As so many people around the world are reliant upon their home internet to get work done, you are going to want the fastest speeds possible from your AT&T fiber account.
Your wireless speeds are dependent upon several factors, including the speeds you are paying for from AT&T as well as the router that you are using.
But, can you use your own router? It turns out that you can, but you need to know how to use your own router with AT&T fiber before you attempt it.
Why Use Your Own Router With AT&T Fiber
Before we explain how to setup your new router with your AT&T Fiber internet, we are going to go over why you would want to pick your own router.
To begin with, when you have an option between routers, you are naturally going to choose a router that meets your network’s needs. This could mean high speeds, tri-band, or even parental controls.
Using AT&T’s router will never give you all of the options that you want to have from your internet service. Anything from AT&T is going to be generic and not give you all of the choices you deserve.
Setting Up Your Router Step By Step
Now it is time to start setting up your router so you can get going with better wireless options.
1. Pick A Router
Before you can even think about setting up a new router, you need to buy one. You will need a router that is compatible with AT&T Fiber to begin with, and then you should look into all of the features that you might want and expect from the perfect router for you.
2. Locate Your Gateway Login Information
Once you have your new router and are ready to set it up, you will need to find your login information for your gateway. This is a username and password that will have been supplied by AT&T when you signed up.
The gateway login information is how you will be able to access the settings on your gateway to make changes, including setting up a router.
3. Login
After you have located your gateway login information, the next thing to do is to login. Start by opening up your preferred browser on your computer. Type in 192.168.1.254, which is the IP address for your fiber settings.
4. Change The Settings
After you are in the gateway, you will need to locate the settings tab, then LAN>DHCP. You will need to change the range to 172.16.0.0 and save it.
5. Plug It In
Once you have done that, your internet should turn off. This is when you are going to want to plug in your new router. You will need to connect it to your AT&T device as well as to a power outlet. Go ahead and unplug the network cable from your computer and plug it back in as well.
6. Back To The Settings
The next thing to do is to go back to the gateway settings and navigate to the firewall. Select Applications, pinholes, and DMZ. On your screen, you should see your new router as well as the computer that you are currently working on. Select the router and then select the option to “allow all applications (DMZ plus mode).
7. Plug In The Router
Now you will want to plug your computer into the new router and log into the router’s configuration page. The IP address for the new router will depend on the brand of router that you are using, but the most common address is 192.168.1.1.
It could be something else, however, so you should double check with the information that came with the device.
8. Make Sure That You Are Configured Correctly
One the configuration page, you should be able to see your public IP address. If the address is a 172.16, then you know that the router was not configured properly. If this happens, you will need to back track and see if you missed a step.
9. Disable AT&T’s Router
Before you can really get going, you will need to disable the router that you were given by AT&T. You do not need two WiFi routers at the same time and messing with all of your settings.
To disable the AT&T router, you will need to go back into your gateway and locate the “settings” option. Then go to LAN>Wi-Fi and scroll until you find Wi-Fi Interface. Make sure that it says “disabled.” If you have a dual-band router, make sure that you do this for both bands.
Final Words
Remember that once you have set up a third-parry router for your AT&T Fiber service, you cannot call AT&T for service help. Instead, you will need to call the company that made your router.