When it comes to Home Internet, we know you’ve got questions. How do you fix your internet when it drops out? How can you speed up your home Wi-Fi? What’s the best modem for work-from-home? Here are the answers to your biggest questions.
Your internet questions answered
Why does my internet keep dropping out?
If you’re experiencing a lot of service interruptions for your home internet, we have some suggestions for you. Whether due to planned maintenance or just bad luck, most internet connections go down every now and then (even ours!).
But to help make outages and downtime a thing of the past, we’ve put a 4G SIM Card into our Smart Modem Gen 2. That means if your main nbn connection goes down, you’ll connect to our 4G back-up service, backed by Australia’s largest mobile network.You’ll need to be in a 4G coverage area to connect to the back-up service, and the back-up speeds are capped at 25/5Mbps (actual speeds may be lower).
To make sure your Smart Modem Gen 2 is working on the mobile network before or during an outage, check the lights on the back of the device. Here’s what the lights on the modem mean and what you can do to troubleshoot.
Why is my internet slow?
When you take up a home internet plan with Telstra on the nbn, we’ll let you know the plan’s typical speeds during busy periods.The speeds you’ll experience may be slower, due to things like your in-home connection or wiring and the number of devices accessing your Wi-Fi.
The speeds you can get are also impacted by the technology nbn co has made available at your address.This is particularly true If you’re on Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN), Fibre-to-the-Basement (FTTB) or Fibre-to-the-Curb (FTTC).
If you’re on these technologies, we’ve also recently introduced new capability which for many FTTN, FTTB and FTTC customers, lets us provide you with reliable information at point of sale about the maximum possible speeds at your address, so you can select a plan that you’ll get the most benefit from and not be charged for something you cannot use.
If your connection type is FTTN, FTTB and FTTC we’ll also email you with the maximum possible speeds at your address after you’ve connected or upgraded and provide you with options if your connection can’t support the maximum speeds of the speed plan you’ve chosen.
If your Telstra internet is slow, we recommend looking at your stats in the My Telstra app. There you’ll find not only your speed but also how to troubleshoot if you think it’s too low.
What is the difference between nbn and Wi-Fi?
It’s easy to get confused, but the nbn and Wi-Fi are two different things.
The nbn is the national broadband network.It’s the internet connection that comes into the home (like power, gas or hot water) and stops at a wall plug. Your Wi-Fi is what distributes the internet connection around your home using a Wi-Fi modem.
Why can’t I get Wi-Fi in all areas of my house?
The strength of your Wi-Fi is entirely dependent on both your modem and where it’s placed.
Not all modems are created equally, either. They seem like a plain black or white box, but they’re packed with important antenna technology that won’t give you a great experience if the manufacturer or ISP has cut corners to save cash.
Our Smart Modem Gen 2 is built to fan coverage out over your home, and if your place is too big to be covered, we have boosters that pair easily and effortlessly extend your own coverage.
More than that, we also have a money-back guarantee for your whole of home Wi-Fi coverage! Here’s how to get the Telstra Home Wi-Fi Guarantee.
How to fix Telstra Home Internet
How fast is my internet, and how do I do a speed test?
To measure your Telstra Home Internet speed, you’ll want to use our built-in Speedtest tool.
Powered by Ookla, the world’s leading speed test provider, it’ll tell you exactly how fast your line is so you can diagnose any potential issues.
Simply navigate to speedtest.telstra.com to get started.
Alternatively, you can do a speed test inside the My Telstra app.
How can I view my Telstra account?
You don’t have to pick up the phone to do some troubleshooting on your account.
We’ve just launched our new My Telstra app for both Apple iOS and Google Android, which is designed to be a one-stop-shop for all your Telstra needs. We have also created a number of self-service videos to help you with your basic service needs. The new My Telstra app helps make self-service, billing and tech support a lot easier.
You can manage your services and payments, get help, check for outages and track orders – all while you’re at home.
The app has also been designed with accessibility at the forefront, built to be compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1.
What is the Telstra Smart Modem 2?
The Telstra Smart Modem 2 is one of the best bits of kit we’ve put out in a long time. Not only does it give you strong Wi-Fi signal around the house, it’s actually smart.
The modem itself is constantly talking to the network, getting data on what’s happening in the background and optimising itself for best results. And if the connection from nbn does drop out, the modem – will automatically connect to the 4G back-up service. You’ll need to be in a 4G coverage area to connect to the back up service, and the back-up speeds are capped at 25/5Mbps (actual speeds may be lower).
With our modem, an outage from the nbn. It’s the best Wi-Fi for work-from-home.
How to fix slow Telstra Wi-Fi
Slow Wi-Fi can be a killer, but you don’t need to put up with it.
A lot of bad Wi-Fi problems can be solved simply by moving your modem, for example.
Ideally, you want to set up your Smart Modem Gen 2 in a central location where you will use your wireless devices. If you have it at the far end of your home away from your television, laptop, or smartphone, you’re likely going to experience poor connectivity and slow speeds (even if it is connected).
Wi-Fi signals have a tougher time travelling through dense objects, so it’s best to achieve a clear line of sight between the modem and your devices. Check that your furniture, television, or even cupboards aren’t in between the modem and your device.
