AT&T Uverse gateway with Apple Airport Extreme?

OPTION 1 - Set Up AE As My Only Router

Continue to use the 2WIRE225 gateway as the modem, but turn off its ability to be a router. Run an ethernet cable from a LAN port on the gateway into the WAN port on the AE. Now the AE will be the only working router in the house. (I know I have to make configuration changes on the gateway and on the AE, but I won't go into that here.)

In order to do this, the 2Wire gateway would need to have an option to be configured to operate as a modem only. I don't have a 3801 here at this time to check, but I do not recall seeing this type of setup option on the device.

If this is possible, and you want the AirPort to operate as the router for the network delivering DHCP and NAT services, then the 3801 would need to be configured as a modem only.

Even if this might be possible, it would be a good idea to check with ATT first, to make sure that they will support this type of setup in the event of connection difficulties.

OPTION 2: Use 2WIRE225 As My Cabled Router, Use AE As My Wirelss Router

Continue to use the 2WIRE225 gateway as the modem, and disable only its wireless capability. As above, run an ethernet cable from a LAN port on the gateway into the WAN port on the AE. Now, the 2WIRE225 is still acting as the router for devices that are cabled into the gateway LAN ports, but the AE is acting as the router for all devices that connect wirelessly.

If the 2Wire is used as a router, with the wireless capability turned off......then you would NOT want to also configure the AirPort as a router. If you did this, you would have two routers both trying to run the same network. You only want one device to act as the router on a network

With two devices both trying to be the router and providing DHCP IP addresses for devices, there are likely going to be IP address conflicts on the network. And, since both routers deliver NAT services, you will create what is known as Double NAT error on the network. Not good, since that can create any number of unpredictable problems on a network.

The solution is configure the AirPort to operate in Bridge Mode. Then the 2Wire will act as the router for the entire network and the AirPort will act as a wireless access point to provide wireless service. In Bridge Mode, the AirPort simply passes through the connection information that it receives from the 2Wire to connected devices.

AirPort Utility, the setup application for the AirPort will detect that there is another router on the network during the setup process, and automatically configure the AirPort to operate in Bridge Mode, so this is a setting that you will not need to worry about. AirPort Utility will walk you through the setup and configure the AirPort correctly to work with the 2Wire.

This is the simplest setup when you already have a gateway and you want to add an AirPort device to the network.

So if I install the AE as a bridge to the 2WIRE225 gateway, the 2WIRE225 still will be my one-and-only router, and wireless devices will connect via the AE.

That is correct. Wired Ethernet devices....if you plan to set them up on the network....could then connect to either the 2Wire or the AirPort.

I guess the other option is to completely disable the 2WIRE225 as a router, and to use the AE as my one-and-only router, connecting both cables and wireless devices to the AE. Does this latter option, using AE as my only router, offer any advantages?

Sorry, not sure that I follow this. The AirPort does not have a modem on board, so you will need to use the 2Wire device no matter what to provide that function. So, we are back to the question in Option 1 above of trying to determine whether it is even possible to configure the 2Wire device to operate only as a modem.

I would be surprised if this were the case....since most ISPs limit the functions of the gateways that they provide to their customer.....and even more surprised if ATT offered to help you with this and support the installation....but I may be wrong.

Please talk with ATT regarding:

1) Is it possible to configure the 2Wire to function as a modem only

2) If it is possible, how can this be accomplished

3) Will ATT support this type of setup

There is really no point in trying to discuss the upsides and downsides of setting up the AirPort as the network router until we know whether that might be possible. It all depends on the 2Wire and ATT.

Option 3 might be to ask ATT if they can provide you with a simple modem......not a modem/router or gateway. That would allow the AirPort to be configured as the router for your network.

Please see edit above about Option 3.

Bob, I have followed many of your thoughtful replies regarding issues connecting Airport Extremes and other devices to UVerse Gateways. Could you comment on the latest thread Re: Airport Extreme & AT&T U-Verse

The thread starts with Bob Carlson from September 2014, and I updated today (May 26, 2015). I am too much of a lay person to understand exactly what I've done, but I now have two wireless networks in my home (a 2Wire network and an Apple Network set up by my Apple Extreme). I would like to understand what I have done, and what it actually means if I turn off the RG wireless radio. I always thought you had to use the AEs as bridges because you would then have conflicting routers.

Anyway will look forward to a reply at some point. thank you.

I replied to your thread.