Tech Guides

IPv4 · 32-bit addresses192.0.2.1 · four decimal numbers

IPv6 · 128-bit addresses2001:db8::1 · hexadecimal groups

These example addresses show the formats. A dual-stack connection can use both.

IPv4 and IPv6 are two ways to give devices addresses so internet traffic knows where to go. IPv4 is older and uses shorter addresses, such as 192.0.2.1. IPv6 uses longer addresses, such as 2001:db8::1, and makes room for far more connected devices.

A connection that supports both is called dual stack. Most of the time, your device handles the choice for you. IPv6 by itself won’t make your Wi-Fi stronger or increase your plan speed.

What to check: If a work service or device specifically needs IPv6, confirm that both your internet service and your router support it.

Further reading: IETF IPv6 specification.

With CGNATSeveral services → provider shares one public IPv4 address

Without CGNATYour service → its own public IPv4 address when the plan supplies one

An unshared address can still change. Static and public describe different things.

With carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT), your internet provider lets multiple customers share a public IPv4 address. Everyday browsing and streaming generally work as usual, but some multiplayer games and remote-access tools that need a direct connection from outside your home can be affected.

No CGNAT means your provider isn’t using that extra sharing layer for your service. It does not turn off your router’s firewall or make your internet faster. It also doesn’t mean the address is fixed: a static IP stays the same, while a dynamic IP can change.

What to check: If an app isn’t connecting, check whether it needs a public IPv4 address or specifically a static one. Follow the app maker’s secure remote-access instructions.

Further reading: IETF guidance on CGNAT and how address sharing affects apps.

Wi-Fi 42.4 or 5 GHz

Wi-Fi 55 GHz

Wi-Fi 62.4 and 5 GHz

Wi-Fi 6EWi-Fi 6 with 6 GHz added

Wi-Fi 7Up to 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz

The gear at both ends determines which bands and features you can use.

These numbers describe how your devices connect wirelessly to your router. They don’t describe your internet plan or tell you how far the signal will reach.

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n): An older generation that can use 2.4 or 5 GHz.
• Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac): A faster generation on the 5 GHz band.
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): Uses 2.4 and 5 GHz and is designed to handle more devices sharing the network efficiently.
• Wi-Fi 6E: Extends Wi-Fi 6 into the 6 GHz band for compatible devices.
• Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be): Adds features like Multi-Link Operation, which lets compatible equipment use more than one wireless link. Available bands and features depend on the model.

Before you upgrade: Check what your phones and computers support. A new router alone won’t give an older device Wi-Fi 7 features.

Further reading: HPE Aruba Networking’s Wi-Fi guide and Cisco’s wireless reference.

1. Main unitConnects to the internet

2. Mesh unitHalfway to the weak spot, still within good range

3. StudyConnects to the closer mesh unit

The mesh unit needs a good link back to the main unit. A wired link can also work where supported.

A mesh system uses two or more units to provide one Wi-Fi network. It can fill coverage gaps where one router struggles, such as an upstairs office or a room on the far side of a brick wall. Mesh can improve coverage; it won’t change the speed of the internet service coming into your home.

Try this: Put a wireless mesh unit between the router and the weak area, where the unit can still receive a strong signal. Don’t put it in the dead spot. If your units support Ethernet and your home is wired for it, linking them by cable can free up wireless capacity.

Compare results near your router and in the problem room before buying equipment. If a wired test at the main router is also slow, investigate that first. If coverage is the problem, browse modems, routers and mesh Wi-Fi.

Further reading: eero’s placement tips and connecting mesh units with Ethernet.

1. Incoming connectionnbn connection box or a compatible modem, depending on the connection type

2. RouterShares your internet connection

3. Your devicesConnect over Wi-Fi or Ethernet

A modem-router combines the first two jobs where your connection type needs a modem.

A modem connects your home equipment to the incoming internet line. A router shares that connection with your devices over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Some devices do both jobs and are sold as modem-routers.

An nbn connection box is the nbn-supplied equipment that connects your premises to its network on technologies such as FTTP and HFC. It generally connects by Ethernet to your router. Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and Fibre to the Building (FTTB) don’t use a separate nbn connection box at your premises; they generally need a compatible VDSL2 modem or modem-router.

Before you buy: Check your nbn technology, then confirm your equipment is compatible with your connection.

Further reading: nbn’s guide to your connection box and VDSL2 modem compatibility.

1. Ethernet testPlug into the main router

2. Nearby Wi-FiTest in the same room

3. Distant Wi-FiTest in the room with the issue

If wired and nearby results are good but the problem room is slow, focus on Wi-Fi coverage.

1. Pause big downloads and backups. Use the same device and test service for each result, if you can.
2. Connect a computer to the main router with Ethernet, switch off Wi-Fi on that computer and run a speed test. Note the download, upload and time.
3. Unplug Ethernet, turn Wi-Fi back on and repeat the test near the router, then in the room where you notice the problem.

What the results suggest: Good wired speeds but a poor result in one room point to a Wi-Fi coverage issue. If wired speeds are also consistently slow, keep a record of your results and call Tech Support so we can help narrow down the cause.

Further reading: nbn’s guide to checking Wi-Fi speeds.

Download · MbpsData comes to your device

Upload · MbpsData leaves your device

Latency · msTime for a signal to go out and back

Download and upload are rates. Latency is a delay: a fast plan does not always mean a short delay.

• Download speed is how quickly data comes to you. It matters for streaming and downloading games or files.
• Upload speed is how quickly you send data. It matters for video calls, large file transfers and cloud backups.
• Latency is delay. On a speed test it usually means the time for a signal to reach the test server and return, measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower latency can make games and calls feel more responsive.

Reading a plan: A label like 100/20 Mbps shows the plan’s download tier first and upload tier second. It doesn’t tell you the latency or guarantee that speeds will always match those numbers. Check your current results.

Further reading: ACCC’s guide to broadband speeds and ACCC’s explanation of latency.

Data banking saves unused data for later. Data pooling shares data across eligible services now.

Banking · same service10 GB unused this month → saved for a later month, within the plan’s cap

Pooling · same billing period30 GB + 30 GB → 60 GB shared. One service can use 40 GB and the other 20 GB.

Illustrative amounts, not plan allowances. Unused data on Carbon Mobile Data Pooling plans does not roll over.

Banking example: If you finish a billing period with 10 GB of eligible data unused, it can go into your data bank for that same service, subject to your plan’s cap and terms. It isn’t shared with another mobile service.

Pooling example: If two eligible services in the same pool each contribute 30 GB, they can use a combined 60 GB in that billing period. One may use 40 GB while the other uses 20 GB. Carbon’s Mobile Data Pooling plans don’t include banking, so unused pooled data does not carry over.

Which suits you? Banking can help if one service’s usage varies from month to month. Pooling can help when usage varies between eligible services in the same billing period. Check eligibility and limits before changing plans.

See Carbon Mobile Plans, the Mobile Critical Information Summary or the Mobile Data Pooling Critical Information Summary.