Converting gateway into bridge

[Crowandazi]

A recap for those of you who were not following my previous exploits: My wireless router was apparently faulty, so I bought a new one. However, the nightmare continues because it seems as though my wireless router was not simply a router, but a gateway -- meaning that it was also my DSL modem, something NOT IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS to the layman.

SO, I now have to figure out how to make the gateway a bridge to the new Netgear wireless router. I decided to start a new topic since it is basically a new subject.

Here's the funny thing --- I mean absolutely hilarious -- the documentation Westell gave me isn't even for the gateway they sent me, it's for a regular DSL modem. So there are NO instructions on how to do this.

I hope this is something that can be easily explained, because my searches have turned up posts that are way above my head.

Help me M/Q, you're my only hope!

[M/Q]

This is not really that difficult. You have two choices.

1. Let the gateway device still be the DHCP server and then just run an Ethernet cable from the gateway to one of the 4 switch ports of the NetGear router. Not the WAN/Internet port, please make sure, check the bottom. Sorry if this seems trite, I am not trying to be. Next on the NetGear turn off its DHCP server and it will just act like an access point. Real simple actually.
2. This approach is more secure, but it makes configuration more difficult. You connect the Ethernet cable from the gateway to the Internet/WAN connection of the NetGear. You must then configure the WAN or Internet side of the NetGear device to automatically obtain an IP address from the gateway or setup a static one in the subnet that we already know about. Then you keep the DHCP server enabled on the NetGar, but make sure that the IP addressing scheme is not the same as the IP addresses being given out by the gateway. I think the gateway was using 192.168.1.X. Then use 192.168.3.X for the NetGear devices, same subnet mask. That should be all there is to it.

After you get this setup, go to a computer and run the ipconfig /all command to make sure they show the right default gateway. As that is the crucial address.

Approach 1

Gateway (192.168.1.1)
|
>- NetGear Router
…….<>
……….>- Computers (192.168.1.X/ Default Gateway=192.168.1.1)

Approach 2

Gateway (192.168.1.1)
|
>- NetGear Router (192.168.1.2 Internet port) (192.168.3.1 Internal port)
…….<>
……….>- Computers (192.168.3.X/ Default Gateway=192.168.3.1)

[Crowandazi]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!

I went with approach #2 and all devices are connecting to the internet now!!! And it only took 20 hours of my time!

M/Q, my eternal gratitude. My wife and I have decide to name our first-born child M/Q. (...although we don't actualy plan on having children...)

Thanks!

[M/Q]

Glad it worked. Now enjoy and make sure to spend some important time with the boss(wife)