Connecting a router to a router?

[chayan4400]

First a bit of information:

I have a pretty large home network, with a Huawei CPE E5172 as a central hub. That is a modem / router combination (I think) provided by my ISP, which wirelessly connects to their 4G data service.

Now the main problem here is that the network has extremely slow data transfer speeds (Within the network), and it's WiFi coverage is sub-par. I live in a house made of brick and cement, so that certainly doesn't help either. I need to set up a wireless backup system to a QNAPS NAS, so data transfer speeds over WiFi is my main concern.

What I am looking to do is buy a TP-Link Archer C7, and connect it via ethernet to the Huawei. I'd switch out the Huawei altogether if I could, but unfortunately most modems won't work. So what I need to know is: will this set up work? Or do I need to use an access point instead?

Here is a topology of my future network:

The purple link is my main question. All answers are greatly appreciated!

 

[stevech]

You want ONE router in your LAN to keep in simple.
That is to say, avoid "cascaded" routers.

To improve WiFi coverage
First try to optimize the WiFi router location - central, elevated, etc.
Still inadequate?
Add WiFi Access Point(s) a.k.a. APs. Put an AP near the area of weak signal. Connect the AP to the router via either

• Cat 5 cable in attic, under floor, in walls, etc
• Using cat 5 to TV coax adapters and existing in-wall TV coad. MoCA (see forum section on that)
• Using cat 5 to home power wiring adapters (IP over power wiring). (see forum section on that)

WiFi APs now are modestly priced, say, 802.11n from ASUS (which is what I use, as most clients are handhelds).
Some few WiFi routers have an AP mode. I use a $35 ASUS router/AP in AP mode.

Last choice: any WiFi router can be re-purposed as an AP. The gist of how-to is:
Connect PC to router's LAN port, with the WAN port empty.
Use PC to disable the DHCP server in the router cum AP.
Set WiFi SSID and WPA key. I prefer to used an SSID that suggests the AP's location in the house (room's name as an acronym).
Save settings.
Connect PC back to usual
Connect a LAN port on the re-purposed as-AP to the main router by any of the means listed above in the bullet list.
Leave the WAN port unused.
Place as-AP device near the weak signal area.

Done.

 

[chayan4400]

You want ONE router in your LAN to keep in simple.
That is to say, avoid "cascaded" routers.

To improve WiFi coverage
First try to optimize the WiFi router location - central, elevated, etc.
Still inadequate?
Add WiFi Access Point(s) a.k.a. APs. Put an AP near the area of weak signal. Connect the AP to the router via either

• Cat 5 cable in attic, under floor, in walls, etc
• Using cat 5 to TV coax adapters and existing in-wall TV coad. MoCA (see forum section on that)
• Using cat 5 to home power wiring adapters (IP over power wiring). (see forum section on that)

WiFi APs now are modestly priced, say, 802.11n from ASUS (which is what I use, as most clients are handhelds).
Some few WiFi routers have an AP mode. I use a $35 ASUS router/AP in AP mode.

Last choice: any WiFi router can be re-purposed as an AP. The gist of how-to is:
Connect PC to router's LAN port, with the WAN port empty.
Use PC to disable the DHCP server in the router cum AP.
Set WiFi SSID and WPA key. I prefer to used an SSID that suggests the AP's location in the house (room's name as an acronym).
Save settings.
Connect PC back to usual
Connect a LAN port on the re-purposed as-AP to the main router by any of the means listed above in the bullet list.
Leave the WAN port unused.
Place as-AP device near the weak signal area.

Done.

Just the reply I needed! Thank you very much!

I'll go with the last option, because ac APs are prohibitively expensive and I need Ethernet ports as well. Again, thank you!

 

[stevech]

Just the reply I needed! Thank you very much!

I'll go with the last option, because ac APs are prohibitively expensive and I need Ethernet ports as well. Again, thank you!

The WiFi routers with an AP config. setting aren't expensive as were AP-only boxes of the past.
I've used a $40 ASUS 11n Router/AP for a long time, to light up the room where the iPad is heavily used here. It connects to a low cost ethernet switch in that room. The switch is fed by a MoCA (IP over TV coax) - and that coax also feeds the cable TV set top box. The smart TV's ethernet jack goes to the same switch. The mating MoCA box connects to the router.