[redmenace]

Alright current I have a WRT54G in the basement. However, I am going to be running cable up to the first floor to attach a printer and a computer directly to the network. I was thinking about putting this in the basement and running cable up to the first floor using the WRT54G as a straight router and access point for my sister on the second floor. My two questions are, if I use MAC filtering on the access point to restrict access to the internet, would It restrict access to the other router/gateway as well?
Second question is, does anyone know of a better router? Meaning something that has 8 ports, is router with a firewall and not so much overkill?

[WMCoolmon]

About MAC filtering, you should be able to add the MAC address of the second router so that it isn't excluded.

[Duelron1001]

1) MAC filtering is used on wireless APs to restrict what decives can communicate with the AP, in otherwords it is only an inbound filter and will not affect any traffic that gets sent out of it. if you wanted to filter internet traffic you would have to block sites via the router (i am assuming it supports that, look in the direction of firewall settings). MAC filtering (in this case) is used to determine if the device can access the network or not so it will have no affect on devices trying to access the router.

2) why? leave the WRT54G down stairs, run a cable upto a switch/hub for the computer and printer (this would suit your needs). then get a wireless AP off eBay or some where (they aren't worth while buying new as it won't be long before it's out of date), set it up a repeater to the router's signal. but i would think that the signal would reach the 2nd floor from the router anyway (i can only assume that it does all ready). 

[redmenace]

Well reason is that we might run cable drops to the attic and into second floor rooms as well as 2 other locations on the first floor(living room stereo and by the TV in the family room). I was thinking about getting a 8 port router. Unfortunatly, the only ones I can find have VPN capability which is completely useless to me. Such as this one. I have purchased a SD205 For the exact reason on connecting the printer and computer together. In the future I will want to have a 8 port router downstairs and an AP on the first floor, and possibly a repeater of the second although not really necessary at all. The secondary reason to run Cat 5 though is to boost the sale value of the home as being semi future proof.

[Duelron1001]

your idea is a bad network design, you can do more with less. first off is there any reason why you can't move the netaccess up to the new loaction of the existing router? second what is in the basement other then the net router? third can a wireless device connect to the router from the atic as it stands? you need to make the router is the center point in your network, not to have routers here there and every where with seamingly no thought put into how they are setup. typicaly people don't have their home office in the basement so that's why i suggest that you move netaccess as well (it's a broardband router so it shouldn't be a problem). anyway i'll be on AIM for quite a while longer: Duelron1001 so i can answer this question quicker and easyer via it.

[redmenace]

currently the WRT54G is in the basement

My bed room is in the basement along with my computer.

For the immediate plans it is roughly in the center of all 3 of the planned ports.

There is only going to be one router. there will be an auto sensing switch that will connect the printer and computer to the WRT54G on the second floor. If I got a 8 port router, I might use the WRT54G to connect the printer and the computer on the first floor to the main router. while also using it as a AP for the upstairs.

I thought about using a wireless bridge for the upstairs, but the thoroughput isn't that great.

[Inquisitor]

Daisy chaining routers together will cause you headaches. Multiple NAT's tend to break of things on the Internet unless you REALLY know what you are doing.

One SOHO router per home. Get a Wireless Bridge if you want extended wireless signal. Linksys makes a couple good ones, one of them even has a 5 port switch built into it. That will save you the headache of running CAT5 through the house.

Use MAC filtering AND WEP if you live in a populated area, MAC filtering alone is probably sufficient if you live in the sticks (risk profile, yada yada). All you will really do is deter the random oppurtunity seeking, non criminal, net leeches anyway with nothing but SOHO gear.