NBN hardware: What do I need for my plan?

Getting connected to the NBN network can involve the installation of hardware within your home, particularly if you’re looking to take advantage of the faster broadband speed tiers. 

While NBN Co provides the necessary tech, you’ll need to know what to look for if you’re missing any components or moving to a new home. 

With the NBN rollout completed around the country, and upgrades now front of mind for NBN Co, most residences are either connected to or eligible for a broadband connection across the network. Depending on your connection type, you may require NBN hardware inside of your home as part of getting you online.

For those living in unit blocks or outside of major cities, chances are you don’t need to worry about any NBN hardware as of yet. Your connection likely utilises existing copper wiring to your residence. If your home has an FTTP, FTTC or HFC connection however, your home will be fitted with an NBN connection box that assists in getting you online.

These three connection types also happen to offer faster speed tiers than those that don’t require any hardware, and with NBN Co working to upgrade more premises to these connections, you may find your home on this list sooner rather than later. 

While your home will be fitted with the necessary tech by an NBN technician during the installation process, that hardware is meant to stay in the premises permanently. If you find yourself moving homes and the previous owner has removed that tech and taken it with them, you’ll need to know what you’re missing and request a replacement from NBN Co.

The two pieces of NBN tech you’ll need to get up and running on an HFC, FTTP or FTTC connection are an NBN connection box and an NBN utility box. The utility box gets installed on the outside of your property, while the connection box will be inside your home. 

Both of these pieces of equipment will be supplied and installed by NBN Co when your premises is connected to the network. If you have moved into a connected home and one of these pieces of equipment is missing, you can contact NBN Co to organise a replacement.

Other than the two pieces of hardware that NBN Co will install, you’ll need a router and modem in order to connect to the internet and set up a Wi-Fi connection. These will often be available from your retail service provider, or you may be able to purchase your own independently.

Your connection type is dictated by the technology used by NBN Co when they set your premises up to access the network. The connection you have will not only affect the type of hardware you’ll need at your property, but also which NBN speed tiers you will be able to access. 

If you’re not sure of your connection type, you can input your address over at the NBN website . This will also tell you of any upcoming works scheduled for your area, which may see your connection type eligible for an upgrade.

If your connection is an FTTB or FTTN connection, common in unit blocks and areas outside of city centres that haven’t yet received an upgrade from NBN Co, you won’t have to worry about any hardware. If your premises is eventually upgraded to an FTTC, FTTP or HFC connection, the necessary hardware will be provided and installed by NBN Co.

As the necessary hardware for your connection type is installed by NBN Co when making the connection, it should exist in any home with an FTTC, FTTP or HFC connection. This hardware stays with the premises, as it was installed, and should not travel with any occupants should they move homes.

If you have moved to a new property and found your hardware missing, you can contact your internet retailer who will in turn contact NBN Co to organise a replacement for you. This should also be the case if your NBN hardware becomes damaged or no longer functions as it should. 

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