- Affordable for a WiFi 6 modem-router
- Relatively painless mesh expansion
- Web portal weirdness
- Mesh is essential to beat WiFi dead spots
- Unreliable for long-term use
- Only two gigabit Ethernet ports per device
Over the last six months, I’ve been trying to test as many provider-offered third-party networking devices as possible. While I haven’t tested them, by all reports, the Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone modem-routers are the best of the bunch, but they’re primarily designed to work with those respective providers. The ZTE H1600 and the NetComm NF20MESH are more ubiquitous modem-router examples, but they were also disappointing in my tests.
Unfortunately, those hoping for a different outcome from the popular TP-Link VX230v will be disappointed because the results are much the same. Initial impressions are strong, buttressed by a competitive asking price, but the longer you use the VX230v, the harder it is to recommend.
But before you get into the nitty-gritty of my review, check out the most popular NBN plans from our database.
|
#1
|
Superloop
Everyday nbn25/10
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
|
|
#2
|
Dodo
nbn25 Unlimited Plan
$53.90/mth
Min. cost $53.90
|
|
#3
|
iiNet
nbn12 Liimitless
$59.99/mth
Min. cost $59.99
|
|
#4
|
Optus
Optus Plus Everyday Superfast nbn®
$99/mth
Min. cost $99
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
More
Value NBN
$76/mth
Min. cost $76
|
|
#6
|
SpinTel
NBN Unlimited Premium 100
$65/mth
Min. cost $65
|
|
#7
|
MATE
Crikey nbn 25/10
$40/mth
Min. cost $40
Link not supplied
|
|
#8
|
Southern Phone
nbn Basic
$45/mth
Min. cost $45
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
|
Moose NBN
nbn 25/10 Value
$46.80/mth
Min. cost $46.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
Kogan Internet
Bronze Unlimited
$46.90/mth
Min. cost $46.90
|
Home networking equipment is tested in a first-floor apartment with thick WiFi-interfering walls using an FTTC NBN 100/20 connection. The networking device is deliberately placed at one end of the apartment (instead of a central location) to test wireless range and penetration.
Basic speed tests are performed at multiple locations inside and outside the apartment, first with a Synology RT6600ax router and then with the networking device being reviewed for comparative results. Everyday internet tests are also performed with relevant results mentioned for streaming, web browsing, online gaming, video and voice calls, as well as downloading large files and transferring them across devices on the local network.
What we like about the TP-Link VX230v
On paper, the TP-Link VX230v makes a strong case for being the best out of the other two popular telco-provided modem-routers: namely, the ZTE H1600 and the NetComm NF20MESH. You can feasibly get the VX230v for cheaper than its ZTE and NetComm counterparts, plus that low asking price also includes some great specs, including WiFi 6. Most importantly, the VX230v supports mesh expansion for homes that tend to suffer from WiFi dead spots.
I live in one of those homes, and I was initially worried that the VX230v would struggle with those typical dead spots. While the speeds weren’t ideal, I still had all-home WiFi coverage, including outside my apartment building, which is impressive. The VX230v even provided WiFi coverage at my garage, through thick external building walls, and in a spot that my go-to four-times-pricier Synology RT6600ax router could not. Impressive stuff, really.
The home WiFi coverage improved when I added the TP-Link HX510 router in mesh extender mode. Despite some Aginet companion app issues, the web portal setup was relatively straightforward, and my second round of speed tests with the HX510 extender reaped even better results. The slower speeds in the back part of my apartment were gone, and the combined network seemingly did a good job of prioritising shifting WiFi devices to the faster 5GHz band over the 2.4GHz band.
During most of my time testing, there weren’t any issues with the web essentials: browsing, online gaming, downloading and uploading files, as well as video streaming. I even tested wireless printing a couple of times—something that is trickier on more recent networking devices because of newer wireless security protocols—and it worked like a charm.
The initial setup was a mostly pain-free affair, and I was up and running in about 10 minutes, with a choice of Aginet app or web portal installation. There’s also a good selection of ports on the back of the VX230v, with up to four Ethernet options, a VoIP port for a home phone, and a USB 2.0 port that can handle network storage, voicemail or even a 4G backup with a compatible modem dongle.
Routers, modem routers, and mesh WiFi systems are compatible with most NBN connections, including FTTP, HFC, FTTC, Fixed Wireless, and Sky Muster satellite. All of these NBN technologies use respective network termination devices (NTDs), which is a fancy term for “connection box” or “modem”. If you live in an FTTB or FTTN home, you’ll need a modem router to get online. You can still connect a router or mesh WiFi system to a modem router, but the modem router first needs to be in bridge mode so it can then connect to a router or mesh WiFi system.
