Orbi w/ AT&T Fiber

[ATC1125]

I am looking to switch to AT&T fiber. I currently have xfinity internet for which I use my orbi system. AT&T representative said there would be no benefit to using the orbi with their fiber. Is that correct? If not, how should I best connect the orbi to AT&T fiber?

[realisticmccoy · Accepted solution]

Putting my Orbi in AP (Access Point) mode and turning off the WIFI on the Arris worked a charm. No more problems.

[waynealight]

the benifits of using orbi is for coverage and features.  att router doesn't support upnp.  you will be able to create a pass through for the orbi using dmz plus.  This will allow the orbi to have a wan address and not just a lan address from the att router.   if att pushes an update to the router it will reset this feature and you will have to reenable it.  only happens a few times a year.  if you dont do this you will create a double nat situation and have issues connecting to some devices using upnp. 

[FURRYe38]

Modem Combo Units:
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode. DMZ helps wtih double NAT conditions in this case.
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the Orbi router to the modem, LAN to LAN and configure AP mode on the Orbi router.

Orbi Wifi would be far superior to anything that ATT has on there modem/ONTs. 

[mpf541]

I have att fiber and orbi. It works great but nyou need to get the right gateway. You do not want to use DMZ with this. What you want is IP passthrough. Set it up with this and the orbi works great. 

Make sure yo tell thgem this is what you want. Specify a gateway with IP Passthrough. You can request it and they will ship one. 

They do have more bthan one model but this arris i have is the latest. At least when i got it the beginning of them year. 

My att gateway is

Manufacturer	ARRIS
Model Number	BGW210-700

[FURRYe38]

DMZ can be used if IP Pasthrough is not an option or can't be configured on his ONT.

[mpf541]

As someone who uses this service. I had issues with the orbi working properly on DMZ problem solved by just getting the correct gateway to start with. ATT will provide it if youy ask for it. 

[FURRYe38]

Hopefully either way will work for them.

[stevegon]

mpf541 What is the "correct gateway to start with. ATT will provide it if youy ask for it. "

 I just spent 3 hours on the phone with AT&T and they said I could use a "secondary router"...which I don't want to do. I want a single ethernet WAN cable with an internet address (doesn't have to be static) and no WiFi or router from ATT, period. Nothing, just a single Ethernet port. Any help is much appreciated.

[mpf541]

You have to use the ATT Router. It is becase they identify the equipment by its serial number. So you can't sppof its mac address. But just put thier equipment in ippassthrough and turn off wifi on its router. The orbi will work fine then. 

[stevegon]

Thanks for the quick response @mpf541, however, the Pace 5268AC router has no "pass through" option. It is widely documented on the web. There are some people who have gotten it to work in a partial pass through with other mesh systems, but I have been unable to get it to work with TP-Link Deco and 3 other single unit routers.

[mpf541]

I have had the pace 5288AC. I called ATT and explained that I needed a different modem for IP passthrough. Just tell them you have equipment  that needs this feature. They will replace it. I currently have a Arris BGW210-700 and it works fine with the orbi.

[FURRYe38]

Have you tried using the DMZ on the Pace modem to see if it works for the Orbi? It should work for it if you want to run the Orbin in router mode. 

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@stevegon wrote:

Thanks for the quick response, however, the Pace 5268AC router has no "pass through" option. It is widely documented on the web. There are some people who have gotten it to work in a partial pass through with other mesh systems, but I have been unable to get it to work with TP-Link Deco and 3 other single unit routers.

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[stevegon]

@FURRYe38 I have not decided on a mesh system yet. I am still trying to find one that will work. "DMZ+" is what Pace calls it and it, and yes I tried it with an Airport Extreme, TP-Link Deco (mesh) and a Netgear nighthawk. None of them worked. DMZ+ is not a passthrough, so it will mess up anything downstream that is trying to manage your network.

[stevegon]

@mpf541 The Arris BGW210-700 won't work with Fiber...it's a DSL modem. I have spent hours and hours on the phone with ATT and even went to a store yesterday. No one can help...I might just have to switch back to Comcast.

