Does Netgear Nighthawk Work With AT&T? Step by Step (2023)

Although AT&T is your Internet service provider, it does not mean you have to put up with the subpar performance and speeds that come with their gear. A high-speed router such as the Netgear Nighthawk would be a better choice for accessing the internet.

When it comes to Xfinity, Nighthawk works well, but what about AT&T customers? “Can I replace the AT&T modem with my own?” is a common question. You’ve come to the right site if you’re looking for.”

AT&T Fiber and AT&T U-Verse are compatible with the Netgear Nighthawk. AT&T Gateway’s firewall settings enable DMZplus or IP Passthrough for the Netgear Nighthawk Router. Connect the AT&T Gateway to the Nighthawk’s WAN port to begin using the internet.

In this essay, I go into further depth. The merits and downsides of utilizing a Netgear Nighthawk instead of an AT&T gateway have also been explored in this guide.

How to Set up Netgear Nighthawk Router with AT&T Internet?

Set up Netgear Nighthawk Router with ATT Internet

Step 1: Log in to your AT&T Gateway

Type 192.168.1.254 into your computer’s address bar to access the AT&T modem settings. If you forget your login credentials, they should be recorded on the gateway.

Keep in mind that your computer must be linked to the AT&T Gateway through WiFi or ethernet cable in order to use the service.

Step 2: Connect Your Netgear Nighthawk to the AT&T Gateway Using an Ethernet Cable

Connect the AT&T Gateway’s LAN port to the WAN port on your Netgear Nighthawk using an Ethernet wire.

For the following phase, it’s critical to have this information.

Step 3: Enable DMZplus or IP Passthrough on the AT&T Gateway

The gateway settings you have will be determined by whether or not you have an Arris or a PACE modem. In the gateway’s settings, go to Firewall and turn it on.

Choose your Netgear Nighthawk under Applications, pinholes, and DMZ from the list of devices connected to the internet for Pace gateways. It should be the only one on the list that requires a wired connection. DMZplus mode may be enabled for all programs after choosing the Nighthawk.

IP Passthrough must be enabled for Arris BGW gateways. Under Firewall, you’ll also see this option. You will now be asked to input your device’s access code.

Your modem must have this printed on it. Select DHCP Fixed and then click on your Netgear Nighthawk router once you’ve entered your access code.

To activate IP Passthrough, save your settings. With this step, your gateway will be “bridged,” which will allow it to just serve as a modem rather than a WiFi router.

Remember that IP Passthrough and DMZplus, although comparable to a bridge mode, are not identical.

Step 4: Disable WiFi on the AT&T Gateway

Navigate to the gateway’s WiFi settings and turn off both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi networks, respectively. This will guarantee that the WiFi signals from the Nighthawk and the Gateway do not interfere with one other.

Step 5: Restart All Devices

This is critical since the updated settings won’t take effect until you restart your computer.

Step 6: Personalize Your Netgear Nighthawk Network

Take a look at this guide to learn how to connect your smartphone or tablet wirelessly with your Netgear Nighthawk router. Your network’s SSID and password must be put on the Nighthawk router.

It’s important to remember that if you change your SSID or password, you’ll have to re-connect all of your devices to the new network. Attempt a hard reset of your Nighthawk router if you can still connect to the internet after following the above procedures.

You may still use the same SSID and password if you switch to the new WiFi network.

What are the Advantages of Using Netgear Nighthawk Router Instead of AT&T Gateway?

Internet Speed & Performance

High-performance wireless router Netgear Nighthawk delivers high-speed fast internet. Even when you have a high-speed internet subscription, AT&T Internet may still be sluggish.

For avid gamers, Netgear’s MU-MIMO technology improves the quality of your gameplay.

Coverage and connectivity:

The Netgear Nighthawk beats out the ATT Gateway by a wide margin when it comes to coverage and connection.

After installing the Netgear Nighthawk, there are considerably fewer WiFi dead spots in my home.

Better Security & More Control:

Netgear supports the WPA2 wireless security protocols and provides features such as guest WiFi access, denial of service (DoS), a firewall, and a virtual private network (VPN). Users may also benefit from Netgear Armor’s security against online dangers, which includes providing them with the best in class antivirus, anti-malware, and data protection software on the market.

What are the Disadvantages of Using Netgear Nighthawk Router Instead of AT&T Gateway?

The Netgear Router may be held responsible if you have any internet connectivity issues and contact AT&T customer service for assistance with the situation. However, since both companies provide a large number of support services, it is not difficult to resolve the situation.

Multiple gadgets will take up more space and need the use of more power outlets.

How to Add More LAN Ports to your Netgear Nighthawk Router

I usually advise purchasing extra gigabit ethernet switches when putting up a router. If you’re a gamer or rely on the internet for business, you may need to have wired connections for several of your gadgets.

