192.168.2.i, 10.0.0.2, x.ane.1.one
  - Dlink: 192.168.one.1, 192.168.0.ane, 192.168.0.101, 192.168.0.30, 192.168.0.50, 192.168.15.i, 192.168.254.254, 192.168.1.254, 192.168.0.10, 192.168.15.ane, ten.0.0.1, 10.0.0.2, x.1.one.ane, 10.90.ninety.ninety,
  - Netgear: 192.168.0.1, 192.168.0.227^[2]
6
Log in using Router 1'south admin username and countersign. This opens Router ane's admin user interface. Check the user'southward manual, or the manufacturer's website to notice the default username and countersign for the Router one.
- Most router's use "admin" as the username and password. You can also effort "Password" or "12345678" as the countersign. For some router's, the username or password is left blank. ^[3]
- If you're using the correct password but nonetheless can't connect, check the user'due south manual or manufacturer'southward website to learn how to reset the router's to it'south factory settings.^[iv]
7
Enable DHCP on Router 1. ^[five] This will allow Router 1 to assign all of the IP addresses in your network.
- You can usually detect these settings under "Network settings," or "LAN settings." The admin user interface layout is different from one router brand and model to another.
- In almost cases, the DHCP server is turned on by default.
viii

Examination your network and internet connection. Visit any website (like https://www.wikihow.com) to verify that yous can connect to the Net. Brand sure that the physical configuration of your network leaves room for one LAN port to be open on Router ane.
nine

Disconnect Router 1 from the computer. Remove the Ethernet cable between Router 1 and the computer. Everything else can remain on and plugged in.

1

Plug the second router in and turn it on. Make certain yous accept a costless electrical outlet and a reckoner near where you lot want the 2d router to be located. Plug it in and plough information technology on. For the purposes of this wikiHow, we will refer to the second router every bit "Router 2".
2

Connect a estimator to the Router 2. Use an Ethernet cable to connect to the LAN port on Router two. Then connect to the Ethernet port on a estimator.^[6]
3
Type Router 2's IP address in the address bar of a web browser. This opens the admin login screen for Router 2.
- With about router's, the IP address is 192.168.0.i, 192.168.1.i, or ten.0.0.1.
4
Log in using Router ii's username and password. Utilise the default username and countersign to log in to the admin user interface for Router ii, just as y'all did with Router 1. Check the user'due south manual or manufacturer's website to detect the default username and password.
- With nearly routers, "admin" is both the username and password.
five

Disable DHCP on Router 2. ^[vii] Since DHCP is enabled on Router 1, it should exist disabled on Router 2 to prevent IP conflicts. Locate the DHCP settings in the admin user interface and switch the DHCP server to "Off."
6
Assign a new IP address to Router 2. Equally of now, there'due south a good possibility that Routers 1 and ii take the same default IP accost. To prevent IP conflicts, Router 2 needs to have a unlike IP address than Router 1.
- Find the expanse in the routers admin user interface called "LAN" or "Local Network." There should be a box that contains the current IP address.
- Type a new IP accost in place of the existing one. The new IP address on Router 2 must be on the same subnet as Router 1. This means the beginning iii sets of numbers in the IP address should be the same every bit Router one. Change the number later the third period in the IP address to something unlike from Router 1. It too can't be an IP currently assigned to another device.
7
Configure Router 2'south Wi-Fi name and passkey. They should be identical to Router 1.^[8]
- You should find these settings under a menu called "Wireless", "Wi-Fi setup", or something similar
- If y'all're unsure of Router 1's SSID and passkey, it should be printed on the device.
- Router 2 is not a wireless router, skip this step.

1

Disconnect the power from Router 2. Now that Router 2's all fix, information technology's a expert thought to requite it a restart—though, for now, leave the power unplugged instead of turning it right back on.
2
Connect the kickoff router to the 2d router. Use an Ethernet cable to connect to a LAN port on Router i. Then connect to the offset LAN port on Router 2.
- Make sure you're not plugging it into the WAN port equally they look similar.
3

Plug Router two back in and turn it on. When the router comes back upward, it will have the IP address you configured. As long as Router 1 has Net access, Router 2 will now also exist online.
4

Restart the estimator that'due south continued to Router 2. Anytime yous connect a computer to a new network device, it'south a good idea to restart your computer.
5

Connect other computers and devices. This can exist done wirelessly, or by connecting Ethernet cables to unused LAN ports on either router. Router ane's DHCP server volition automatically assign each device its own IP address in the same subnet. Relish your expanded network!

