Setting up Multiple WAP Routers on a Home Network

I have a main WAP / router (Netgear WNDR3700v4) in my house that connects to the cable modem (Motorola Surfboard SB6141) and the outside world.  I also have a second WAP (Cisco RV220W) and a wired-only router (D-Link EBR-2310) on my home network that extend the network.  Only the main router provides DHCP functionality.  The other devices connect to the main router through a LAN port.  This works fine but the secondary devices do not connect to an NTP time server.  They also will not look for firmware upgrades.  Both of these functions go through the WAN port.  Since the WAN port is not used, the device will not automatically update its time nor firmware.

Today, I figured out how to fix that problem.  I found some good information at this web site.  Basically, the way to setup a secondary router on a home network is to give the WAN port a static IP address on the main network and put the LAN ports on a different network.  The LAN ports can give out IP addresses using DHCP.  The secondary router will use NAT to route traffic from the LAN ports to the WAN port.  The router thinks the WAN port is connected to the internet and will use it to connect to the NTP time servers.

It is a good idea to turn on the feature to return a ping on the WAN port on the secondary router.  Also, turn on remote management so you can get to the router from the home network.

My devices are configured like this.

Netgear (main router)

• WAN IP: DHCP from ISP
• LAN IP: 192.168.0.1
• DHCP: On

Cisco

• WAN IP: 192.168.0.1
• LAN IP: 192.168.1.1
• Remote management: 192.168.1.1:443
• DHCP: On

D-Link

• WAN IP: 192.168.0.11
• LAN IP: 192.168.2.1
• Remote management: 192.168.2.1:8080
• DHCP: On