Australians have finally embraced the NBN, with most households now connected to the national broadband network. Yet many find that the speeds they're paying for don't reach every corner of their home. The problem usually isn't the NBN connection itself but how that connection is distributed wirelessly. This guide focuses on getting NBN performance to every room in your Australian home.
Understanding Your NBN Connection Type
Before optimising your home network, it's helpful to understand which NBN technology serves your address, as this affects both your maximum speeds and the location of your connection equipment.
FTTP (Fibre to the Premises)
The premium NBN technology delivers fibre optic cable directly to your home. An NBN connection box (NTD) is installed inside your property, typically in a utility area or near where the fibre enters. You connect your router to this box. FTTP supports the fastest available NBN speeds with excellent reliability.
FTTC (Fibre to the Curb)
Fibre runs to a distribution point in or near your property, with the final connection using existing copper wiring. An NCD (Network Connection Device) is installed inside your home. Performance is typically excellent and close to FTTP for most users.
FTTN/FTTB (Fibre to the Node/Building)
Fibre reaches a neighbourhood node or building distribution point, with copper wiring completing the connection to your home. Your router connects to an existing phone socket. Speed depends heavily on the distance from the node and the quality of the copper wiring.
HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial)
Uses the same cable network previously used for pay TV. An NBN connection box is installed inside your home, typically near where the coaxial cable enters. Performance is generally good though can be affected by neighbourhood congestion during peak times.
Find Your NBN Technology
Visit nbnco.com.au and enter your address to confirm which technology type serves your home. This information helps you understand what speeds are realistically achievable and where your connection equipment is located.
The Router Location Challenge
NBN installations often place connection equipment in inconvenient locations. The installer connects to the nearest suitable point, which might be in a corner of the house, inside a garage, or near the front door. This fixed location can be far from where you actually use the internet.
While moving the NBN connection point requires professional work and expense, you have several options for distributing the connection throughout your home:
Option 1: Long Ethernet Cable
The simplest solution is running an Ethernet cable from your NBN equipment to a more central location for your router. Ethernet cables can be up to 100 metres long without signal loss, so even the largest Australian home can be covered with a single cable. While not the most aesthetically pleasing solution, it's effective and inexpensive.
Option 2: WiFi Extenders
Place your router near the NBN connection and use extenders to reach distant areas. This approach works well when you have a few specific dead zones to address. Quality dual-band extenders can maintain good speeds while extending coverage to bedrooms, home offices, or outdoor areas.
Option 3: Mesh WiFi System
For comprehensive whole-home coverage, a mesh system provides the best experience. The main mesh router connects to your NBN equipment, and satellite units placed around the home create seamless coverage. This is particularly effective for larger homes or multi-storey properties.
NBN Box vs Router
The NBN connection box is not a router. You need a separate router (or the WiFi router provided by your internet provider) to create your home network. Some NBN plans include a router, while others require you to supply your own.
Matching Your Network to Your NBN Speed
There's little point in having premium networking equipment if your NBN speed is the limiting factor, and vice versa. Match your investment to your actual connection speed.
NBN 25 and NBN 50 Plans
At these speeds, even budget networking equipment won't bottleneck your connection. A basic dual-band router and AC1200 extender can deliver 25-50 Mbps wirelessly throughout your home. Focus spending on coverage rather than raw speed capability.
NBN 100 Plans
NBN 100 starts pushing the limits of wireless performance, particularly over extended networks. Invest in quality dual-band equipment rated AC1750 or above. A WiFi 5 or WiFi 6 extender will deliver noticeably better performance than budget options.
NBN 250 and NBN 1000 Plans
These ultra-fast connections require premium networking equipment to avoid creating bottlenecks. WiFi 6 or WiFi 6E equipment is strongly recommended. Mesh systems with dedicated backhaul channels maintain speeds better than traditional extenders. Consider wired Ethernet connections for devices that need guaranteed maximum performance.
NBN Speed Matching Guide
- NBN 25/50: Basic dual-band equipment is adequate
- NBN 100: Mid-range WiFi 5 or entry WiFi 6 equipment
- NBN 250: WiFi 6 equipment, consider mesh systems
- NBN 1000: Premium WiFi 6/6E, mesh with wired backhaul ideal
Optimising for Australian Home Styles
Australian homes present specific challenges that differ from overseas markets where much networking advice originates.
Brick Veneer Homes
Common in suburbs across Australia, brick veneer construction uses a layer of bricks on the exterior with timber framing inside. While less signal-blocking than solid brick, the brick layer still significantly attenuates WiFi. Place extenders on the same side of exterior walls as the areas you need to cover.
Double-Brick Construction
Older Australian homes often feature solid double-brick walls throughout. These walls severely impede WiFi signals, sometimes requiring nearly line-of-sight placement for extenders. Consider running Ethernet cable through ceiling spaces or using powerline adapters as alternatives to purely wireless extension.
Queenslander and Raised Homes
Traditional raised homes with underfloor space offer opportunities to run cables without visible impact. The timber construction is typically WiFi-friendly, but the spread-out floor plans of many Queenslanders may still require extenders for complete coverage.
Large Single-Storey Homes
Common in outer suburbs and regional areas, sprawling single-storey homes can stretch 30+ metres from end to end. A centrally-placed router may not reach the extremities. Mesh systems with three nodes excel in these layouts, positioning satellites at each end of the home.
Peak Time Performance
NBN performance can drop during peak evening hours when the whole neighbourhood is online. This is particularly noticeable with FTTN and HFC connections. While you can't control network congestion, you can optimise your home network to make the most of available bandwidth.
Prioritise Important Traffic
Many routers offer Quality of Service (QoS) settings that prioritise certain types of traffic. Prioritise video conferencing and gaming for consistent performance, while allowing downloads and updates to happen in the background.
Schedule Heavy Downloads
Set large downloads, system updates, and cloud backups to occur overnight when network congestion is lowest. Most devices and operating systems offer scheduling options for updates.
Testing and Verification
Regular testing helps you understand your actual performance and identify when problems arise.
Speed Testing Protocol
Run speed tests from multiple locations in your home, both on your main network and extended network. Use services like Speedtest.net or Fast.com. Test at different times of day to understand peak-time impacts. Document your results to establish baselines and identify when performance degrades.
What to Expect
Wireless speeds are typically 60-80% of your plan speed due to WiFi overhead and interference. Extended networks see additional reduction. If you're on NBN 100 and getting 50-70 Mbps wirelessly, that's actually normal and acceptable for most uses. If speeds are significantly lower, investigate placement, interference, or equipment issues.
Getting the most from your NBN connection throughout your Australian home requires matching your networking equipment to your actual speeds and addressing the specific challenges of your home's construction and layout. With thoughtful setup and appropriate equipment, every room in your house can enjoy the benefits of your NBN connection.