Add New Question

Question

Is it possible to set up the 2d router on this configuration as the DHCP server if it has no default gateway field in the DHCP settings?

James Kirk

Community Answer

In principle, yes, simply it's non recommended. You lot must kickoff restrict the IP ranges of both of the routers involved to preclude conflicts, for instance; ROUTER 1: IP range 192.168.1.ane - 192.168.1.150 ROUTER 2: IP range 192.168.one.151 - 192.168.1.255
Question

Could you please tell me how to connect two wireless router wirelessly?

To practice this, you'll need two routers that are capable of wireless bridging. Near consumer routers don't accept these functions by default and will require you to upgrade the firmware. Wait up information on "wireless bridging" and come across if that fits what you lot're looking to do.
Question

What happens if I set up a second router with same SSID and password as the outset?

Using the aforementioned SSID and password allows your connected devices to pass from i wireless access betoken to the next without having to connect to another network. It besides keeps the device from switching between different wireless networks if y'all have like bespeak strength from both access points, equally your device volition endeavor to connect to the strongest possible network signal.
Question

Tin can network expanding crusade my cyberspace to be tedious?

Of course. The more connections and traffic yous take to a single outbound connection, the slower it gets. For home utilise this would only affair if you lot were downloading large files.
Question

How do I connect my PC to the router?

See How to Set Upwardly a Wireless Router. Certain desktop computers, especially older ones, may not accept a built-in wireless network adapter, in which case you can buy and plug in a USB wireless adapter.
Question

Tin can I utilize a WiFi antenna to connect to an existing router?

You can, but such antennas don't e'er extend the network as far equally they claim.
Question

Afterward I configured the slave router, connected by ethernet cable, the slave router took nearly of the power and the devices connected to the other 3 ports on the chief router slowed downwardly or failed. How do I make this work properly?

There is something wrong with one of your devices, most probable the slave router. There should exist no drop in power anywhere. If you mean a driblet in speed, this will only happen if your slave router has a lot of traffic going through information technology. Check what devices are connected to it (is your WiFi secure, or is someone using your net for free?).
Question

Tin I use more than two admission points, and can they be daisy chained?

Yes, as long as y'all follow the steps higher up, but supplant the steps for router 1 to router 2 and router 2 to router 3 and and so on. Keep in heed the speeds volition tedious downward with each router you add. It would be meliorate if you could hook router 3 to router 1, just if the distance makes that an issue, the daisy chain is the mode to become.
Question

How tin I find out whether another router is connected to my WiFi?

Another router can't but "connect" to your WiFi. It would accept to be configured with the same SSID and be added to your existing router as part of the network.
Question

What security concerns practise you have for the wireless network?

Information technology's possible for wireless keys to exist cracked. It's also possible that a user on your network tin contract a worm or other malware and pass information technology along to other systems. Also, individual security risks exist for each of the computers on the network--if a figurer has public file sharing turned on, for example, whatever reckoner connected to the wireless network tin can access that user's files.

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Don't be afraid to ask for assist. There are many helpful forums out there, and in that location are networking professionals for hire in your area.
Write down the IP accost of your modem, routers, and all the computers connected. This will help you troubleshoot any connectedness problems that you are having.
For additional security, look into getting a third (NAT) router. If you add a tertiary router (router iii), run an Ethernet cable from its WAN port to a LAN port on either Router one or 2. Then, enable DHCP on Router 2 and assign information technology to a different subnet than the rest of your network.

If you allow guests to access your Wi-Fi network, they may easily gain access to files on any computer that's connected.
This is a very non-standard manner to configure networking devices. While information technology does piece of work in nearly cases, it tin cause issues with some things. If you need to expand a network, you should actually use a device like a switch or range extender to avoid problems.

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Article Summary Ten

1. Run an Ethernet cable from the modem to the starting time router.
two. Run another cable from the commencement router to your reckoner.
three. Enable DHCP on first router.
4. Disconnect the first router from the calculator.
5. Connect a second router to the figurer.
half-dozen. Disable DHCP on the 2nd router.
7. Assign an IP address to the 2nd router.
8. Set the SSID and passkey on the 2d router to be identical to the start router.
9. Power everything down.
10. Connect the first router to the 2nd router.
11. Restart all devices.

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