Wireless Gateway vs. Wireless Router

[geedeearr]

Hi All,
A friend is about to get an AT&T dsl connection. They told her she needed an AT&T Wireless Gateway, but I'm thinking that a wireless router, such as Linksys' WRT54G series, would do the same thing.
So, am I correct?...do I need more info?
Thank you.

[StuartR]

My guess is that their Wireless Gateway includes some connectivity back to their network, maybe ADSL or Cable or some other type of connection.

[June Bug]

Take it from an old retired DSL Service Tech with the Phone Company. All they're trying to do is sell/rent you more equipment which is more $$$ for them. If the wireless gateway is the same price as the modem alone, go for it. Otherwise, get the modem from them and buy a router. Most likely the router will pay for itself in about a year with the savings.

JB

[geedeearr]

Thanks Stuart; JB
I'm just going by my experience here at home....I know I did have to have a modem when I first got DSL. In the past 2 years, the phone company upgraded all its' lines to fiber. Since then, I haven't needed a modem and I plug directly into my Linksys WRTG54.
So I guess I need to ask as to whether or not she needs a modem.

[StuartR]

...I know I did have to have a modem when I first got DSL...

DSL requires a modem to decode the signal, many devices include both a DSL modem and a router.

[BobH]

Sounds to me like AT&T has branded equipment that they named "Wireless Gateways" which have circuits built into one unit that does the modem function and the wireless function. There are wireless routers available that will do that which you can purchase instead of paying forever for the AT&T box. Of course, if the AT&T box fails, they will replace it (or should) without charge. You're on your own if you purchase a box from some place else.

My preference is to provide my own equipment, but that is sometimes not possible as the signal provider sometimes provides proprietary technology. CATV set top boxes are a case in point. In fact, some (maybe even all) jurisdictions make it illegal to use equipment other than the signal provider's.

I have no experience of fiber optic cables to my home. I don't know if it is possible to purchase your own signal processor and wireless transmitter.

Please post back here when you find out what the options and limitations are. I'm sure that others will and to know, too.

[TexMex]

I have AT&T DSL here in Ft. Worth, Texas.
I spent about a day a month for about 15 months trying to get decent speeds with a Motorola modem--sometimes okay--sometimes impossibly slow.
After I threatened to change internet to another provider--three possible in the area--they sent a tech out with a Westell Modem to replace the Motorola and everything has been great.
(They had previously replaced the Motorola 3 times--but always with the same Motorola.)
I too like the idea of separate equipment, and my ASUS router does a great job.

[geedeearr]

Hi All,
Thanks for the replies and sorry I've been away.
I've seen some good things written, but mostly bad, about the AT&T wireless gateway. That, along with a change in isp (the name escapes me right now, but the change came about when some other charges/fees were mentioned by AT&T that had not been mentioned to her before) which will allow her to use her own equipment, pushed us to decide to use discrete units of our own: i.e. a modem and a Linksys-type wireless router.

Earlier I was a bit confused as to the necessity of the modem, because when the phone company here in my town upgraded to fiber, I didn't get a replacement modem....I connect directly from the "phone" outlet into my Linksys router. What I didn't know was that they do install a modem, along with the battery backup for the fiber transmission, in a junction box, then run the cabling. So I do have a modem, it's just hidden really well.
Thanks again.

[BobH]

Thanks for the post, Gary!

I was wondering how you were getting a signal to the router without some telecomms on the end of that fiber cable.