If you’re having trouble connecting to your home network, try these tips:

  • Make sure your router is connected to the internet and your computer.
  • Try connecting to your home network using a different device, like a laptop or tablet.
  • If you’re still having trouble, try connecting to your home network using a wired connection or a wireless connection with an extra router. ..

Why Would I Set Up a Second Router?

There are several ways to add a second wireless router to your home network. You could use it as an access point or repeater to extend wireless coverage. You could set up a separate network for guests to use. Or you could use the second router as a switch to add more Ethernet ports to your network. ..

Requirements for Setting Up a Second Router at Home

To set up a Wi-Fi router as an AP, you need to first configure it as a Wi-Fi router. Then, you can use the same SSID and password for both routers. ..

To set up as an AP or switch, an Ethernet cable to connect the two routers

If your second router isn’t capable of being used in these different modes because it’s older, you may need to update it. The update may expand its capabilities.

For this tutorial, we’re using an Asus RT-N300 as our secondary Wi-Fi router. Your routers may be different, but the same concepts apply whether it’s a D-Link, tp-Link, Linksys, Netgear or any of the many good router models available. ..

How to Setup a Second Wi-Fi Router as a Wireless Access Point

If your home is wired for Ethernet and you want excellent wireless coverage and internet access only in certain places in your home network, consider using a second router as an access point. You’ll get great Wi-Fi coverage with a fast, stable Ethernet connection between your secondary router to your primary router.

If you want to make a guest network with a different SSID and password, select No and then change the values as needed. The guest network wouldn’t be completely separate from your personal network; it would just mean you don’t have to share your personal password. Select Apply to continue.

The router applies the settings.

How to Setup a Second Wi-Fi Router to Extend the Range

Setting up a second Wi-Fi router as a Wi-Fi range extender somewhere near the middle of your house can give you wireless connection anywhere in your home, without needing to rely on the signal from the wireless router that is set up on one end of the house. ..

Many routers have a wizard process to set it up as a wireless range extender. For example, the Asus RT-N300 provides a simple repeater mode option on initial setup. To estimate where to place the second wireless router, use an app to measure the wireless signal strength and find where it starts to drop. Go back a few feet into better signal strength and that’s a good spot to put it.

The Device Discovery Utility makes it easier and easier to find the router’s IP address after it’s set up as a wireless repeater.

The router now connects to the main Wi-Fi router. When this is complete, it will not return to the router management page, because the second router’s IP address has changed. This is where you need the Device Discovery Utility. ..

You now have wireless coverage around your second router.

How to Setup a Second Router to Act as a Switch

If you want to keep your wired connections open even after your modem/router has reached its limit of ports, you can use your router as a switch. This will allow you to connect multiple devices, like laptops and gaming consoles, through the one router. ..

Get Connected

If you have a second router, you can use it to extend your home network. Let us know if you have any other ideas for using this extra router! ..