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Cascading routers

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I have a SMC broadband router (smc7004vbr-ca) It has 4 ports but 5 computers need to connect to the internet. I also have this spare USR 8054 broadband wireless G router which also has 4 ports. I was wonderng if it would be possible to use either one of them as a switch in order to expand my network in order to allow the 5th computer to have internet access. Also I would need a little guidance as to how to use and protect my wireless network with the USR 8054 when I’ll have a laptop with a WLAN card.

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i am thinking it will either just work or it won’t work.
just buy $40 workgroup switch is my 2 cents.
no ‘uplink’ port, eh? have you tried crossover cable and just hooking stuff up via switch ports…
folks who understand basics of how routers really work not just step by step to configure ppoe, or a is the phone company router helpdesk. that is benefit of buying router from them. if you did, call that support number ask them to help you understand setup you would need. you could maybe make the routers talk to each other in bridge mode to get all the computers connected…sounds like intellectual exercise to me. smile. i would just buy a workgroup switch. maybe a used but hearty 3com switch from ebay with bunches of ports…googleing the model number first to see what support i would have…
if you setup a bridge, you may want to secure the configuration in those routers also…you will, by definition, have two separate networks that share internet. once you get it all talking, that will be transparent to you using the network.
use dhcp on both routers and set gateway on pc workstation to either router depending on which one pc is cabled to.
they have free ‘talk to usr helpdesk’ on usr wireless website. guidelines for securing. which somewhat depends on model. download userguide. for your laptop: most wireless routers will let you deny/allow devices based on mac address so just allow the laptop plus turn off network id broadcast and implement the built in wireless encrpytion. change admin password on the router to strong password. which changes frequently. you will see all that stuff when you paw around in router configuration. if you don’t see it, that you can’t do it.

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