Ideal setup for BGW320 and some asus routers

[topmepp12]

Hi there, will moving to a new location witch has ATT instead of VZ fios which I've had for the past few years. VZ allowed me to connect my own router, which ATT will not (from my reading).

My new location does not have any ethernet jacks in the walls, so everything will need to be wireless about 2,000 SF. These are the gear that I currently have:

• New (GT-AXE11000) - Wifi 6E
• Older (RT-AX88U) - Wifi 6 only
• ATT supplied BGW320

With what I have here what is my ideal set-up? From what I've read, I can put my wifi 6e router in bridge mode, and plug it in via ethernet into the BGW320, and then set up my older wifi 6 only router as AI mesh?

Would this set-up give me better coverage, while still allowing me access to the 6hz spectrum from my newer 6E router? Please let me know if there is a better way to do this. I'm not very well versed in this field.

Thank you!

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi there, will moving to a new location witch has ATT instead of VZ fios which I've had for the past few years. VZ allowed me to connect my own router, which ATT will not (from my reading).

My new location does not have any ethernet jacks in the walls, so everything will need to be wireless about 2,000 SF. These are the gear that I currently have:

• New (GT-AXE11000) - Wifi 6E
• Older (RT-AX88U) - Wifi 6 only
• ATT supplied BGW320

With what I have here what is my ideal set-up? From what I've read, I can put my wifi 6e router in bridge mode, and plug it in via ethernet into the BGW320, and then set up my older wifi 6 only router as AI mesh?

Would this set-up give me better coverage, while still allowing me access to the 6hz spectrum from my newer 6E router? Please let me know if there is a better way to do this. I'm not very well versed in this field.

Thank you!

A quick look online suggests you must use the ATT BGW320 gateway and that it can not be bridged but can be configured for IP Passthrough to a single device like your own router. Someone else will have to confirm if IP Passthrough means the gateway router/firewall/WiFi are disabled/bypassed so as to not interfere with your network. You will want the gateway WiFi disabled to not interfere with your WiFi.

Assuming the above, you would then wire your AiMesh router (GT-AXE11000) WAN to the gateway (perhaps to a specific passthrough port?), reset its firmware, and configure it to be your WiFi router/AiMesh root node. If you need more WiFi coverage, add your second reset AiMesh router (RT-AX88U) to that configuration as a wireless AiMesh node.

ATT <fiber> ATT BGW320 in IP Passthrough Mode <wire> GT-AXE11000 in default AiMesh Router Mode <wireless> RT-AX88U AiMesh node

The root node will have the functions of the GT-AXE11000; those WLANs supported by the RT-AX88U will sync to that node.

I would review threads on this forum to discover more about your ASUS equipment. I recall the GT-AXE11000 has been troublesome. If so, set it aside and use the AX88U to get a network up sooner than later... and perhaps relegate the GT-AXE11000 to node duty, if required... don't add more WiFi than you need.

The basic network/AiMesh concepts are similar no matter the equipment used. My install notes may offer some helpful clues.

OE

 

[topmepp12]

A quick look online suggests you must use the ATT BGW320 gateway and that it can not be bridged but can be configured for IP Passthrough to a single device like your own router. Someone else will have to confirm if IP Passthrough means the gateway router/firewall/WiFi are disabled/bypassed so as to not interfere with your network. You will want the gateway WiFi disabled to not interfere with your WiFi.

Assuming the above, you would then wire your AiMesh router (GT-AXE11000) WAN to the gateway (perhaps to a specific passthrough port?), reset its firmware, and configure it to be your WiFi router/AiMesh root node. If you need more WiFi coverage, add your second reset AiMesh router (RT-AX88U) to that configuration as a wireless AiMesh node.

ATT <fiber> ATT BGW320 in IP Passthrough Mode <wire> GT-AXE11000 in default AiMesh Router Mode <wireless> RT-AX88U AiMesh node

The root node will have the functions of the GT-AXE11000; those WLANs supported by the RT-AX88U will sync to that node.

I would review threads on this forum to discover more about your ASUS equipment. I recall the GT-AXE11000 has been troublesome. If so, set it aside and use the AX88U to get a network up sooner than later... and perhaps relegate the GT-AXE11000 to node duty, if required... don't add more WiFi than you need.

The basic network/AiMesh concepts are similar no matter the equipment used. My install notes may offer some helpful clues.

OE

Thanks for the response and for the detailed explanation. I realized that I may have mixed up some of what was possible with the BGW320, and the 310, which is no longer widely used for new installs.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thanks for the response and for the detailed explanation. I realized that I may have mixed up some of what was possible with the BGW320, and the 310, which is no longer widely used for new installs.

I am interested in learning what you determine trying to use your own network with ATT. I may need to do the same someday, either for myself or others. So, let us know how it goes once you dive in and figure out the details of their 'restricted' gateway. And someone else here may chime in with direct ATT experience.

OE

 

[sfx2000]

ATT BGW320 gateway and that it can not be bridged but can be configured for IP Passthrough to a single device like your own router. Someone else will have to confirm if IP Passthrough means the gateway router/firewall/WiFi are disabled/bypassed so as to not interfere with your network. You will want the gateway WiFi disabled to not interfere with your WiFi.

ATT won't bridge the BGW320 ONT, they do, IIRC, offer their Smart DMZ feature, where one can place their own router...

If the BWG320 is also doing dialtone (POTS line), then bridging it is definitely out of the question...