The best way to expand your Nighthawk router’s LAN ports is to purchase a gigabit Ethernet switch from Amazon.

Final Thoughts

After looking for a long time and coming up with nothing, I decided to write this tutorial to help others make the same mistakes I did. Following these instructions, I hope you can connect your Nighthawk to ATT with no difficulty at all.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Best Seller List of NetGear Routers:

SaleBestseller No. 1
NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6 Router (R6700AX) AX1800 1.8Gbps Wireless Speed – Dual-Band Gigabit...
  • Coverage up to 1,500 sq. ft. for 20 devices.
  • Fast AX1800 Gigabit speed with WiFi 6 technology for uninterrupted streaming, HD video gaming, and web conferencing
  • Connects to your existing cable modem and replaces your WiFi router. Compatible with any internet service provider up to 1Gbps including cable, satellite, fiber, and DSL
  • Plug in computers, game consoles, streaming players, and more with 4 x 1G Ethernet ports
  • NETGEAR Armor software provides an automatic shield of security for your WiFi and connected devices for real-time protection against hackers and added privacy with VPN. 30-day trial included
SaleBestseller No. 2
NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6 Router (RAX54S) AX5400 5.4Gbps Wireless Speed – Dual-Band Gigabit Router...
  • Coverage up to 2,500 sq. ft. for up to 25 devices
  • Fast AX5400 Gigabit speed with WiFi 6 technology for uninterrupted streaming, HD video gaming, and web conferencing
  • Connects to your existing cable modem and replaces your WiFi router. Compatible with any internet service provider up to 1Gbps including cable, satellite, fiber, and DSL
  • 4 x 1 Gig Ethernet ports and 1 USB 3.0 port for computers, game consoles, streaming players, storage drive, and other wired devices
  • NETGEAR Armor software provides an automatic shield of security for your WiFi and connected devices for real-time protection against hackers and added privacy with VPN. 1-year subscription included
SaleBestseller No. 3
NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6 Router (RAX43) AX4200 4.2Gbps Wireless Speed – Dual-Band Gigabit Internet...
  • Coverage up to 2,000 sq. ft. for up to 25 devices
  • Fast AX4200 Gigabit speed with WiFi 6 technology for uninterrupted streaming, HD video gaming, and web conferencing
  • Connects to your existing cable modem and replaces your WiFi router. Compatible with any internet service provider up to 1Gbps including cable, satellite, fiber, and DSL
  • Plug in computers, game consoles, streaming players, and more with 4 x 1G Ethernet ports
  • NETGEAR Armor software provides an automatic shield of security for your WiFi and connected devices for real-time protection against hackers and added privacy with VPN. 30-day trial included
SaleBestseller No. 4
NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 7 Router (RS300) BE9300 9.3Gbps Wireless Speed – 2.5Gb Internet Port –...
  • Blazing-fast WiFi 7 speeds up to 9.3Gbps for gaming, smooth streaming, video conferencing and entertainment
  • WiFi 7 delivers 2.4x faster speeds than WiFi 6 to maximize performance across all devices
  • Sleek new body with smaller footprint and high-performance antennas for up to 2,500 sq. ft. of WiFi coverage
  • 2.5 Gig internet port enables multi-gig speeds with the latest cable or fiber internet service plans
  • 2 x 2.5 Gig and 2 x 1 Gig Ethernet LAN ports for fast wired connections
SaleBestseller No. 5
NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6E Router (RAXE300) AXE7800 7.8Gbps Wireless Speed – 2.5Gb Internet Port...
  • 6GHz WiFi band dedicated to WiFi 6E devices including Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. Enjoy 4K/8K video streaming, AR/VR gaming and HD videoconferencing
  • Powerful 1.7GHz quad-core processor gives you exceptional 7.8Gbps WiFi speed, 6.5x faster than WiFi 5. Backward compatible for all WiFi devices on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands
  • Coverage up to 2,500 sq. ft. and 40 devices
  • Replace your existing WiFi Router (separate modem or modem router required). Compatible with any Internet Service Provider plan up to 1 Gigabit including cable, satellite, fiber, DSL and more
  • 4 x 1G and 1 x 2.5G Ethernet ports for computers, game consoles, streaming players and other wired devices
SaleBestseller No. 6
TP-Link AX1800 WiFi 6 Router V4 (Archer AX21) – Dual Band Wireless Internet Router, Gigabit...
  • VPN Server: Archer AX21 V4 Supports both Open VPN Server and PPTP VPN Server
  • Dual-Band WiFi 6 Internet Router: Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax) technology achieves faster speeds, greater capacity and reduced network congestion compared to the previous generation
