--- title: "Telstra Smart Modem login, restart, port forwarding and band steering: a practical guide" url: "https://kilobat.app/routers/telstra-smart-modem" description: "Sign in to a Telstra Smart Modem Gen 2, 3 or 4 at 192.168.0.1, restart it, forward ports, split 2.4 and 5 GHz, set up guest Wi-Fi and boosters." --- Provider box · Telstra # Telstra Smart Modem login, restart, port forwarding and band steering The Smart Modem is the modem-router Telstra supplies with its nbn and home internet plans. You change its settings in a browser at `http://mymodem`; My Telstra handles troubleshooting, extras and boosters. Telstra Smart Modem Sign in `mymodem` or `192.168.0.1` App My Telstra (iOS and Android), under **Services** › your internet service Password The username is `admin`. On a Gen 4 or Gen 3, the default password is the Wi-Fi password on the bottom of the modem or its Wi-Fi details sticker. Models Telstra Smart Modem Gen 4, Telstra Smart Modem Gen 4 – 5G, Telstra Smart Modem Gen 3, Telstra Smart Modem Gen 2 **Checked 1 November 2026.** Telstra Smart Modem Gen 4 (Mongoose, including the 5G version), Gen 3 (CobraXh) and Gen 2 (LH1000, DJA0231), menus as of 2026, and the My Telstra app. Telstra-supplied eero systems use their own app. ## Sign in to the Telstra Smart Modem **Factory default.** Telstra Smart Modem Gen 2 and Gen 1.1: username `admin`, password `Telstra`. Change it after you sign in. 1. Connect your Mac to the modem by Wi-Fi or Ethernet. 2. Open `http://mymodem` or `http://192.168.0.1`. 3. Sign in as `admin` with the modem password. 4. Not sure which modem you have? Check the model number on its bottom or back. In My Telstra, **Services** › your internet service › **View your devices › Telstra Smart Modem** also shows the model. Forgotten a password you changed? Hold the **R** reset button on the back (third from the left on a Gen 4) for 5 seconds. This erases all settings. ## Restart it properly 1. Unplug the modem’s power cable. 2. Wait 10 seconds, then plug it back in. 3. Wait a few minutes. The front light turns solid green, or solid blue on 5G or 4G Home Wireless. A restart is the first step in Telstra’s own troubleshooting. Don’t hold the **R** button: 5 seconds resets the modem to factory settings. ### Restart the nbn connection box too 1. Switch the nbn connection box or battery unit off at the wall. 2. Wait at least two minutes, then switch it back on. ### Schedule a restart Telstra’s help pages describe no scheduled restart. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat Pro’s [router check-up](https://kilobat.app/docs/home-network#router-checkup) learns how fast this router usually answers, says when a restart is due, and checks the next day whether it helped. ## Update the firmware 1. Leave the modem switched on; it updates its own software, including on first use. 2. While an update runs, a Gen 4’s front light flashes blue and green for up to 10 minutes. 3. If it flashes for longer than 10 minutes, unplug the modem and plug it back in. Telstra’s help pages document no manual firmware check or update. ## See connected devices Telstra documents device lists only for Internet Optimiser, a paid add-on. 1. In My Telstra, go to **Services** › your internet service › **Extras** to add Internet Optimiser. 2. Sign in at `http://mymodem` and open the Internet Optimiser dashboard. 3. Open **Device Manager** to see, rename and retype connected devices. 4. Open **Network Monitor** for the last 30 seconds of use, sorted by device. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat’s [new-device alerts](https://kilobat.app/docs/home-network#new-devices) tell you when a device you haven’t seen joins your home Wi-Fi. **Tools › Devices** lists what answers on the network, and you can name each one. ## UPnP and port forwarding Telstra says some devices set themselves up with the modem automatically, but its help pages don’t document the UPnP switch or NAT-PMP. 1. Sign in at `http://mymodem`. 2. Select **WAN Services** or **Services**, then **Port Forwarding**. On some modems it’s under **Advanced › Firewall**. 3. Select **Add new IPv4 (or IPv6) port mapping**. 4. Enter a name, the **Protocol**, **Destination port** and **Destination IP address**. 