Are you tired of the slow internet speed of copper cables? Planning to upgrade your broadband connection with the new & ultra-fast AT&T fiber? It’s always better than old copper cable connections as it gives you faster internet speed at a reasonable price.
But the problem is, AT&T fiber internet plan comes with a Wi-Fi gateway, i.e. a modem and Wi-Fi router combo, and AT&T presently is not permitting its fiber subscribers to use their own equipment.
Then what should you do if you want to use your own router? Is there any way? Of course, there’s away! Just chill and go through this article!
What routers work with AT&T fiber?
Well, the first question is, do all the available routers work with AT&T fiber? If you ask me, I’ll suggest you to use only those routers which are specially designed for fiber connections. There are several popular modems and routers available in the market compatible with AT&T Fiber. I’ve made a list of the best AT&T modems and routers according to their availability and popularity for you. Check it out!
- NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK AX12
This is the best wireless MIMO router and most suitable for AT&T fiber.
- NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK Smart Wi-Fi Router
They consider this as the best router for AT&T U-Verse as it can quickly upgrade your connection’s overall efficiency and provides high coverage.
- NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK AX4
This is probably the best router for AT&T Fiber 1000.
- Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 AX11000 – A Tri-Band, 10 Gigabit WiFi Router
This is basically a modem & router combo specially designed to give you the networking and Wi-Fi speed you always wanted to have.
- TP-Link AC4000 Smart WiFi_Tri-Band Router
This is best compatible router for AT&T Gigapower.
There are more routers and modem-router combos compatible with AT&T fiber connections like Belkin N600 Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router, TRENDnet AC750 Wireless VDSL2/ADSL2+ Modem Router etc. They all are reliable and designed to give you the best performance!
Fiber Optic Router – Do I need a special router for fiber optic?
Well, if you have AT&T fiber-optic connection installed at your home, and you want to enjoy the best performance of it without any lag, you’ll surely need a Fiber Optic Router.
Now an immediate question comes. What is a Fiber Optic Router?
Fiber Optic Routers are specially designed for Fiber Optic Internet. Fiber Optic Internet uses the latest technology to provide service to its customers. It carries beams of light and this is how it transmits data. Cable or DSL connections use electricity for data transmission.
As the data comes in different forms in fiber internet, modems and routers compatible with cable or DSL connections may not work properly. So if you want to enjoy the faster speed of fiber internet, you should invest in a fiber optic router.
How do I connect my router to fiber?
Before you connect the router to fiber, BE VERY CAREFUL! Do not try to connect the fiber optic cables to the router directly! Fiber optic cables can’t be directly connected to routers. But of course, there is a particular way by which you can connect your router to fiber. Here are the steps for you.
- At first, you need an optical modem. It will work as a device that takes the input as a Fiber line.
- Now, you can connect the optical cable to the optical modem’s port.
- After that, do connect the LAN port of the optical modem with that of the WAN port of the router. You can utilize an Ethernet cable for joining the two.
You’re done! Now enjoy the super-fast internet speed you always wanted!
How to use your own router with AT&T U-Verse – AT&T U-Verse connection:
AT&T U-Verse is quite popular nowadays! Everyone is switching to it. And it’ll be an extraordinary experience if you can use your own router with AT&T U-Verse.
So are you thinking of using your own router with AT&T U-Verse? I’ve made it easy for you! Just follow the steps below —
- Can I assume that your AT&T representative has set up your internet service and you can now have the access to the internet? If the answer is yes, then just plug in your own router, run an Ethernet cable from the WAN port of the router to the LAN port of the AT&T router. Done? Now, the next step!
- Turn your computer on, open your web browser, and type 192. 168. 1.254 in the address bar. It is the IP Address of the AT&T modem. Press enter. This will open a new page with AT&T U-Verse written on it. Here you can configure the settings manually.
- Now click on the wireless under Key Things To Do Using Your Gateway. Already clicked? Very good! Now disable the Wireless Interface and Wi-Fi Protected Setup.
- Okay! You’re done with the AT&T Fiber Broadband Connection. Now you can go on with configuring your own router.
- Enter the IP Address of your own router in the address bar of your web browser and press enter. It will direct you to your own router’s setting. Forgot your router’s IP address? Don’t worry! If you’re using a Windows PC, just open the Command Prompt and type IPCONFIG, then press enter. Find Default gateway in CMD window. You’ll see a number listed here.
- This is your router’s IP address. And if you’re using a MAC, click on the Apple icon at the top left, click on System Preferences, then click Network, and from the list on the left side of the window, choose your network and click Advanced at the bottom-right of the window.
- Now you’re in your router’s settings. Please find an option for DHCP or Bridge mode. You’ll find it under the Network section of your router setting. Found it? Now put your router in the Bridge mode (or, DHCP) since you are now going to connect a router to a router. This will make your router use the IP Address of the AT&T modem and only broadcast Wi-Fi.
Is everything done correctly? Congrats! You’ve just finished setting up your router to use AT&T U-Verse! Now you should see your Wi-Fi network visible and be able to access the internet.
AT&T U-verse modem setup guide: Self Installation:
Are you thinking of setting an AT&T U-Verse modem on your own? Don’t worry! Setting up an AT&T U-Verse modem is quite an easy and convenient process. You just have to follow some methods. But before that, you must have the AT&T Fiber Broadband Connection. You have to request this kit at the time of ordering your internet service. It comes free with the connection! If you have this, just take a look here and follow up on the steps.
- At first, connect one end of the green data cable to the green broadband port on your gateway, and the other end to the AT&T Broadband jack in your wall. Now connect the black power cord to the back of your gateway and plug it into an electrical outlet.
- Wait until the AT&T Gateway powers up. You’ll see the solid green broadband and service lights once it’s done.
- Now log in to your PC, select the network, and enter the password written on the yellow sticker on your gateway.
- If you want Ethernet access, just connect one end of the yellow Ethernet cable to the yellow jack on the gateway and plug the other end of the jack into your PC.
You’re done!
AT&T modem service light red:
Can’t access the internet even after completing all the steps above? Check your modem service light. If it’s red, then it’s really bad luck. It means that a particular modem is either not able to obtain the IP address or not able to authenticate the service. There can be also a reason that the modem didn’t get fully associated with your account.
FAQs
How to fix AT&T red light?
Reset the IP address at the router’s settings page by putting the router’s IP address in the address bar of your web browser. If it’s still red, do notice if the cables are in an unplugged state. If yes, plug in the cables back. Press the red button for about 20 seconds. This makes the custom setting clear. And if you’re still having problems, contact your operator or Internet Service Provider.
Can I use my own router with AT&T?
AT&T Fiber Broadband Connection currently is not allowing its subscribers to directly connect their own equipment to Fiber. However, you can still use your own router or modem by connecting it with an optical modem connected with the Fiber.
Can I directly connect my router to AT&T?
No! AT&T fiber cannot be directly connected to a third-party router. AT&T fiber connection plans only come with a combo of a modem and a Wi-Fi router. In case you want to use your own router with an AT&T fiber connection, you’ll need to connect it through an optical modem.
Do all routers work with AT&T?
Technically, yes! But you may face a lower speed if your router is not compatible with AT&T fiber. It’s my advice to use specially configured routers for AT&T fiber connections to enjoy the higher speed