How to Fix T-Mobile Gateway Not Working? – Complete Guide

Is your signal weak and your Internet service slow? It seems you have a T-Mobile gateway not working issue. Fortunately, we have the solution for you!

Many users claim that upgrading to the new 5G Gateway made it impossible to stream online because the signal keeps dropping. 

Instead of faster Internet service, what they got is slow at best.

If you want to know how to fix a not working T-Mobile gateway, we got you covered!

To verify you have a T-Mobile gateway not working problem, check your Internet speed. If you have unusually slow Internet, reboot your gateway. Unplug the power cord for 20 seconds. Then, plug it back in. Wait for your gateway to reboot.

To clear the issue, first, you need to know what’s causing it. Below we will discuss the possible reasons your Internet gateway isn’t working.

Why T-Mobile High Speed Internet Gateway Not Working

When your T-Mobile high-speed Internet gateway isn’t working, you will experience slow internet or no internet at all.

Check your connection using the T-Mobile internet app or the number of signal bars in your 5G gateway display.

If you can’t stream anything online, it may be due to the following:

1. Network Outage

The Internet gateway issue is happening in your entire area. You can check via Downdetector or Twitter.

2. Hardware Issues

If you recently got a new modem or upgraded to a 5G gateway, you may have gotten a defective device. Talk to a customer service representative for a replacement.

3. Temporary Bugs and Glitches

Like other devices, modems can get bugs and glitches that you can easily fix with a simple reboot.

A restart refreshes your connection and ensures your device is running smoothly.

4. Connectivity Factors

Firewall and VPN enable you to set up secure communications. If they do not play nicely with each other, you will get very slow Internet or no Internet at all.

Now that you know the possible causes of the T-Mobile gateway malfunction, we can proceed to the troubleshooting steps.

How to Fix T-Mobile WiFi Gateway Not Working

Before moving on to more elaborate solutions, we always recommend you start with the basics.

First, check your Internet speed to verify that it is too slow for online access.

If your Internet is indeed slow, reboot your gateway. It will clear out your device’s short-term memory to keep it running smoothly.

Hopefully, this will solve your T-Mobile SMS gateway not working problem.

If rebooting your gateway doesn't work, figure out the cause of your problem and select the best solution below.

Solution #1: Disable Parental Controls

Parental Controls allows you to block internet usage on specific devices at certain hours or days.

You may have set this and forgotten that it’s activated.

Whenever this is activated, parental controls can block access to certain websites and content, and it can appear that your device isn’t working.

Here’s how to disable parental controls on your T-Mobile Gateway:

1. Open your T-Mobile Gateway’s Settings.
2. Go to Basic.
3. Select Parental Controls.
4. Toggle the switch to turn off Parental Controls.

Note: Once Parental Controls is turned off, it will remove access restrictions for all devices connected to the Gateway.

Solution #2: Switch Off WiFi Temporarily on Your Gateway Settings

If removing and reconnecting devices doesn’t work, try switching off your WiFi for at least 5 minutes on your Gateway’s settings.

It should refresh the connection of your devices.

1. Access your Gateway’s dashboard.
2. Go to Network, then select WiFi.
3. Toggle the switch to turn it off.
4. Wait for at least 5 minutes.
5. Turn the WiFi back on again.

Note: Check your primary and secondary signals on the Gateway’s home page to check if it’s receiving data from T-Mobile.

Solution #3: Turn Off Your Firewall

Designed to keep unauthorized users from accessing your files, Windows Firewall does a good job of blocking incoming connections.

But when used with other firewalls, it can do more harm than good.

If you have another firewall installed, we suggest you disable your Windows Firewall.

1. Open your Control Panel, then System and Security.
2. Choose Windows Firewall.
3. Select Turn Windows Firewall Off.
4. Tick off the box next to Turn Off Windows Firewall (not recommended).
5. Select OK to save changes.

Note: Depending on the setup of your computer, it might be called Windows Defender Firewall. See if disabling this option fixes your problem.

Solution #4: Turn Off Your VPN

Your VPN protects you against digital predators, but it can interfere with your T-Mobile gateway connection.

If you think it is the cause of the T-Mobile gateway not working, try turning it off and see if it clears the issue.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Click on Network & Internet.
3. Select VPN.
4. Choose the VPN connection you want to disable.
5. Click Disconnect, toggle VPN Off or Not Connected.

Note: We recommend using a VPN at all times to protect yourself from cyberattacks. 

But, it is best to disable it for a short while when troubleshooting network issues.

Solution #5: Use the T-Mobile App to Position Your Gateway

If your Gateway doesn’t work, there’s a good chance that it’s not in the optimum location in your home for it to acquire a signal.

Luckily for you, the T-Mobile app comes with a feature that helps you put your Gateway in the perfect spot in your home.

Here’s how to use T-Mobile’s device placement assistant:

1. Open the T-Mobile app on your phone and log in.
2. On the home screen, select More about connection quality.
3. Open Launch Placement Assistant.
4. Choose to share your location and confirm it.
5. Adjust the location of your Gateway based on the recommendations.

Note: The app will show you where the nearest tower is located, and it will show you the direction of the signal.

Solution #6: Reset Your Gateway

If the issue with your T-Mobile Gateway is a stubborn one, an option you can take is to reset it.

Resetting your device will delete all of the changes you made from the time you set it up. It will come out fresh as it did from the factory.

The process may sound complicated, but it’s pretty simple. All it takes is a paper clip inserted into the reset port, and you’re done.

Here’s how to successfully reset your T-Mobile Gateway back to factory defaults:

1. Look for the Reset port found at the back of your Gateway.
2. Press the paper clip into the Reset port and hold it.
3. Wait for at least 10 to 20 seconds.
4. Your Gateway will automatically restart.
5. Wait for your Gateway to start up.

Tip: Since the reset process deletes everything, you’re going to have to reconfigure your Gateway.

These steps should get your T-Mobile Gateway up and running again.

If, after trying out all these steps and it still doesn’t work and connects to the internet, you can contact T-Mobile customer support for additional assistance.

Read Next: How to Make T-Mobile Home Internet Faster?

Bottom Line

Now that you know why your T-Mobile Gateway not working, you can perform the necessary steps to resolve the issue. Use these solutions to solve this problem.

However, if you’re not getting any improvements, consider that your Gateway can also suffer from hardware problems, and it may need repair or replacement.