How do I Bridge Two Netopia 3347W Routers?

Network bridging allows you to share access to one particular network with another network, joining two groups of computers together. You can simply bridge two computers or go more complex into router bridging. To successfully bridge two Netopia routers, you must have them both connected via Ethernet to one "host computer," which hosts the bridge for you.

Things You'll Need

• Host computer (for bridging)
• Two Netopia 3347W routers

Instructions

1. Click on the "Start" button in the lower-left corner of your computer screen. Click "Control Panel."

2. Go to "Network Connections" if you use Windows XP. On Windows Vista and 7, click "Network and Sharing Center" and click "Manage Network Connections" once you get in.

3. Click on the connection one of the routers connects to and press "Ctrl" on your keyboard while clicking the connection of the other router.

4. Right-click one of the selected connections and click "Bridge Connections." Be patient, as this process might take a while. Your routers will now function through the network bridge that unifies them.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a bit of money to invest, get yourself a network switch to hook up both routers to so you don't have to keep your computer on as an acting bridge.

References

• Microsoft: Bridge Connections