Setting up a guest wi-fi

[ehbowen]

On my home network I currently have a Linksys E3000 running DD-WRT in the back of the house near the broadband modem connection, and my old WRT54GL as a wireless access point in the front of the house. Same SSIDs, same passwords...my wireless devices see them as one network (different channels, though).

I also have my first wireless router, a WRT54Gv5, converted to DD-WRT (micro plus) which is now just sitting around in a box gathering dust. Is there a way that I can hook this unit up on a different subnet (so that the PCs and other devices don't see it as part of the home network) with a simple password to provide guest wi-fi access that is separate (and secured) from the home network? If I were to do this I would put it in a location distant from the broadband modem, but with wired access to the existing home LAN. For bonus points...my printer is an HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 with both wired and wireless networking. Can I set the adapters up so that it can be used by both the (wired) LAN and the wireless guest network?

 

[thiggins]

One way is to use a smart switch and VLANs and have the router just run as an AP. But you probably don't have a managed switch.

If the WRT54Gv5 is fast enough to handle your Internet bandwidth, then you can cascade the routers. The "guest" router/AP would become the primary router and the
E3000 would be behind it. Keep in mind that anyone on the E3000 could access users on the WRT, but not vice-versa.

 

[sfx2000]

Just a quick note - the WRT54Gv5 is the cost reduced version running VxWorks, and was a rather troubled device under load.