Tin I employ my ain modem with a new internet plan?

Broadband may embrace all high-speed internet only just because you lot have a broadband modem, doesn't mean information technology'll play dainty with your new internet programme.

Back in the 24-hour interval, broadband referred to two types of internet: ADSL and cablevision. Whether y'all were shifting from or to cable internet, you needed a cable modem. And if you were on ADSL, you needed an ADSL modem. Either way, you couldn't recycle your modem beyond broadband technology types.

Non a lot has changed today now that NBN is the ascendant course of dwelling internet. In fact, things are more complicated. Depending on your broadband technology blazon, yous'll need a compatible modem or modem-router, which may or may non be supplied by your provider. So answering the championship of this article is already a whole lot trickier than at kickoff glance. Let's break it down.

Photograph of a hand pushing the power button on a modem

The different types of net modems

There are many, many different kinds of broadband technologies these days. In Australia, we take a scattering to bargain with. In terms of NBN internet, you're primarily looking at either fixed-line NBN technologies in metro areas, Stock-still Wireless NBN in rural and regional areas, and NBN satellite for offshore and remote places. Fixed Wireless and NBN satellite both come with modems provided past NBN Co that need to exist continued to a router to share cyberspace in your home.

The same is true for Fibre-to-the-Curb (FTTC), Fibre-to-the-Bounds (FTTP) and Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) also connect to a modem equivalent provided by NBN Co. Things get a little trickier with the other two stock-still-line NBN technologies, Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN) and Fibre-to-the-Building (FTTB), both of which crave a VDSL2-uniform modem-router to get you online.

To complicate matters further, there's too home wireless broadband and mobile broadband in Australia, both of which crave divide modem devices to get online.

Info Box

What is VDSL2?

VDSL2 is short for the second generation of 'very-loftier-speed digital subscriber line', which is effectively the successor to ADSL and is what allows FTTN and FTTB homes to connect to NBN 12, NBN 25, NBN l and NBN 100 plans. Despite being from the same DSL technology family, an ADSL modem isn't compatible with VDSL2 internet.

Modem vs router

We've got a page dedicated to the modem vs router distinction, but let's do a quick refresher here. A modem is a networking device that's used to connect to the internet, whereas a router is a bit of networking kit that's built to connect devices at abode and needs to connect to a modem to get online. Modem-routers, on the other hand, are gadgets that combine the internet-connecting powers of a modem with the network-sharing skills of a router.

In terms of whether y'all can use your own modem, router or modem-router when shifting cyberspace plans, the usual reply is you totally tin. This assumes that yous're shifting plans and not addresses, and that you're also not shifting broadband technology types.

Internet technologies that employ a modem and a router

  • NBN FTTP
  • NBN FTTC
  • NBN HFC
  • NBN Stock-still Wireless
  • NBN satellite
  • Starlink satellite
  • Mobile broadband (modem dongle)

Internet technologies that use a modem-router

  • NBN FTTN
  • NBN FTTB
  • Dwelling house wireless broadband
  • Mobile broadband (WiFi hotspot)

Permit's take a closer wait at the disclaimers that apply based on each piece of networking equipment.

Can I use my own modem with a new net plan?

Starting with NBN plans, if yous already take a modem that works with one internet plan, you can safely expect information technology to work with another when connecting from the same address. For virtually NBN technology types, y'all don't really ain the modem part of the connectedness, which means it will stay if you lot motility out. This also means the NBN modem is compatible with whatsoever NBN plan you shift to.

This is different for mobile broadband, where you either purchase the modem dongle outright or pay it off via a provider. Once information technology's paid off, the modem dongle or WiFi hotspot is yours and, as long as at that place'due south a signal from the plan provider'southward network, you can utilise it to shift betwixt plans. The but exception here is if it'southward a branded modem, which may be locked to the respective network. If it's not locked to the network, switch out the SIM card one time you've shifted plans to get online.

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Modem dongle vs WiFi hotspot

To complicate matters further, mobile broadband is compatible with either a modem dongle or WiFi hotspot, which is effectively a modem-router. In that location is an easy fashion to tell them apart, though. If it's a modem dongle, it volition have an external USB connector that'south only compatible with a single PC or Mac device at a fourth dimension. If it's a WiFi hotspot, it won't have an external USB connector and can back up multiple device connections via WiFi.

