Can you use more than one router in a house?

Why would you want to use more than one router?

If you’re looking for ways to utilise more than one router in your home, it’s likely that you’re struggling with one major issue: poor WiFi. It’s something that many homes across the globe are faced with, and there are many different ways to try to combat it, including using more than one router. In short, yes! It is possible to use more than one router on the same home network, but you do need to be wary about the way you do this. Below, you’ll be able to find guidance on how to use multiple routers, as well as the benefits you’ll expect to find when doing so.

How to use multiple routers

To use more than one router in the same home network, you’ll have to use a special configuration that allows you to do this. This setup can be quite technical and time consuming, as you’ll have to find the right location for both routers whilst also ensuring that physical connections are still viable, as well as having to configure your IP address settings and DHCP.

What are the benefits of using multiple routers?

The benefits that you’ll encounter when using multiple routers are based around an increase in connectivity and performance from your home broadband. More devices in a wider area will be able to connect wirelessly, with signal being projected further than with just one router.

Another benefit can be the increased number of wired devices that you’ll be able to use with an extra router - each router can only handle a certain number of wired devices due to the number of ports featured, but with multiple routers you’ll have an increased number of ports. Wired connections are widely regarded as the most reliable and effective way to access the internet in your home; a wired connection loses less speed than a wireless signal does, so if you want to get the best speeds, this could be an option for you.

What are the disadvantages?

The disadvantages associated with using multiple routers in one household is the technical setup that is required - you’ll have to configure a very specific setup to allow both routers to work properly on the same network, including your IP address settings and DHCP.

Many people looking to use two routers in one house are often looking for a way to extend their WiFi range to areas that aren’t currently covered by the existing setup. This isn’t necessarily the best solution for this issue, with many options to boost WiFi range available which don’t require such an extensive configuration. For example, a WiFi range extender device will provide a wider coverage across the home without having to edit IP address settings, whereas a mesh WiFi network will be able to offer whole home WiFi, which allows you to access the internet from every room in your home thanks to a blanket coverage system.