A device and method for fast switchover and recovery of a media gateway. A network interface of a router is monitored for a network interface failure, in which the router receives data over a network using a network protocol. In response to detecting a network interface failure, the network interface failure is translated into a gateway protocol understood by the media gateway. The network interface failure is transmitted to the media gateway using the gateway protocol over a primary path, providing for fast switchover time to a redundant path by the media gateway.