Can I use my ain router with a new cyberspace plan?

Shifting a router between NBN internet plans is a lot more straightforward than broadband technologies that require a modem-router to get online. The merely take hold of is whether the provider you're shifting from or to requires a username and password details to exist entered into the router to become you online. Bank check with your provider when y'all shift for whatever necessary configuration steps.

While technically a router can be used across broadband technologies, it's all-time to stick with the one yous're sent by a provider unless you have more advanced network tweaking knowledge. If things start to go wrong, it'southward easier for providers to troubleshoot device issues if they are able to back up the devices they sent to you lot. For Starlink users, stick with the provided router to similarly help simplify the connection process and whatever related troubleshooting later.

Tin I employ my own modem-router with a new cyberspace programme?

Again, equally long equally yous stick with the same broadband technology at the same address, at that place shouldn't be a trouble shifting NBN plans with the same modem-router device. Certain providers like Telstra will provide a preconfigured modem-router, similar the Telstra Smart Modem Gen 2, to get you connected if you require a landline telephone service and your current modem-router doesn't support it.

For home wireless broadband, keep an eye out for provider-branded modem-routers, which may not play nice with other habitation wireless broadband providers. The other grab of abode wireless broadband is you need to be at a preapproved address, which ways yous should attain out to your provider when shifting addresses to run into if they tin can still provide a dwelling wireless broadband service at your new address. The same provider-branded device disclaimer applies to mobile broadband, too.

Speaking of mobile broadband, if y'all opt for a WiFi hotspot instead of a modem dongle, this acts as a modem-router. Bold information technology's not a provider-branded device, you should be able to switch out the SIM menu if y'all shift to another provider.

Heads Up

4G backup

Sure providers offer modems or modem-routers that take 4G backup, which is a bully perk if the NBN goes downwards in your area as you can all the same get online. There is a catch, though: those 4G backups are tied to a particular network. If yous shift providers, there's a good chance the 4G backup function of your networking device (at the very least) won't work.

NBN providers that supply modems

If you're shifting addresses or upgrading whatever of the NBN technology types to FTTP, you may be in the marketplace for new networking gear, whether it's a modem-router or router. Below is a list of providers in our database that offer networking equipment (either bought outright or paid off over time):

  • Dodo: WiFi modem-router
  • Tangerine: Netcomm NF18MESH modem-router (solo or with one or two satellites)
  • Spintel: Netcomm NF18ACV modem-router
  • Superloop: Amazon Eero half dozen router
  • Mate: TP-Link Archer VR1600v modem-router
  • Aussie Broadband: Google Nest WiFi router, Netcomm NF18MESH
  • Internode: TP-Link Archer VR1600v modem-router, TG-789 modem-router
  • TPG: TP-Link Archer VR1600v modem-router, Huawei HG658 modem-router, Huawei HG659 modem-router
  • Belong: Belong 4353 modem-router
  • Exetel: ZTE ZXHN H268A modem-router
  • Kogan: Kogan Cyberspace Wireless-AC modem-router
  • MyRepublic: TP-Link Archer VR1600v modem-router
  • Southern Phone: Comnect DS224WTV modem-router
  • iiNet: TP-Link Archer VR1600v modem-router, TG-789 modem-router, TP-Link VX420-G2H modem-router
  • iPrimus: Huawei HG659 modem-router, Huawei DN8245V modem-router, TP-Link VX220 modem-router, Netcomm NL1901ACBV modem-router
  • Vodafone: Vodafone Wi-Fi Hub two.0 modem-router
  • Optus: Optus Ultra WiFi Modem (modem-router)
  • Telstra: Telstra Smart Modem Gen ii modem-router

Info Box

Provider routers vs modem routers

As you may notice from the list above, a lot of providers offer modem-routers instead of simply routers. Modem-routers tin be configured to become into 'bridge manner' to disable modem functionality and act equally a router. So, why would you lot opt for a router instead of the more versatile modem-router? Well, in that location are perks to being a single-function networking device. Routers tend to exist better at handling local networking than modem-routers, which are designed to be split between managing both internet and local devices connected via Ethernet and/or WiFi.

Nathan Lawrence

Written past

Nathan Lawrence

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