Can WNDR4500 Act as an Wireless Switch (Access Point)?

Question

I'm quite interested in Netgear's WNDR4500 Wireless router, however since I already have a router for my home network, there's no point creating another LAN just for wireless devices.

I wish to use it as an wireless switch underneath my wired router, so my wired devices could remain connected to my current router, and both wired and wireless devices would be able to communicate.

Would that be possible?

Solution 1

Yes, all domestic wifi routers will bridge the wifi interface and switch ports so they are the same network.

To use the netgear as an AP on your network, you just need to plug one of the LAN ports on the Netgear into a LAN port on the existing router

Make sure you disable DHCP on the netgear, and give it an IP address that makes sense on your existing network.

Solution 2

4500 doesn't support WDS mode

PRODUCT   WDS Feature

WNDR3300  YES    
WNR3500   YES
WNR834Bv2 YES
DG834Gv3  YES       
DG834Gv4  YES     
WNHDE111  YES

Comments

[Lazy Badger]

Quote from Netgear support page: "Note: the WDS feature is not completely specified in IEEE or Wi-Fi standards, therefore interoperability between 802.11 products of different vendors is not guaranteed."

[Paul]

The OP doesn't mention an existing WIFI AP so WDS isn't what is required here.