In today’s digital world, the internet has become a necessity for everyone, and with the introduction of the National Broadband Network (NBN), Australians have access to faster and more reliable internet. But to achieve the NBN’s high-speed internet, you need to have the right modem that’s NBN compatible. In this article, we will discuss the requirements for a high-speed NBN modem and how to choose the best modem that exactly meets your needs.
What is NBN and what are the NBN Connection Types?
The National Broadband Network (NBN) is a government-owned broadband network that aims to provide fast and reliable internet to all Australians.
The NBN network uses a combination of different technologies such as;
- Fibre optic cables
- Fixed Wireless
- Satellite to deliver internet services across the country.
Types of NBN connections
There are four main types of NBN connections that are given as follows:
- Fibre to the premises (FTTP): This is the fastest and most reliable NBN connection, which delivers internet through fiber optic cables directly to your home.
- Fibre to the curb (FTTC): This connection delivers fiber optic cables to a small box outside your home, and then uses your existing copper telephone lines to connect to the NBN.
- Fibre to the node (FTTN): This connection delivers fiber optic cables to a node in your neighborhood and then uses your existing copper telephone lines to connect to the NBN.
- Fixed wireless: This connection uses a wireless antenna to connect to the NBN, and is available in rural and remote areas where it is not feasible to lay fiber optic cables.
Requirements for High-Speed NBN Modem
If you want the best and optimal performance of your NBN superfast or ultrafast plans, you must check your modem if it meets all the technical requirements or not. If you have your modem with you or you purchase the modem on your own instead of the modem supplied by your NBN provider.
Mostly the modems that are in use today, provide and support the following speeds;
- On wifi, it supports speeds up to 300 Mbps
- On ethernet, It supports speeds up to 600 Mbps.
The speed of your internet depends a lot on your modem but if your modem meets all the requirements and is NBN compatible and still you not getting enough wifi speed, then it’s mainly due to a number of other factors including, plan choice, modem capability, technology type of interent traffic demand. It may also be due to some problems on the provider side. You must need to check the origin of the problem.
Modem requirements for NBN
To get the best internet speed and performance from the NBN, you need to have a modem that meets the following requirements:
Dual-band
A dual-band modem supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies, which allows you to connect multiple devices without compromising on speed. 5 GHz frequencies are less congested, which means you can get faster internet speeds.
NBN compatible
It is very necessary to make sure that the modem you are using for your NBN plan is compatible with the type of NBN connection you have.
For example,
- For an FTTP connection, you need a modem that supports a WAN (Wide Area Network) port.
- For FTTC or FTTN connection, you need a modem that supports a DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) port.
Gigabit Ethernet ports
A Gigabit Ethernet port can handle up to 1000 Mbps of internet speed. It is very important when you want multiple devices to connect to the modem and it’s best for online gaming or video streaming.
Quality of Service (QoS)
QoS prioritizes certain types of internet traffic, including online gaming or video streaming, over other types of traffic, such as email or web browsing.
If you are a game lover and want to play a lot of online games and stream videos, choose a modem with QoS support to ensure a smooth and lag-free experience.
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) support
The latest and fastest Wi-Fi standard is the wifi 6 which can deliver faster internet speeds and improved performance in congested areas.
If you have a lot of devices connected to your modem, or if you want to future-proof your internet setup, choose a modem that supports Wi-Fi 6.
What must your Modem Support?
Whenever you buy any modem for your NBN plan, make sure that it supports the following;
- Gigabit Ethernet ports.
- AC Wifi or Wifi 6 (for Wifi connections)
- PPPoEconnection types.
Out of all these features, PPPoEconnection types are the most important one as without this, your modem is unable to connect to your NBN plan and thus you can’t avail of these NBN services. But if any of the remaining two features are missing (Gigabit or Ethernet), you can connect to the NBN services but not get the much efficient internet speed and it will slow down.
Recommendation: However, it’s recommended to use the devices that use Ethernet cable for connection with NBN services instead of WiFi. It will give you the best possible experience of premium-speed internet.
TPG NBN Compatible Modems
The modems that are listed below are NBN compatible and achieve a maximum evening speed of both the NBN super fast and NBN Ultrafast plans.
On NBN HFC, NBN offers a maximum download speed of about 500 Mbps and on NBN FTTP, NBN ultrafast plans offer a maximum download speed of 990 Mbps.
But because of many factors, you can have a little bit of change in the evening speed and this does not depend on the modem you use.
| Modems | NBN Home Superfast | NBN Home Ultrafast |
| DP Link DIR-2150 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds not supported |
| DP Link DIR-X1560 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds not supported |
| DP Link DIR-X1860 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds not supported |
| DP Link DIR-X5460 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
| Huawei HG 659 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum speeds supported by Ethernet not supported by wifi. |
| Huawei HG658 | Maximum Speeds not supported | Maximum Speeds not supported |
| Fritz!Box 7490 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
| Netomm NF12 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
| Netomm NF7 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
| TP-Link Deco M5 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds not supported |
| TP-Link Deco M9 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds not supported |
| TP-Link Deco X60 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
| TP-Link VR 1600v | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
| TP-Link C1200 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
| TG-789 Broadband Gateway | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds not supported |
| TP-Link VX 420 G2H | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
| TP Link VX420 G 2H | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
| Fritz!Box 7490 | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. | Maximum Speeds are supported via wifi and Ethernet. |
Incompatible Modems
Some modems are incompatible with the TPG NBN plans and thus do not work with those high and fast speeds plans.
These are two modems that are as follows;
- Amazon eero—–This modem does not support VLAN tagging.
- Google Nest Wfi—-This is the modem that does not support VLAN or PPPoE tagging.
The Amazon eero and Amazon eero Pro 6 run mobile app version 6.13.0 and the eero Operating System (OS) 6.6.1+ can connect PPPoE with VLAN tagging. If you want this modem, then you can contact the amazon team.
Final words!
Choosing the right modem is crucial for getting the most out of your NBN connection. Make sure your modem is compatible with your NBN connection type, and has dual-band Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet ports, Wi-Fi 6 support, and Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities. Take into consideration your internet usage, the number of devices, and the size of your home or office when choosing a modem. By following these tips, you can ensure that you have a high-speed internet connection that meets your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best modem for NBN?
There are many good modems available for NBN, but the best one depends on,
- Your NBN connection type.
- Internet usage
- Budget.
You just need to look for modems that meet the requirements discussed above in this article and read customer reviews to find the one that offers the best value for money.
Does nbn require a specific modem?
You just need to check that whether your modem is NBN compatible or not. It must work best for your connection type.
If your NBN is service by any of the following, you need to a modem that must have an Internet port of WAN.
- Hybrid-Fibre Coaxial (HFC)
- Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)
- Fibre to the Curb (FTTC)
- Fixed Wireless
Do I need a modem if I have a router?
Yes, a modem is required to connect to the NBN network. It will just connect to the NBN network but to create a Wi-Fi network and share the internet connection with multiple devices, you need a router.
How do I know if my modem is compatible with NBN?
Ask your NBN provider and see if your modem is compatible with their network.
another way to check whether it’s NBN compatible or not is to read the modem’s specifications and see if it supports the type of NBN connection you have.
What is QoS, and why is it important?
QoS prioritizes certain types of internet traffic, including online gaming or video streaming, over other types of traffic, such as email or web browsing.QoS plays an important role in ensuring smooth and lag-free experience for online gaming and video streaming.