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If I connect two routers via ethernet, I can have to W-LANS.

I'm not sure about many things with this configuration.

These questions come to my mind that I couldn't wrap my head around:

So would I also have two DHCP-Servers? Or use one as a DHCP-Server and the other should have some other functionality besides DHCP? Is it possible that two devices have the same IP-address? If so, can the devices communicate directly? Maybe P2P? Basically I wonder if I need both routers to act as DHCP-Servers or not for having two devices with the same assigned IP-Address.

I know that globally something like NAT is implemented allows for the same IP-Address for many devices with package request via ports. How is this done locally? Can it be done?

Note: I'm a networking beginner.

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  • Is my question malformed? I am brand new to the stack exchange network. Should I modify it in any way? Commented Nov 5, 2023 at 15:15
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    I was not the one who downvoted your question, but I'm fairly sure it was downvoted because it does not show any form of research on your part, and has many questions in one. Although they do fall mostly under the same kind of question, its usually bad practice. I've taken the time to answer it anyway because this is one of those questions that from time to time pops up here, and usually gets closed before it can be answered.
    – LPChip
    Commented Nov 5, 2023 at 15:23

1 Answer 1

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Lets answer the most important question first, makes explaining the rest much easier.

Is it possible that two devices have the same IP-address

No. In a network, you can never have 2 devices that have the same IP address. If this happens, you have an IP conflict, and one of the two devices will lose network connectivity, possibly both.

If I connect two routers via ethernet, I can have two W-LANS.

You can, yes. Or you can let both send out the same SSID and password, so you only have to configure your wifi once, and it connects to the closest router automatically.

So would I also have two DHCP-Servers

If you don't disable the DHCP server of one of the routers, yes, you would have two DHCP-Servers.

Or use one as a DHCP-Server and the other should have some other functionality besides DHCP?

Keep in mind that a router creates a subnetwork. If you connect router1's LAN to router2's WAN, router2's network is completely isolated from router1. If you want one large network, but want to use the multiple ports of router2, connect router1's LAN to router2's LAN. This disables most of the router parts in router2. You also want to ensure that the DHCP server is disabled too.

I know that globally something like NAT is implemented allows for the same IP-Address for many devices with package request via ports. How is this done locally? Can it be done?

No, what NAT does, is forward any incoming connection from the WAN IP to one of the LAN connected devices. The WAN ip, the ip address given by your ISP is also unique in this network, but as you have a router, that creates a new sub-network, both networks are separated.

If you were to actually put router 2's WAN port in router1's LAN port, router2 would create a new network, with its own set of IP's. You'd create a small version of the internet in your home. As a result, computers in router2's network can't talk to computers in router1's network unless you open ports, and then only small parts talk to eachother. Usually for a home network, this is not what you want unless you need separate networks, for example, a home landlord managing internet, splitting the connection to multiple households.

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  • Great! Well a naming conflict is pretty obvious then. But if the one router introduces a subnet.. It doesn't know about the other router, does it? So it should be no problem to have the same IP-Addresses there. I probably don't understand it still.. So there would be no way in which that could work? That implies that a direct connection between two devices is also not possible in the network, right? Commented Nov 5, 2023 at 15:27
  • Indeed, but you really do not want both routers to have the same IP range because even though it is perfectly acceptable, it is hard to manage yourself as troubleshooting an issue may make you think you are looking at the IP address of machine B of network 1, while its actually machine F of network 2.
    – LPChip
    Commented Nov 5, 2023 at 15:36
  • Yeah that makes sense.. Is it also possible for more devices in my household to communicate directly, if the configuration of the W-LAN router is altered? I'm realizing I either should only ask one question or dig into the topic further before making questions that are not worth an answer.. Commented Nov 5, 2023 at 15:37
  • If the configuration of W-LAN is altered, all devices connected to it will lose their connection. Once you alter their configuration so it connects again, all devices connected see eachother again.
    – LPChip
    Commented Nov 5, 2023 at 15:38
  • Thanks a lot for your time and help! Commented Nov 5, 2023 at 15:39

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