Internet Frequently Asked Questions

The Internet is a worldwide network of computers where you can shop, research, connect with friends and family, catch up on the latest news and much more. If you’re reading this, congratulations, you’re on the Internet!

The World Wide Web gives us those ‘w’s at the start of an Internet address. When you’re talking about using the World Wide Web, you’re referring to all the content accessible via the Internet, including social media, email and news sites.

Your connection speed is how slow or fast you can log onto the Internet and click around. In tech terms, it’s how fast you can transfer and receive data via the Internet. Back in the old days, you may have had to wait a handful of seconds or even a few minutes for a page to load, whereas now we can load pages almost instantly.

Your ISP is how you get online. It’s a little like how you can own a telephone and have telephone lines running from your house, but you can’t make and receive calls unless the telephone service provider greenlights the access. Essentially, it’s who you pay to have access to the internet.

When you choose an ISP, you’ll likely choose an Internet Plan with regular fees to keep that access open. You can also change ISPs if you like (provided there are other options in your area), but there may be exit fees you need to pay, depending on the plan you chose.

Most people’s home Internet setup includes a modem and a router. The modem is the device that connects you to the Internet. You’ll also usually get this from your ISP. Your router, on the other hand, makes it possible for lots of different computers and Wi-Fi-capable devices to talk to one another on a home Wi-Fi network. This can allow you to do things like set up a wireless printer that any computer from your house can print from without needing to be plugged in. If you’re bored and have a less tech-savvy household member, you can pretend the house is haunted by printing spooky notes next time they’re near the printer.

Now you’ve wrapped your head around the difference between a modem and a router, we wanted to let you know that sometimes, you may get a modem that comes with an in-built router. While this can make the terms confusing, it can be more convenient when setting up your home Wi-Fi network.

Wi-Fi (or wireless fidelity; not wireless fireless as some people claim) is one way you can set up your Internet at home. If you can connect to the Internet wirelessly at home, you have a Wi-Fi network.

Your home Wi-Fi network is created by your router, letting all sorts of Internet-capable devices talk to one another to make things more convenient. It also lets these devices share your Internet connection so you can be on your smartphone scrolling social media while another member of your household is streaming Netflix on your smart TV.

ADSL, NBN and 5G are all ways to access the Internet.

ADSL (sometimes called ADSL2 or ADSL2+) uses the existing telephone copper lines. It has the slowest connection speed of the three methods, coming in at a top of 25Mbps. It’s also generally being phased out across Australia.

The NBN (National Broadband Network) uses newer technologies, including fibre optic cables, to deliver faster and more reliable Internet at home. Depending on your NBN connection, you could theoretically get speeds from 25Mbps to more than 800Mbps, although the plan you choose, and a few other factors can impact your final speed.

5G is the next generation in mobile network technology, like 3G and 4G before it. Using mobile networks, you can wirelessly connect to the Internet through your phone or other smart devices, as long as you have reception, a SIM card and an active mobile data plan.

Depending on your needs and situation, you may be able to choose from all three options or one may be the clear winner.

The NBN is the National Broadband Network. It’s a Federal Government initiative that’s been rolling out across the country since 2011 to improve Australia’s Internet. The NBN uses a mixture of technology, including the existing copper telephone lines, new fibre optic cables, radio signals and satellites. As of February 2024, 8.6 million homes and businesses use the NBN with a further 12.3 million able to connect if they wish.[1]

Source: https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbn/documents/how-we-are-tracking/nbn-february-2024-monthly-progress-report.pdf.coredownload.pdf

Because it uses a mixture of technologies to get people connected, the NBN offers a range of speeds. At the slower end, you may only get about 25Mbps as a download speed. At the other end of the spectrum, you could be downloading at a speed of more than 800Mbps. If you’re just checking Facebook or watching the odd Netflix show you probably won’t need anything that fast.

Additionally, the speed you get doesn’t just depend on the technology you’re using. The NBN Plan you choose may also come with speed caps or limits. Knowing the kinds of speeds you need for your regular Internet activity, like watching movies or using social media, could help you find a plan you like.

