If you’ve recently moved to a new house and your router no longer effectively reaches internet devices within the property by itself, daisy chain routers are a great option to consider.
Although purchasing a mesh WiFi system or WiFi extenders could be an option, the latter does not improve internet speed while the former is pretty expensive.
Daisy chain routers refer to connecting multiple routers in a cascading sequence to extend access to a wired or wireless network.
Within this setup, there is one main router, from which other routers become either signal or port extenders.
The ‘daisy chain’ term refers to the floral garland made with daisies that interlock, which reflects the process that occurs when connecting routers in this way.
In this article, we will explain what you can achieve with daisy chain routers, what you need, and a step-by-step guide.
Daisy Chain Routing Explained
Daisy chain routers involve interconnecting two or more routers, with each intermediate router linked to precisely two other routers, while the terminal routers connect to only one router.
In a linear topology network, there exists a bidirectional link between each node and the following one. If the two ends are connected, the network takes the form of a ring or daisy chain.
The primary objective of a daisy chain is to expand the network’s capacity to accommodate a larger number of computers or wireless network devices.
However, only one router serves as the main router and DHCP server, while the remaining routers solely facilitate the connection of other internet devices.
Another purpose is to integrate a wireless access point into a wired network. The additional access point or router is connected (daisy chained) to the primary router with the DHCP-serving capability disabled to prevent IP address conflicts.
Enabling the DHCP server capabilities of the other routers is possible. However, this would lead to a more complex configuration as each router would represent a distinct local network.
Additional special configuration would be required for devices connected to different routers to communicate with each other.
What Do You Need?
- One router (WiFi optional)
- An additional router (WiFi optional)
- Ethernet cable
Very few equipment pieces are needed to daisy chain your router. The key though is to retain an old router so that it can be used for daisy chaining when you upgrade.
Step By Step Instructions To Daisy Chain Your Routers
Connecting your routers in a daisy chain is a straightforward procedure.
This guide assumes that you already have an established wireless network (router one) and aims to guide you in connecting a second wireless router (router two) to this network using a wired Ethernet connection.
Router two will serve as the network extender. If you’re unsure about router two’s settings, it’s recommended to reset it.
- Start by connecting your computer to router two.
- Access the configuration settings of router two by following the instructions provided with the router or by entering its IP address into your web browser. If you’re uncertain about router two’s settings, it’s advisable to reset it.
- Disable the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) on router two. DHCP assigns IP addresses to devices on your network, and since router one will handle this task, it’s crucial to disable DHCP on router two. You might need to do this even before connecting routers one and two together. Neglecting to disable DHCP on router two can lead to network issues.
- Retrieve the subnet and DHCP IP address range information from router one. Typically, home routers use a subnet like 192.168.0.0 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 (/24). Router one’s internal IP address is usually 192.168.0.1, but it could vary. Refer to a guide to determine your router’s internal IP.
- Once you have this information, assign a static IP address to router two within the IP range of router one’s DHCP. You can usually set this in the LAN settings tab of router two. Ensure that both routers use the same subnet mask (usually 255.255.255.0 or /24). For example, if router one’s internal IP is 192.168.0.1, consider assigning 192.168.0.2 as the LAN IP for router two. Ensure no other devices on your network use this address by pinging it from a Command Prompt (type ‘ping 192.168.0.2’) and confirming that it returns ‘Request timed out’ four times.
- Connect router two to a LAN port on router one.
- You should now be able to connect network devices to router two, which will inherit settings from router one via DHCP. If desired, you can enable WiFi on the second router. Ensure that the WiFi channels of router one and router two do not overlap. Use the same security settings and WLAN SSID (wireless network name) and for both routers. Look up our guide on channel bandwidths for more information in this area.
- If you need to access the settings of router two, open a web browser and enter the IP address assigned to the router in step 5.
- Finally, secure your router by assigning a password, just as you would for any other router. Adjust any other necessary settings in this interface as well.
By following these steps, you should now have successfully connected and configured router two as an extension of your network.
Final Words
Hopefully, you’re now clear on why daisy chain routers can be advantageous and the steps you can take to implement the process.
This process is recommended for those who are wanting to extend the internet network to more devices and a larger range.
The process of connecting multiple routers in a sequential chain is more affordable than alternatives and is reliable in maintaining fast internet speeds.
2 Responses
PERFECT
Excellent. I now need to know how to prevent overlapping channels. However, i want the 2nd router dedicated to me so that i can turn off wifi on router #1 in order to enforce parental control on router 1. This allows me to continue working using #2.