can i use my old router as a switch with the velop? i have more wired devices than ports.

Diagnosis

The short answer is yes, but you cannot simply plug the old router into the Linksys Velop MX5300 and expect it to function as a transparent switch. By default, a router is designed to manage a network, assign IP addresses via DHCP, and create a firewall. If you connect a standard router to your Velop node, you create a "Double NAT" (Network Address Translation) scenario. This happens because the Velop is trying to route traffic, and the old router is also trying to route traffic, creating two separate subnets. This conflict causes critical connectivity issues: devices connected to the old router won't be able to communicate with devices on the Velop mesh, port forwarding for gaming consoles will fail, and you will likely experience "IP conflicts" where two devices are assigned the same address. To confirm if this is happening, check your device IP; if the Velop assigns 192.168.1.x but the old router assigns 192.168.0.x, you have a Double NAT conflict that must be resolved by stripping the old router of its "routing" intelligence.

How to Fix It

To turn your old router into a functional network switch for the MX5300, you must convert it into "Bridge Mode" or a "Dumb Switch." Follow these exact steps:

1. Isolate the Hardware: Power on the old router, but do NOT connect it to the Velop system yet. Connect a single laptop or PC to one of the old router's LAN ports using a Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet cable.
2. Access Admin Panel: Open a web browser and enter the gateway IP of the old router (commonly 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, or 192.168.10.1). Log in with the admin credentials.
3. Disable the DHCP Server: Locate the "LAN" or "Advanced Network" settings. Find the "DHCP Server" toggle and switch it to OFF or Disabled. This is the most critical step; it ensures the Velop MX5300 remains the only device assigning IP addresses on your network.
4. Change the Internal IP: To avoid conflicts, change the old router's local IP address to something outside the Velop's typical range but within the same subnet (e.g., if Velop is 192.168.1.1, set the old router to 192.168.1.2). This allows you to access the old router's settings later if needed.
5. Disable Wireless Radios: Go to "Wireless Settings" and turn off both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios. Since the Velop MX5300 handles your WiFi 6 mesh, leaving the old router's WiFi on will create signal interference and congestion.
6. The Physical Connection: Connect an Ethernet cable from a LAN port on your Velop MX5300 node to a LAN port on the old router. CRITICAL: Do not use the "WAN" or "Internet" port on the old router; use only the numbered LAN ports.

If That Didn't Work

• Check for a dedicated "Bridge Mode": Many modern routers have a one-click "Bridge Mode" or "AP (Access Point) Mode" in the advanced settings. If your old router has this, enable it and reboot. This automatically disables DHCP and the firewall, doing all the manual steps listed above in one click.
• Hardware Factory Reset: If you cannot access the admin panel because of an IP conflict, hold the recessed "Reset" button on the back of the old router for 15 seconds while powered on. This clears all previous configurations and allows you to start the "FIX" process from scratch.
• Swap the Cable: Ensure you are using a known-working Cat6 cable. Linksys Velop nodes are sensitive to cable quality; a degraded cable can cause the switch to intermittently drop connections or negotiate at 10/100Mbps instead of 1Gbps.
• Purchase a Dedicated Unmanaged Switch: If the old router continues to cause "broadcast storms" or network loops, the internal hardware may be incompatible with the Velop's packet handling. A dedicated 5-port Gigabit unmanaged switch (like a TP-Link or Netgear model) costs roughly $15-$20 and eliminates all configuration headaches.

Heads Up

• Avoid the WAN Port: Never plug the Velop into the WAN/Internet port of the old router unless the router is explicitly in "Bridge Mode." Using the WAN port triggers the firewall and creates the Double NAT issue.
• Power Cycling Sequence: When first setting this up, power on the Velop node first, wait for the LED to turn solid, and then power on the old router/switch. This ensures the DHCP handshake happens in the correct order.
• Cable Management: The MX5300 is a high-performance WiFi 6 system. Using an ancient 10/100Mbps router as a switch will throttle your wired devices to 100Mbps, wasting the gigabit capabilities of your Velop system.