If your home is in an NBN-ready area and you want to get connected, you can start off by looking for eligible NBN Plans. This is because your Internet Provider will be the one talking to NBN Co about getting you connected. (For all those who hate making phone calls, please feel free to breathe a sigh of relief).

Once you’ve signed up to a plan, you may need to have an NBN-approved technician drop by to complete some installation work — your Internet Provider should let you know. If no installation work is needed (or once it’s complete), your Internet Provider may send you an NBN connection box (a type of modem) or similar equipment for you to plug into your home Internet setup.

You can check if your home is NBN-ready using the NBN Co website. If your home can’t connect to the NBN, you could let your Internet Provider know. They’ll work with NBN Co to see if a solution can be found.

If you’re connecting to the NBN within the 18-month window after your area is NBN ready, you likely won’t need to pay any installation costs. Having said that, sometimes some changes to wiring may be needed at your place, which may mean a fee is required. If you’re getting a non-standard installation that may also cost you too. Talking with your Internet Provider might help you learn if this is your situation and what size bill to expect.

Assuming there is more than one NBN Provider in your area, you can choose who you go with. As you compare NBN Providers and Plans, you might like to think about what Internet speeds your household needs (an Ultrafast NBN Plan may sound flash, but you may not need something that high powered).

iSelect and CIMET can give you a hand finding and comparing a range of NBN Plans from a selection of providers, thanks to our handy comparison tool.*

Technically, you don’t have to switch to the NBN. If you live somewhere with a fixed line connection (as in somewhere with a Fibre to the Node, Fibre to the Curb, Fibre to the Building, Fibre to the Premises or Hybrid Fibre Coaxial connection), you’ve got 18 months from the day you’re NBN ready to get connected. After that, your existing wired ADSL Internet connection will be shut off. But you could still continue to use a mobile network, like 4G or 5G, for your home Internet.

If you aren’t in a fixed line area — so able to connect to the NBN via Fixed Wireless or Sky Muster Satellite — you have the option to keep your regular plan and setup.

4G and 5G Home Internet use mobile data networks rather than an ADSL or NBN connection to create your home Internet network. If you have a smartphone (or other smart device) and already use the Internet when you’re out and about, you may be able to set up a home version if you like.

4G and 5G Home Internet networks rely on having 4G or 5G coverage at home. If you have a smartphone or similar device that can wirelessly browse the Internet, you could check to see if it displays ‘4G’ or ‘5G’ on the screen. Alternatively, you could check if you have coverage at your home by speaking with your Mobile Service Provider.

All Australian capital cities, except Darwin, have 5G coverage to some extent, along with many regional centres. Additionally, it’s expected that 95% of the population will have 5G coverage in 2025.

Even if you have coverage, though, you’ll need an active mobile data plan to join the 4G or 5G network.

To use 4G or 5G Internet at home, at a minimum you’ll need an active mobile data plan, a connected SIM card and a smart device capable of accessing the 4G or 5G network, like a smartphone or tablet. With the SIM card in your device, your mobile data plan can be identified and you can connect to the 4G or 5G network to use the Internet.

To get 4G or 5G Internet on other smart devices without needing to move SIM cards around or purchase additional mobile data plans, you could use your smart device as a hotspot and share its mobile Internet connection with other smart devices.

Alternatively, you could purchase a mobile broadband device that works similarly to a Wi-Fi router. This will contain the SIM card and connect to the 4G or 5G Internet, while broadcasting a Wi-Fi network your devices can connect to.

Remember, even if you have the right equipment, you’ll need to have 4G or 5G coverage to access the Internet through mobile data networks. Otherwise, it’ll be just like the dark ages and you won’t be able to log online wherever you are.

There’s no definitive answer as to whether 4G or 5G Internet is better than the NBN. For some people, it may be about what is available in their area. They may not have 4G or 5G coverage but can get a fast fixed line NBN connection.

Alternatively, some people may want to use a lot of data regularly, like watching lots of streams on different devices at once or working from home most days. In these instances, an NBN Plan could give them more data to play with.

Cost can also be a factor with mobile data plans tending to be a bit more expensive.

You might like to think about what you’d like out of your Home Internet Plan to help you narrow down one. iSelect, with CIMET, can also help you compare a range of NBN Plans from some different providers, thanks to our handy comparison tool.*