asked on

Chain Two FVS318v1 Routers on Same LAN

I needed to be able to connect more computers than my Netgear FVS318 had room to handle so I bought a second one. My intention had been to configure the LAN IP to that of the Linksys 4-Port which it is replacing and then cable it from Port 1 (New Router) to Port 8 (Current Router).

CURRENT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAN IP Config: 100.100.100.1 (FVS318); 100.100.100.2 (Linksys#1); 100.100.100.3 (Linksys#2)
DHCP: YES (Windows Assigned, PCs only)
Range: .15 ---> .200

Internet ------- Modem ------- FVS318
|
|----------------------------- Linksys#2
|-------------- Linksys#1 |
| | |
| | |
|- Server 1 |- UpLink | - UpLink
|- Server 2 |- PC | - PC
|- Server 3 |- PC | - PC
|- Server 4 |- PC | - Test PC/Server

PROPOSED
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAN IP Config: 100.100.100.1 (FVS318#1); 100.100.100.2 (FVS318#2); 100.100.100.3 (Unassigned)
DHCP: YES (Windows Assigned, PCs only)
Range: .15 ---> .200

Internet ------- Modem ------- FVS318
|
| ----------- FVS318#2
| |
| - Server 1 | - PC
| - Server 2 | - PC
| - Server 3 | - PC
| - Server 4 | - PC
| - open | - Test PC/Server
| - open | - open
| - open | - open
| - open
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After configuring the LAN IP and connecting Clients I am not able to ping the new Router. Since it will not allow me to configure the WAN & LAN IPs to be the same I am thinking that this isn't going to work. I SPECIFICALLY avoided setting the WAN IP on #2 and using THAT port to uplink to #1 as I do NOT want it to be a DHCP client (Option 1 in the config) and it wouldn't be able to be on the same subnet as the rest of the LAN.

FYI, I DO NOT want to create another internal Subnet.

Can this be done?

public

> I SPECIFICALLY avoided setting the WAN IP on #2
How can it route then? Just use a static IP.

>Since it will not allow me to configure the WAN & LAN IPs to be the same
These must be different subnets. Otherwise just use a switch.

LateNiteR

ASKER

In my PROPOSED solution I keep FVS#1 in place as the sole point of entry adding #2 only to allow for additional ports. I don't want #2 to do any routing really. I am looking to use FVS#2 as a HUB on the same subnet as the servers. That's why I didn't configure the WAN IP on #2 as I do not want to use the FVS's Firewall internally. My hope was that I could simply run a network cable from Port 8 on #1 to Port 8 on #2 and they would be able to pass packets back and forth as they do when the ports on the same router (in the CURRENT Config the Servers have no communication problems).

I have already purchased three of these for $30 each. Two are going into remote sites and the third, I was hoping, was going to act as a HUB/switch internally.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

naveedb

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LateNiteR

ASKER

>"Configure #2 as bridge..."
How do you configure the FVS318 as Bridge?

>"Plug a LAN port from # 1 to a LAN port on #2 using cross-over cable..."
I always thought that the LAN ports, either on the same router or on another, wouldn't require a cross-over.
...I'll give it a try and let you know. Gotta make the cross-over first (sometime today).

LateNiteR

ASKER

Cross-over cable was the key, Thanks!

In chaining other Routers or switches I'd always had the luxury of an "Uplink" so this caught me off guard. Makes perfect sense in hind-sight.

LateNiteR

ASKER

...I was wrong. It didn't work.

I ran home during my lunch break and plugged-in the crossover.

------ (WAN) FVS318#1 (Port 8) --- X-Over --- (Port 8) FVS318#2
(10.10.10.1) (10.10.10.2)

The result was that ALL network communications were dissrupted ! I DID notice while configuring #2 for the LAN that there isn't an option to set a Default Gateway. That MIGHT have something to do with it.

Looking at the front of them both, there seems to be some activity just not to or from the Internet.

LateNiteR

ASKER

------ (WAN) FVS318#1 (Port 7) --- X-Over --- (Port 8) FVS318#2
(10.10.10.1) (10.10.10.2)

OK. HERE was the solution:

Cross-over cable (as mentioned above) from one to the other but THEY MUST NOT BE CONNECTED TO THE SAME LAN PORT. If they are then, again, as mentioned above, communications will be disrupted.

I'm adding this in order to complete the solution.

naveedb

"THEY MUST NOT BE CONNECTED TO THE SAME LAN PORT"

It is a strange thing, I haven't seen it before unless one port is bad or it had cross-over button next to it.