5. Choose the **+** icon to save it. Each forwarded port is reachable from the whole internet, so forward only what a camera, console or server needs, and delete old rules. For a fixed public address, Telstra sells a static IP under **Extras** in My Telstra. ### NAT-PMP Telstra’s help pages don’t mention NAT-PMP. **Kilobat can help.** On supported routers, Kilobat’s [call reports](https://kilobat.app/video-calls) can read available traffic counters, read-only, to identify another device that was busy when a call froze. Correlation does not prove the cause. Kilobat never opens ports. ## Prioritise calls and gaming **Internet Optimiser** is a paid add-on on eligible plans. It prioritises games and video calls it recognises. 1. Sign in to the modem and open the Internet Optimiser dashboard. 2. Select **Network Priority** and turn on **Prioritise Gaming** or **Prioritise Work From Home**. 3. Under **Congestion Control**, set the sliders to about 70–85% as Telstra suggests. 4. For a short boost, select **Priority Boost**, pick the activity and set up to three hours. For a work VPN, raise the VPN slider under **Bandwidth Allocation** to 25% or more. **Kilobat can help.** Run Kilobat’s [stutter test](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/test-call-stutter) before and after you change priorities, to see whether calls really got smoother. ## 2.4 and 5 GHz, and the channel Band steering joins 2.4 and 5 GHz under one network name. Telstra advises turning it off only as a last resort. 1. On a Gen 4, sign in and select **Wi-Fi Settings**. 2. Downgrade **Wireless Mode** from Wi-Fi 7 and select **Apply**; band steering can’t be turned off under Wi-Fi 7. 3. Under **Wi-Fi Settings**, select **Band Steering** and disable it. 4. On a Gen 3 or older, open **Wi-Fi**, untick **Band Steering** or **Split Networks** on the 2.4GHz tab and save. ### Change the channel Telstra’s help pages give no steps for choosing a Wi-Fi channel. ### Older devices that won’t connect 1. On a Gen 4, downgrade **Wireless Mode** to Wi-Fi 6 on both bands. 2. Under **Wi-Fi Settings › Basic**, change **Encryption Type** to **WPA2 PSK**. Apply each change and wait 3 to 5 minutes before trying the device again. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat shows which band and channel your Mac is on, and `kilobat channels` suggests the least crowded channel. More in [crowded Wi-Fi channels](https://kilobat.app/guides/wifi-channel-congestion) and [Wi-Fi on a Mac](https://kilobat.app/wifi-analyzer-mac). ## Mesh: which node a device uses Telstra Smart Wi-Fi Boosters extend the modem’s network, up to four per modem. They work with the Mongoose, Cobra XH, DJA0230, DJA0231 and LH1000. 1. Place the booster beside the modem and join them with the yellow-ended Ethernet cable. 2. Power the booster on and wait for a solid green or blue light, up to 15 minutes. 3. Unplug the cable and the booster, then move it halfway to the weak spot. 4. Power it on again; a solid green or blue light within about 3 minutes means a good link. Amber means it is too far from the modem; red means it isn’t paired. Manage boosters in My Telstra under **Services › Extras**. **Kilobat can help.** When your Mac moves to another node or band, Kilobat’s Health says so, so a weaker node isn’t taken for a router problem. See [find a better Wi-Fi spot](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/find-better-wifi-spot). ## Guest network 1. Sign in at `http://mymodem`. 2. On a Gen 4, select **Wi-Fi Setting › Guest** and tick **Enabled** on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz tabs. 3. On a Gen 3, select **Wi-Fi**, then **Guest** under **NETWORKS**, and set **State** to **On**. 4. Change the name and password or note the generated ones, then select **Apply** or **Save**. A device that has joined your main network may need to forget it first, or it will reconnect there. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat can show a network as a QR code, so guests join with their phone’s camera: [share Wi-Fi with a QR code](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/share-wifi-qr-code). ## DNS settings Telstra’s help pages give no steps for changing the DNS servers on the Smart Modem. Set DNS on the Mac instead. **Kilobat can help.