[SOLVED] Optimal AT&T Fiber Setup with WiFi, Wired Ethernet

Dec 11, 2019
5
0
10
I just got AT&T Fiber installed at my home and would like to know what my best options are for optimal WiFi.

-My house is a 1-story 2,000 sqft home.
  • AT&T modem/router is in garage (Arris BGW210-700)
  • House is wired with Cat5e ethernet with jacks in every room and a switch in the living room.
  • Main work/wifi areas are office and living room.

  1. What would be the best setup for optimal wifi in the house? Should I just go with a good traditional gigabit router in the living room? Or just get a mesh router in living room with ability to add another if I need more coverage?
  2. How should my setup be with regards to the AT&T modem/router and the new router?
- turn off wifi obviously
  • but should it be set as an IP passthrough? Will the router ethernet ports still work going if its put in this mode? What is the benefit to putting it in IP passthrough vs not? As I have connected a router in my living room without activating IP Passthrough and the router works on its own. Does IP Passthrough allow better performance?
  • I've read that AT&T Fiber doesnt allow full bridge mode? What does this mean and is that an issue with this type of setup?

Thanks again and I appreciate the help in advanced. I am very new around here but this forum is the best, I have learned so much already.
 
Solution
I just got AT&T Fiber installed at my home and would like to know what my best options are for optimal WiFi.

-My house is a 1-story 2,000 sqft home.
  • AT&T modem/router is in garage (Arris BGW210-700)
  • House is wired with Cat5e ethernet with jacks in every room and a switch in the living room.
  • Main work/wifi areas are office and living room.

  1. What would be the best setup for optimal wifi in the house? Should I just go with a good traditional gigabit router in the living room? Or just get a mesh router in living room with ability to add another if I need more coverage?
  2. How should my setup be with regards to the AT&T modem/router and the new router?
- turn off wifi obviously
  • but should it be set as...
I just got AT&T Fiber installed at my home and would like to know what my best options are for optimal WiFi.

-My house is a 1-story 2,000 sqft home.
  • AT&T modem/router is in garage (Arris BGW210-700)
  • House is wired with Cat5e ethernet with jacks in every room and a switch in the living room.
  • Main work/wifi areas are office and living room.

  1. What would be the best setup for optimal wifi in the house? Should I just go with a good traditional gigabit router in the living room? Or just get a mesh router in living room with ability to add another if I need more coverage?
  2. How should my setup be with regards to the AT&T modem/router and the new router?
- turn off wifi obviously
  • but should it be set as an IP passthrough? Will the router ethernet ports still work going if its put in this mode? What is the benefit to putting it in IP passthrough vs not? As I have connected a router in my living room without activating IP Passthrough and the router works on its own. Does IP Passthrough allow better performance?
  • I've read that AT&T Fiber doesnt allow full bridge mode? What does this mean and is that an issue with this type of setup?
Thanks again and I appreciate the help in advanced. I am very new around here but this forum is the best, I have learned so much already.
Sorry to hear you got the Arris BGW210-700 modem/router. That thing is a flaming hunk of junk. There are certain versions of that router that allows full bridge mode, but that one does not. That means you would be best off turning off the WiFi on that modem/router and having a good WiFi router setup in access point mode only somewhere in the middle of your home.
 
Solution
Dec 11, 2019
5
0
10
Sorry to hear you got the Arris BGW210-700 modem/router. That thing is a flaming hunk of junk. There are certain versions of that router that allows full bridge mode, but that one does not. That means you would be best off turning off the WiFi on that modem/router and having a good WiFi router setup in access point mode only somewhere in the middle of your home.
Ya, I know what you mean. I believe this is an AT&T fiber thing not allowing full bridges.
Any particular routers you’d recommend? Would you go mesh? Also, should I set the arris into IP Passthrough mode or just disable WiFi is sufficient?
 
Ya, I know what you mean. I believe this is an AT&T fiber thing not allowing full bridges.
Any particular routers you’d recommend? Would you go mesh? Also, should I set the arris into IP Passthrough mode or just disable WiFi is sufficient?
The Netgear AC4000 is very nice. It has auto-negotiate for the 2.4GHz & 5GHz band so you will only see one SSID on your device. https://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/R8000P.aspx
I wouldn't use IP Passthrough as you are using the modem as the router. Also IP Passthrough isn't over useful unless you want a VPN and have a static IP address.