Can’t connect pi to secondary router to broadcast signal

General
1

I want to connect my main router to my Raspberry Pi to get a stronger internet connection, then have the Pi pass that connection to another router to broadcast a better signal. I tried using wireless and also plugging an Ethernet cable directly into my router, but it didn’t work.

To go from router > Pi > another router, can I use an Ethernet HAT? Does this setup require any configuration in LuCI?

2

Hi,

If you were wirelessly paired and using an Ethernet cable to connect to a router, you’d also need to set the Raspberry Pi’s single Ethernet port to LAN. To do this, go to:

App > Settings > Network Settings > Port (WAN/LAN) and set it to LAN (by default, it’s WAN, which is internet-in, not internet-out).

Using an Ethernet HAT

Many HATs require no configuration or driver installation. While I don’t use an Ethernet HAT myself, users on the forum seem to have success with them.

If using a HAT, I’d recommend setting:

App > Settings > Network Settings > Port (WAN/LAN) to WAN. The HAT should then default to LAN, resulting in this setup:

  • Router (LAN) → Pi (WAN)
  • Pi HAT (LAN) → Router (WAN port)

Using a USB-to-Ethernet Adapter or Ethernet HAT

If you’re using either a USB-to-Ethernet adapter or an Ethernet HAT, set the built-in port to WAN via Network Settings in the app. The additional Ethernet device should default to LAN and be plugged into the WAN port of the second router.

It may help to think of:

  • LAN as internet-out
  • WAN as internet-in
1 Like
3

What I’m trying to do right now without a hat or adapter I’m just plugging the Ethernet into the pi Ethernet port, then I’m plugging the other end into the receiving end of the router, I changed it to lan, then wan, reset it a couple times and still nothing, I just got a adapter and hat so I’ll try that out, I don’t know if maybe there’s something in the luci I have to configure

1 Like
4

Yeah, that’s not going to work. Here are some setups (bottom one what you’re looking for I believe):

Default: Router (LAN) → Pi (WAN) - Port set to WAN in-app
Internal radio broadcasts PiFi 4 Setup, internet via cable to router as below.

Screenshot 2025-02-04 at 10.06.23
Screenshot 2025-02-04 at 10.06.231166×518 205 KB

**
Your Desired Setup:

Screenshot 2025-02-04 at 10.07.42
Screenshot 2025-02-04 at 10.07.421920×657 57.3 KB

  1. Router (LAN) → Pi (WAN) - (Port set to WAN in-app)
  2. Either USB-to-ethernet adapter / Ethernet HAT is used to create a 2nd wired connection.
  • It goes from port in the HAT/adapter to the WAN port on the second router. No in-app changes
    needed, it remains set to WAN in-app.

You need to both have internet-in (one cable) and internet-out (another cable - which needs a second port so HAT/adapter) so one cable no matter which setting is changed is not going to work for what you’re describing.