** Before you change DNS, [compare resolvers with Kilobat](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/pick-faster-dns) to see which answers fastest from your home. ## Connection status and logs 1. Check Telstra’s outage page for problems in your area. 2. In My Telstra, go to **Help › Get help with an issue** and pick the problem to run Telstra’s tests. 3. Check the front light. Green is connected, blue is mobile backup, red is no connection. 4. Sign in at `http://mymodem` to see the modem’s status page. If the modem has been on blue mobile backup for hours, use **Services** › your internet service › **Improve your connection › Test and troubleshoot internet** in My Telstra. **Kilobat can help.** When the line keeps dropping, Kilobat’s [provider report](https://kilobat.app/docs/health#report) lists outages, latency and speed tests against your plan, ready to send to your provider. ## Manuals and downloads - [Telstra Smart Modem support](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/telstra-smart-modem-support) - [Telstra: access and use your modem settings](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/access-modem-settings) Links go to the maker’s own pages. ## Questions **How do I use my own router with a Telstra Smart Modem?** Turn on bridge mode. On a Gen 4, sign in and choose **Access Control › Bridge Mode**, toggle **Enable** and **Apply**. This turns off mobile backup and Telstra’s remote tests. A factory reset undoes it. **Why can’t an old device see my Wi-Fi on a Gen 4?** Some older devices don’t cope with Wi-Fi 7 band steering. Turn off band steering and connect the device to the 2.4 GHz network, the one without “5G” in its name. ## Sources - [Telstra Support: How do I access and use my modem settings?](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/access-modem-settings) - [Telstra Support: Quick guide to help you identify your Telstra modem model](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/telstra-smart-modem-support) - [Telstra Support: Restart my modem or network connection device](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/restart-modem-and-network-connection-device) - [Telstra Support: What do the lights on my Telstra modem mean?](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/modem-lights) - [Telstra Support: Set up port forwarding](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/set-up-port-forwarding) - [Telstra Support: How do I set up and manage Internet Optimiser?](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/setup-internet-optimiser) - [Telstra Support: How do I set up Internet Optimiser to prioritise gaming or work?](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/prioritise-internet-optimiser-for-gaming-or-work) - [Telstra Support: Smart Wi-Fi Booster set up help](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/set-up-smart-wifi-booster) - [Telstra: Smart Wi-Fi Booster Gen 3 set-up guide (PDF)](https://www.telstra.com.au/content/dam/tcom/personal/aem-cloud-content-migration-assets/internet/Banners/Telstra-smart-wi-fi-booster-gen-3-set-up-guide.pdf) - [Telstra Support: Set up Telstra Smart Modem](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/setup-telstra-smart-modem) - [Telstra Support: Test and troubleshoot an issue with my internet](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/fix-internet-issues) - [Telstra Support: What is an IP address (dynamic and static)?](https://www.telstra.com.au/support/internet-and-home-phone/ip-address) Checked on 1 November 2026. ## See what your router can’t tell you Kilobat is a Mac menu-bar app that watches the network from your side: which app is using it, whether the Wi-Fi, the router or the provider is slow, and why a call froze. [Download for Mac ↓](https://kilobat.app/downloads/Kilobat-1.31.1.dmg?via=site) ``` brew install seifip/kilobat/kilobat ``` ## More router guides - [Optus Ultra WiFi Modem](https://kilobat.app/routers/optus-ultra-wifi): The Optus Ultra WiFi Modem (Gen 2) is the Wi-Fi 6 modem Optus supplies with its nbn plans, with a 4G backup SIM built in. - [TPG Wi-Fi Max Modem](https://kilobat.app/routers/tpg-modem): The Wi-Fi Max Modem is the Wi-Fi 7 modem TPG supplies with its nbn and fibre plans.