What type of router do I need for fast nbn plans?

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If you have one of our faster plans like No Worries nbn 500/50, Fair Dinkum nbn 750/50, Flamin’ Fast nbn 1000/100, or Scorchin’ Fast nbn 2000, you need the right modem or router. This makes sure you get the speeds you are paying for.

Minimum router requirements

To get the most out of your high speed nbn plan, your modem or router should have:

A Gigabit WAN port for 500 Mbps and 1000 Mbps plans
Multi Gigabit WAN and LAN ports (minimum 2.5 Gbps) for Scorchin’ Fast 2000 plans
Gigabit LAN ports to support fast wired connections
Wi Fi 6 (802.11ax) as the minimum for high speed Wi Fi
Wi Fi 6E or Wi Fi 7 recommended for the highest speeds
At least Wi Fi 5 (802.11ac) for reliable performance on 500 Mbps plans
A CAT6 or better Ethernet cable between your nbn equipment and router

💡 Tip: If your router is more than five years old, it may struggle on any high speed plan and will not support 2000 Mbps speeds at all.

Extra requirements for Scorchin’ Fast nbn 2000 plans

If you are using a Scorchin’ Fast nbn 2000 plan, there are additional equipment requirements to achieve the best performance:

Multi Gigabit Ethernet ports (minimum 2.5 Gbps) on both WAN and LAN
Wi Fi 6 minimum, with Wi Fi 6E or Wi Fi 7 recommended
Devices such as laptops, desktops, gaming consoles and smart TVs should support 2.5 Gbps Ethernet or Wi Fi 6 or higher
Some MacBooks require a USB C to 2.5 Gbps Ethernet adapter for full speeds

💡 Tip: For 2000 Mbps plans, Wi Fi only setups will not reach full speed. At least one device should be connected by 2.5 Gbps Ethernet for accurate speed testing.

Mesh Wi Fi systems

Got a big home or thick walls causing patchy Wi Fi? A mesh Wi Fi system spreads your connection evenly throughout your home.

💡 Tip: For Scorchin’ Fast 2000 plans, look for mesh systems with a 2.5 Gbps WAN port for the best results.

What to avoid

The following types of routers are not recommended for fast nbn plans, especially 500 Mbps, 750 Mbps, 1000 Mbps or 2000 Mbps:

Routers that only support Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps ports)
Routers limited to Wi Fi 4 or older Wi Fi 5 chipsets
Routers without Gigabit WAN ports
Routers that cannot broadcast on the 5GHz band
Routers without support for Wi Fi 6 or newer technologies
Routers with weak CPUs and low memory that cannot process high throughput

What to look for

When choosing a router for fast nbn plans, look for the following specs:

Gigabit WAN and LAN ports for 500 Mbps, 750 Mbps and 1000 Mbps plans
Multi Gigabit (2.5 Gbps or higher) WAN and LAN ports for 2000 Mbps plans
Wi Fi 6 or Wi Fi 6E, with Wi Fi 7 preferred for the best performance
Mesh systems that offer strong backhaul performance and a 2.5 Gbps WAN port
Routers with strong multi core processors designed for high throughput
Routers that support modern Wi Fi band steering and QoS optimisation

Want more help choosing the right setup?

💬 Need help? Got questions about choosing the right router? Get in touch with us and we will help find the right setup for your home.

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