# 2 Routers and the PS3



## angelkiller (Oct 8, 2010)

Ok. Here's the deal.

I had my home network set up great. Cable modem to a Linksys WRT54GS running Tomato. All the computers and laptops had internet. And this included the PS3.

Then the cable modem dies and they replace it with a cable modem router combo. It's meant for people that don't already have a router on their network so they'll only have one box. However, I already had a router and all I needed was a simple cable modem. So now, I have two routers on my network. :shadedshu

The obvious answer is to consolidate, but picking one router over the other has some serious drawbacks in both situations. If you get rid of the Linksys, you lose all the cool features of a 'good' firmware. Not that I'm using a ton, but ideally, I would want to have the better firmware. And unfortunately, I can't get rid of that new router because it has the cable modem built in. Then I won't have the internet at all. 

So the internet works fine on all computers. However, I just tried playing MW2 on the PS3 for the first time since this change and I'm lagging to the point where the game is unplayable.  NAT type has dropped to Strict in MW2. Strange, because the PS3 network test thing said it was Type 2 (open). UPNP has been enabled on the Linksys router as well as the new router. Same issue.

My question is what is the best route of action in this situation? Is there any way to make the two routers not conflict?


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## AsRock (Oct 8, 2010)

Maybe you can buy a new modem and get them activate it. 

not 100% on the option but the default WRT54GS firmware has a gateway option ( unless it's the other option ) that allows it to be used with another router i do believe.

Going be playing COH in a min ( on laptop ) so i'll check surly tomato has the option some were.

EDIT: with the default firmware for the WRT54GS you can select Gateway or router  so i would have to tell it to use router. Surly Tomato has the option there some were.


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 8, 2010)

i have 2 independent routers and a third router that is integrated with the modem. i never have issues with any of machines sending/receiving data. i set up the 2 independent routers as bridges and have the router/modem do all the main IP assigning.


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## angelkiller (Oct 8, 2010)

I know it's possible to do this, but my question is how?

Using the cable modem/router do the actual routing isn't my preferred solution. All the routing is being done with the stock firmware and also this makes the WRT54GS pretty useless. (outside of wireless.)

Surely there's some ideal solution? I could get a standalone cable modem, but that's $$$ out of my pocket. I didn't cause this and I don't wanna pay for it.

Thanks.


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## streetfighter 2 (Oct 8, 2010)

Bridge the modem-router.


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## angelkiller (Oct 8, 2010)

Elaborate a bit please?   (ie bridge it to what?)


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## newtekie1 (Oct 8, 2010)

Generally you have 2 options:

1.) Log into the new Cable Modem/Router and set the WRT54GS in the DMZ.
2.) Go to the port forwarding section of the Cable Modem/Router and forward ports 1-65535 to the WRT54GS.

This should walk you through what you need:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21399914-RESOLVED-Plugging-your-own-router-in-a-Comcast-SMC-8014


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## streetfighter 2 (Oct 8, 2010)

If you want to bridge your modem-router so you can use your WRT54GS as your principle router you'll have to find specific instructions for your model of modem-router.  If you have a MI424-WR (the one I got from Verizon) I can give you detailed instructions.  Otherwise... LMGTFY.

Alternatively assign non-conflicting NAT/DHCP settings and forward all the ports from one router to the next...


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## angelkiller (Oct 8, 2010)

Manual: www.smc.com/files/AA/DS_SMC8014-BIZ.pdf

I think streetfighter and newtekie are saying basically the same thing. (ie manually forward all traffic to the WRT54GS)


The modem/router combo has a very bare firmware. Here's the only NAT related page.






I forgot to say that I disabled DHCP on this router. I don't think that has any affect on anything though.?

I'm reading through newtekie's link now.


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## Mussels (Oct 8, 2010)

try setting the DMZ on the first router to your tomato one, and then go as normal.


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## streetfighter 2 (Oct 8, 2010)

Mussels said:


> try setting the DMZ on the first router to your tomato one, and then go as normal.



That's included in the link that newtekie1 posted.


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## angelkiller (Oct 8, 2010)

Ok, I was working on doing that but it doesn't seem to work.






In Tomato on the Linksys, I set the following options. (Look at the WAN section)






Currently the Tomato router is outside the DMZ. When I set the Tomato router as 192.168.0.30, my internet completely stopped working... ??


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## Mussels (Oct 8, 2010)

you have both routers in the same subnet. you gotta change that.


EG, modem is 192.168.2.1

other is 192.168.1.1


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## angelkiller (Oct 8, 2010)

Mussels said:


> you have both routers in the same subnet. you gotta change that.
> 
> 
> EG, modem is 192.168.2.1
> ...


I think what I had is right though. (obviously I could be wrong here)

From the perspective of the Tomato router the WAN IP address is the one it gets from the modem/router. They have to be on the same subnet because otherwise they wouldn't be able to talk to each other. But on the LAN side of the Tomato router, it _is_ on a different subnet. Look in the LAN settings and you'll see that my LAN is on the 192.168.1.xx subnet. So all my computers connected to the Tomato router are 192.168.1.xx but the router itself is a device on the 192.168.0.xx subnet.


I think I might have it. Remember I said I disabled DHCP on the modem/router? Maybe that's causing something.

*Edit:* It was. I re-enabled DHCP on the modem/router and put the Tomato router back in the DMZ and the internet is working now. Anyone know why this happened? Maybe it has to do with when I set the WAN address of the Tomato to static instead of DHCP...? Anyway, let me test the PS3. brb


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## angelkiller (Oct 8, 2010)

PS3 says DNS error. Not working.


????????


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## Mussels (Oct 8, 2010)

in the second router, set the DNS servers to the main routers LAN IP address


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## angelkiller (Oct 8, 2010)

Mussels said:


> in the second router, set the DNS servers to the main routers LAN IP address


Alright that was it. The PS3 tests work, but it says something about not supporting  ip fragments. I have no idea what this is or how to fix it or even if it needs to be fixed.

MW2 says NAT type open again!  So hopefully that's a really good sign that it's working again. Thanks for the help!

*Edit:* Worked great. No more in-game lag.


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