Question Have ATT BGW320 Gateway, Would Like to Add Access Point or Router set as AP

[wintersnowdog]

I have seen that the simplest and cheapest thing to use to increase wifi range is to set an old router to passthrough mode and use it as an access point and then connect this via ethernet cable to a LAN port on the gateway. I have no old routers laying around. I did pick up a used AP which I thought would work, an Aruba iap2505 but I don't see how. I did reset it back to the original fimware and can find it and connect via the admin/admin stock login, but I don't really see any sort of settings nor can I find you to update the firmware.

This is an enterprise type AP and there is cloud management for it, but there is a charge and it looks like you need to be an enterprise as well, which I am not.

Most of what I read is fairly old, things change. I do very little networking sort of stuff and what I do is very infrequent. I do what I can to follow instructions.

I see there are lots of other terms for pass-through mode (I think) bridge mode and some others. References to needing to connect to a switch. PoE injectors, etc.

I have read that you can't just replace the ATT gateway with something else, you maybe should and would be better off, but it still needs to be tied in to access the ATT internet service. New equipment would also cost money and ATT would not offer any support. I'd like to think, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary that at some point should an issue arise and I managed to contact a tech person at ATT they might be able to diagnose and fix the issue remotely as well.

There are some electronics recycling places around me, but none of them get involved with networking stuff. I'm starting to see why.

I'm looking for some guidance on the simplest and cheapest way to do this other than renting an extender from ATT and being charged every month.

The ATT gateaway is in the front corner of the house. I'd like to get wifi out to the back of the garage. I would like to try running a wire to the opposite corner in the back of the basement about 25 feet away. I can also extend it another 8 feet or so as there is a small room on the backside mounted on stilts. That would involve running wire out there which would be pretty easy and crawling under there which is also do-able.

I'm looking for suggestions of APs, routers that can be set to serve as APs that are readily available for which there is firmware available, etc. Or if there is something new that will do the job that is also relatively cheap.

 

[bill001g]

I do not know about the aruba you have but it is very common for these commercial AP to have all kinds of restrictions. Mostly this is so they can overcharge large companies for services.

Att will not allow you to replace the gateway. There are people that have hacked a way around but if att catches you they cancel your internet. There gateway is actually a very good router that has many advanced features and the wifi coverage is a good as any other similar router. They all use the same wifi chipset from the 2 or 3 wifi chipset makers.

The only reason you want a actual AP is if you plan to use POE. There are some other advanced features like vlan support and advanced enterprise related wifi encryption options none of which I suspect you need. If you still want a actual AP the ones from ubiquiti are cheaper than most and these are very close to commerical grade ones. The have free management software unlike other commerical ones that have monthly fees.

Almost any router can be used as a AP. It mostly depends on what wifi you want. If you want say wifi6e you need to buy a wifi6e router. I would avoid wifi6 since for most people it does not work better than wifi5 802.11ac. If you need nothing special find a $50 router. Any brand will likely be fine all the fancy feature are disabled when you use them as a AP.

 

[wintersnowdog]

Thanks for the reply and helpful information.

I will use an older model ASUS router. I hear mainly good things about them. I checked the manual for the model I will use and it says to put it in AP mode.