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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallYou can often reuse an old router to add wired Ethernet connections to your home network, but the right setup depends on its model and firmware. First check whether it has a dedicated Access Point (AP) mode. If not, use the manufacturer’s documented manual setup: typically assign the old router a management IP on the main router’s subnet, disable DHCP on the old router, and connect the devices through the specified ports.
Check your router’s model and supported setup
Find the old router’s brand, exact model, hardware revision, and firmware version. Use the manufacturer’s instructions for that device; menus and port requirements are not universal. TP-Link distinguishes models with an Operation Mode menu from models that need manual configuration, while ASUS advises checking whether the specific router supports AP mode.
Choose one of the supported paths:
- Dedicated AP mode: Follow the router’s setup flow. It may configure the device and prescribe a particular port for the connection to the main router.
- Documented manual configuration: Use this only if the manufacturer supports it for your model. The goal is to stop the old router acting as a second gateway and let the main router manage the network.
See TP-Link’s model-specific setup guide and ASUS’s AP-mode guidance.
Configure the old router for wired connections
The following address and LAN-to-LAN steps describe TP-Link’s documented manual method for applicable models. Do not assume they apply to every router; use your device’s manual when it specifies a different procedure.
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- Choose a management IP address. Set the old router’s LAN address within the main router’s subnet but outside the main router’s DHCP allocation range. For example, TP-Link illustrates a main-router DHCP range of 192.168.2.100–192.168.2.199 and an old-router address of 192.168.2.11. These are example addresses, not universal defaults. The address must also avoid conflicts with other devices. Record it, because changing it may change the address you use to open the router’s management page.
- Disable DHCP on the old router. In the old router’s settings, turn off its DHCP server. Leave DHCP enabled on the main router, which should assign clients their IP addresses, DNS server addresses, and default gateway. NETGEAR describes these as standard DHCP-server functions. If the old router is the only DHCP server and you disable it, clients may need manual network settings and normal network access may fail.
- Reboot the old router. Apply the settings and restart it as directed by its manufacturer.
- Connect the routers using the prescribed ports. For TP-Link’s manual setup, connect a LAN port on the main router to a LAN port on the old router. The old router’s remaining LAN ports can then connect wired devices.
- Verify the connection. Connect a client to an available LAN port on the old router. Check that it receives network settings from the main router and can reach your local network.
TP-Link’s manual setup instructions cover its applicable LAN-address, DHCP, and port arrangement. NETGEAR explains what happens when a router’s DHCP server is disabled.
LAN-to-LAN is not a universal port rule
Use the port arrangement specified for your exact router and setup mode. TP-Link’s cited manual configuration uses LAN-to-LAN. By contrast, NETGEAR’s documented AP-mode procedure for its product connects the secondary router’s Internet port to a LAN port on the main router. That example does not establish a universal rule for other devices. See NETGEAR’s AP-mode instructions.
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What changes when the old router works as an access point
Some models can continue broadcasting Wi-Fi while providing wired connections. TP-Link’s manual instructions include wireless configuration for applicable products, but Wi-Fi is optional and depends on device support; it is separate from the core task of adding Ethernet ports.
AP mode can also disable gateway features. TP-Link says features requiring Router Mode on the devices described in its guidance—including parental controls, access control, QoS, bandwidth control, NAT forwarding, IPv6, and VPN—are unavailable in AP mode. ASUS says firewall, IP sharing, and NAT are disabled by default in its AP-mode guidance. These are vendor- and mode-specific examples, not a universal feature list. Consult TP-Link’s comparison of AP and Router modes and ASUS’s AP-mode notes for the applicable device.
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Check the cable and management access
Use an Ethernet cable you already have if it is suitable for the connection; buying a new one is not inherently required. ASUS’s guide, updated March 3, 2026, says RJ45 Ethernet cables used for the network devices should not exceed 100 meters. Treat that as ASUS guidance for its described setup, not as a universal statement about every cable or installation.
After setup, keep a note of the old router’s management IP and how to reach its settings page. If you cannot open that page, confirm the client is on the same network and use the address you assigned, following the manufacturer’s recovery guidance if needed.
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