Is the AT&T fiber box a modem?
Although it is not a modem, the piece of gear you get when registering for AT&T fiber internet looks much like a modem and operates similarly. The fiber box is explained here along with its workings:
What is the AT&T Fiber Box?
Optical Network Terminal (ONT), a fiber box of AT&T, is the apparatus placed for AT&T Fiber internet service. An ONT converts fiber optic impulses into ethernet and sometimes coaxial to provide internet in your house or company.
Some of the key things to know about the AT&T fiber box: Some of the key things to know about the AT&T fiber box:
- It works by connecting it to an electric socket just like a modem operation. That is equipped with a backup battery inside to continue operating for a few of hours under power failure.
- It has fiber optic cable coming into it from outside to connect with the AT&T fiber network. This is the place where the fiber signal is translated to ethernet.
- It typically offers 1–4 Ethernet ports for connecting devices to the Internet. Some newer models may also include a coax connection for TV services as well.
- It does not function like a modem in the traditional sense by routing or performing NAT functions. It is one of those devices that can merely convert the media between different types.
Why the AT&T Fiber Box is Not Technically a Modem
Although the AT&T fiber box connects your house or business to the internet, it is not technically regarded as a modem since, although serving a similar function to a modem, it is not technically considered as such due to:
- It does not encode/decode signals itself. A modem encodes digital information to analog to send over existing structures such as telephone and cable. Fiber networks already use light signals to transmit data through fiber optic cables rather than analog wave signals.
- It does not perform routing or NAT, which is an abbreviation for Network Address Translation. A modem configures local IP addresses and transmits data between the local network and the Internet service provider. There is no IP routing logic processing in the fiber box.
- Modems are by and large responsible for changing signal formats from one media category to another, such as digital to analog. The fiber box transmits signals in the form of ethernet but it does not switch between the two modems in the conventional usage of the term.
So in technical terms, the ONT is simply a media converter, which demultiplexes the optical fiber signal into ethernet. It does not have enough smarts to be considered a true modem.
Is It Necessary To Have a Router with the AT&T Fiber Box?
You need a router connected to the AT&T fiber box to gain full residential or business internet access as the fiber box does not handle any internal routing or NAT: You need a router linked to the AT&T fiber box to gain complete home or business internet access; it does not handle any internal routing or NAT.
- Plug the fiber box into a WiFi router via an ethernet cable. This offers routing, wireless internet connectivity, DHCP for assigning IP addresses to connected devices, firewall protection, and all other aspects of a home or office router.
- For internet connectivity, the router is more or less the command center while the fiber box is just a converter from optic signal to ethernet.
- This means that you do not have to rent the AT&T router/gateway; you can use your 3rd party router. All you have to do is plug the WAN port of your router into the ethernet of the fiber box.
About the fiber modem, AT&T occasionally refers to it as the all-in-one router/WiFi gateway unit. However, from a technical standpoint, only the built-in router part is a modem. This I believe is true because the fiber box is still a media converter, not a modem.
Conclusion
In conclusion - although the AT&T fiber ONT has connectivity capabilities similar to a modem, it is not an actual modem because it does not modulate signals or deal with IP networking. It just transmits signals from one optical fiber to another or from an optical fiber to an ethernet. Don’t forget that it is also recommended to use a router unit for managing addressing, WiFi, security, etc.
Upgrade to faster, more reliable AT&T Fiber Internet today! Call us at +1 844-905-5002 and get connected with speeds that keep you ahead.