Optus Speed Test - Free NBN & 5G Home Broadband Check

Run a free Optus speed test to accurately measure the performance of your Australian broadband connection. This diagnostic tool checks your download speed, upload speed, latency (ping), and jitter in seconds. Once complete, you can compare your actual speeds against Optus's officially advertised typical evening speeds for their NBN and 5G Home Internet plans. If your results are lower than expected, read our guide to troubleshoot your Ultra WiFi Modem, understand the 4G backup failover limits, or bypass the ISP hardware entirely.

Optus Plans & Typical Evening Speeds

Optus provides internet via the national NBN Co network as well as its own 4G/5G cellular towers. The speeds below are the ACCC-mandated "Typical Evening Speeds" measured during peak hours (7 PM to 11 PM).

The Ultra WiFi Modem Breakdown

Optus supplies most fixed-line NBN customers with the Sagemcom Ultra WiFi Modem Gen 2. It is a capable Wi-Fi 6 router with a unique feature: a built-in SIM card for cellular backup.

• Admin Access: Navigate to 192.168.0.1 in your web browser. The username is "admin" and the password is printed on the barcode sticker on the back of the modem.
• Wi-Fi Splitting: By default, the modem uses band steering to combine the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. If your smart home devices are struggling to connect, log into the admin panel and separate the bands into two distinct network names.

The Ultimate Optus Troubleshooting Guide (Reddit Sourced)

To provide actionable technical advice, we've reviewed the most common complaints and workarounds discussed by Australian power users on r/Optus and r/nbn.

1. The "25 Mbps Limit" and the Blue Light (4G Failover)

One of the most common complaints from Optus users is: "I pay for 100 Mbps, but my speed test is suddenly stuck exactly at 25 Mbps!"

Look at the LED indicator on the front of your Ultra WiFi Modem. If it is glowing Blue instead of Green, your primary NBN connection has dropped offline. The modem has automatically switched to the 4G mobile backup network to keep you online. However, Optus artificially caps this backup connection at exactly 25 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload. The modem will automatically switch back to the NBN (Green light) once Openreach/NBN Co resolves the line fault.

2. Bridge Mode and VoIP Limitations

If you want to use a high-end mesh system (like Eero or UniFi) instead of the Optus modem, you have two choices:

• Use your own router directly: If you have FTTP or HFC, you can unplug the Optus modem entirely and plug your third-party router's WAN port straight into the NBN connection box. Warning: Doing this means you permanently lose the 4G backup failover feature, and you will lose access to your Optus landline (VoIP) phone service.
• Bridge the Optus Modem: The Gen 2 modem supports a Bridge Mode in the advanced settings. However, users report that firmware updates sometimes wipe this setting, and placing it in bridge mode still disables the VoIP phone ports.

3. 5G Home Internet Placement

If you are using the Nokia FastMile 5G modem and speeds are highly inconsistent, your physical placement is the bottleneck. 5G millimeter-wave and mid-band signals are heavily degraded by walls and tinted glass. The modem must be placed on a windowsill facing the nearest Optus cellular tower, as high up in your house as possible.

Optus Game Path: Does it Work?

Optus sells a premium add-on called Game Path. Users often ask if this will improve their speed test results.

No, it will not increase download or upload speeds. Game Path is a routing optimization tool (similar to a gaming VPN like WTFast). It forces your gaming traffic to take the most direct physical fiber routes to game servers (e.g., in Singapore or the US) rather than the cheapest routes. It is exclusively designed to lower your ping (latency) and jitter. If you don't play competitive online games on international servers, you do not need Game Path.

Optus Internet - Pros and Cons

Pros:

• The automatic 4G backup in the standard modem is a lifesaver for people working from home during NBN outages.
• Optus SubHub allows you to bundle subscriptions like Netflix and Amazon Prime at a discount.
• 5G Home Internet plans come with a Speed Satisfaction Guarantee (cancel penalty-free if speeds are poor).

Cons:

• Upload speeds on NBN plans are restricted to the lowest NBN Co tiers (e.g., 100/20 instead of 100/40).
• Optus support can be difficult to navigate during major network outages.
• Replacing the Optus modem with your own hardware breaks the VoIP landline and 4G backup features.

Competitor Comparison

Related Diagnostic Tools

Ensure your connection is perfectly stable by using our supplementary testing tools:

• Ping Test - Evaluate raw latency and response stability.
• Global Ping Test - Check your latency from routing locations worldwide.

Optus Internet - Frequently Asked Questions