What we dislike about the TP-Link VX230v
Let’s start with the hardware. Because the TP-Link VX230v is 2022 tech, the ports feel dated by 2025 standards. The Ethernet ports max out at gigabit speeds, so this isn’t a modem-router that’ll have full-speed use for NBN 2000 plans. There’s not a dedicated WAN port, either, meaning you’re restricted to three Ethernet ports if you’re not in an FTTN or FTTB home. While I appreciate the versatility of the USB port, it’s relegated to 2.0 speeds, which is slow even by 2022 hardware standards.
That slower-speeds trend continued in my tests, with up to 80% decreases in download speeds in the back part of my apartment. Admittedly, I did greatly improve those speeds by adding the HX510 as an extender. But even that was a challenge, and the extended network still struggled with acceptable speeds on the 2.4GHz WiFi band. Network file transfers were also only 1.5 times my internet speed when, in theory, they should be up to 18 times faster. The Aginet companion app wasn’t any help in expanding the network, but I did get it going via a combination of the web portal and the WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) button on the HX510.
Speaking of the companion app and web portal, you have to choose one or the other to make tweaks, which isn’t the case with the VX230v’s more contemporary peers. What’s more challenging is access to the Agient app and the web portal disappears after a few hours. You can regain access by restarting the VX230v, but that’s an impractical frustration when most other modem-routers peers are set-and-forget devices.
Technically, that’s less of an issue if you’ve got everything set up, but it’s a pain if you’ve forgotten something. Band steering, for instance, is disabled by default, as is Quality of Service (QoS): two features that are closer to critical than optional in today’s networking landscape.
Network reliability is inarguably more essential. On what would be my last day of testing the VX230v, the WiFi stopped working, which is trickier to identify when I spend most of my time working on an Ethernet-connected PC. The fix, as was the case with most things in my experience (and for others online), is to restart the VX230v. But that’s not a practical solution for a modem-router whose job it is to, ultimately, be left alone to do its thing for months on end before a restart might be a necessary step to solve a sporadic issue. I turned off the VX230v and went back to the Synology RT6600ax, which, like all other reliable networking gear, I only ever have to restart after firmware updates.
TP-Link VX230v – Final Thoughts
I had high hopes for the TP-Link VX230v after my initial impressions. And what’s not to like at that fledgling stage: an affordable modem-router with WiFi 6 that offers decent speeds and works on every NBN technology. But the more I used it, the more cracks started to appear. At first, they were tolerable. But in the end, they were insurmountable when it became clear that reliability in VX230v terms is a requirement to restart your modem-router every week or so.
We consider several factors when reviewing networking equipment, including:
- Type: Router, modem router or mesh WiFi system. Supported NBN technologies and plan speeds.
- Design: Size, weight and standing options. Internal or external antennae. Available ports, WiFi version, and single, dual or triband wireless.
- Setup: Plug-and-play configurations vs laborious setup. Companion apps and guided setups are a plus.
- Performance: Ethernet and WiFi speed tests for downloads, uploads and latency. Real-time latency test for online gaming, VoIP and/or video calls. Plus, everyday use like downloading, uploading, browsing and streaming.
- Versatility: Band steering (single SSID), quality of service and other features. Ease of configuration, plus mesh expansion.
Sign up and get money-saving deals, telco news and more.
These are the most popular NBN 50 plans with WhistleOut users this week:
|
#1
|
Kogan Internet
Silver Unlimited
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
|
#2
|
Tangerine Telecom
Value Plus NBN
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
|
#3
|
MATE
Ripper nbn 50/20
$60/mth
Min. cost $60
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Exetel
Extra-value nbn50
$60.99/mth
Min. cost $60.99
|
|
#5
|
Buddy Telco
Value nbn - Unlimited
$63/mth
Min. cost $63
|
|
#6
|
Moose NBN
nbn 50/20 Premium
$63.80/mth
Min. cost $63.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
Superloop
Extra-value nbn50/20
$67/mth
Min. cost $67
|
|
#8
|
Dodo
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$68.90/mth
Min. cost $68.90
|
|
#9
|
Swoop
nbn® Home Everyday
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
iiNet
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
|
Find a better internet plan
Thousands of internet plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
