dslreports logo

Most definitely. Using more than one router allows you to put your wireless router's antenna where it will best cover your house or property; allows you to use the printer port; allows you to hard-wire more than 4 ethernet devices into your LAN.

These instructions leave your Actiontec router as primary. Your secondary router will connect LAN-to-LAN (wired) to the Actiontec, so it will simply act as a switch. The Actiontec will handle DHCP. All of these steps use your PC connected wired to the routers. Do not connect the secondary router to the Actiontec until instructed below. Here's how:

First, set up the primary router:
    1. To start with a simple configuration, disconnect or power off all devices connected to the Actiontec except the computer used to configure it. Reset the Actiontec to its default configuration by pressing the reset button for 10 seconds. Note that this will delete all port forwards and filter rules you may have already established. You may want to make notes of your existing config before resetting to default. The default Actiontec router address is 192.168.1.1. Point your browser to the login page.

    2. When reset, the Actiontec will boot up and ask you to set a password. It is suggested it be something different than password or password1. I use 8 characters in an alpha/number mix. Make sure you can connect to the internet. This verifies primary router connectivity.

    3. Click on My Network icon, click Network Connections, then Network (Home/Office), then click Settings button. Change the DHCP address range by scrolling down to locate IP Address Distribution. Verify DHCP Server is selected in the dropdown box. Set the Start IP Address to 192.168.1.11, and leave the Ending IP Address at 192.168.1.254. You can use a different start or end address. I selected .11 because I want to have several, but not too many addresses I can use as static addresses. The secondary router will be one of them.

    Click Apply, wait for the Actiontec to reconfig, then click Apply again to make it stick.

    4. If you intend your secondary router to handle all the wireless connections, you may choose to disable the Actiontec Wireless. This might be the case if, for instance, your secondary router is Wireless-N. Disable Actiontec Wireless by clicking Wireless Settings icon, then click Basic Security Settings. Click item 1. Wireless Radio to Off. Then click Apply, wait for the Actiontec to reconfig, then click Apply.

    5. Verify Internet connectivity, then shut off your PC.

Next, set up your router as secondary
    6. Unplug your PC's wired connection from the Actiontec LAN port, then plug it into a LAN port on your secondary router. Make sure the secondary router WAN port is not connected to anything. Boot up your PC and the router and log into your secondary router's interface.

    7. You should be able to login with a login and a password. If you are unable to, you may have to resort to a hard reset on the secondary router and use the operator's manual to determine the default login and password.

    Please note that routers from different manufacturers will vary in their default settings and interface. If your PC is set to get a LAN address automatically, you can determine your IP address by typing "ipconfig /all" (without the quotes) at a command prompt, then press Enter.

    You should be able to log in to your secondary router at "http://192.168.1.1" or by using your LAN IP address with .1 as the last octet.

    8. Once logged in, ignore the router's Internet settings because the WAN port is not used. You need to change its Network Settings to set the Router IP address to 192.168.1.2 with Subnet mask 255.255.255.0.

    9. Also, it's very important to Disable DHCP Server. On my secondary router after I made those changes, I needed to Save Settings.

Finally, connect secondary router to Actiontec
    10. Then I connected a patch cable from a LAN port on the Actiontec to a LAN port on the secondary router, and clicked Reboot Now. Instructions for your router may vary.

    After the secondary router reboot, reboot your PC. You should be connected to your secondary router and pick up a LAN IP from the Actiontec. Verify internet connectivity.

    11. At this point, verify you can log in to the Actiontec at 192.168.1.1, and log in to your secondary router at 192.168.1.2. It will make no difference what router you are physically connected to for administration of both.

    12. Any additional changes to primary or secondary routers can be made at this time. Here is where you may set wireless on the secondary router. Any port forwards will be done on the Actiontec. The secondary router WAN port is not connected.

To summarize:
    Actiontec is set to serve DHCP addresses from 192.168.1.11 to 192.168.1.254, and your
    secondary router has a static network address of 192.168.1.2 and DHCP is disabled.
    Both are connected with a patch cable from LAN to LAN.
    Straight or crossover cable doesn't matter because the Actiontec is self-sensing.

Review more options described here: »Verizon FiOS FAQ »What are the tradeoffs between the various router configurations.

Notes:
Connecting an Access Point wirelessly to the Actiontec using WDS (Wireless Distribution System) is not supported by the Actiontec hardware. The only currently known connection method for an access point is through ethernet wiring to the Actiontec. See this FAQ »Verizon FiOS FAQ »Does the Actiontec support Wireless Distribution System (WDS)?

As noted above, the WAN portion of the second router is not used. It should not be necessary to change any WAN settings (NAT, port forwards, etc) on the second router.


Please use the feedback link below only to suggest improvements to this FAQ. If you have questions about this FAQ, please post them in the »Verizon FiOS forum.



Expand got feedback?

by bobTeatow See Profile edited by Branch See Profile
last modified: 2016-10-05 16:21:18