Bridge mode helped stabilize one home network with frequent dropouts

The writer’s internet kept dropping for 15 to 40 seconds, even though speed tests showed fast speeds.

The gateway was acting as a modem, router and Wi-Fi hub for 41 devices.

A separate router initially caused a problem because both devices were routing traffic.

Bridge mode made the gateway act only as a modem, separating its job from the router’s.

The experience shows why a fast speed test may not reveal brief outages.