ATT BGW320 and MR70+2xMS70 daily dropouts

[Keisler]

Please help me resolve a problem with daily dropouts that impact my wifi that works from home. Here is the setup:
ATT BGW320, 1GB fiber installed on first floor in MBR. Tests reliably at 1320 down and up using ATT Smarthome app. Installed January 2024. Disabled BGW320 wifi and left the wifi name and password original to the device.
MR70 connected to BGW320 using 6ft cat5 cable. Provides my WiFi 6 network. Running Nighthawk app. Firmware current spec
1xMS70 located about 30 ft from MR70 on first floor, nearby stairs up. Firmware current.
1XMS70 located on 2nd floor sitting on commercial office Konica Minolta copier machine. Firmware current.
With the above setup the MR70 will often arrange a parallel path to the MS70s. I have tried it with MS70 in series.
Either way, we get daily dropouts.
ATT tech support reconfigured the BGW320 as follows:
1. Changed IP address of BGW320 to prevent a conflict with the MR70 IP address.
2. Changed the WiFi channel frequencies.
Result: dropouts still existed.
Next action: ATT sent tech to install their repeater. They were supposed to put one at the printer so we can access the printer. The tech could not get a second repeater to setup with the BGW320 so he gave up and only left one downstairs.
Now we have no way to print other than walking a laptop to print from a USB cable. Not good.

I would like your help to configure the MR70 and BGW320 as needed so I can print. And would like to return the ATT repeater and save the $10/mo.

Other details of our setup:
2 x 4K smart TVs downstairs
3 smartphones
2 x 2K video cameras outside which are not getting as good a signal now with the 1 ATT repeater as they were with the MR70/MS60 system
2 laptop workstations upstairs
Wife works from home, uses teams a lot
I work from home sometimes, using teams.
No gaming
No heavy IoT demands other than TV.
Questions:
Is the MR70 up to the task? I paid $300 for it 2 yrs ago and would like to get more use out of it.
If not up to task is there a sub $300 solution?
The Netgear sales team recommendeds an Orbi setup that runs around $650.
If I should stay with the ATT single repeater, is there a reliable repeater I can use to simply get an Ethernet port for the printer? I see the TPLink stuff.

Thanks very much in advance!!

[FURRYe38]

Your ISP Modem already has a built in router and wifi. This would be a double NAT (two router) condition which isn't recommended. This would be a double NAT condition which isn't recommended. https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
https://kb.netgear.com/30187/How-to-fix-issues-with-Double-NAT
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge or modem only mode. Then use the NG router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ/ExposedHost or IP Pass-Through for the IP address the NG router gets from the modem. https://kb.netgear.com/25891/DMZ-on-NETGEAR-routers
https://kb.netgear.com/24086/How-do-I-set-up-a-default-DMZ-server-on-my-Nighthawk-router
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the NG router to the modem, LAN to LAN configure AP mode on the NG router.
https://kb.netgear.com/20927/How-do-I-change-my-NETGEAR-router-to-AP-mode
Try option #2 first...

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between MR📡 and MS🛰️ to begin with depending upon building materials when wired or wirelessly connected.

[Keisler]

Thanks very much for your thorough, very helpful, and super fast reply. I will try #2 and report back.
In reply to your qs:
What is the size of your home? Sq Ft? 2400, 2 level

What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between MR📡 and MS🛰️ to begin with depending upon building materials when wired or wirelessly connected.
Modem to MR is 2 ft, connected with Ethernet cat 5 cable.
MS70 #1 is about 30ft from MR70, and on first floor close to the stairwell up.
MS70 #2 is about another 30ft from MS#1 and further from MR70.

If you were purchasing new equipment today what would you recommend?
Many thanks!!

[Keisler]

I wanted to add that my wife works for the federal government (VA hospital) and she likely has a VPN for her laptop setup.
I think the help articles referenced mention a VPN can pose a problem for solution path #1. But I will start with solution #2 first, as directed. Thanks again!

[FURRYe38]

Ya having double NAT condition would and could effect VPN configurations. Hopefully option #2 helps with that. 

[FURRYe38]

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@Keisler wrote:
Thanks very much for your thorough, very helpful, and super fast reply. I will try #2 and report back.
In reply to your qs:
What is the size of your home? Sq Ft? 2400, 2 level
For this size of home, I'd try the MR and just one MS. 

What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between MR📡 and MS🛰️ to begin with depending upon building materials when wired or wirelessly connected.
Modem to MR is 2 ft, connected with Ethernet cat 5 cable. CAT6 UTP is recommended.
MS70 #1 is about 30ft from MR70, and on first floor close to the stairwell up.
MS70 #2 is about another 30ft from MS#1 and further from MR70.
Lets turn this one MS off temporarily. 

