old modem/router as network switch?

**tiggerbiker** · 24th December 2014

please forgive me, i'm not massively clued up on networking issues!
i have a single network cable feed into my living room but now need 2 feeds (wifi just not quite cutting it), i decided to pop to shops in the sales and pick up a network switch but then realized that i have loads of old modem/routers from old isp's, the latest one being the old sagem jobby from $ky - couldnt i just use that?

**satzzz** · 24th December 2014

I do with an old netgear

**Over Carl** · 24th December 2014

Just make suere to disable DHCP on the 2nd, 3rd ones etc and set the devices to network addresses that are not in use, otherwise you may cripple your network.

As a bonus, why not change the WiFi SSID, encyrption type and password to the same as the main router. Get better Wifi coverage at the same time.

**satzzz** · 25th December 2014

I've done that also and works a treat.

Originally Posted by Over carl

Just make suere to disable DHCP on the 2nd, 3rd ones etc and set the devices to network addresses that are not in use, otherwise you may cripple your network.

As a bonus, why not change the WiFi SSID, encyrption type and password to the same as the main router. Get better Wifi coverage at the same time.

**stimpy** · 25th December 2014

I'm using my old Virgin Superb as a switch as BT in their infinite wisdom only decided to fit 1 gigabit port into their router. DHCP and modem disabled and it works a treat.

**lagigolo** · 25th December 2014

Remember speed will only be as fast as your router. If your paying for gigabit speeds, then worth investing in a router/switch which will allow this if some of your stuff is older.

**tiggerbiker** · 12th January 2015

ok, i have a draytek vigor2860 set up as main modem/router and am trying to set up my old vigor2910vg to work as a router (id also like it to expand my wifi range)

i cant get the poxy thing set up, please help!!

**hoponbaby** · 13th January 2015

Log in to the 2910,
Give it a static address on the same subnet as the 2860 but outside of the DHCP range on the 2860 - I have the DHCP range set as 192.168.0.20 - 192.168.0.50 so that the first 19 can be static for router, printer, media pc etc etc.
Turn off DHCP so that it doesn't give out ip addresses
Set the wifi SSID and password to the same as on the 2860 but make sure they are on different channels
Plug the incoming network cable into say port 1 of the 2910, use ports 2-4 for the other devices. Don't use the WAN port.