How to Connect Two NetGear Routers in Series
By Eric Fenton
Connecting two routers can help when you want to connect multiple computers to your home network. Using two routers will not make the Internet any faster, but it will greatly increase the size of your wireless coverage. It is still a bit of a painstaking process as there are a few configurations to change around, but it's worth it if you have a large home and several computers.
Step 1
Access your main router's settings to obtain information on your router. You'll need to know the router's IP address and enter it into the web browser address bar (the default for Netgear routers is 192.168.0.1). Write down the IP address, service set identifier (SSID) and channel. Your main router should already be plugged in and set up with the Ethernet cord in the LAN port of the router and the other end of the cord connected to the Ethernet port of a laptop computer. If you have a DSL or cable modem, its Ethernet port should already be connected to the WAN port of the router; you do not need to touch this connection.
Step 2
Disconnect the Ethernet cord from the main router and then connect it to the LAN port in the router. Now, one of the LAN ports (labeled 1-4) on the new router should be connected to your laptop.
Step 3
Repeat Step 1 on your second router. Clearly write down the IP address, SSID and channel for the new router, since you already wrote down this information for the old router..
Step 4
Change the second router's IP address to any IP address other than the default (the first two parts must still be 192.168) and disable the DHCP server on the second router. Both routers must be on the same channel. Then, locate the "Wireless Security" tab and change the password information on the second router to match with the first router. Save these settings.
Step 5
Connect one end of the Ethernet cord to the LAN port of the first router and the other end to the WAN port of the second router. The two routers are now working in series.
References
Writer Bio
Eric Fenton has been writing for journalistic and scientific publications since 2005. He has previously written for "The Pen," where he was the opinion editor. He now works as a copy editor for the "News-Letter." He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University.