how to connect orbi mesh router to T-mobile gateway | T-Mobile Community (2024)

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how to connect orbi mesh router to T-mobile gateway | T-Mobile Community (1) +3

  • rockstr

  • Helper Level 2
  • 107 replies
  • 1 year ago 2 September 2022

I have the same router, and when I changed to T-Mobile Home Internet (also from AT&T), I just unplugged the ethernet cable from the AT&T router and plugged it into one of the ethernet jacks on the T-Mo gateway. Then I rebooted the Orbi, and everything worked perfectly.

I had been using the Orbi in router mode, as I was using the AT&T router in bridge mode. The TMHI gateway can’t be used in bridge mode, and I didn’t want another layer of NAT (network address translation) to be added by the Orbi, so I set the Orbi into AP (access point) mode. Some people on the forums reported problems with keeping the Orbi in router mode.

Some months later, I finally had enough of the severely limited configuration allowed by the TMHI gateway, so I put my Orbi back into router mode, but I then enabled IPv6 passthrough on the Orbi. That can sometimes speed up uploads (or, rather, keep the Orbi from slowing down uploads below the TMHI gateway’s normal upload speeds. I did a number of speed tests going through my Orbi and also connecting directly to the wifi on the gateway, and my speeds were virtually identical.

Adding the extra level of NAT is not a problem for me, as I am not a gamer, but if you are a gamer, then that extra level of NAT might negatively affect your gaming. There are other scenarios where the extra NAT might cause problems, so I suggest you try it both ways—AP mode and router mode—and see how they work for you.

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  • Lcr1074

  • First activity
  • 2 replies
  • 1 year ago18 December 2022

Any suggestions for me, I have the orbi rbr50 router and the router cannot find the internet to finish the setup. Any additional configuration I need to do to finished the connection setup?

TIA

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Userlevel 7

how to connect orbi mesh router to T-mobile gateway | T-Mobile Community (4) +8

  • iTinkeralot

  • Pillar
  • 1230 replies
  • 1 year ago18 December 2022

The Orbi startup guide recommends disabling the WI-FI on your modem/gateway prior to connection of the Orbi router to the modem/gateway. They state to use the Ethernet cable to connect the Orbi to the modem/gateway using the yellow internet port on the back of the rbr50. Pretty straightforward process. The Orbi router can be managed via the mobile application OR with a browser. Just for convenience sake I would suggest connecting your laptop or client with an Ethernet cable to one of the three Ethernet ports on the back of the Orbi. With the browser you enter the orbilogin.com address in the URL window at the top of the browser. IF you have already done the initial setup of the Orbi system with another modem and you have not defaulted it to factory defaults you should be able to use your existing administrative login information. When the home page renders then you would select “Internet” to goto the setup options for the internet connection. You need to confirm the setup of the IP address is by DHCP not static as if it was set to static for a prior solution that will now work with the T-Mobile gateway. You can also set the DNS servers OR allow it to obtain the DNS from the T-Mobile gateway and it should be provided 192.168.12.1 for DNS resolution. For the default MAC address I would suggest to just use the default for the Orbi rbr50. Once you have these basic parameters you can then “Apply” them and the basic requirements are met for the connection to the modem/gateway.

ALL the above is in the Orbi Installation Guide which is readily available on the internet so the step by step recommendations are all easy to come by. The key with the T-Mobile gateway you have for turning the wireless off is a little more to consider. This will depend in part on the gateway model you have and the process required to manage the gateway. If you have the Arcadyan or Sagemcon gateway you will need to have the T-Mobile home internet mobile application installed on your phone. If you find there is no option to turn the wireless off then it is time to visit the Nater Tater YouTube video collection, find the video he has done on the respective T-Mobile gateway for the backdoor method to turn the wireless radios off on the gateway. With either one it is not super difficult but does require a little focus. It helps to have some technical expertise but with patience and just a bit of effort it can be done. There are others on the community that have also done this and I am sure you can get more answers and help along the way.

I have seen some users reporting that throughput on the Ethernet port of the T-Mobile gateway can produce very poor throughput result. Since it appears that some of the gateways have Ethernet modules that do not perform very well I suggest connecting a laptop or client with an Ethernet cable at the very beginning, before connecting the Orbi router, to confirm the operation of the Ethernet ports on the gateway. The T-Mobile gateways commonly have a couple of Ethernet ports on the back. You can run a speed test with Speedtest.net or say speed.cloudflare.com or any other internet speed test you may prefer and confirm a baseline of what to expect. The Ethernet ports are supposed to be gigabit capable but the determining factor for throughput is going to be the cellular frequency (signal) between the T-Mobile gateway and the cell tower. If the speed test result is good say triple digit that is a good start. If the speed test only reports single or double digits well confirm the T-Mobile gateway is in the optimal location for its communication to the cellular signals. After you run a speed test with the Ethernet wired connection do the same with the same client on a wireless connection vs using the wired connection. If your wireless connection provides a better response for speed than the Ethernet wired connection that is off to a bad start. That would suggest to me the Ethernet module might not be functioning very well and if that is the case all traffic from the Orbi router would be subject to the poor performance of the Ethernet connection due to the Ethernet connection on the T-Mobile gateway. If that does happen contact T-Mobile support and report the behavior and see if you can get a properly functioning gateway. If the speed testing from say a couple of wired clients is consistent over the Ethernet port and a wire then I would say the common denominator is the T-Mobile gateway Ethernet port. Just a heads up that this might be an issue to be aware of and test before spending a bunch of time with the router to gateway connection with the Ethernet cable.

