Modem vs Router in Australia (vs China): Stop Getting Confused
Bought a new router and it won't connect? The word 'modem' means something different here. Two minutes to clear it up for good — and to know whether you need a modem-router or just a router.
'Connect your modem' — but which box?
Support says ‘connect your modem,’ but you only see a light-converter box; or you buy a shiny new router and it won't get online. It's not your English — China and Australia mean different things by the word ‘modem’. Clear this up once and a lot of setup confusion disappears.
China: separate boxes
Typical home chain: ONT → Router → devices. The ONT converts the signal (optical ↔ electrical) and does not do WiFi. So in Chinese usage, ‘Modem’ basically means the ONT, and it's clearly a separate physical box from the Router.
Australia: often one combined box
Because some NBN types (FTTB, VDSL, ADSL) need a device that plugs straight into the phone line (RJ11) and does the modulation, vendors sell ‘Modem Routers’ (e.g. ASUS DSL-AC68U, TP-Link Archer VR2100v) that do both modem and WiFi in one. So Australians call the whole thing ‘the modem’. In practice, ‘modem’ here can mean:
- a pure modem (rare);
- a combined modem-router (the common case);
- or loosely just ‘the box the ISP sent’ — whatever its internals.
One line to remember: in China ‘modem’ = the ONT that converts signal; in Australia ‘modem’ often = the all-in-one box that also does your WiFi.
Which do I actually need?
It depends on your connection type:
- FTTP / HFC: you have an NBN box that does the modem part — you just need a plain router (or router + mesh). A router-only device is fine.
- FTTN / FTTB (phone line): you need a modem-router that supports VDSL2 and plugs into the phone socket — a router-only device won't work, and a Chinese fibre ONT usually won't either.
- Not sure? Check your max speed on an ISP site (gigabit = fibre = router-only; 100M-max = DSL = modem-router). Full method: Can I use my Chinese router?
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a modem and a router?+
A modem converts the signal between your line and your network; a router shares that connection to your devices over WiFi and Ethernet. In China they're usually separate boxes (ONT + router). In Australia they're often combined into one 'modem-router', which is why people use 'modem' loosely for the whole box.
Do I need a modem or just a router for the NBN?+
On FTTP or HFC the NBN box handles the modem part, so a plain router is enough. On FTTN/FTTB (phone-line) you need a VDSL-capable modem-router. Check your address's max speed to tell which you're on.
Still stuck? We fix this every day.
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