Base Station 4540 connected to a LAN port already in use and then moved to an access point.

[Owl45]

I think I need to start over. I didn't have an available LAN port on my old router so I temporarily disconnected one of our computers from the port, inserted the 4540 hub, removed it, put back in the computer to the router, and moved the hub to an access point with an ethernet port downstairs. Everything seemed to work. The hub was "discovered." The doorbell with Chime2 worked eventually. Now, having done more reading, I think what I should have done was to buy an ethernet switch. I think I have now messed up my husband's computer. How can I fix this? Should I just start over? If so, how? Thanks so much for any help you can give me.

Owl45

[TomMac · Accepted solution]

The access point should be fine for the hub... it is very common to use an Ethernet port on a wifi extender and with my mesh setup, the hubs work just fine on the satellite Ethernet ports.

As to your husbands computer, removing the etherent cable should not have really messed anything up other than maybe you have to reestablish it is connected ( tho most of time it will do this automaticly )

[StephenB]

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@Owl45 wrote:

Now, having done more reading, I think what I should have done was to buy an ethernet switch. I think I have now messed up my husband's computer. How can I fix this? Should I just start over? If so, how?

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Just buy a gigabit switch - 5 to 8 ports.  TP-Link or Netgear models should both work well, and have a cost of less than $25 USD.

Then connect up the switch to the router, the base station, and the PC.  No need to reconfigure anything, it should just work.

In the meantime, you'll need to decide between your Arlo system and your husband's internet 😉

[jguerdat]

The cheap switch is an easy thing to use to expand the network. I don't see how the computer would be messed up in any way - unplugging the network just temporarily makes it not have network access but plugging it back in fixes that. Moving the hub to that access point is like adding a switch but it may be that your need for more ports should be upgraded with a switch at some point. Moving devices that support both WiFi and Ethernet to WiFi would also work as long as the difference in network speed doesn't cause issues (usually not but it depends on the device and its usage).

You haven't caused any problems. If everything is working, leave it alone. Just have that switch in the back of your mind for future needs.

[Owl45]

Oh, Thank You so much, TomMac.  I disconnected everything because I was so worried. I am greatly relieved. When I use the router utility, should I see my iPhone's name in the extender and Arlo as an SSID when I look at WiFi connections? I guess I have to post a new question. Sorry.

OWL

[Owl45]

Thanks, StephenB. I'll get the ethernet switch!

Owl45

[Owl45]

Thank You, jguerdat. That's a relief, and I will get the switch.

Owl45

[StephenB]

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@Owl45 wrote:

 When I use the router utility, should I see my iPhone's name in the extender

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The phone and the base station (ethernet connection) should both show up in the attached device list of the router.  The names will depend on the utility you are talking about.  

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@Owl45 wrote:

 When I use the router utility, should I see  Arlo as an SSID when I look at WiFi connections?

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Not sure what utility you mean. But any tool that looks for wifi networks will find the base station WiFi.  You won't be able to join that wifi network, because it is closed.