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  • ShariCooper

  • First activity
  • 1 reply
  • 1 year ago31 March 2023

I have an Orbi CBR40 Cable Modem/Router. Is there a way to use that with the gateway? I called Orbi and they said no because its also a cable modem-anyone have any thoughts if that is true or not

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how to connect orbi mesh router to T-mobile gateway | T-Mobile Community (2024)

FAQs

Does Orbi mesh work with T-Mobile home Internet? ›

Yes. If you have a wifi router then you need to set the network settings to “bridge” mode on your wifi router, then the TM Gateway will spool out IP addresses to your devices. Otherwise, you will have double-NAT issues.

How do I connect my T Mobile Gateway to mesh? ›

Connect the Mesh Access Point to your gateway using the provided ethernet cable. Wait for the LED on your Mesh Access Point to change from flashing green to solid green. This takes a few minutes. Your pairing is now complete.

How do I connect my Orbi to my gateway? ›

Connect the LAN port of your existing modem or gateway to the Internet port of your Orbi router with an Ethernet cable. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to your Orbi network. Enter orbilogin.com or orbilogin.net. A login popup displays.

Can I connect a router to a T-Mobile gateway? ›

Third-party routers can be connected to a T-Mobile gateway using the ethernet port. You will see a Wi-Fi network broadcast by both the gateway and the third-party router. The Wi-Fi network broadcast can be disabled in the T Life app from the Network screen.

How do I connect my Orbi mesh to my modem router? ›

Connect your Orbi router's yellow Internet port to your modem's Ethernet port using the Ethernet cable. Then plug your Orbi router into an outlet using the supplied power adapter. Wait for your Orbi router to start up. The Orbi router's ring LED pulses white during start-up and then becomes solid white.

Does Orbi work with 5G home internet? ›

NETGEAR Orbi™ 5G Tri-Band WiFi 6 Mesh System (NBK752)

The Orbi 5G mesh system brings mobile 5G technology into your home and delivers up to 1 gigabit internet speed. Cover up to 5,000 sq. ft. with blazing-fast, reliable WiFi 6 technology providing speeds of up to 4.2Gbps for up to 40 devices.

How do I connect my mesh to my gateway? ›

Here's how to get a mesh network on your current traditional router:
  1. Make sure your mesh system can support nodes when they are connected to a router. ...
  2. Connect the node that will be the “gateway node” to your router and follow any configuration instructions that your mesh system prompts.

How can I improve my T-Mobile gateway connection? ›

Tips for how to make your T-Mobile Internet faster
  1. Turn off equipment from your previous provider. Before you turn on your gateway and set up your T-Mobile Internet network, turn off any equipment you have from a previous provider to avoid interference.
  2. Test in multiple locations. ...
  3. Move the gateway away from other devices.

Why can't I connect to T-Mobile gateway? ›

Try to refresh the list of available Wi-Fi networks on the device you want to connect to the LTE Wi-Fi Gateway . Switch off the LTE Wi-Fi Gateway and turn it on again using the Power OFF/ON switch. Restart your device or your computer.

Can I connect my Orbi router to another router? ›

The short answer is yes, of course it can. You would need one ORBI base - and one or more ORBI satellites. The ORBI base would be re-configured to be a simple WIFI access point (AP) which would disable DHCP - and then connect this ORBI base via ethernet to your current WIFI or other router.

Does Orbi need to be connected directly to modem? ›

All Orbi mesh networks must begin with a primary device or router. This primary device is made to connect to your Internet Provider's modem. Netgear also makes a cable modem/router which replaces your Internet Provider's modem altogether and also acts as your primary Orbi device.

Why won t my Orbi connect to the internet? ›

Start by checking hardware connections, restarting the router, and examining LED indicators. If these steps don't yield results, verify your internet connection and update your router's firmware. If all else fails, don't hesitate to contact Orbi's customer support for expert assistance.

What router works best with a T-Mobile gateway? ›

All in all, if you're on a budget, the TP-Link Archer AX55 is the best affordable T-Mobile home internet router.

Is the T-Mobile gateway a dual band router? ›

Your LTE Wi-Fi Gateway is dual-band and uses two frequencies (2.4GHz & 5GHz) for better wireless performance.

How many devices can connect to T-Mobile Home internet gateway? ›

How many devices can connect to T-Mobile Home Internet? T-Mobile's internet gateway can connect up to 64 devices to your T-Mobile home internet connection.

Does Orbi work with any Internet provider? ›

Orbi works with any internet provider.

There's no need to worry about compatibility. Simply plug Orbi into your current modem and you'll be enjoying whole-home WiFi in a few easy steps.

Does T-Mobile Home internet work with Eero? ›

The eero will not extend the T-Mobile wifi network. What you do is plug one eero into your modem/internet source via ethernet cable, that eero will become head/Gateway eero and create its own wifi network. Other eero can connect to that gateway eero (wired or wirelessly) and extend the network.

Can I use Google mesh with T-Mobile internet? ›

Yes! The best placement for Mesh is halfway between your gateway and the area in the house with the weakest Wi-Fi signal. The T Life app will provide a placement recommendation to ensure you have the best signal.

Can you use mesh WiFi with 5G? ›

With a mesh network, the two networks are combined by supporting both 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies, referred to as a dual-band. You only need to connect to one, but they will continue to function as two separate networks in the background.

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