[FURRYe38]

Ok, was checking. I've heard that some DSL modems, ones with DMZ+ isn't actual DMZ and doesn't work right with devices placed there. If ATT isn't willing to help out, I would switch back to cable if you can. Then get your own ISP Cable modem, stand alone preferred with out a built in router, then what ever external router you choose will work in that configuration. ISP combo modmes can be problematic. Let us know what you go with. 

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@stevegon wrote:

@FURRYe38 I have not decided on a mesh system yet. I am still trying to find one that will work. "DMZ+" is what Pace calls it and it, and yes I tried it with an Airport Extreme, TP-Link Deco (mesh) and a Netgear nighthawk. None of them worked. DMZ+ is not a passthrough, so it will mess up anything downstream that is trying to manage your network.

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[stevegon]

I was an early adopter of AT&T Fiber in my neighborhood. I hope that this will provide people with the warning that they need. So you understand, here is what AT&T considers "passthrough" (copied directly from the management UI of my Pace):

Allow all applications (DMZplus mode) - Set the selected computer in DMZplus mode. All inbound traffic, except traffic which has been specifically assigned to another computer using the "Allow individual applications" feature, will automatically be directed to this computer. The DMZplus-enabled computer is less secure because all unassigned firewall ports are opened for that computer.

Note: On LAN devices which have a Private IP address, once DMZplus mode is selected and you click save, the system will issue a new IP address to the selected computer. The computer must be set to DHCP mode to receive the new IP address from the system, and you must reboot the computer. If you are changing DMZplus mode from one computer to another computer, you must reboot both computers.

See what I underlined: "this computer". In no way shape or form is network passthrough applied from the router to a single IP address...one that cannot be static (due to work requirements). This is not passthrough. My assessment is that this router was designed for a very different purpose, but it was reliable maybe, so ATT kept it and gave it to all their customers. Saves them money...screws over the early adopters who overwhelmingly do not want unconfigurable network equipment.

[FURRYe38]

Sound like you may need to switch ISPs if this is the case.

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@stevegon wrote:

I was an early adopter of AT&T Fiber in my neighborhood. I hope that this will provide people with the warning that they need. So you understand, here is what AT&T considers "passthrough" (copied directly from the management UI of my Pace):

Allow all applications (DMZplus mode) - Set the selected computer in DMZplus mode. All inbound traffic, except traffic which has been specifically assigned to another computer using the "Allow individual applications" feature, will automatically be directed to this computer. The DMZplus-enabled computer is less secure because all unassigned firewall ports are opened for that computer.

Note: On LAN devices which have a Private IP address, once DMZplus mode is selected and you click save, the system will issue a new IP address to the selected computer. The computer must be set to DHCP mode to receive the new IP address from the system, and you must reboot the computer. If you are changing DMZplus mode from one computer to another computer, you must reboot both computers.

See what I underlined: "this computer". In no way shape or form is network passthrough applied from the router to a single IP address...one that cannot be static (due to work requirements). This is not passthrough. My assessment is that this router was designed for a very different purpose, but it was reliable maybe, so ATT kept it and gave it to all their customers. Saves them money...screws over the early adopters who overwhelmingly do not want unconfigurable network equipment.

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[mpf541]

I fail to understand why you keep complaining about the pace modem and you don't just call tech support at ATT and explain the you need a gateway with IP pass through. Your problem would then be solved. 

[stevegon]

@mpf541 I have spent more than 20 hours on the phone with AT&T. Their responses get more murky and confusing with each minute. I have sunk more than 40 hours into this project and I am trying to save some time. Sorry, if my posts annoy you.

[mpf541]

They don't annoy me. I am just giving you a solution that will work. I have done this 2 times with them. Onece when I firts got fiber. It work fine and then the orbi started losing the internet. I blammed ATT and they replacecd the router. I forgot to tell them i needed IP passthrough amd they gave me the pace. All it took was a short call to tell them that the only moden that i can use has to have the IP passthrough. While i admit it is hard to get ATT to understand they also don't want you to go back to comcast. They will swap it. The 2nd time they even sent out a tech to do it. 

