How to Put Your ISP Gateway Into Bridge Mode: Xfinity, AT&T, Spectrum, Fios, Cox, and CenturyLink

Last updated: August 2026

Bridge mode disables the router half of your ISP's modem/router combo, leaving it working as a plain modem that hands the connection — and the public IP address — straight to your own router. It is the standard fix for Double NAT, and every major US provider supports it or an equivalent like IP Passthrough. Here is the exact procedure for all six.

The payoff is one clean layer of translation instead of two: port forwarding that works, gaming without strict NAT, and a network run by hardware you chose instead of hardware you rent. If you are not yet sure Double NAT is actually your problem, our guide to Double NAT vs. CGNAT has the two-minute check — and if you would rather remove the rented gateway from the equation entirely, owning your modem accomplishes bridge mode permanently.

Every ISP at a Glance

Menu names vary by gateway model and firmware. If a path below does not match your screen, the linked official support page for your provider is the tiebreaker.

Before You Start: What You Need

Gather the following before you begin:

• Your own router, connected and ready to take over
• An Ethernet cable to connect the gateway to your router
• Your gateway's admin login credentials, usually printed on a sticker on the device
• Your ISP account login, for providers that require online account changes
• A written record of your current WiFi name, password, and any custom DNS or port forwarding settings

If you are not sure what address your gateway's admin panel lives at, here is how to find your router's IP address in under a minute.

Once bridge mode is on, the gateway's built-in WiFi turns off and every device connected to it drops. Make sure your own router is set up and broadcasting before you switch.

Xfinity (Comcast) Gateways: Bridge Mode

1. On a computer connected to the gateway, browse to 10.0.0.1.
2. Log in — the defaults are username admin and password password unless you changed them.
3. Go to Gateway, then At a Glance.
4. Next to Bridge Mode, select Enable and confirm. The gateway restarts.
5. Connect an Ethernet cable from the gateway's LAN port to your router's WAN port.

The Xfinity app offers the same switch: open the WiFi tab, select View WiFi Equipment, then Advanced Settings. Xfinity's official bridge mode article covers both paths.

If the Bridge Mode toggle is missing or greyed out, you have hit a firmware issue widely reported through 2026 on XB-series gateways. Xfinity has acknowledged it and pushed fixes for the XB7 and XB8, and a factory reset — hold the reset button until the front light changes — has restored the toggle for many users. Stubborn XB6 units may need a free gateway swap. For other gateway misbehavior, see our guide to an xFi Gateway that keeps going offline.

AT&T Gateways (BGW210, BGW320, BGW620): IP Passthrough

AT&T fiber gateways do not offer a traditional bridge mode. The equivalent is IP Passthrough, which hands the gateway's public IP directly to your router, and the procedure is the same on the older BGW210, the widespread BGW320, and the newer BGW620. AT&T documents it in its IP Passthrough support article.

1. With your router already connected to the gateway, browse to 192.168.1.254.
2. Log in with the access code printed on the gateway.
3. Go to Firewall, then IP Passthrough.
4. Set Allocation Mode to Passthrough and Passthrough Mode to DHCPS-fixed.
5. In Passthrough Fixed MAC Address, select your router from the device list.
6. Save. The gateway restarts and passes its public IP to your router.

Two AT&T quirks worth knowing. First, the gateway's WiFi stays on after passthrough — disable it under Home Network, then Wi-Fi, to stop it interfering with your router's signal. Second, after a reboot your router may briefly pull a private address before the public one arrives a few minutes later. That is normal; give it time before troubleshooting.

Spectrum Gateways: Bridge Mode

1. Browse to 192.168.1.1, or the address on your gateway's label, and log in.
2. Look for a Bridge Mode or Router Mode toggle in the advanced settings, switch it, and save.
3. After the restart, connect your router to the gateway's Ethernet port.

Many Spectrum units can only be switched from Spectrum's side. If there is no toggle in your admin panel, call Spectrum at 1-833-267-6094 and ask them to bridge the device remotely.

The cleaner Spectrum move, where your area allows it, is skipping bridge mode entirely: return the gateway and run your own modem and router, which also ends the monthly rental fee. Our Spectrum approved modem list shows exactly which models qualify.

Verizon Fios Gateways: The WiFi-Off Workaround

Fios gateways such as the G3100 and CR1000A have no standard bridge toggle, but you can hand your own router the network anyway:

1. Browse to 192.168.1.1 on a computer connected to the gateway, or use the My Fios app, and log in with the password printed on the device.
2. Go to Wi-Fi Settings and turn off every radio: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz if present.
3. Run an Ethernet cable from a gateway LAN port to your router's WAN port.
4. Set your router's WAN connection type to DHCP (automatic).

The gateway still routes in this setup, so it is a workaround rather than a true bridge. If your Fios service arrives over Ethernet rather than coax, the cleaner path is connecting your own router directly to the ONT and retiring the gateway — confirm with Verizon that your installation supports it. One caveat before you unplug anything: Fios TV set-top boxes communicate over the gateway's MoCA link, so keep the gateway active if you have them. For deeper G3100 configuration, see our G3100 setup guide.

CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber: Transparent Bridging

CenturyLink's fiber service is now marketed as Quantum Fiber, and former CenturyLink territory in some states now belongs to Brightspeed — the equipment and menus remain similar across all three names. This is the most technical bridge of the six, so read the caveats before starting.

1. Browse to 192.168.0.1 and log in with the credentials on the gateway label.
2. Go to Advanced Setup, then WAN Settings.
3. Enable Transparent Bridging, save, and reboot.
4. Connect your router to the gateway via Ethernet.

Depending on your area, your own router may then need to handle the connection itself — that can mean entering your PPPoE credentials, tagging traffic for VLAN 201, or both, so have your account login ready. And on Quantum Fiber's C5500XK SmartNID, transparent mode is temperamental: failed bridging attempts that end in a blinking blue light and a support call to reactivate the connection are widely reported. Attempt it with that expectation, or ask Quantum Fiber support to set it from their side.

Cox Panoramic WiFi Gateways: Bridge Mode

1. Browse to 192.168.0.1 on a computer connected to the gateway and log in.
2. Go to Gateway, then At a Glance — the same layout as Xfinity, since Panoramic runs the same platform.
3. Next to Bridge Mode, select Enable and confirm.
4. After the restart, connect your router to the gateway's Ethernet port.

Cox documents the process on its official Panoramic bridge mode page, and support at 1-800-234-3993 can set it remotely if the toggle will not cooperate. Two things turn off with the switch: the Panoramic WiFi app's management features, and the gateway WiFi that Cox's wireless TV receivers connect through — if you have those receivers, plan around it before bridging.

How to Verify Bridge Mode Is Working

1. Check your router's WAN address in its admin panel. A public address means the bridge worked; a 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x address means the gateway is still routing.
2. Compare that WAN address to the one shown by an IP-checking site. A match confirms Double NAT is gone.
3. Browse normally from a device on your router to confirm the connection is healthy.

With Double NAT gone, port forwards can finally land where you point them — our port forwarding guide by router brand covers that setup.

Troubleshooting Common Bridge Mode Problems

No Internet After Enabling Bridge Mode

Power cycle in order. Turn off both devices, start the gateway first, and give it two full minutes to reconnect to your ISP before powering your router. That lets the gateway establish its connection before your router asks it for an address.

The Gateway Keeps Reverting Out of Bridge Mode

Some gateways reset to defaults after an ISP-pushed firmware update. If it happens repeatedly, ask your ISP to lock the setting on their end — with some providers, bridge mode only sticks when set through their system.

Devices Cannot Connect or Get IP Addresses

Confirm your router's DHCP server is enabled. In bridge mode the gateway stops assigning addresses, and your router has to take over that job in its LAN settings.

WiFi Is Still Broadcasting From the Gateway

On some gateways, especially AT&T's, bridging does not turn off the radios. Log back into the gateway and disable all WiFi manually to stop it competing with your router's signal.

Your Router's WAN Shows 100.64.x.x After Bridging

The bridge worked — but your ISP is running carrier-grade NAT upstream of your home, which no gateway setting can undo. An address in that range means the shared-address problem lives at the provider level; our Double NAT vs. CGNAT guide covers the workarounds that actually function there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does bridge mode do on a modem router combo?

Bridge mode disables the routing, firewall, and WiFi functions inside your ISP's combo gateway, turning it into a simple modem that only maintains the connection to your provider. Your own router then manages the home network, which removes the Double NAT conflict two stacked routers create.

Is bridge mode the same as IP Passthrough?

They accomplish the same goal differently. Bridge mode disables the gateway's routing outright. IP Passthrough, which AT&T uses, leaves the gateway routing internally but forwards its public IP address to one device — your router — so the network behaves as if it were bridged. For ending Double NAT, the practical result is equivalent.

Will I lose internet if I enable bridge mode?

Briefly — usually one to three minutes while the gateway restarts. If your own router is already connected and configured, service returns once the reboot finishes. Devices that were on the gateway's built-in WiFi stay offline until you move them to your router's network.

Does bridge mode improve internet speed?

It does not raise your plan speed, but it can improve real-world performance by removing Double NAT, which causes latency, dropped connections, and problems with gaming, video calls, and VPNs. If your own router outclasses the gateway's built-in one, WiFi coverage and local network speeds usually improve too.

Can I use bridge mode with any router?

Yes. Any standalone router works once the gateway is bridged: connect an Ethernet cable from the gateway to your router's WAN port and leave the router set to obtain its address automatically via DHCP, which is the default on nearly every model.

How do I take my gateway out of bridge mode?

Log back into the gateway's admin panel — usually 192.168.0.1 or 10.0.0.1, over Ethernet since the gateway's WiFi is off — and disable bridge mode. If the admin page is unreachable, a factory reset, holding the reset button for 10 to 15 seconds, restores the gateway's original settings.

Is bridge mode the same as access point mode?

No, they are opposites. Bridge mode goes on the device closest to the ISP, disabling its routing so a separate router can take over. Access point mode goes on an additional router, disabling its routing so it can extend an existing network's WiFi without adding a NAT layer.

Does bridge mode disable the firewall on my ISP gateway?

Yes. Bridging turns off the gateway's firewall along with its routing, and your own router's firewall takes over. Nearly all routers ship with the firewall enabled by default, but it is worth confirming in your router's settings so the network stays protected.