Don't know how I did it, but I managed to get back into the DIR655 and am starting the whole process over again.
Question: At what point in this whole procedure do I reboot my AP? After all the changes have been made to the AP. You can make the changes and use the Reboot Later funtion until you are done making changes. Then reboot.
In point 5 from that list of how to turn your router into an access point, it says:
5. Under Setup or Basic/Networking, enter an available IP address (192.168.0.50) and the subnet mask of your network, usually 255.255.255.0 or .255. Click Save Settings to save your settings. Use this new IP address to access the configuration utility of the router in the future. Also turn off or disable other features on the AP router, I.e. Port Forwarding, Firewall, WISH, WPS and any email logging. Save the settings. Close the browser and change your computer’s IP settings back to the original values as in Step 1.
I do not understand what is meant by the very last sentence about changing back my computer's/laptop's settings. When did I ever change them in the first place? LOST. If I am automatically assigned an IP address how does this affect things, or does it? LOST.
Still fuzzy on the whole business of my main router being 192.168.1.1 and the DIR655 being (initially) 192.168.0.1...
Intialally yes you have to start out on .0.1, however once you make the change to 1.50 on the AP and save the changes and reboot, the AP will not be using 1.50 as it's access IP address. Once the DHCP server is disabled, then your connected PC will loose connection to the AP as the PC can no longer get a IP address from the AP in this mode. Thus the reason you have to set a manual IP address to the new 198.168.1.49 while you ensure the settings are good. Or leave your PC in automatic and connect the AP to the main host router or switch and then connect to the AP at 1.50.
Point #6 says:
6. Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the AP router and reconnect your computer to your network.
QUESTION: Should I connect to my network wirelessly, or must I hard wire to the main router?
For set up, wired is best, once things are up and running, then connect wirelessly.
Point #7 says:
7. Connect an Ethernet cable in one of the LAN ports of the AP router and connect it to your host router. Do not plug anything into the Internet (WAN) port of the router that your turning into an AP. Use the LAN ports only.
QUESTION: Is it alright to connect the AP into my gigabit switch (that runs from main Asus router LAN to gigabit switch LAN)? Yes.
I'm gonna stop here and check back tomorrow before going any further.
I am still wondering when I reboot the AP, or do I need to, or does it make any difference...
Sorry if I am such a pain...I promise to get better and learn more.