  • Next-Gen 1.8 Gbps Speeds: Enjoy smoother and more stable streaming, gaming, downloading and more with WiFi speeds up to 1.8 Gbps (1200 Mbps on 5 GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz band)
  • Connect more devices: Wi-Fi 6 technology communicates more data to more devices simultaneously using revolutionary OFDMA technology
  • Extensive Coverage: Achieve the strong, reliable WiFi coverage with Archer AX1800 as it focuses signal strength to your devices far away using Beamforming technology, 4 high-gain antennas and an advanced front-end module (FEM) chipset
Bestseller No. 7
NETGEAR Nighthawk 5-Stream AX5 WiFi 6 Router (RAX43) AX4200 Wireless Speed (Up to 4.2 Gbps) | 2,000...
  • Super-Fast Modem: Experience smooth gaming, UHD video streaming, and faster file transfers with speeds up to 574MBPS plus 3603MBPS with the NETGEAR Nighthawk AX2400 5-Stream Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router
  • Wi-Fi 6: With 4x more capacity, a 40 percent increase in data throughput, and 100 percent backwards compatibility, Wi-Fi 6 is the network to opt for
  • Nighthawk App: Set up and control your entire Wi-Fi network from the palm of your hand with the Nighthawk App
  • Processor: The powerful 1.5GHz triple-core processor is built for smooth 4K UHD streaming to Smart TVs, mobile devices, and gaming consoles
  • NETGEAR Armor: NETGEAR Armor keeps your family and your connected devices safe with an automatic shield of protection for your network to stop hackers, password thieves, ransomware, and brute force attacks
SaleBestseller No. 8
NETGEAR RAX10-100NAR 4-Stream AX1800 Dual-Band WiFi 6 Router - Certified Refurbished
SaleBestseller No. 9
NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6 Router (RAX120) 12-Stream Dual-Band Gigabit Router, AX6000 Wireless Speed...
  • UNLEASH FASTER SPEED, EVEN MORE POWER: Optimal for devices built to support WiFi 6: Playstation 5, iPhone 11 & 12, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 13 & Mac Mini, Ultra Notebooks, Samsung S10 & S20.
  • WIFI 6 – STREAM EVERYTHING AT FASTER SPEED: Simultaneously stream uninterrupted movies, games, video calls or download/transfer files at 6 Gbps WiFi speed.
  • WORKS WITH ALL INTERNET PROVIDERS: Replace your existing WiFi Router (separate modem or gateway required). Compatible with any Internet Service Provider up to 2Gbps including cable, satellite, fiber, DSL and more.
  • EASY TO SET-UP AND MANAGE: Connects to your existing cable modem and sets up & customizes in minutes with the Nighthawk app – easily manage WiFi settings at the device and network level, test your Internet speed, view speed history & monitor data usage.
  • USB CONNECTIONS: Share a storage drive with any connected device and create a personal cloud storage to access from anywhere using the 2 x 3.0 USB ports.
SaleBestseller No. 10
TP-Link AX3000 WiFi 6 Router – 802.11ax Wireless Router, Gigabit, Dual Band Internet Router, VPN...
  • Next-Gen Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Speeds: 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz bands ensure smoother streaming and faster downloads; support VPN server and VPN client¹
  • A More Responsive Experience: Enjoy smooth gaming, video streaming, and live feeds simultaneously. OFDMA makes your Wi-Fi stronger by allowing multiple clients to share one band at the same time, cutting latency and jitter.²
  • Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage: 4 high-gain external antennas and Beamforming technology combine to extend strong, reliable, Wi-Fi throughout your home.
  • Improved Battery Life: Target Wake Time helps your devices to communicate efficiently while consuming less power.
  • Improved Cooling Design: No heat ups, no throttles. A larger heat sink and redefined case design cools the WiFi 6 system and enables your network to stay at top speeds in more versatile environments.

FAQs:

Question

Can you use any router with AT&T?

Most third-party routers on the market may be used with AT&T’s integrated gateway modem by simply switching it to bridge mode.

Does AT&T charge for a router?

For modems and wireless gateways, AT&T costs $75 and $100, respectively.

How can I avoid the AT&T installation fee?

Make use of AT&T Smart chat to get a $99 discount on your first bill. Alternatively, you may visit an AT&T shop to complete the process. If the “self-install” option is available, you will be notified by a team member.

Last update on 2024-11-06

Lance Ulanoff is a renowned tech journalist, commentator, and on-air expert with over 36 years of experience. He has held esteemed positions including Editor in Chief of Lifewire and Mashable, where he delved into the impact of technology on daily life. Lance's expertise has been featured on major news programs globally, and he has made appearances on Fox News, CNBC, and the BBC.