The best modems and routers for high-speed NBN

Before a high-speed router or mesh WiFi system is eligible for consideration, it needs to have the right specifications. We consider WiFi 6 as the absolute minimum but lean more towards WiFi 6E and WiFi 7 options. The internet port on your primary networking device needs to be fast enough for high-speed NBN (ideally, at least 2.5Gbps), and we like it when the local area network (LAN) ports reach beyond 1Gbps speeds.

We've tested all of the main router and mesh WiFi recommendations on this page in an apartment prone to wireless interference. To make the cut, high-speed networking gear should have generous 5GHz wireless coverage, fast speeds and low latency around the home. Reliability is also critical for our recommendations.

High-speed networking gear ranges from a few hundred dollars for an entry-level router to a few thousand for high-end multi-unit mesh WiFi systems. We try to cap eligibility at under $1,500, and even then, only for impressive mesh units. Cheaper models are great for smaller homes, but you may need to spend more if you want better coverage, units and futureproofed features.

Modern networking gear should be set and forget, with guided steps for initial setup. A companion app isn't essential, but it does generally help with prompts and visual aids. Once configured, we like a router that encourages tinkering and mesh WiFi systems that offer a streamlined process for adding extra units.

After the overpriced and underwhelming performance of the Amazon Eero Max 7, my expectations were curbed for the Eero Pro 7. But they really shouldn't've been. Even a single Pro 7 is enough for whole-home WiFi coverage in my interference-prone apartment. With a second Pro 7 unit, the speedy 5GHz and 6GHz wireless coverage improved. And with three Pro 7s, inside and outside my apartment was a WiFi connectivity haven. I recommend getting a three-pack to ensure speedy wireless coverage for what amounts to a futureproofed mesh WiFi system that'll comfortably tackle NBN 2000 plans (and should be good for whatever faster speed tiers comes next).

If you want to simplify your home network to a single router, consider the Netgear Nighthawk RS600. This mid-tier WiFi 7 router ticks a lot of the right boxes. Tri-band WiFi with up to 18Gbps shared speeds, which is more than enough for NBN 1000 and NBN 2000. Generous coverage and room for 150 devices. Combine those perks with a 10Gbps internet port, and the RS600 has wireless speed to spare. There's also a single 10Gbps LAN port. It's just a shame the three other LAN ports are relegated to 1Gbps speeds. Stick to WiFi wherever possible to negate this con. Once the initial configuration is done, you've got a set-and-forget router that's got great features, like automated Quality of Service (QoS) to preserve finite internet download and upload speed.

Mesh WiFi systems are great ways to expand your network. But routers are more familiar as home networking gear because they've been around longer. If you're curious but nervous about making the jump, start with the D-Link Aquila Pro AI M60. The mid-sized manta design logic is halfway between router and mesh, with router perks and mesh versatility. The big router pro is four LAN ports per unit, so you can have wired backhaul between M60 satellites and still have nine spare Ethernet ports on a three-unit configuration. While the LAN ports are capped at 1Gbps speeds – plenty for NBN 750 and below – wireless speeds are better at up to 6Gbps. The 2.5Gbps internet port also makes the M60 a decent fit for NBN 2000, as long as you connect all of your newer devices wirelessly for beyond-1Gbps speeds.

The Asus RT-BE58U is a great mix of price and futureproofed features. For under $300, you can get a WiFi 7 router that ticks a lot of the right boxes. Even if the LAN ports are relegated to gigabit Ethernet, there's a 2.5Gbps internet port and shared WiFi speeds up to 3.6Gbps, fast enough for wireless devices to get the most out of plans up to NBN 2000. With dual-band instead of tri-band WiFi 7, you won't need WiFi 6E (or newer) devices to get fast performance from the RT-BE58U's generous 5GHz wireless coverage. For basic monitoring, there's a companion app, but tinkering is absolutely encouraged via the RT-BE58U's web portal, with a great selection of features. If you have wireless coverage issues, pair the RT-BE58U with compatible Asus mesh products.

Before we test anything, we evaluate networking gear in terms of how it sits in the market. It's okay if something is expensive if it justifies the price with features and futureproofing. That said, we also lean towards competitively priced networking gear that punches above its RRP.

Modern networking equipment should be easy to use, from setup through to monitoring and tinkering. We like when a router, modem-router or mesh WiFi system has a companion app, but we also like a web portal for deeper tinkering as long as it’s easy to navigate. For most users, ideally, networking gear is set and forget, equipped with automatic updates to maintain security without requiring manual intervention.

There are reasonable expectations for the feature set of modern networking gear, including guest networks and at least basic parental controls. Quality of Service is also a big consideration, alongside the latest security standards, albeit with the option to work with older WiFi devices, too.

We run a series of speed tests to ensure networking gear is up to snuff. Modern networking gear should offer wireless speeds close to wired base results. Download speed is the most critical, so we pay the most attention to it, but we also like to see high results for upload speeds and low numbers for latency.

Wireless coverage is a critical consideration for modern networking gear. While WiFi 5 (and older) equipment struggled, anything from WiFi 6 onwards should ideally offer whole-home wireless. We pay attention to the bands, too: 2.4GHz is fine at range, but it loses speed, so we favour gear that blankets the home in speedier 5GHz and/or 6GHz WiFi.

Networking equipment is only as good as its ability to perform a wide range of online tasks. We test routers, modem-routers and mesh WiFi systems for dozens of hours, ensuring they offer seamless web browsing, uninterrupted voice/video chat, full-fidelity streaming (without buffering), and responsive online gaming.

A standalone router or modem router's versatility comes mainly from how easy it is to tinker. We like to test the practicalities of updating WiFi networks, updating SSID names and passwords, and changing IP addresses. Other everyday features are also tested when available. For mesh-compatible gear, adding extra devices to expand home wireless coverage should be a straightforward process.