Is it possible to bypass the AT&T BGW320 ONT/Router combo?

[OffstageRoller]

I'm switching from Spectrum cable to AT&T fiber, and I'd like to bypass the router that AT&T provides.

I know this is possible with the latest release of pfSense:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/recipes/authbridge.html

That guide speaks to the AT&T BGW210 though. That router has a separate ONT that makes the guide above work. But if AT&T gives me the BGW320, that has the ONT combined in that single unit, would I be out of luck bypassing it?

[elvisimprsntr]

@OffstageRoller

Likely not.

Just put the BGW320 in pass through mode and call it a day.

http://www.devonstephens.com/how-to-enable-ip-passthrough-on-att-bgw320-505/

I’ve been running my NVG599 that way for almost a decade without issue.

[AndyRH]

IMO it is not worth the effort. I have done speed tests through pfSense and through the ATT gateway. In both cases I can see I am getting in the high 980's. With the variance of the tests I would guess at most the ATT gateway gets 1 or 2 better.
The only problem I have had is blowing up the state table on the ATT gateway, I have crashed it twice in the last decade. I now have pfSesnse state table set to a slightly lower number than the ATT Gateway.

[OffstageRoller]

Thank you @elvisimprsntr and @AndyRH for the replies.

I'm mostly concerned about the state table issue. Even if you put the router in IP passthrough mode, it still manages states for some reason, and I have a friend that had his AT&T gateway crash on him a couple of times because of that.

The only problem I have had is blowing up the state table on the ATT gateway, I have crashed it twice in the last decade. I now have pfSesnse state table set to a slightly lower number than the ATT Gateway.

That's actually an interesting way that may get around the state table filling up. I'll need to do some research and figure out what the limit is on the various gateway's and I can set a slightly lower limit in pfSense to hopefully avoid that if I can't bypass the device all-together.

[AndyRH]

@OffstageRoller Try this thread:
https://forum.netgate.com/topic/153288/multiple-ipv6-prefix-delegation-over-at-t-residential-gateway-for-pfsense-2-4-5/2

Spoiler:
Pace 5268AC Firmware v11.5.1.532678-att - 15460 states max - Set pfSense to 15000 states
Arris NVG599 - Firmware v9.2.2h0d79 - 4096 states max - Set pfSense to 3500 states
Arris BGW210-700 - Firmware 1.9.16 - 8000 states max - Set pfSense to 7500 states
Motorola NVG589 - Firmware ? - 8192 states max - Set pfSense to 7600 states

[OffstageRoller]

@AndyRH said in Is it possible to bypass the AT&T BGW320 ONT/Router combo?:

@OffstageRoller Try this thread:
https://forum.netgate.com/topic/153288/multiple-ipv6-prefix-delegation-over-at-t-residential-gateway-for-pfsense-2-4-5/2

Spoiler:
Pace 5268AC Firmware v11.5.1.532678-att - 15460 states max - Set pfSense to 15000 states
Arris NVG599 - Firmware v9.2.2h0d79 - 4096 states max - Set pfSense to 3500 states
Arris BGW210-700 - Firmware 1.9.16 - 8000 states max - Set pfSense to 7500 states
Motorola NVG589 - Firmware ? - 8192 states max - Set pfSense to 7600 states

Thank you so much @AndyRH for saving me some time :).

Those state sizes seam really low? I had over 10K states in use, so I cleared my table, but 30 minutes later I'm back up to almost 7K:

Most of those states are internal though... things like mDNS using port 5353 which shouldn't get to the AT&T gateway.

But I'm starting to worry that limiting my state table size may not work with how many states I'm actually using. I have 10 VLANs, so pfSense is busy keeping states between those VLANs and anything with multicast as well.

[elvisimprsntr]

NVG599 state table limitation hasn't been in an issue for me, but then I am not running an enterprise network, Torrent, Tor exit node, or public NTP server.

[OffstageRoller]

Just wanted to provide an update.

The AT&T tech came out this weekend and installed fiber. He was super cool. He was originally going to install a BGW320, but I asked if he had any other devices that had a separate ONT, and he had one more BGW210 so he installed that. I followed the Netgate guide and now have pfSense going directly to the ONT for my WAN. It's been great so far!

[peter.h]

@OffstageRoller Could you post a link to the guide, I am wanting to do this very thing. Thanks!