Maybe they misinterpreted the meaning of ‘showtime’ - they are trying to save our showtime, after all 
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I must be missing something in this latest discussion.
The network access device, or modem, is matched to the network type, and is supplied by the network provider. That is NBN.
What this has to do with routers, or Wifi or Ethernet access to the router, is a mystery to me.
Sure in the days of ADSL you had devices that combined everything in one box, but not now.
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Not always excepting on HFC, FW, and Sat. Many RSPs are happy for customers to BYO while a few are not. The issue is for BYO devices (incl modems, modem/routers, sometimes VOIP, often all in one box) connecting via VDSL (FTTN and its derivative similar MTMs)
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But why would you buy your own VDSL equiped router access device if you had FTTN or FTTC? I have the latter. NBN supplied and maintained modem, RSP supplied and maintained router and wifi ethernet box.
You need to pay an RSP for the network service, and if anything goes wrong, the problem is dealt with far more easily if the hardware is as supplied by the two parties.
Because it is better than the often rubbish your RSP might provide. It might have more native ports. It might have mobile backup. It might have better wireless range to avoid more boxes in your house, or more bandwidth for your internal needs, or just because you want to.
As for support, some can DIY and some need help. Those who need much help should take the RSP supplied boxes. That does not change the highlighted problem.
I BYO a device that AussieBB does not sell but still provides significant configuration support in a how to on their web site, as they do with many modem/routers. They understand their customers.
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Alas, if they are trying they are not succeeding. Watching a single SD show last night featured regular entertainment by the buffering symbol - 50 Mbps HFC with nothing else, not even browsing to complicate it. Could be the NBN, could be AussieBB, and could be the content provider. Any odds on which is most likely?
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Ditto, with our new Aussie BB NBN Fixed Wireless service. I get a reliable WiFi service with faster connection from a single router TP-Link Archer VR2100 than the other ISPs ‘Technicolor TG789’ which required an extender to cover all.
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For clarity FW does have an NBN provided modem, does it not?
Fixed Wireless connections also require an nbn™ connection box to be installed at the point where the cable from the nbn™ outdoor antenna enters your premises. This device requires power to operate and can only be installed by an nbn™ approved installer.
The average NBN user will have no idea what is going on if they suddenly lose connectivity. This looks like a time bomb set to blow up in NBNCo’s face.
Because I want to choose something that has specific features (including decent WiFi and reasonable security), and because having what the RSP supplies is an open invitation to anyone who figures out the RSP’s security failings to hack All Of The Things.
The trouble with HFC is that you share a line with the rest of the street. At peak hours, everyone is trying to watch movies and so you end up with a slower connection.
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But so what. That is the case with all comms connections where the infrastructure is shared.
WiFi, Mobile phone, satellite, Ethernet, FTTN, FTTC, almost everything I can think of.
It was a reasonable comment on the quality and provisioning of the NBN. Most/many of us are more than aware of how the technologies work and how many subscribers any given technology could support concurrently. A big difference between HFC and Fibre, eh?
BTW, was your query
adequately addressed?
Indeed - I ran Cisco at home for many years (not ‘Linksys Cisco’ - real Cisco) - but then I’ve been managing Cisco networks since the early '90s - another vendor now, discrete components for router, edge switches and AP’s, and now some custom hardware on a more vanilla piece of hardware to achieve ROC and SOS in a bridge config to maintain my investment in real networking kit - NBN don’t take the real stuff into consideration with these changes, only the consumer grade stuff - fair enough - but there are a lot of people ‘in the industry’ who run commercial grade kit at home, not to mention SME’s who choose to run kit that can have real security and serious hardware contracts eg 24x7x4 etc. Many run NBN because these days its the defacto standard especially in a regional context, or because real network services (not NBN) are an order of magnitude more expensive.
Does HFC have ‘showtime’ status? haven’t looked into it … we don’t have it here …
For ma-and-pa-kettle users that might appear true 
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You know, and I know!
Of course the NBN does not!
It’s called an ‘NBN connection box’. Which might be as complex as many average consumers and RSP support techs go. I’ve also seen it labelled as a WNTD, Wireless Network Termination Device.
And yes, for those still with us, it is functionally a modem, physically a modem, and could be replaced by a number of alternate branded products. But the NBN is absolute. The RSP’s have no control over that device.
As @PhilT indicated previously the NBN HFC and satellite services have a similar setup, and the NBN Co similarly avoids calling it a modem. Some RSP’s still refer to the box they supply for those services as a modem router, which is what it is but not how it is used.
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HFC was never designed for two-way highspeed data communications. It was for broadcasting TV. What users get on this service is exactly what would be expected if multiple separate streams are to be sent over a common cable rather than a single multiplexed stream of video sent.
My ‘query’ has not been addressed. As far as I am concerned, the routing and access methods to a local network are separate to the hardware levels of the network. The modem operates at the link level and performs a separate function to a router, or a switch, or a wifi Pop.
Why buy your own modem when it is provided free with the network connection, and will match what is on the other end, and will conform to any standards the network provider requires?
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There are obviously differing opinions as expressed previously.
It could get interesting in theory because some RSPs distribute kit that is not complaint with SOS/ROC and may have to replace the lot of it, but that is not the end-customers worry unless they bought the box from their RSP. rather than have a freebie as part of their plan that remains the RSP’s property and thus responsibility.
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Any device that connects directly to the nbn™ NTD is supposed to be nbn™ compliant/ready. Any device behind that device does not need to be nbn™ compliant. So if someone gets a router from their RSP that they plug into the supplied NTD eg the HFC “modem” supplied by NBN Co, this first router must be nbn™ “ready” or “compliant” supposedly. For FTTN and similar VDSL2 services the NBN Co has some rules for the devices that connect, if they aren’t compliant NBN Co may block the device from the network, and another is they may not accept fault reports for your service until the device is a compatible one, they may also put the device into “repair mode” which basically means they hobble the speed of the device.
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Now ROC and SOS are the domain of the link level. That is the modem.
Nothing at all to do with routers or Wifi or ethernet.
When I converted to NBN, my RSP sent me a Wifi/ethernet router unit to be compatible with and plug into the NBN modem. Works very well.
NBN supplied the network termination unit, ie modem.
They are separate parts of the network infrastructure, and given that the title of this topic is Wireless routers review, I am still puzzled why posters would be talking about modems, and ROC/SOS.
What that?
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I realised the 2019 review is an NBN modem-router review and the focus seems to have changed to wireless routers.
While there is now a single VOIP entry in the products and a VOIP filter in the wireless router review, still no mention in the otherwise comprehensive buying guide.
@SteveDuncombe, @BrendanMays, Perhaps splitting modem-routers and wireless routers is causing confusion and the test should merge both type products and have ‘integrated modem’ as a filter?
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It would seem logical to keep together, looking at the Choice overview of home WiFi networks and the related reviews.
Choice does not test performance or score the modem portion of the integrated products. In all instances the focus is on the wireless networking performance, ease of use and power consumption. The same as for VoIP whether a device includes an integrated modem is just another feature for a tick in the box. How capable the modem might be is not assessed or tested.
If there is a further cause for confusion our RSP’s deserve an award. iiNet when I looked to add NBN FW to our rural located home indicated they would supply the same Technicolor model modem Wifi router as they had currently supplied for our ADSL2 service! The only option if we desired to change our copper line over to the NBN and VoIP.
Is there even sufficient demand for manufacturers to supply two versions of the same product. One with modem and one without?
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