Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
TexasHome
Newbie

Does anyone know how to attach an external wireless router to the Westell 9100EM router?  We have FIOS TV so I don't want to replace the Westell 9100EM - I would just like to be able to add a faster Wireless-N router to the setup so that our PCs could connect to it.  I am fine with the 9100EM still doing all the talking to the set top boxes that control our FIOS TV, and I don't want to lose the TV guide functionality. 

I have seen quite a few postings about adding a secondary router with the Actiontec modem, but not the Westell 9100EM.

Thanks!

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Re: Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

The instructions are exactly the same.

Login into the Westell and turn off any existing "wireless"

Login to your new router and give it a static LAN address on the 192.168.1.x network (192.168.1.254 recommended)

Turn off DHCP server on the new router (let the Westell continue to supply it)

Configure the wireless on the new router to your liking

Connect a LAN port on the new router to a LAN port on the Westell

The WAN port on the new router will remain unused. 

Re: Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
Hubrisnxs
Legend

there are a lot of different ways to connect it, so there will be a link at the bottom if you want to see the different ways.  IMO the easiest way is to plug your new router into any of the numbered ports on the westell (so port, 1, 2, 3 or 4)   then make sure that your new router gateway IP Address is anything BUT 192.168.1.1.   so 192.168.0.1 is fine or 2.1 or 3.1 or 10.1  (you get the point)  

dlink and netgear if I remember right are already out of the box programmed and should work right away by plugging it in the way I described above.  linksys routers, you have to go in and change it because out of the box they are 192.168.1.1 and that will fight with your westell.    

below are the different ways you can hook it up.

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/verizonfios/3.0_Networking


@TexasHome wrote:

Does anyone know how to attach an external wireless router to the Westell 9100EM router?  We have FIOS TV so I don't want to replace the Westell 9100EM - I would just like to be able to add a faster Wireless-N router to the setup so that our PCs could connect to it.  I am fine with the 9100EM still doing all the talking to the set top boxes that control our FIOS TV, and I don't want to lose the TV guide functionality. 

I have seen quite a few postings about adding a secondary router with the Actiontec modem, but not the Westell 9100EM.

Thanks!


Re: Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
MrTantrum
Enthusiast - Level 3

Why mess with a new router?  Just install a wireless N WAP by connecting it to one of the LAN ports and disable WiFi on the Verizion router.  This accomplishes the same thing w/o having to make any network changes.

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Re: Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Yes and no ... for some screwball reason, vendors frequently like to charge "extra" for a wireless access point.  The little secret however is that most home routers nowadays will also run in "access point" mode (Belkin, Netgear, and Apple for certain) and those that don't can still be used like an "access point" using the instructions I provided.  

If you happen to have a router which runs in "access point" mode, then turning that feature on automatically disables the DHCP server and bridges the WAN port to the LAN ports so you don't lose the functionality of the port.

For those unfamiliar with the difference between access point and router mode, just follow the guidance I provided and use the "LAN" side of the router for all connections and you'll accomplish the same thing on all devices.

I agree that replacing the ActionTec or going thru any other kind of exercise to alter the traffic and use a different router as the primary data egress is not a recommended course of action.  

Re: Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
viafax999
Community Leader
Community Leader

@TexasHome wrote:

Does anyone know how to attach an external wireless router to the Westell 9100EM router?  We have FIOS TV so I don't want to replace the Westell 9100EM - I would just like to be able to add a faster Wireless-N router to the setup so that our PCs could connect to it.  I am fine with the 9100EM still doing all the talking to the set top boxes that control our FIOS TV, and I don't want to lose the TV guide functionality. 

I have seen quite a few postings about adding a secondary router with the Actiontec modem, but not the Westell 9100EM.

Thanks!


i have Dlink dir-655 connected to the 9100em.

Before adding it to the network I connected to the admin of the dlink and changed the subnet to be 192.168.2 and made the wan port fixed at 192.168.1.254 then hard wired a lan port of the westell to the wan port of the dlink.  Didn't bother modifying anything on the westell. 

I use the Dlink segemnt for all internal machines and the westell segment as a pass thru to the dlink and also as a quasi dmz for exposed machines by setting forwarding rules for them and no forwarding in the dlink.

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Re: Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
whocares13
Newbie

well, this was just too easy...I read all the posts about reconfiguring the router, etc..and this was all way above my level of expertise...so I just connected my Linksys 2500 (I think this is the model) to a lan port in the back of the fios 9100em (used the 'internet' port on the back of the new Linksys), disabled the wireless feature on the Fios router, and BAM...now I am getting 30mbs/second wireless speed with the new Linksys router vs. the 3-5 mbs/second I got with the Fios 9100em router.

I'm only worried that it can't be this simple, especially after reading a bunch of other posts on the same subject....but it is working.

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Re: Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
whocares13
Newbie

@whocares1 wrote:

well, this was just too easy...I read all the posts about reconfiguring the router, etc..and this was all way above my level of expertise...so I just connected my Linksys 2500 (I think this is the model) to a lan port in the back of the fios 9100em (used the 'internet' port on the back of the new Linksys), disabled the wireless feature on the Fios router, and BAM...now I am getting 30mbs/second wireless speed with the new Linksys router vs. the 3-5 mbs/second I got with the Fios 9100em router.

I'm only worried that it can't be this simple, especially after reading a bunch of other posts on the same subject....but it is working.


maybe it was too easy...an issue I've just noticed is that I can't seem to connect to a few devices wirelessly using the Linksys router that I was able to connect to prior to connecting the Linksys router to the Westfall 9100em router.  Specifically my Onkyo stereo and printer.  I have an app on my  Android that allows me to control my stereo, but now the app can't locate the stereo.  Same issue with trying to connect wirelessly to my printer.  I suspect it is because the printer and stereo are still somehow associated with the Westfall 9100em router and not the Linksys I installed today? Pardon my ignorance in this matter, I'm sure I'm not using the proper vernacular here, and I am a real novice at messing with my home network...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Re: Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

Your devices (receiver and printer) need to know the SSID and passphrase of the Linksys. 

The default SSID and passphrase of the Actiontec and the Linksys are different.

You'll also need to make sure that the encryption level (WEP, WPA, WPA2) of the receiver and printer match the Linksys.

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Re: Attaching external wireless router to Westell 9100EM
whocares13
Newbie

@Anti-Phish wrote:

Your devices (receiver and printer) need to know the SSID and passphrase of the Linksys. 

The default SSID and passphrase of the Actiontec and the Linksys are different.

You'll also need to make sure that the encryption level (WEP, WPA, WPA2) of the receiver and printer match the Linksys.


thanks for this...I just went into my 2 wireless printers and 'reset' them so that they would see the new wireless signal put out by the Lynksys router.

A quick update, I'm getting 43mbs download and 18mbs upload per speedtest.net with the Linksys e2500 router/Westfall 9100em combo (router is upstairs but all computers/printers are downstairs).  I also have Fios for tv and have not noticed any of the issues with the dvr/remote/guide, etc..that I read about in other posts dealing with using a new router with the Verizon router.

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