Best way to have dual band on the 2.4ghz mi424wr

Question

I have a cisco eA3500 dual band connected WAN to LAN to my mi424wr (not dual band). After much testing a gazillion setting combinations, i have confirmed that i want to use the cisco dual band router as my wireless connection for my client devices.
This works fine now with the one problem that i cant control my settop boxes from my other client devices (mostly iOS devices) i believe because they are technically on separate networks...devices on the cisco and the stbs on the mi424wr.
A secondary issue is that i want to add additional dual band network coverage through the house, and i hope both issues can be solved by the following:
From another recent thread related to accessing this secondary router, i was instructed to deactivate DHCP on the cisco and attach it to the mi424wr LAN to LAN. I am assuming in bridge mode. I never had to do it because my original problem was resolved before getting to that step.
So, if i do this above step, will i still see the cisco SSID, and be able to connect to it at dual band as i do now? Will the cisco still be a "separate" network but/will i be able to see all devices (and control the cable boxes?)
Even better, if I cat 5 another identical cisco from the first cisco and set it in bridge mode(run it to the second floor) what do I need to do, if possible, to be able to move freely between those to signal sources without having to select a different network?
Thanks in advance for any input.

Answer 1

To answer your question what you have been advised to do is setting up your Cisco as an AP.
1.  On your Actiontec check to see what range it is assigning DHCP in.  If necessary limit/ adjust  the range so you have a series of IPs you can use for static IPs.  If your DHCP range is 192.168.1.100- 150 that is fine.   Your Actiontec router is by default normally 192.168.1.1.
2. On your Actiontec you can either turn of or leave on the WiFi.   If you leave it on select a channel 1-6-11.
3.  On your Cisco turn off the DHCP server and assign it a static  WAN IP.   If your Actiontec is 192.168.1.1  you could make your Cisco 192.168.1.2.   Set the 2.4 Ghz radio to a channel that is not the same as the channel on the Actiontec.  I also recommend that you use a different SSID if you left the Actiontec's radio on.  Set your 5 Ghz radio to whatever channel you like and give it a SSID that is different than any of the other SSIDs you have used.    Connect the Cisco to the Actiontec as you said LAN to LAN.    If you want to add another Cisco,  use another channel, another SSID and connect LAN to LAN from eithet a port on the Actiontec or from  the first Cisco.
Another option to connect either the first or second Cisco to your network is to use a MOCA adapter which will replace the Ethernet cable by using the coaxial cable that your TV is using.   One of the real nice features of the Actiontec is the built in MOCA.  Makes it very easy to install additional APs to improve WiFi coverage.
Bridging is another option but to keep it reasonably simple and since you want to keep your STB on your primary network for administraive purposes  using your Cisco as an AP is a very good choice.
Some people on this forum swear at their Actiontecs, but I have no complaints about mine.   The only time it has rebooted is when it downloaded a firmware update and I  experienced a power outage that lasted longer than my UPS.