There are also many sources of radio interference in the home, from appliances to reflective surfaces. Fortunately, minimising the impact of this interference is easy.
Some appliances, such as microwaves and cordless phones, operate on the 2.4GHz spectrum when active. You may notice your connection stability degrades when you’re heating up leftovers for lunch. Ensure your modem isn’t set up next to these devices.
Fridges and other appliances made of metal, such as your stove, reflect radio waves and can cause issues. Try to place the modem so that the Wi-Fi can travel to as much of your house as possible without passing through the kitchen at all.
Bear in mind that mirrors have a thin layer of metal inside of them. As tempting as it can be to keep your modem out of sight, avoid setting it up inside a mirrored wardrobe.
Can I get a Telstra signal booster for my home Wi-Fi?
If you need a good Wi-Fi booster that works seamlessly with your Telstra Smart Modem 2, we’ve got something for you.
We know that some of our customers – especially those living in larger homes with lots of rooms to cover, or in an apartment block with digitally ‘noisy’ neighbours – might need a little Wi-Fi boost. If you’d like your home or office Wi-Fi network to stretch its legs a little further, or if you need help reducing or resolving black spots, we have a whole of home Wi-Fi solution that’s simpler than ever.
Utilising EasyMesh technology, Telstra Smart Wi-Fi Boosters (Gen 2) integrate seamlessly with the Telstra Smart Modem, acting as additional hotspots. As customers move around the house, the network enables their device to seamlessly switch to the strongest Wi-Fi signal.
We’re also guaranteeing you whole-of-home Wi-Fi coverage with our boosters. Better signal, or your money back. It’s that simple.
Here’s how to get the Telstra Home Wi-Fi Coverage Guarantee.
How long does it take to get connected to Telstra Home Internet?
This depends on your connection at home.
If you’ve got an available line into your home, it can typically take between two to four days for activation. If you need a technician to pop over, however, it can take up to 10 days.
The best part about getting connected to Telstra, however, is that your Smart Modem Gen 2 is ready to connect you to the internet as soon as you get home. Thanks to a 4G SIM card in the modem, it’s ready to go as soon as you get home, giving you connectivity before your service is fully activated. You’ll need to be in a 4G coverage area to connect to the backup service, and the back-up speeds are capped at 25/5Mbps (actual speeds may be lower).
And we’ve got dedicated nbn specialists in all of our stores, so you’ll deal with a real person from when you leave the store through to the time you’re connected, up and running.
How do I find out how much data I have left?
Most of our new consumer nbn plans come with unlimited data, so you don’t have to worry about your usage.
If you’re on an old plan, however, you’ll be able to check how much data you have left on your Telstra Broadband service through the My Telstra app. Here’s how:
The My Telstra app will also help you to get additional data on your service if you need to.
Related: How to get the MyTelstra app
What internet is available at my address?
As the National Broadband Network (or nbn) is now “functionally complete”, you’ll now be on one of a range of technologies.
Depending on your address, you’ll be connected to the fibre network directly (FTTP); connected to fibre at the end of your street (FTTN); connected to the fibre outside your property’s curb (FTTC); connected to fibre via your apartment building (FTTB), or on an older version of fibre (HFC).
Each of these technologies works with our equipment, and we charge the same regardless of your connectivity.
To find out what’s available in your area, check out our Home Internet Checker.
The facts about Telstra Home Internet
How can I get a Telstra 5G Home Broadband?
Right now, our 5G Home Internet is still invite-only as we ramp up to making the product available in more places. Over the next 12 months, we’ll be scaling up so more people can get in on the action, especially as 5G continues to evolve and when mmWave is available.
Related: Telstra 5G Home Internet – everything you need to know
How fast is Telstra nbn?
How fast are we? Real fast.
We have a range of plan options available to suit your needs.
What to do with old Telstra modems?
You might have a bunch of old network devices kicking around at home that you don’t need. It’s time to bring them out into the light, because we’ll recycle them for you, free of charge.
Drop your old modem at any Telstra Shop, and we’ll take it off your hands to make sure it’s responsibly and ethically broken down and recycled.
All part of the way we’re designing for a better environmental tomorrow, including reducing the size, weight and virgin materials in our boxing and shipping processes.
Why are Telstra’s nbn plans priced higher than others?
It’s simple: not all nbn providers are created equal.
We also invest heavily in purchasing capacity (bandwidth) from the nbn so that you can get a more reliable connection and fast speeds during peak congestion times; helping ensure you can work, school and stream with less interruptions.
With more demand in the home, it’s important we continue invest and maintain the great experience. In fact, we purchase more capacity (bandwidth) compared to all other NBN providers.
We also provide our customers with flexibility. The fine print will always get you in the end and we want to keep it simple so we’ve removed lock-in contracts. Plus soon, if you take up a new plan and receive a modem, you’ll be able to just return it if you choose to leave. Until then all you may have to pay is the remainder of your modem cost if you leave within 24 months.
If you buy online, you even skip our $99 standard connection fee, so it’s cheaper and easier to get started than ever. No surprises when you receive your first bill!
So when you’re browsing around for your next nbn plan, make sure you keep these tips in mind and understand that not all providers are created equally!
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