Can I extend the range of my wireless network with a spare wireless router?

Depends on the type of router. You’re looking for a feature called “bridge” mode. http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Bridge <- more info. If your extra router doesn’t support a Wireless Bridge mode, you can install a 3rd party firmware (can void warranties, you’ve been warned) from the site above.

Yes, but probably not.

What you’re looking for is a wireless distribution setup. This is not an easy thing to do between wireless routers from two different manufacturers though.

The main router connected to the modem will be your DHCP server. Which means it provides IP addresses automatically to computers clients. The extended network will be a bridge which means it grabs IP addresses from the first router and pushes them through to clients.

The spare router setup in W.D.S environment will need additional configuration. This may involve setting up mac addresses between the two devices and many issues can happen. It’s recommended you lookup the manufacturer of your existing wireless router and find a range extender instead with an easier software configuration.

If you have an Apple airport you can use an airport express to extend the range
If you have a linksys,belkin or dlink you can lookup their range extenders via the manufacturer website.

Two different routers of different manufacturers is not for the faint of heart though. Don’t forget to use your resources if you try the manufacturer discussion forums and telephone support lines can give you an advantage.

I agree to the already stated answers.
If both your network devices support WDS than you would probably be able to bridge them wireless. The chance of succes increases when the brand and model of the 2 routers are the same. As already stated above, this is definetely not easy.

If you get the wireless bridge running you will need at least a feature on your spare router that relays DHCP, to ensure all the other devices you connect to your network will get an ip-address in the right range. This is important to have your edge devices talk to eachother and or share the same internet connection.

Personally I would give the 2nd Access point a different wireless network name (SSID). If you do that you can always see if you connected to the router UPSTAIRS or DOWNSTAIRS.

How about the idea of extending you network by using ETHERNET over your probaly already existing POWERCORDS and plugs and connect your spare router to be used as a wireless accesspoint that relays DHCP.
In this setup I recommend that both wireless routers broadcast on a different radio channel, to prevent them from interfering with eachother.
Examples of EHERNET over POWER devices are:
Sitecom Homeplug Starterkit 200Mbps LN-513
Sweex Powerline twinpack 200Mbps .LC201_pack

this can be done without question; but must be supported in the firmware that you are using; if there is not currently an option there for a “repeater mode” (this is more compatible between router and firmware revisions than wds. bridging actually refers to using an ap as a client node) then you will need to switch the firmware. Currently to the best of my knowledge openwrt works with the most different router chipsets but the questions does remain what is the model of the router you plan to use.

side note: the repeater mode works as follows;
the repeating ap(router) will create a second wireless network with the same ssid (name) and encryption as the original with the information you supply it. it will then make a client connection to the main router in your house using those same credentials that you supply to it; it will then use this as a backhaul to send the data that clients (such as your laptop) send to it.

keep in mind that even if you have great reception to this repeating node from your laptop, you will only get a connection as good as the link between the original router and the repeating one

if you would like a recommendation for 3rd party firmware assuming that your device does not already support this mode please leave the model number of the router you plan to use

I have two Linksys WRT-G54 routers. The main one is loaded with the “Tomato” firmware (awesome, BTW) and connected to the modem, and the upstairs one is loaded with “DD-WRT micro” firmware. In the DD-WRT there is an option to set up a wireless bridge, where it connects to the main Tomato router.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Bridge

Thanks for all the responses. After reading them I feel that I should put some more information out there. The router I am using now is a Linksys WRT54G2 and I have a ’‘spare” WIRELESS-G ROUTER from Netgear (don’t recall the model). I have Ethernet throughout the house, so I could wire the spare in upstairs. I don’t want to flash the new router, it has to be rock solid or the wife and kids will scream. I can flash the spare if it will support it. I think I might even have an older Linksys and DLink in the basement too if either would better. I guess the main reason for using old hardware is to save money and recycle the hardware.

I have a bit of network knowledge, though it is a bit dated, so I am not afraid to dig in and get my hands dirty.

That clarifies a lot:
It is like I stated before when I suggested to use ETHERNET over POWER.
I am not a Netgear specialist, but have implemented these kind of setups several times. Probably if you post the netgear model and perhaps even firmware a Netgear experienced person can give you a more detailed solution.

Here is the general explanation:
1. Connect the netgear router to a powersupply
2. Connect an ethernet cable to the Netgear and a desktop / laptop so you are able to configure the netgear. At this time don’t connect the netgear or computer to anything else.
3. Access the setup area of the netgear by opening your internetbrowser and fill in the ip-address of the netgear. You also will need a password which is supplied with the netgear.
If you don’t know how to find this IP address, you could try the following:
Open up a dos-box by pressing [windows key] + [R] at the same time and type in CMD [enter].
In the dosbox type: ipconfig [enter] and find the line that says: Default Gateway and write down the ip address next to this entry. If you have more than 1 default gateway listed than take a closer look to the networkadapter. If you connected via ethernet it will probably be the one under “Ethernet adapter local area connection”
If you cannot find the default gateway at all, than you didn’t get an IP address. In that case the netgear is not publishing an IP address or your computer doesn’t support DHCP or has it turned off. If your netgear is the problem than do a complete reset of the Netgear and see if you get an IP address.
4. Now it becomes more generic since I am not a netgear guy
The netgear router must get an IP address in the range of the linksys, which is not in the DHCP publication range of the linksys.
After having changed the IP address of the netgear you need to reconnect by filling in the new ip-address in your internetbrowser.
5. The netgear must be setup that it runs in access point mode and that it relays DHCP from your Linksys. I am not sure that your netgear is capable of doing this, if not, than you cannot use it in this way.
6. Turn off your netgear and connect it via ethernet to your linksys also connect a computer via ethernet to your netgear and turn the netgear on.
7. As recommended before, give the netgear another SSID then the linksys and also have it broadcasting on another radio frequence.

I realize that it seems complicated and not all the steps I described are fully worked out, but if you post where you get stuck then I am pretty sure that it can be solved.

Good luck!