Here's the thing: If you're searching for "ADTRAN 904" or "ADTRAN 8110" or just trying to figure out what ADTRAN is doing now, you're probably neck-deep in a procurement cycle, trying to spec out a remote site, or cleaning up someone else's network mess. This isn't a polished datasheet. This is a collection of answers I wish I'd had before I made the same costly mistakes three times.
What is ADTRAN doing now?
People think ADTRAN is just an old-school telecom access vendor. Actually, that assumption is a few years out of date. The real story is they've been quietly pivoting into a serious SD-WAN and edge compute player, especially after merging with ADVA Optical Networking in 2022.
What was best practice in 2020—buying separate routers, CPEs, and security gateways—may not apply in 2025. ADTRAN's current play is a unified software platform called Mosaic, which manages their entire portfolio from the fiber access (like the 8110) to the enterprise edge (like the 904 series).
The takeaway: don't think of them as just a hardware vendor anymore. They want to sell you the subscription to manage it all. (Note to self: always check if the licensing model changed since last year's RFQ.)
Is the ADTRAN 904 a good router?
Look, the ADTRAN 904 is a workhorse. It's a small form-factor router commonly used for branch offices and remote sites. But here's the nuance: "Good" depends entirely on what you're connecting it to.
In my first year handling orders for a regional MSP (2019, to be exact), I made the classic rookie mistake: I thought any enterprise router was plug-and-play with any circuit. I ordered eight ADTRAN 904s for eight remote sites, all configured for a T1 handoff. Guess what? Three sites came with fiber handoffs. The assumption is that routers auto-negotiate everything. The reality is that physical interface mismatch on the 904 is a real pain—you need the correct SFP or specific NIM module.
Check the WAN interface type on your order form twice. That mistake cost us about $890 in redo shipping plus a 1-week delay. Simple.
ADTRAN 904 vs. 906: Which one?
A common question I get is whether to spring for the ADTRAN 906 instead. The numbers said the 906 was 20% faster on paper. My gut said the 904 was enough for those 20-user sites. Went with my gut on a pilot. The 904 handled it fine for 18 months. The extra horsepower on the 906 was only useful when you start adding SD-WAN tunneling with heavy encryption.
What is the ADTRAN 8110?
The ADTRAN 8110 is a hardened, compact ONT (Optical Network Terminal). Think of it as the end-point for fiber-to-the-home or fiber-to-the-business. It's what you put in the wiring closet to convert the fiber signal from the OLT into an Ethernet handoff.
I once ordered 50 of these for a new housing development. The spec sheet said "standard power supply." I checked it myself, approved it, processed it. We caught the error when the field tech called to say the power bricks didn't fit the electrical boxes in the new builds. The development had switched to a different power outlet standard halfway through construction. $1,200 wasted, credibility damaged, lesson learned: always verify the physical environment, not just the technical specs.
Why is ADTRAN equipment sometimes hard to find?
Between you and me, this is a supply chain reality, not a product failure. As of late 2023, lead times on certain ADTRAN components—especially the 8110 series—stretched to 16-20 weeks because of the global chip shortage. It's improved since then (as of January 2025), but the lesson stuck: don't assume 2-week delivery.
The best practice now? Build a 30-day buffer into your project timeline for any networking hardware. Don't hit 'confirm' on the install date until the RMA number is in your hand. Hit 'confirm' on that order and immediately thought, 'did I check the stock level?' Didn't relax until the tracking number showed movement.
Are ADTRAN routers secure?
Yes, but not by default. This is a misconception that can get you in trouble. People think, "It's an enterprise vendor, so the security baselines are set." Wrong. Assumed authentication means the local admin password is set to something strong. The reality is many ADTRAN units (especially older ones) ship with default credentials that are well-documented on the internet.
The fundamentals haven't changed: change the default password, disable unused services (like Telnet), and apply the latest firmware patch. ADTRAN publishes security advisories regularly (per their product support site, accessed January 10, 2025). I learned this the hard way when a newbie on my team deployed five units without checking the firmware version. (Note to self: create the damn pre-flight checklist.)
ADTRAN: Is it worth the premium over budget brands?
Every spreadsheet analysis pointed to the budget option—$200 cheaper per unit, similar throughput. Something felt off about their documentation and support forums. Turns out that 'slow to reply to RFQs' was a preview of 'slow to release critical security patches.' We dodged a bullet by going with ADTRAN on that project, but the initial cost sting was real.
