Moving House? Don’t Take the NBN Box – What Northern Beaches and North Shore Residents Need to Know

White NBN box with the nbn logo beside a wifi router on a table, the NBN box that should stay when moving house

Here’s something that comes up all the time when people move house on the Northern Beaches and North Shore. While packing up the tech, someone spots a white box with cables running in and out. It looks like it could be theirs, so the NBN box ends up in a moving carton.

It isn’t theirs, though. It needs to stay.

What Is the NBN Box and Why Does It Stay?

The NBN box is nbn’s connection box. It’s where the nbn network connects into the home, and your router plugs into it. nbn links each box to one address, not to you.

You can usually spot it by the nbn logo. Most also carry a label saying it’s the property of nbn and must stay at the address. Homes on fibre to the node (FTTN) or fibre to the building (FTTB) don’t have an NBN box at all, just your own modem.

So why do they go missing? Some NBN boxes, like the ones on cable (HFC) and fibre to the curb (FTTC) connections, simply plug into a wall socket and sit on a shelf. As a result, they’re easy to mistake for your own gear.

What Happens If It Goes Missing?

Without the box, the people moving in can’t connect their internet. Instead, their provider has to arrange a replacement through nbn, and that can mean a wait without internet. Not a great start in a new home.

Packed one by mistake? nbn will take it back. You can get a free Australia Post return label through nbn’s website.

What Can You Take When Moving House?

Your router is yours. It’s the box that creates your wifi network, and it usually has your internet provider’s name on it. That one comes with you.

Here’s the simple test: if it has the nbn logo, leave it. If it doesn’t, it’s probably yours to take.

Moving Day Checklist: NBN Box, Router and TV

  • Leave the NBN box. It belongs to the address.
  • Take your router. That one’s yours.
  • Take your TV’s power cable, and the One Connect cable if your Samsung Frame uses one.
  • If the buyer or landlord is happy for it to stay, leave the TV wall bracket complete, arms and all, so there’s no patching. I’ve explained why in whether to leave your TV wall mount.

Need Help Getting Set Up in Your New Home?

Moving into a new place on the Northern Beaches or North Shore? I can get your TV, streaming services and home tech sorted. If the wifi doesn’t reach every room in the new house, a mesh system can help, and I’ve written about setting up a Nest Wifi Pro. There’s also a list of what to have ready before your installer arrives.

Get in touch through the contact page or send a message, and I’ll get everything set up properly from day one.