[FURRYe38]

Might review this thread and see while your using the PACE modem/router to see if this help with any current external routers you might have, if it does, then this would work for the Orbi as well. Or use the Orbi in AP modem with the PACE modem in router mode.

https://forums.att.com/t5/AT-T-Internet-Equipment/I-have-a-Pace-5268AC-Router-how-to-put-it-in-Bridg...

Seems to have help others on that thread...

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@stevegon wrote:

Thanks for the quick respons , however, the Pace 5268AC router has no "pass through" option. It is widely documented on the web. There are some people who have gotten it to work in a partial pass through with other mesh systems, but I have been unable to get it to work with TP-Link Deco and 3 other single unit routers.

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[stevegon]

@FURRYe38 Thanks, however, this part of the instructions:

Open a browser and go to: http://192.168.1.254

Go to Settings -> LAN -> LAN IP Address Allocation

Scroll down and locate your router in the list of devices on this screen.  It (and all the other devices) will have an IP Address in the 192.168.1.xxx range.

Change the following 2 settings:

      Firewall:    Enabled -> Disabled,     and

      Address Assign: Private from pool: 192.168.1.0 -> Public(select Wan IP mapping)

Save and reboot everything.

Is no longer valid. They must have changed the firmware; the Pace 5268 does not show up in that list of devices at all. At the bottom of the post, it says "I believe this gives the same result as setting "DMZPlus mode"". 'DMZ Plus' is simply no IP Passthrough. It is a poor choice of name, because it doesn't actually put anything on your network in a DMZ. In short, doesn't work.

[FURRYe38]

I believe they are referring to the external connected router, not the Pace in the list. There trying to set up an IP address for the external route on the PACE first.

Well, was a thought. This is something you need to get cleared up with your ISP, if you can get a new modem with IP Pass Thru support or get into a stand alone modem only would be more preferred.

Then once you get this all figured out, a new MESH system should work well. Hopefully.

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@stevegon wrote:

@FURRYe38 Thanks, however, this part of the instructions:

Open a browser and go to: http://192.168.1.254

Go to Settings -> LAN -> LAN IP Address Allocation

Scroll down and locate your router in the list of devices on this screen.  It (and all the other devices) will have an IP Address in the 192.168.1.xxx range.

Change the following 2 settings:

      Firewall:    Enabled -> Disabled,     and

      Address Assign: Private from pool: 192.168.1.0 -> Public(select Wan IP mapping)

Save and reboot everything.

Is no longer valid. They must have changed the firmware; the Pace 5268 does not show up in that list of devices at all. At the bottom of the post, it says "I believe this gives the same result as setting "DMZPlus mode"". 'DMZ Plus' is simply no IP Passthrough. It is a poor choice of name, because it doesn't actually put anything on your network in a DMZ. In short, doesn't work.

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[stevegon]

Sorry my bad. Your are correct...however, a couple of things:

1. I did the equivalent of that with an Airport Extreme and the TP-Link Deco. The AE worked for a few days and then we started having wierd problems. Once I went back to the Pace and put the AE in bridge mode everything worked fine. The TP-Link Deco never worked. It would not connect to the Internet.

2. I just tried to find a router that I have downstream with a single security camera attached, it doesn't even show up on that page of the Pace utility UI (I confirmed I can connect to the 2nd router directly through it's management page).

3. This can't possibly work correctly because you have to "DMZ Plus" to a local IP. But a router is expecting a WAN/Internet IP, so I am not even sure how this would be an option...

[ajb313]

@mpf541 thank you so much for your insight here.  I have an Arris BGW210 AT&T Fiber gateway and I am trying to use my Orbi RBR40 router with 2 RBS40 sats.  I am a SUPER novice with anything related to networking, but if I plug the Orbi router directly into Ethernet port 1, what would be my next steps to use the Orbi Router and satellites to establish the mesh network?  It sounds like this is your exact setup and you have it working flawlessly.  

Thanks for any insight you can give this rookie.