[X4U] Attaching A Router To Router

[Allan Hise]

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005, revDAVE wrote:

> A friend of mine has 2 macs in his office -  and wanted to purchase a router
> so that they could both be on the Internet and doing some file sharing. ( I
> guess currently only one computer is on the Net -  the other is just a non
> Internet Business Computer right now.)
>
> I  suggested that his company might already be on a Bigger master router
> system ( there are about 30 employees) -  and he thought that most likely
> there was some previous system set up and that he was already receiving 1
> Ethernet cable that was probably on that system already - he wasn't sure -
> but that is my guess. However, he still wants to purchase a router to set up
> these computers in his room.
>
> So I am asking - is it possible to purchase a router and set up on top of
> another ( bigger) router. Let's assume that the large office gets 1 T1 line
> coming and - and goes to a master router - and one Ethernet cable goes into
> his office.  Can I then attach his private router to the end of that cable
> and set up a " sub system " for his 2 computers?

Yes, this is possible. I would try just using a switch (or, less
desirably, a hub) first, especially if the network uses DHCP (and the IT
guys allow the 2nd MAC address on the network). That would make things
much simpler, and cheaper.

Otherwise, just setup the router to use NAT and the 1st router will see
the two machines as having the same IP address. Of course, this is easier
said than done and implementation depends on the router. And depending on
how the network is set up, you may end up with NAT upon NAT... (it works,
but can be ugly).

So, there are a lot of variables. Seriously, see if you can go the
switch/hub route first. Is there some reason he can't ask the IT folks in
his large office?

Allan