[SOLVED] What is up with businesses pushing their own routers?

[hayley3]

I have an Amplifi router which I love. I am in the process of moving and chose AT&T fiber and their fiber equipment has a built-in a router.
I want to buy a Ring Car Alarm...the router is built-in. It's the EERO router because Amazon now owns Ring and EERO.
I want to use MY router. Are they trying to put the other router companies out of business? Is there any way to disable EERO in the ring alarm, for starters?

Thanks,
Cheryl

 

[kanewolf]

I have an Amplifi router which I love. I am in the process of moving and chose AT&T fiber and their fiber equipment has a built-in a router.
I want to buy a Ring Car Alarm...the router is built-in. It's the EERO router because Amazon now owns Ring and EERO.
I want to use MY router. Are they trying to put the other router companies out of business? Is there any way to disable EERO in the ring alarm, for starters?

Thanks,
Cheryl

"Forcing" you to use their equipment has three advantages. They can rent it to you for a revenue stream and it simplifies the long term support. They know everything about the router. It it isn't working they can more easily diagnose it. And they can support other features like phone over IP.
You may be able to get ATT to turn their router into a modem by requesting it be in "bridge mode".
I wouldn't buy anything from Ring or other Amazon surveillance (Alexa, etc), so I can't comment on the second question.

 

[RealBeast]

It is understandable with ATT, as it most likely uses a gateway (modem/router combo) that your current router couldn't replace. While there are some gateways available that would work, I suspect ATT sees this as a profit opportunity for the monthly rental. Perhaps at some point you can discuss using your own gateway with their customer service.

The Ring situation is similar, it has specific capabilities and cellular backup built in that your current router would not.

I would concur -- I do not buy Amazon surveillance equipment and insist that it is unplugged anywhere that I go to have a serious conversation, such devices can nullify attorney-client privilege and violate HIPPA for example, and discussing other complex issues where the data can become public creates too many issues.

 

[hayley3]

"Forcing" you to use their equipment has three advantages. They can rent it to you for a revenue stream and it simplifies the long term support. They know everything about the router. It it isn't working they can more easily diagnose it. And they can support other features like phone over IP.
You may be able to get ATT to turn their router into a modem by requesting it be in "bridge mode".
I wouldn't buy anything from Ring or other Amazon surveillance (Alexa, etc), so I can't comment on the second question.

My last ISP charged for wifi support only if you didn't want to buy your own router, the customer could choose. I liked that better. Didn't think about the phone over IP which I don't use either.
Why don't you like ring? They have a new car alarm so that if someone tries to open the door, the alarm goes off and notifies the app. I have never wanted a Ring device until now.

 

[hayley3]

It is understandable with ATT, as it most likely uses a gateway (modem/router combo) that your current router couldn't replace. While there are some gateways available that would work, I suspect ATT sees this as a profit opportunity for the monthly rental. Perhaps at some point you can discuss using your own gateway with their customer service.

The Ring situation is similar, it has specific capabilities and cellular backup built in that your current router would not.

I would concur -- I do not buy Amazon surveillance equipment and insist that it is unplugged anywhere that I go to have a serious conversation, such devices can nullify attorney-client privilege and violate HIPPA for example, and discussing other complex issues where the data can become public creates too many issues.

AT&T fiber is cheaper than my last fiber without a built-in router, so I didn't think about the extra profit.
Oooh I didn' t know ring had cellular capabilities, will be looking that up.

 

[USAFRet]

Why don't you like ring? They have a new car alarm so that if someone tries to open the door, the alarm goes off and notifies the app. I have never wanted a Ring device until now.

I dislike the Ring/Alexa/Echo ecosystems as well.

I don't need or want all that data going through their environment.

I have a keypad front door lock. It is internally smart.
30 seconds after opening, either from inside with the knob, or outside on the keypad...it locks itself. I never need to look at my phone to lock it, or discover its lock/unlock status. It is always locked.
Has its own built in alarm. 3 incorrect tries, or kick it too hard, it screams.

No phone or app needed.

The cars have their own built in alarms.

Garage and laundry room lights, internally smart. Go in the garage, the light comes on. 5 minutes later, it goes off.
Hallway and attic lights....internally smart motion detectors.

I have 2 (soon to be 4) very good cameras on the house. Record directly to the NAS box. Talks to nowhere else.


The Ring/Alexa/Echo ecosystems provide nothing beneficial to me.
YMMV.