Can a router act as a switch?

Have you replaced your router and are about to get rid of the old one? Before you do this, you should consider using it for other purposes. For instance, you can convert it into a network switch.

Doing this can help you save up to $ 20 since you will not need to buy a new switch. Although wifi technology keeps on changing, Ethernet-based networking experiences minimal changes. Though your old router may not have the current wifi technology, the networking component can still be put into great use. You should, therefore, consider converting your old router into a switch. It can, therefore, help you share an Ethernet cable among different devices. Reusing the router as a switch is also an environmental-friendly option.

What do you require to use a router as a switch?

Tweaking your router’s settings and converting it into a switch should only take you a few minutes. For you to configure your router into a switch, you should have a few things. For instance, you need a wifi router that features some Ethernet ports, an Ethernet cable as well as a computer that contains Ethernet jack.

You should notice at least 5 Ethernet ports at the back part of your router. The port that is labeled WAN connects to your cable/ DSL modem. The remaining ports are used to connect different Ethernet devices such as game consoles, printers, and computers to the router. After you convert the router into a switch, you should expect to lose some of the ports. Take note that you may not be able to use the internet port as a regular switch port anymore.

How to prepare the router before converting it into a switch

Before we start looking at the steps of converting into a switch, you must prepare it. You should first ensure that you reset the router using the peacock method. Plug the router into a power outlet. You should notice the power indicator lighting up.

On the router, you should look for a button that is labeled reset. You then need to hold on to it for about 30 seconds until you notice the lights blinking off for some seconds. Unplug your router as you continue holding the button then plug it in back without releasing the reset button. Doing this resets your router back to the factory settings. Since the router undergoes different changes at different stages, you need to restore it to factory default before you convert it into a switch.

Once you reset the router, you should change the router’s IP address. Doing this ensures that it will not conflict with your new router. If, for instance, the IP address of your router is 192.168.1.1., you should try changing the IP address for the second router to 192. 168. 1.2. To make these changes, go to Home, then Setup or LAN. You can also check the manual for you to successfully modify the IP address with the router. After you have assigned the router a new IP address, you can configure it as a network switch.

How to configure a router to a switch

Start by connecting the computer to your router through a regular Ethernet cable. Ensure that the computer does not pick up any wifi signals. You can even turn off the internet on your computer to test it. When you convert the router into a switch, the WAN port will no longer be useful.

Go to the connected computer and access the administration control panel through the web browser. Click on setup then basic setup. You can then proceed with disabling the DHCP server. The router cannot act as a switch if the DHCP is still enabled. Use the savings button to save the changes you have made.

You should then move to the section written advanced routing then operating mode. This section tells the device if it should enable the NAT feature or not. Ensure you switch from the Gateway mode to the router mode. This step should turn off the Network address translation (NAT).

Disable wireless SSID broadcast and Network mode. After this, look for the section labeled wireless security to make a few changes. For instance, ensure that the security mode reads WPA2 personal and WPA algorithms are TKIP + AES.

To set the WPA shared key, you can come up with a random string of letters, symbols, and numbers. Remember to save all these changes that you have made. You should then move to security then firewall. Uncheck all the boxes apart from the filter multicast. You also need to disable firewall protect. Since you are almost done, you should now review all the changes you have made before deploying the switch to where you need it.

A summary of how to configure a router to act as a switch

Conclusion

Even when you get a new router with enhanced capabilities, you should not be too quick to discard the old one. You can use an outdated router as a switch when you want to connect different devices to the wired connection. Following the straightforward steps above can help you configure a router into a switch.

FAQs

I am having problems trying to press down the reset button. What can I do?

Try using an unbent paperclip or pen and see if it works.

Why should I disable the wireless broadcast on my router as I convert it to a switch?

Doing this can make your network more secure.