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Professional Discussions => Routing and Switching => Topic started by: achunt2143 on June 09, 2022, 08:34:46 AM

Title: Two routers with one switch
Post by: achunt2143 on June 09, 2022, 08:34:46 AM
Hi Everyone,

I need some help setting up my wireless networks. I have a decent understanding of networking and all, but I am by no means an expert. I want to have two wireless routers connected to my modem to separate my smart home devices from my computers and phones. I have my own network equipment not provided by my ISP. I have spectrum as my ISP. My modem is a Netgear CM1200 and has one ethernet port (which is why I got the switch). I have a little Netgear switch that connects to the modem. My TP-Link AX3000 and Netgear R6250 routers are connected to the switch. The first time I did this, Netgear connected to internet first and TP-Link did not work. Now, TP-Link is connected and has internet but the Netgear does not. Netgear does not get an IPv4 address at all. TP-Link did not get an IPv4 address either when it was not working. EDIT: When I connect my computer to the switch, I do not get internet access.
Am I connecting things incorrectly? Is my ISP stopping me from doing this? Is my switch the wrong kind for my use case?

Thanks,

Andrew
Title: Re: Two routers with one switch
Post by: Otanx on June 09, 2022, 10:21:17 AM
Your ISP probably limits you to one IP or one MAC. Try daisy chaining the two devices, From your modem connect it to the WAN port of the router supporting the smart home stuff. Then use one of the LAN ports on that to connect the WAN port of the router for your computer/phones.

-Otanx
Title: Re: Two routers with one switch
Post by: achunt2143 on June 09, 2022, 10:55:40 AM
That seems to work. Thanks for the information!
Title: Re: Two routers with one switch
Post by: deanwebb on June 10, 2022, 07:34:54 AM
Quote from: Otanx on June 09, 2022, 10:21:17 AM
Your ISP probably limits you to one IP or one MAC. Try daisy chaining the two devices, From your modem connect it to the WAN port of the router supporting the smart home stuff. Then use one of the LAN ports on that to connect the WAN port of the router for your computer/phones.

-Otanx


Yes, my thoughts as well and glad they worked. To keep things separate, the wireless might be configurable to have two different SSIDs and you use one for one purpose, the other for the other, and then have controls on the wireless to deny traffic going back and forth between the two.