Daisy Chain Routers: Meaning And How to Use It? [With Steps in 2023]

A router is an essential device for every home and office. It plays a crucial role in establishing and maintaining a reliable internet connection by serving as the central hub for various devices.

With a router, you can connect a range of devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and others to the internet. It acts as a gateway, allowing multiple devices to access the internet simultaneously.

With the increasing reliance on online activities, a router has become an indispensable component in our daily lives. At this point, almost every household has a router or two.

What some of you may not know is that you can chain or pair multiple routers together to create a faster and bigger network. This is what is known as daisy chaining. It helps you to create a network that is strong enough to handle multiple devices. Read on to know more about daisy chain routers.

What Does Daisy Chain Routers Mean?

To put it in simple words, daisy chain routing refers to the process of connecting multiple routers in a chain-like structure. In this particular setup, the terminal router is connected to the modem while the other routers are cascading along the chain.

The routers are connected using an Ethernet cable. The good thing about daisy chain routing is that it can provide both wired and wireless connection to end devices.

This method is considered the best solution for those who cannot afford to purchase WiFi range extenders. By daisy chaining two routers, you can connect both devices to the same network, but from two different access points. This is what helps increase the signal strength throughout your home.

Instead of buying expensive network components, you can daisy chain routers using a simple Ethernet cable.

There can be many reasons behind daisy-chaining routers. Let’s say, you have moved to a large house, and your existing router is unable to cover the entire home. In such a situation, daisy chaining your routers can prove to be an easy solution.

The whole purpose of the daisy chain is to expand the home network, allowing more devices to connect at the same time. Another purpose is to increase the number of access points.

How to Daisy Chain Your Routers?[With 8 Steps]

Now that you know what daisy chain routing is, let’s learn how it’s done. If you want to extend your home network on a minimum budget then pay attention to the below lines.

Before you get started, make sure you have the following things:

• Two routers
• Computer
• Ethernet cable

Daisy chaining two routers is a straightforward process. But you need to make a few adjustments to make it work. This process includes a primary router that is already connected to the internet. So we will have to configure the secondary router and link it to the terminal router using an Ethernet cable.

The second router is needed to extend the network range. For the setup to work, make sure that the primary router is up and running. After ensuring everything is fine, follow these steps.

1. The first thing you need to do is connect the secondary router to your computer. You can establish the connection using an Ethernet cable.
2. Once the connection is made, it’s time to configure the settings of the second router. For this, you will have to access the admin section of the router. If you don’t remember the login credentials, factory reset the router. You can proceed with the steps once you get access to the admin settings tab.
3. The next step is to disable the DHCP on both routers. For those unversed, it is a network management protocol that is needed to assign an IP address to any connected devices. In daisy chain routing, the terminal router doesn’t need the DHCP. This function will be done by the first router so that all other devices can get routed from the main network.
4. After deactivating the DHCP, assign a static IP address to the upstairs router. So disconnect the secondary router from your PC, connect it to the terminal one, and log into it. Find out the router’s subnet and determine the IP address it assigns to the connected devices.
5. Now assign a static IP address to the secondary router. Make sure that both the router has the same subnet mask, but different IP addresses. Also, check if the IP address is available. Access the command prompt, and enter “ping 192.168.0.1” to confirm its availability. If the IP address is not used by any other device, then you will get the “Response Time Out” message. But if the IP address is in use, then you will have to look for a different one.
6. Connect the two routers using an Ethernet cable. Make sure that the secondary router is connected to the LAN port on the main one.
7. Enable Wi-Fi on the second router to make it work like a wireless access point. Make sure that both devices have the same security and SSID settings.
8. Go to the control panel and secure the login for your router. All you need to do is set a new password.

Does Daisy Chain Routing Enhance Signal Strength?

As we mentioned, daisy chain routing is the best alternative to WiFi range extenders. By daisy chaining your routers, you can easily extend the network coverage without spending tons on wiring and cables.

Related | Check Out WiFi Extender Have the Same SSID & Channel

The good thing about this setup is that it allows you to connect two routers to the same network from different access points. This helps increase the signal strength of your network. Plus, it eliminates the need for any additional equipment.

Conclusion on Daisy Chain Routers

To sum it up, daisy chain routing is the perfect solution to extend network coverage in your home or office. Instead of spending on a mesh WiFi system, you can simply daisy chain your routers using an Ethernet cable. If you find the steps difficult, you can seek help from a professional.

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