Using my own modem and router with AT&T Fiber? (August 2020)

AT&T Internet service requires the use of AT&T leased equipment ($10 mnth).

As stated, you can add a router behind the leased gateway but you cannot replace it.  Sorry but you were given erroneous information.

My understanding is that you are required to use the AT&T gateway for their fiber service but you can disable the router portion and use your own router.

The key takeaway from this is never to trust what anyone at AT&T tells you.  It's hard to say if they're deliberately lying or just ignorant but the end result is the same.

There are ways to use your own router without the horrible AT&T gateway in the picture at all but you're still going to have to pay the $10 fee, since you still need their ONT.

Per H.R. 5035 in effect as of December 2020, AT&T can NOT charge you for using your own equipment.  So, *IF* you can find a compatible Fiber "modem" and purchase it, you should be able to return theirs for a $10 discount.  At this point, I do not believe there are any available for sale to comsumers, however, with the passage of this law, Modem/router companies might be inclined to begin selling them.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/5035/text#H9D3FC644679E4CEFB927457B4310C9D3

Dream on.  AT&T is not going to sell you a gateway and no third party is going to build one.  Companies like Netgear need cooperation from the ISP in order to build and be approved as a third party replacement.  There's no reason for AT&T to approve that process.

It's quite amusing that people are so up in arms about the equipment fee.  When AT&T didn't charge for the equipment and offered gig service for $90/mo people were going nuts to sign up.  Now it's $60 + $10 fee and people are spending a lot of time fretting over it, complaining about it and trying to conjure up ways to get around it. 

That is what Xfinity said, and now DOCSIS modems are $50.  Just because you don't mind paying to rent substandard equipment does not mean everyone is.  I had to drop from 802.11AX back to 802.11AC and lost WiFi 6.  Should have done my homework thinking they would at least support current standards.

Because I don't have an equipment fee am I paying to rent AT&T equipment? 

Look, I'm not defending their equipment.  If you look back at my posts I've called their gateways "dumpster fires".

And you're right, you should have done your homework!

1. There's no reason to drop AX support.  You could use DMZ+ or IP Passthrough and keep using your third party router. 

2. If you're in an area that still supports it (most do) then you can click the link in my post from 5 months ago and be completely free of their trash.

3.  You can call AT&T up and see if they'll swap your current gateway for the BGW320 which is an AX gateway and by most reports, has better wifi coverage than its predecessors.

But it seems like you'd just rather come in here and whine about stuff.  I'm sure Xfinity would love to have you back.

I have no idea why some people get so upset when you ask the question about rental vs. purchase. Makes you wonder why they care so much.

@Davenlr  Just ask ATT to swap out the gateway for a BGW320-505. This supports 802.11ax and is a very nice peace of gear. The range of both the 2.4 and 5GHz radios are amazing. Just one of these is providing me excellent coverage for the whole house (2500 sq ft). 

@gdas Thanks for the suggestion

I have run an ethernet cable to the AX router on the other side of the house, and am using it as an access point right now, and it is working quite well.  Will keep in mind the BGW320-505 if I upgrade anything else in the house to AX or WiFi 6.