Problems with office network

[shank]

Hi everybody. Hope you can help with this problem that's been bugging us in the office for days.

We are subscribed to an ADSL broadband connection. Our setup is such: line>adsl modem/router>switch>network devices & 2 wireless routers

Basically, some desktop computers are using a wired connection to the switch, which is a Cisco 15 port switch. Some LAN access points are also connected there. We also connected two wireless routers to the switch. We want people using the laptops in the office to be able to access these routers to use the Internet, and also to use the printers.

What's been happening is that the wireless connection is very intermittent, it just goes off and there's no Internet access even though they are connected to the network. Sometimes, when they are connected to a particular network, eg. NetworkA, it shows in the taskbar as connected to NetworkA 1 and NetworkA 2. In network and sharing center it's shown as the laptop---multiple networks---Internet.

I thought the problem might be that the routers might also be assigning IP addresses, so I went in and disabled DHCP server in the router settings. It seemed to work for a while, but then the connection got dropped again. We're using D-link routers and adsl modem/router. Any other settings that I should look at? There's this thing called DNS relay that is left checked. Should it be unchecked?

Hope someone can help me with this, as it's really causing a lot of frustration. Thanks!

 

[pricetech]

I don't think it's possible to use two wireless connections simultaneously, but I've never tried, so it might be.

I do know that more than one wired connection is problematic.

Anyway;

Do you have any reason to isolate your wireless clients ?? If not, you should be able to set your wireless routers up to work as WAPs instead. Exactly how you'd do that depends upon the routers in question, but the steps should be documented on the manufacturer's website or in the manual.

Other than that, you may just have buggy wireless routers. I've never met a d-link I liked, so I avoid them like the plague.

I'm guessing your dsl modem/router is your DHCP server for the network. Just make sure your pool is plenty big enough for all your clients.

 

[shank]

I guess that's what I want to achieve. I want to use the two routers as access points, for each side of the office. So that means I should disable DHCP server on the routers, and use the adsl one as the dhcp server right? I'm just wondering where I went wrong in that setup. What are the settings I should be looking at, or are there any tutorials I can follow?

Also, why do some laptops show that they are connected to multiple networks, like networkA 1 and networkA 2? I'm guessing that might give some clues to the problem?

 

[Phone Man]

Check out this Tutorial.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91791-multi-router-network-configure.html?filter[2]=Networking%20Internet

Jim

 

[pricetech]

I guess that's what I want to achieve. I want to use the two routers as access points, for each side of the office. So that means I should disable DHCP server on the routers, and use the adsl one as the dhcp server right? I'm just wondering where I went wrong in that setup. What are the settings I should be looking at, or are there any tutorials I can follow?

Also, why do some laptops show that they are connected to multiple networks, like networkA 1 and networkA 2? I'm guessing that might give some clues to the problem?

As to the first point, check your documentation that came with your wireless routers, it should tell you how to proceed. Also check the manufacturer's website for information.

As to the second point, it sounds like the laptops are seeing both WAPs and trying to connect to both. I've never tried it so I don't if it's possible or not. It is possible to connect to both wired and wireless, but it sounds like you're saying they're connecting to two wireless networks.

 

[shank]

I guess that's what I want to achieve. I want to use the two routers as access points, for each side of the office. So that means I should disable DHCP server on the routers, and use the adsl one as the dhcp server right? I'm just wondering where I went wrong in that setup. What are the settings I should be looking at, or are there any tutorials I can follow?

Also, why do some laptops show that they are connected to multiple networks, like networkA 1 and networkA 2? I'm guessing that might give some clues to the problem?

As to the first point, check your documentation that came with your wireless routers, it should tell you how to proceed. Also check the manufacturer's website for information.

As to the second point, it sounds like the laptops are seeing both WAPs and trying to connect to both. I've never tried it so I don't if it's possible or not. It is possible to connect to both wired and wireless, but it sounds like you're saying they're connecting to two wireless networks.

No I mean networkA is one ssid, and networkB is another one. So it's connected to networkA, but it gives two different numbers, so when you hover the cursor over the wireless bar icon in the bottom right of the taskbar, it shows as networkA 3 and networkA 4 for example, instead of just one.

I've been checking out that tutorial, and it sounds like what I want to achieve. Shall give it a try when I get to office later. Thanks!

 

[pricetech]

I think I know what you're referring to now, but I'd have to kill my network connection to test that. I'll get back to you.

 

[Fred Garvin]

No I mean networkA is one ssid, and networkB is another one. So it's connected to networkA, but it gives two different numbers, so when you hover the cursor over the wireless bar icon in the bottom right of the taskbar, it shows as networkA 3 and networkA 4 for example, instead of just one.

Using the guide Phoneman posted, make sure you have your network configured correctly - with the wireless routers setup as Access Points only, unique IP addresses, DHCP turned off.

Make sure each AP is using a different SSID and it's broadcasting on channels with 3 to 5 channels between them. The #1 reason for wireless connectivity issues is the signal and interference. I'd highly recommend doing a site survey with Xirus to check for interfering routers.

 

[shank]

Using the guide Phoneman posted, make sure you have your network configured correctly - with the wireless routers setup as Access Points only, unique IP addresses, DHCP turned off.

Make sure each AP is using a different SSID and it's broadcasting on channels with 3 to 5 channels between them. The #1 reason for wireless connectivity issues is the signal and interference. I'd highly recommend doing a site survey with Xirus to check for interfering routers.

In that guide, he mentions to use 192.168.0.253 as the ip address for the access point. If I have another one I should assign it as 254? Or is 254 used for something else? There would be a problem if I'm using 192.168.0.2 and 3?

 

[Fred Garvin]

In that guide, he mentions to use 192.168.0.253 as the ip address for the access point. If I have another one I should assign it as 254?

Yes, exactly.

Everyone has their own system for IP addressing. I do it the opposite way and start the gateway with address 192.168.1.1 then .2, .3 for servers, wireless access points, printers, etc. That way it's easy for me to remember where the device is in the chain and what its address is. Then the DHCP scope would start at .50 or .100 so as not to conflict with any of those static devices. So use whatever works for you.

 

[Phone Man]

Fred is correct. The address available in your network is from 0-255 but 0 and 255 are reserved (IP protocol specs) so you can use 1-254 but 1 is used for the Gateway Router so you have 2-154 to work with. As Fred pointed out you can use address from either end for your 2 wireless access routers. The DHCP group uses continuous address so use 2-152 which leaves you 153&154 or use 4-154 for DHCP which leaves 2&3 for you access points. Hope I didn't confuse you.

The other thing I noticed in that Tutorial is the use of 2 wireless routers as you want to do. His approach is to set both wireless routers to the same SID, Channel and Security code and the PC will select the one with the strongest signal. I am curious how that will work. If you set each wireless router different I would use different channels at least 3 channels apart to cut down interference.

Let us know how you get yours to work.

Jim

 

[Fred Garvin]

His approach is to set both wireless routers to the same SID, Channel and Security code and the PC will select the one with the strongest signal.

That's something I'm not certain on myself. I was under the impression you don't use the same SSID on 2 wireless routers/access points unless they have the capability to be bridged.

 

[Phone Man]

Interesting read on that subject.

wireless networking - Multiple access points for the same SSID? - Super User

It does say to set the channel to AUTO or have each AP on different channel. Just what the Tutorial said.

Jim