Best way to set up 2 to 3 routers

[Kakin]

I have been using DLink DIR-655 router for more than a year now on my 2nd floor. I love it and Its working great. I have everything setup already on this Dir-655 router including printer, NAS... Right below it on the first floor is my living room and reception is good, but when get to the 2 bedrooms in the first floor the signal completely gone.

I have a 2nd router from my friend Linksys EA6500 which is a Dual Band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. I plan to relocate the cable modem and my DLink Dir-655 to first floor living room so all the rooms in first floor bedrooms can get signal and put this Linksys EA6500 as a bridge since I dont want to remove and add printers to 4 computers and different user profiles, ipads, iphones...

Here are the questions.
Should I setup all SSID to be the same? Now I have 1 SSID from DLink Dir-655 and 2 SSIDs from Linksys EA6500, problems is when I change from DLink SSID to Linksys I have to reenter password which is not an easy one.
I have a 3rd router just got it for free from newegg D-Link DIR-615 I would like to put it in the basement so when we are in the basement we get signal. What is the best configuration for this?

Thanks for reading!

 

[trekky]

Set all the SSID the Same
all passwords the same
same type of encryption
every wifi setting the same (besides Channels)
and what will happen is that will enable "roaming" so your device with automatically switch to the closest wireless access point

 

[I.M.O.G.]

That's a lot of settings to copy ,Trekky, especially for port forwarding and such. It could work, but its a bit of the hard way about it though it seems to me.

I'd setup one as an AP and the others in repeater bridge mode (availability/terminology may depend on router firmware). The repeater bridge routers authenticate to the AP creating a bridge, and repeating the signal. All configuration for the wireless network remains centralized on the Access Point, while repeater bridge config is only a few settings.

Both the EA6500 and DIR615 are ddwrt compatible, while the DIR655 is not... So leave the 655 as is and it will be the AP. Drop DDWRT on the other two devices, and set them for bridge repeater mode to connect to the 655. You can skip ddwrt if the existing firmware supports bridge/repeater.

Once you factor in setting up ddwrt, it may seem harder, and initial setup might be but after that you've got a better wireless network that is easier to manage from then on.

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

That's a lot of settings to copy ,Trekky, especially for port forwarding and such. It could work, but its a bit of the hard way about it though it seems to me.

I'd setup one as an AP and the others in repeater bridge mode (availability/terminology may depend on router firmware). The repeater bridge routers authenticate to the AP creating a bridge, and repeating the signal. All configuration for the wireless network remains centralized on the Access Point, while repeater bridge config is only a few settings.

Both the EA6500 and DIR615 are ddwrt compatible, while the DIR655 is not... So leave the 655 as is and it will be the AP. Drop DDWRT on the other two devices, and set them for bridge repeater mode to connect to the 655. You can skip ddwrt if the existing firmware supports bridge/repeater.

Once you factor in setting up ddwrt, it may seem harder, and initial setup might be but after that you've got a better wireless network that is easier to manage from then on.

+1
I JUST did the same with my DIR-601. Couldn't be happier

 

[trekky]

srry just not 100% sure what he wants to do
it sounds like to me that he wants to use 3 all int one routers to extend his wifi
so port forwarding would not apply unless you used the WAN ports to hook it all up but I would use the switch ports to hook up the network something like this
but I do agree get DDWRT

(Note PT only have 300n but will work for what ever)

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

But repeater mode would look like this:



All the links between the wifi routers are wireless, and any device can connect to ANY of those wifi routers as well.

 

[Kakin]

The Linksys EA6500 supports bridge. I havent opened the DLink Dir-615 yet, most likely it will be like bridge too. Its alot of settings if I dont do a bridge. Thanks all.

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

If you have DD-wrt on those routers, setting up a bridge is easy