When you work from home, your internet isn’t just for Netflix anymore. It’s your commute, your office and your meeting room rolled into one. And when it drops out halfway through a client call, it’s not just annoying. It’s embarrassing.
Here’s the thing most people miss: a reliable home office network setup is less about raw speed and more about stability. A fast plan on patchy Wi-Fi will still freeze your video calls. This guide walks you through building a home office internet setup that holds up, from the cable in the wall to your backup plan for when things go wrong.
Your home office network checklist
Short on time? Here’s the whole setup at a glance:
- Pick a plan with enough upload speed for your calls and files
- Know your NBN connection type and what equipment it needs
- Use a modem/router that can keep up
- Plug your work computer in with an Ethernet cable
- Tune your router settings for work
- Get your work VPN running reliably
- Check whether you need a static IP
- Set up a backup connection, and test it
1. Start with the right plan
Before you touch a cable, make sure your plan can handle how you work. For video calls, VPNs and cloud file syncing, the number that matters most is often upload speed, not download. Most plans are sold on download speed alone, so it’s easy to end up with a plan that looks fast on paper but struggles when your camera is on.
As a rough guide, NBN 50 comfortably covers one person working from home. If two people are on calls at the same time, or the rest of the house is streaming and gaming while you work, NBN 100 (or NBN 500 on FTTP and HFC) gives you more breathing room. As NBN Co puts it, higher speeds mean better quality video calls, “especially when other people and devices are online”.
Our guide to what internet speed you need to work from home breaks down every speed tier by household, so start there if you’re not sure which plan fits.
2. Know your NBN connection type
Your NBN connection type decides what equipment you need and how your modem plugs in. If you’re not sure which one you have, pop your address into our address checker.
| Connection type | How your modem connects |
|---|---|
| Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) | Ethernet cable from your modem to the NBN connection box |
| Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) | Ethernet cable from your modem to the yellow connector on the NBN connection box |
| Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) | Ethernet cable from your modem to the NBN connection device |
| Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and Fibre to the Building (FTTB) | Your modem plugs straight into the phone wall socket, and must be VDSL2 compatible |
If you’re on FTTN or FTTB, a couple of extra checks can make a real difference. NBN Co recommends making sure there are no old ADSL filters between your modem and the wall socket, as these can limit performance. If you’ve got an older style wall socket, you may need an adapter, and a registered cabler can install extra phone points if your office is a long way from the only socket.
3. Choose an NBN modem that’s up to the job
Your modem/router is the heart of your home office network, and an old one can quietly hold everything back. If yours is more than a few years old, it may not support the latest wifi standards or be able to deliver the full speed of your plan.
When you’re looking for the best router for NBN, check for:
- Wifi 6 or wifi 7 support. Newer standards handle more devices at once and cope better in busy homes.
- Compatibility with your connection type. FTTN and FTTB need a VDSL2 modem. Other connection types need a router with a WAN port.
- Enough Ethernet ports for your work computer, TV and anything else you want to wire in.
- Mesh support, if your office is at the far end of the house or upstairs.
If you’d rather skip the research, a MATE-supplied NBN modem arrives pre-configured for our network, so you can plug it in and get going without fiddling with settings. Using your own? Here’s how to configure your BYO modem/router.
4. Plug your work computer in with an Ethernet cable
If you only make one change to your home office setup, make it this one. A wired connection takes wifi interference, congestion and distance out of the equation entirely. NBN Co’s own advice is that connecting with an Ethernet cable could give you a more stable and faster connection, and for video calls, stability is everything.
A few ways to get a wired connection into your office:
- Run a cable directly from your modem to your desk. Flat Ethernet cables tuck neatly under carpet edges and along skirting boards.
- Move your modem closer. On FTTP, HFC and FTTC, your modem can sit further from the NBN box if you run a longer cable between them.
- Use powerline adapters, which send your internet connection through your home’s electrical wiring to another room.
- Plug into a mesh node. If you use mesh wifi, most satellite units have an Ethernet port you can plug your computer into.
Want the full comparison? Our guide to Ethernet vs wifi explains why wired still matters.
5. Tune your router settings for work
A few minutes in your router settings can make your connection noticeably more reliable. You’ll usually find these in your router’s app, or by typing its address (often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) into a web browser.
