As fiber Internet service Provider continues to be rolled out across towns people who are changing from their current internet service provider to fiber optic service provider always ask if they can continue using the router that they had before. The short answer is maybe but only if it is done with the proper motivation, goal, and a clear understanding of the impact it may have on the health of the employees. Here is a deeper perspective into the question of whether you can continue using your current router for fiber internet.
Fiber Optic Internet is one of the most popular broadband connections today, and it connects homes to the internet through fiber optic cables.
Now let’s dig into the difference between fiber internet and the rest or cable or dsl type connections before delving into routers. Fiber optic internet sends signals using light around thin fibers made of glass or plastic. It has a faster speed, low latency and higher reliability when compared to the copper wire transmission system.
From your provider’s hub, fiber optic cables lead up to a small box fitted either indoors or outside your home. This box is known as the Optical Network Terminal or simply ONT in short. The ONT translates the light signals into electrical signals and provides ethernet ports for the connected devices through ethernet cables or coaxial cables.
Therefore, to sum up, the ONT can be considered as a modem and router in one if it comes to utilizing fiber internet. Internet traffic enters the ONT box and then flows into the home network.
You may want to know if you can use your existing router with Fiber; the answer is, in most cases, yes you can.
Upon subscribing to fiber optic internet service, your service provider will usually place an ONT/router combination device for your home and prefer that you use it as your main router. However, if you do not wish to do that then you can continue using your normal WiFi router. There are a couple of ways you can incorporate your old router:There are a couple of ways you can incorporate your old router:
1. Have your existing router situated behind the fiber router
The simplest configuration is to have your existing router connected to the fiber router/ONT offered by the internet service provider. They may likely configure the new ONT router as the new main router through which the fiber optic connection will pass through. However, if you want to keep using the old router deeper inside your home network, connect the WAN port of the old router to one of the fiber router’s LAN ports.
This lets you retain some functionalities of the old router like WiFi, parental control, and other functions while utilizing the essential fibre modem/router hardware provided by your service provider. Think of it as your fiber router serving as the gateway and your current router acting as an additionalakis on your Local Area Network (LAN).
So, you will still be able to configure main/root admin settings, WiFi bands, priorities, and other settings through the software of the old router. Just note that placing routers behind one another can have an effect of Double NAT occasionally in some instances.
2. To integrate the existing network, the router has to be used in the bridge mode.
Another option if your present router supports this, it can be configured to operate as a “bridge” where your new modem router is connected to the old router’s Ethernet port. Bridge mode works by disabling routing capabilities of a device and thereby functioning only as a modem. This then enables you to use all the router features of your second more existing router instead Thus, you get a new router with all the features to your existing router.
For this, you would follow the instructions from the ONT/fiber modem router combo unit to set it into bridge mode. This takes the fiber connection right through to your own router’s WAN port, if needed. Your old router, then, provides all the principal routing services such as DHCP, port management, WiFi networks, parental controls, etc.
The advantage of this method is you get to make use of all the features that come with the existing router. However, you should remember that the removal of the bridge in the fiber modem deactivates some of the parameters. However, this option can only be implemented if the current router has a setting that enables bridge mode from its firmware settings interface. There is also the possibility of getting confused when setting it up as some of the settings can prove to be rather difficult.
I’ve been getting support for my existing router with these companies for quite a while now.
From the above methods, the least likely to cause much inconvenience to most home users is the first method, which states, place your existing router behind the new fiber one. This normally allows connectivity without much of a problem. But If you do want to incorporate your old router more directly, be prepared for some potential hurdles:But If you do want to incorporate your old router more directly, be prepared for some potential hurdles:
- - This is particularly so because your current router firmware/hardware could prove to be incompatible with fiber connections. It probably was developed mostly for cable or DSL service. Thus, it’s always possible that the features were not completely implemented or available in a limited capacity.
- - The help that fiber internet providers usually give in the setup process most probably only applies to the equipment they offered to you. Thus, they cannot assist with troubleshooting or setting up questions related to the existing router that you own.
- - If bridge mode is enabled incorrectly, it can cause issues with the service. For the uninitiated, it is best to leave this process alone if you are not comfortable with modifying settings on the router.
- - Some routers are traditional and do not support fiber internet traffic and settings that would be needed for optimal performance.
Therefore, although it is mostly possible to use your existing router with fiber internet, routers for fiber optic internet delivered by most providers are less complicated. That being said, if you are willing to undertake a custom setup with your old router then you are in for some experimentation before everything works as it should. It is suggested that you check your router model before time in particular with fiber internet .
Provided your existing router has suitable hardware that supports the requisite standards and you are willing to spend a good amount of time tweaking settings, you can easily integrate your existing router in most cases. It just means that you have to consider whether it is worth the potential of adding more complexity in order to use the option given by the provider. Discuss your router’s suitability and maybe consult with customer service before signing up for fiber internet to ask if they have directions based on your model.
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