Connecting own router to actiontec
thejoker
Enthusiast - Level 2

At the moment I have my own router connected as an access point after the Actiontec router using an ethernet connection from a LAN port on the Actiontec to a LAN port on my router.  I have read numerous threads on this forum and various other places and as yet can not see any way to be able to remove the ethernet cable and have a wireless connection between the two.  If anyone knows a way to do this can you please point to the appropriate link that describes how to set it up.

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Re: Connecting own router to actiontec
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

@thejoker wrote:

I have read numerous threads on this forum and various other places and as yet can not see any way to be able to remove the ethernet cable and have a wireless connection between the two. 


There are a number of routers (Airport, DD-WRT, Belkin) that support Wireless Distribution System (WDS) as a connection method between them, however, the Actiontec is not one of them.   WDS is not completely specified in IEEE or Wifi standards, . therefore WDS interoperability between 802.11 products of different vendors is not guaranteed

If your issue is that you want to put the WAP in another area for the house for better reception and don't have an ethernet cable to that room, you have a couple of options:

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Re: Connecting own router to actiontec
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

You havent seen posts to that effect because you cant do that. Routers cannot speak to one another wirelessly. All router to router connections are wired only. no other choice

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Re: Connecting own router to actiontec
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

@thejoker wrote:

I have read numerous threads on this forum and various other places and as yet can not see any way to be able to remove the ethernet cable and have a wireless connection between the two. 


There are a number of routers (Airport, DD-WRT, Belkin) that support Wireless Distribution System (WDS) as a connection method between them, however, the Actiontec is not one of them.   WDS is not completely specified in IEEE or Wifi standards, . therefore WDS interoperability between 802.11 products of different vendors is not guaranteed

If your issue is that you want to put the WAP in another area for the house for better reception and don't have an ethernet cable to that room, you have a couple of options:

Re: Connecting own router to actiontec
Hubrisnxs
Legend

see if your router supports bridge mode or wap mode.

some wifi routers can act as wap's or bridges, and at that point you can plug your westell wep key in and it will act as a range extender of sorts.

often times it's just better to go buy a moca adapter *hme2200" and call it a day.  they are super easy to use and plug in,   no configuring needed.

Re: Connecting own router to actiontec
KaLin
Khoros Partner
Khoros Partner
Created new thread
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Re: Connecting own router to actiontec
Dephinix
Enthusiast - Level 3

Why move thread? Two completely different subjects?

Anyways, yeah,   I am pretty sure it is possible with certain models, as a form of bridging too, but really, at least connect the routers together via ethernet. Double security risk and more attenuation if you try it wirelessly...

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Re: Connecting own router to actiontec
harmonj6776
Newbie

@Hubrisnxs wrote:

see if your router supports bridge mode or wap mode.

some wifi routers can act as wap's or bridges, and at that point you can plug your westell wep key in and it will act as a range extender of sorts.

often times it's just better to go buy a moca adapter *hme2200" and call it a day.  they are super easy to use and plug in,   no configuring needed.


I am trying to use an ASUS WL-520GC router as a bridge between my blu ray player and my Actiontec M1424WR router that is connected to the Verizon FiOS modem.  My Asus router supports this ability and I have it set up to wirelessly connect to the actiontec, however I cannot find the settings for this on the Actiontec router.  What, if any, changes to the actiontec settings do I need to make in order for this to work?  And before you suggest it, it is not an option connect them with an ethernet cable, if I could do that I would just plug in the blu ray player.

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Re: Connecting own router to actiontec
Hubrisnxs
Legend
The actiontec wont require any configurations change. You should only need the said of the actiontec and its wep key. The asus may need to have its internal ip addresses to be changed.

Does it have a manual online?
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Re: Connecting own router to actiontec
Hubrisnxs
Legend

I apologize,    I think what you're looking for is a WDS and not a WAP.   As mentioned before a WAP needs to be hardwired to the Actiontec, which is the opposite of what you're looking for.  A WDS has several drawbacks, one is that for every in-line WDS-link, the bandwidth get halved.   I suppose this wouldn't make much difference if you are using N routers throughout, but since the Actiontec is a G router you really shouldn't sacrifice that much bandwidth for all the configurations that you would have to do.

The router you have, I am pretty sure is a broadcom chipset, and the actiontec is an atheros chipset, and on the DD - WRT website, it says that you can't get them to work most of the time.  

their verbiage is as such. 


  • WDS between different chip vendors (atheros, broadcom, ralink) will not work morst of the time since its INCOMPATIBLE and no we will NOT fix it


EDIT*  Also I found this at the FiOS FAQ about WDS


Wireless Distribution System (WDS) enables the interconnection of access points in a wireless network. It allows a wireless network to be expanded using multiple access points without the need for a wired backbone to link them.


WDS is not supported by the Actiontec or Westell routers at this time.


So you can TRY to post this question over at the DD-WRT forum, and see if anyone's had any success doing it with this configuration, but I think your best bet is to get a Moca Bridge.   No hassle

Actiontec's ECB2200 start around 70 bucks

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