Two wireless routers...one for LAN and one for internet

[guest]

Would it be possible to set up a network with two wireless routers with one of the routers getting internet access and sending it out to the computers on its network and then get another wireless router to hook up to a computer for a LAN? So for example a PC would use router 1 for internet access and router 2 to share files. Would that be possible?

If possible, what port would I plug the PC ethernet cable into on router 2? Would I plug it into the WAN port or just one of the open PC ports?

Also, would it be possible for a laptop to be able to connect to both wirelessly using its built in wireless card and a USB wireless dongle?

Any info will be helpful.

[guest]

You can install and use as many network adapters as you like. However (and this is what Emerald was alluding to), it's pointless unless all those adapters are using different subnets. Anytime Windows sees two or more adapters using the same subnet, it's going to use the one w/ the highest priority (as defined by Network Connections->Advanced->Advanced Settings->Connections) and use it exclusively. Any others for that same subnet are IGNORED.

So sure, you can use two routers, one for subnet A and leading to the Internet, and another for subnet B and leading to another internal network. No problem.

Now whether it’s worth the trouble/hassle is hard to say since I don't know the objectives here. Since the two subnets are effectively isolated from each other, I don’t know if that raises an issue for you as well. Minimally those on the internal router have no Internet access. By default, only your PC has transparent access to both subnets. Therefore, you *might* want to consider enabling ICS on your PC if those internal machines also need Internet access. But then why bother w/ using that second internal router anyway since your PC is now that second (soft) router?

And whether you plug the PC into a WAN or LAN port on router 2 depends on what you’re trying to do. Using the WAN port, users behind router 2 have their own subnet, DHCP server, etc., but block your PC from accessing their subnet. OTOH, if you connect to a LAN port, now you’re part of their subnet, use their DHCP server, etc. And now the WAN port is orphaned.

That’s the whole problem here. You haven’t defined the objective, what you want to achieve in the end. Instead, you’ve proposed several devices and configuration changes without any sense of WHY, to what ends. Ultimately it’s the ends that determine the means, and which means are most effective. For all we know, your ends are not even achievable.

[guest]

It can be done, but it would be ugly i think.

Why not just have 1 router and connecting everything to it?

Are you worried about security?
if so you can deny internet access to your severs mac address via your router. This stops outside communication to your router.


You say server, are you setting up a fully functional Business sever? or like a home theater/storage/printer server?

Is this for education?
if so then you want to consider using virtual machines instead of changing your network so much.


Explain why you want seperate networks, what you server will be doing, and the purpose of this network please.

Far as security goes, deny internet access via your router to your server only is just as save as your 2 lan idea. This protects outsiders but not viruses from your own computers/clients. Might consider making a firewall PC if you have a old computer laying around.