Using a Netgear R6400/R7000 as a client bridge with ATT Fiber gateway

Yeah, that tracert is normal.  It's not really sinister, it's more that the junk AT&T gateways don't have true bridge modes.  So the gateway doesn't just pass traffic through like a dumb modem, it still has it's fingers in some of the networking stuff like NAT.

I suspect most people using the switch have UPS backup on their networking equipment anyway so power loss isn't an issue.

Hi @jenesulspasbavard, we are happy to help.

It is recommended that you use AT&T provided networking equipment when attempting to network multiple computers/devices.

If you choose to connect a third party router to your home network, please understand that third party routers are not supported by AT&T.

The following steps on our support site that are provided to help you to configure your AT&T provided modem/gateway to work with a third party router. 

Also, visit our community forums page on Bridge-mode vs IP pass-through.

Let us know if this helps.

Lafayette, AT&T Community Specialist

@ATTHelp Lafayette....

The first link you provide is absolutely zero help as it deals with ancient DSL modems!  The second link is also not current information. 

You aren't helping.

@jenesuispasbavard 

Here's a better link  on setting up IP Passthrough on the BGW.

Thanks @tonydi ; I do have everything working if I connect my Netgear router via ethernet to the ATT gateway and setting up IP Passthrough, and then using the other Netgear router as a client bridge connected wirelessly to the first Netgear router. (Identical to the "last resort solution" in my original post).

But the configuration I can't get working is connecting either Netgear router as a client bridge connected wirelessly to the AT&T gateway. If I can get that working, I can have two little wireless-to-wired client bridges to connect my desktop on one, and the TV/Xbox on the other. Right now, I can only get one wireless-to-wired client bridge working by using one Netgear as a host, and the other as a client - I can't figure out how to use the AT&T gateway as a host, and the two Netgears as clients.

Let's approach this from a different angle because I'm not convinced that if you get this to work that you'll be happy with the performance and reliability.

Presuming you don't have Uverse TV or Phone, that your fiber is Internet only, then take a look at this solution.    Since you had the setup working the way you wanted with your previous ISP,  I think this gets you the same result.

Thanks, if there is no way to connect my Netgear routers wirelessly to the AT&T gateway, I might just stick with the last resort solution I outlined above.

I'd rather not mess with solutions that could stop working - looks like the switch method outlined in your link would stop working when reauthentication is required in case power cuts out. But thank you for the link!

A little concerned about this hop though:

C:\Users\moi>tracert 1.1.1.1

Tracing route to one.one.one.one [1.1.1.1]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  172.16.0.1 (the local IP address of my Netgear router - desktop is on .0.3)

  2     1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  192.168.1.254 (<-- this is the one I'm concerned about - why is the AT&T gateway still in the picture after IP passthrough?)

  3     8 ms     9 ms     9 ms  [redacted].lightspeed.[redacted].sbcglobal.net [x.x.x.x]

...

Any snooping going on or should I not be worried?

@jenesuispasbavard.

As @tonydi said, our gateways aren't capable of a true bridge mode. Without going through solutions not provided by AT&T (Since they aren't recommended), then our gateway requires at least 1 3rd party router to be wired to it, and ran in IP Passthrough. Once that's done, you can try running the other routers wirelessly like access points and connecting them to the primary router currently wired to the gateway. 

You may find it easier to use actual access points or extenders connected to the gateway, but are you having any trouble with your internet service without all this 3rd party equipment being hooked up?

We look forward to your response!

Ramses, AT&T Community Specialist

Sounds good. If the `ONT -> gateway -> router 1 -> router 2 -> desktop` labyrinth gives me issues I'll check out your link.

Seems to be working ok for now - although I still don't have a solution for wirelessly connecting a Netgear router as a client bridge to the ATT Arris BGW210-700 gateway, only to another Netgear router connected via ethernet to the gateway. Oh well.

Thanks @tonydi !

Thanks for the info @ATTHelp

I have no issues with the internet service - it's fast and stable (for the three days I've had it).

Only issues are with equipment downstream from the ONT - connecting a Netgear router wirelessly to the ATT gateway as a client bridge. It has connected to other routers wirelessly in the past (TP-Link, D-Link, and of course another Netgear) but can't seem to do the same with the Arris BGW210-700 gateway. That's all I was wondering about.

I suppose I can always get a third Netgear router to create the second wireless-to-wired zone downstairs.

@jenesuispasbavard.

Yep, as long as you have the 3rd party equipment acting as the primary router, you should be able to run those kinds of configurations as you're suggesting, as long as the primary router is wired to the gateway and ran in IP passthrough. Since your internet service is working as it's meant to, unfortunately we can't assist you with setting up the rest of this 3rd party equipment, but let us know if you have any other questions we can assist with. Thanks for choosing AT&T!

Ramses, AT&T Community Specialist