- Update the firmware. Updates fix bugs, patch security holes and can improve performance.
- Use 5 GHz for your work devices. It’s faster and less crowded than 2.4 GHz, and works best for devices close to the router.
- Set a strong wifi password and use WPA2 or WPA3 security. Your work data deserves it.
- Set up a guest network for visitors and smart home gadgets, so they’re kept separate from your work devices.
How do I prioritise video calls on my router?
Most modern routers have a feature called Quality of Service (QoS), which lets you tell your router which devices or activities get priority when the connection gets busy. Set it up once, and your work laptop gets first dibs, even when someone else starts a big download.
The exact steps vary by manufacturer, but it usually looks like this:
- Open your router’s app or settings page.
- Find the QoS section. It may be called Quality of Service, Prioritisation or Traffic Control.
- Choose your work computer from the device list, or select video calling or conferencing if your router sorts by activity.
- Set it to high priority, and save.
If your router doesn’t have QoS, wiring in your work computer (step 4) does much of the same job.
6. Get your work VPN running reliably
Many employers ask you to connect through a VPN, which encrypts your traffic and routes it through the company’s network. It’s great for security, but VPNs are sensitive to the brief dropouts that ordinary browsing absorbs without you noticing.
Why does my work VPN keep disconnecting?
It’s usually connection stability, not speed. A wifi signal that flickers for a second can knock a VPN over, even if your plan is fast. That’s why a wired connection fixes a dropping VPN more often than a faster plan does.
If your work VPN still isn’t connecting, try these:
- Restart your modem/router and your computer
- Plug your computer into the modem with an Ethernet cable
- Check whether IPv6 is turned on in your router settings, as some corporate VPNs work better with it enabled
Ask your IT team whether your VPN needs a static IP address (more on that below)
Our guide on why your work VPN isn’t connecting covers these fixes in more detail.
7. Check whether you need a static IP
Most people working from home don’t need a static IP address. You’ll need one if your employer’s VPN or remote desktop system only allows access from specific, approved IP addresses. This is common in industries such as finance, healthcare, and government. If your IT team has asked for your IP address, that’s the sign.
Like most modern broadband services, MATE uses a setup called Carrier-Grade NAT (CG-NAT) by default. That means your public IP address can change from time to time and is shared with other users. For most people, it makes no difference, but it can cause trouble with systems that expect your address to stay the same.
If your work needs a fixed address, get in touch with our Aussie-based support team. Depending on your situation, we may be able to help with a workaround, including assigning a static IP in some cases. Find out more about static IP on NBN with MATE.
8. Set up a backup connection, and test it
Even the best home office network can drop out. A power outage, an NBN fault or a cable knocked out of the wall can happen to anyone. The difference is whether you’ve got a plan B ready to go.
What happens if my internet drops during a meeting?
If you haven’t planned for it, you’ll be scrambling while everyone waits. If you have, you’ll be back online in under a minute. Here’s how to be ready:
- Set up your phone as a mobile hotspot and connect your laptop to it once, so it remembers the network. Make sure your mobile plan has enough data to get you through a day of calls.
- Check whether your router supports automatic failover. Some routers can switch to a 4G or 5G mobile connection automatically when the NBN drops.
- Know how to dial in. Most video meeting apps let you join by phone, so save the dial-in details for important meetings
- Think about power. NBN Co recommends talking to your provider about whether your equipment will work during a blackout. A small uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can keep your modem running through short outages.
The step most people skip is testing. Try switching to your backup on a quiet afternoon, not five minutes before a big presentation.
Test your home office setup
Once everything’s in place, check it’s working. Plug a computer straight into your connection and follow our guide to running an NBN speed test with a direct connection. If your wired results are close to your plan’s speed but your wifi still struggles, our home network spring clean can help you track down the problem.
Set up your home office with MATE
A home office network is only as good as the connection behind it. With MATE, all our NBN plans come with unlimited data, no lock-in contracts and 100% Aussie-based support. So if something’s not right before a big meeting, you’ll be talking to a real person here in Australia, not a bot or an overseas call centre.
Ready to get your home office sorted? Check your address to see which plans are available at your place, or give us a call on 13 14 13.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a static IP to work from home?
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Why does my work VPN keep disconnecting?
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Should I run an Ethernet cable to my home office?
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What can I do if my internet drops during a meeting?
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