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[Keisler]

I have done a cursory review of the ATT 320 modem's settings screens and believe I understand what needs to change to:
1. Turn off WIFI 2.4GHz band
2. Turn off WIFI 5GHz band - must first remove the attached extender.
3. Change firewall settings of IP Pass thru to set it to DHCP-fixed dedicate it to the MR70 Mac address. And perhaps increase the IP lease timer from 10min default to something longer like 30min.

One thing that is tripping me up is the step to set up the MR70 to DMZ. I cannot access it with the router login addresses shown on the tech bulletin page you sent. I can access the MR70 router settings page using the Nighthawk app but those advanced features are not available. And I tried 10.0.0.10 but until I turn off the model radios I cannot access it using wifi.
So I need to figure a way to simply plug in my laptop to the MR70 Ethernet port preferably isolated, meaning without the uplink cable connected to the modem?
OR
Perhaps I should reset the MR70 router using the reset button on the back? Then attempt to connect to it under its default reset conditions?

Thanks in advance for your help!!

[michaelkenward]

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@Keisler wrote:
I have done a cursory review of the ATT 320 modem's settings screens and believe I understand what needs to change to:
1. Turn off WIFI 2.4GHz band
2. Turn off WIFI 5GHz band - must first remove the attached extender.
3. Change firewall settings of IP Pass thru to set it to DHCP-fixed dedicate it to the MR70 Mac address. And perhaps increase the IP lease timer from 10min default to something longer like 30min.

Did you consider the "bridge mode" option for your ATT 320 modem? That's one of the options that @FURRYe38 suggested.

If it is possible that could simplify the setup of the MR70.

bgw320 bridge mode - Google Search

[FURRYe38]

Any progress on this? 

Yes.

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@Keisler wrote:
I have done a cursory review of the ATT 320 modem's settings screens and believe I understand what needs to change to:
1. Turn off WIFI 2.4GHz band
2. Turn off WIFI 5GHz band - must first remove the attached extender.
3. Change firewall settings of IP Pass thru to set it to DHCP-fixed dedicate it to the MR70 Mac address. And perhaps increase the IP lease timer from 10min default to something longer like 30min.

One thing that is tripping me up is the step to set up the MR70 to DMZ. I cannot access it with the router login addresses shown on the tech bulletin page you sent. I can access the MR70 router settings page using the Nighthawk app but those advanced features are not available. And I tried 10.0.0.10 but until I turn off the model radios I cannot access it using wifi.
So I need to figure a way to simply plug in my laptop to the MR70 Ethernet port preferably isolated, meaning without the uplink cable connected to the modem?
OR
Perhaps I should reset the MR70 router using the reset button on the back? Then attempt to connect to it under its default reset conditions?

Thanks in advance for your help!!

---

[michaelkenward]

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@Keisler wrote:

One thing that is tripping me up is the step to set up the MR70 to DMZ. I cannot access it with the router login addresses shown on the tech bulletin page you sent.

---

It is the modem/router in front of the MR70 that has the DMZ, not the MR70.

When setting up my MR90 behind a modem/router, the modem/router had a place in its firewall page with DMZ settings. (Your modem /router won't be anything like the one I am using, so you'll have to sniff around.) I could then tell the modem/router to look for the IPs of connected devices. I picked the one for my MR90.

After that I could access both the modem/router and the MR90 through their IP addresses. Then I could change the settings of both devices.

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I can access the MR70 router settings page using the Nighthawk app but those advanced features are not available.

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The Nighthawk app cannot get at the advanced settings on your router. If you can't get in with a wired connection, aim a browser on your mobile device at the IP address.

[Keisler]

UPDATE 2.26.2024:
Today is the first day of the new setup with a workload including multiple Teams video and phone sessions. So far good - no dropouts.
I will give it 5 days in total then post the steps and a link to a video on YouTube that also shows the steps. But the core of the work is exactly as you instructed:
1. turn off 2.4 and 5 GHz radios.
2. make the settings changes for IP Passthrough with a dedicated MAC address for the NG MR70.
3. reboot both devices.
Additionally, since ATT installed one extender I had to power that down as the very first step to all of this then select FORGET device from the BGW320 devices list.

My Konica Minolta printer now works on the satellite located in the 2nd floor office.
I installed one MS70 satellite first and checked for stability. Then added the 2nd MS70, which configured itself to daisy chain to the MS70 at the first level.
Speeds are respectable... 170-250mbps upstairs from any one wifi6 device. Plenty of speed for teams calls.
Thank you all VERY MUCH for your support!!!

[FURRYe38]

Glad you got it working. Please mark your thread as solved so others will know. Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/24231/How-do-I-back-up-the-router-configuration-settings-on-my-Nighthawk-rout...
Enjoy. 📡

[Keisler]

I did not change any settings on the NG MR70 related to the IP Passthrough on the ATT BGW320 modem (gateway).
Is there a change I need to do? Or is saving the settings for general good practice? I will do that for sure.

Many thanks again!

[FURRYe38]

No, just make a backup config from the MR to file.