Convert Ethernet port to WiFi by adding an extra router

Question

I am trying to improve internet and LAN speed for a PC located in a room with walls that are too thick for fast WiFi. The signal is good enough for everyday use but chokes on HD streaming to local devices (such as set-top boxes). Running an Ethernet cable to the main router is not an option.

The idea is to hardwire a second router to the Ethernet port of the PC in that room, and then mount that router outside the room to eliminate wall interference (I have tested this by taking the PC just outside the room, and it improves the signal tremendously). The tricky thing is that all devices need to have fast internet and still be on the same LAN, because they serve files to each other locally.

Does this meet the definition of "bridge" mode for routers or do I need something else?

Edit: Some people are suggesting "repeater" mode, so I am still unsure in which mode the 2nd router needs to be.

Answer 1

On most devices, this is considered bridge mode, as if you were to set up a second router, it would create it's own network. If it is a PC that you are trying to get the wifi to, you could just use the LAN cable, as it would be faster. The 2nd router would have to be set up as a repeater, not a router.

Answer 2

Your question only makes sense if WiFi is the source of all Internet through a WiFi router inside the room.

The solution is classic:

Internet -- outside router -- Ethernet cable through wall -- repeater WiFi router

The second router is to be setup as repeater or bridged and with no DHCP server capability.

If required, pay attention to connect the routers through LAN-to-LAN so everything is on the same network segment.

Answer 3

What you want is a wireless bridge.

Internet <-> router1 <-wifi-> router2 <-ethernet-> PC

This is not a standard application to use a router for, but it can be done. You'll need a router that is compatible with alternative firmware, such as openwrt (https://openwrt.org/) unless it has this functionality built in (rare).

Once done, you can setup your network as you want.

A word of warning though, you will have to route through the connection, so any devices attached to router 1 will by necessity be on a different subnet. This will not prevent any of them accessing the web or each other, but may make some features not work as expected.

Instructions to set this up can be found on this page: https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/relay_configuration

As another alternative, consider wifi routers / access points that support mesh networking, which will be much closer to what you want, but at the cost of pricier hardware.