iiNet Wi-Fi Max review: Mostly Max

So you want an iiNet modem-router. Or maybe you're seeking a TPG modem-router. Perhaps you're after a Vodafone modem-router. Whichever one you're craving, you'll get the same device: the Arcadyan HWG2025. The identical-but-rebranded Vodafone and iiNet modem-router is available for new customers today, while the TPG version will reportedly be available for new customers in 2026.

Whatever the brand name, the HWG2025 is a rarity among NBN providers as a WiFi 7 modem-router, and one that's built with NBN 2000 plans in mind. Despite the provider branding, it's also a modem-router that can travel with you, albeit with some minor caveats. 

Before we get into the iiNet Wi-Fi Max review, here's a look at the iiNet plans you can get it with: 

And here are the Vodafone plans you can get it with:

What we like about the iiNet Wi-Fi Max 

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If you're signing up for an NBN plan with iiNet or Vodafone, you might as well add their respective iiNet Wi-Fi Max or Vodafone Super Wi-Fi Modem devices as a $0 add-on. The disclaimer there is the $0 cost is contingent on sticking with either of those providers for 24 months. Even if you had to pay RRP, the $366 asking price is reasonable for what you get.

In terms of the hardware, the HWG2025 is a modem-router, which means you can use it with any NBN technology. If you buy it as an NBN plan add-on from iiNet or Vodafone (or TPG in 2026), the HWG2025 should arrive preconfigured with your internet username and password, so you can just plug it in to get online. For everyone else, there are guided steps via a companion app which, refreshingly, isn't dependent on having a specific NBN provider account to use.

Once you're online, the iiNet modem-router should offer low latency and respectable wireless speeds throughout the home. That's for non-WiFi 7 devices, mind you; for newer WiFi 7 devices, you should expect fast download and upload speeds throughout the home thanks to multi-link operation (MLO). MLO is exclusive to WiFi 7 networks, but it lets WiFi 7 devices on those latest-standard networks connect to multiple available wireless bands for better reliability and faster speeds. That was the case in my tests with the WiFi 7-capable Google Pixel 10 Pro XL on the HWG2025 network.

Thankfully, you don't need a WiFi 7 device to take advantage of the reliability perks of the HWG2025. During my weeks of testing, I didn't experience any modem-router dropouts, and the HWG2025 comfortably tackled every internet task I threw at it. That's a big improvement over other modem-routers I've tested, some of which are reliant on weekly restarts to preserve functionality.

Whichever NBN plan you have in mind, the HWG2025 is built to keep up with it, including NBN 2000 plans. WiFi 7 speed perks only matter if you have a networking device that has at least a 2.5Gbps internet port, which is what the HWG2025 sports (unlike the Telstra Smart Modem 4). It should also happily work with any other slower NBN speed tier.

If the NBN drops out for any reason, the HWG2025 also has mobile backup. While not as straightforward as the USB hotspotting offered by the Synology RT6600ax router, the HWG2025's wireless hotspot is arguably a more versatile solution. It's certainly better than being forced to stick with an NBN provider just to have mobile backup (I'm looking at you, Telstra and Optus). The HWG2025 can save details for up to three mobile hotspots, so you can activate wireless hotspotting when the NBN is down. Just remember to disconnect from the HWG2025 WiFi network on those hotspotting devices beforehand.

What we dislike about the iiNet Wi-Fi Max

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I'm as much of a fan of $0 add-ons as the next consumer, but having to stick with an NBN provider for 24 months to avoid a hardware exit fee isn't ideal. It's certainly not the best way to save money on your internet bill, which is something I advise reappraising every six months to see what deals are available. Additionally, while both iiNet and Vodafone are offering the HWG2025 as a $0 add-on, only Vodafone is bundling it with a mesh extender. The extender is a good addition in general, but it didn't appear to support MLO in my tests. A spokesperson confirmed this but teased that the feature may be available in the future.

If your plan for the HWG2025 is to pair it with predominantly WiFi 7 devices, there aren't really any disclaimers. But if you still have older WiFi devices in your home, that extender is necessary for the best wireless coverage inside and outside the home. Without it, the HWG2025 favoured the slower 2.4GHz wireless band in my tests over the speedier 5GHz band. For any internet plan above NBN 50, you want a far-reaching 5GHz wireless band to preserve internet speeds. For anything beyond NBN 100, 2.4GHz starts to throttle your download speeds.

If you have multiple wired devices, you may want to invest in a network switch. The HWG2025 only has two LAN ports (the standard is four), both of which are relegated to 1Gbps speeds. Effectively, even if you have a newer-gen Ethernet cable connected to your FTTP or HFC connection box with an NBN 2000 plan, you'll only get around half the max potential download speeds for any wired devices. While WiFi 7 offered close to Ethernet performance in my tests, the max wireless throughput wasn't overly impressive. There is no official word on how fast max combined WiFi speeds should be, but I measured around 3Gbps.

Under ideal conditions, that's plenty for even NBN 2000 plans. But considering the smaller 5GHz coverage and no 6GHz WiFi to speak of – a speedy WiFi band exclusive to WiFi 6E and WiFi 7 generations – it does feel like a missed opportunity for a bit more wireless output. When it comes to network tweaks, the companion app tends to be sluggish when shifting between screens and especially when saving changes. It was more reliable for me to monitor and tweak from the browser-based web portal, but the web portal doesn't have a full array of settings. For instance, you need to use the app for parental controls.

While the web portal has a logical layout, I did have some issues getting online initially, despite a supposed automatic setting that should have worked. I'm not with iiNet, Vodafone, or TPG, so for anyone with the HWG2025 who moves away from those three (or between them), you'll likely need to use the web portal to update settings, which isn't the norm with modern networking gear, less so when you're with a zero-credentials internet provider (like I am).

Admittedly, that's potentially something you can self-troubleshoot or potentially get help with from an NBN provider. For automatic firmware updates, you'll need to stick with Vodafone, iiNet, or TPG. A spokesperson confirmed that customers who fall under the TPG Telecom umbrella benefit from automated firmware updates, but that isn’t the case if you move away. Automated firmware updates are a good reason to stick with either Vodafone, iiNet, or TPG, but you'll reportedly need to contact whichever one of those providers you were with if you shift to another provider and want to manually update.

iiNet Wi-Fi Max – Final Thoughts

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There's a bit to nitpick about the Vodafone/iiNet modem-router, from disclaimers about $0 pricing and a lack of ports to an overreliance on 2.4GHz wireless for non-WiFi 7 devices and a sluggish companion app. But the reality is the HWG2025 is currently peerless as a WiFi 7 modem-router that's capable of supporting NBN 2000 plans. The HWG2025 is also a reliable modem-router with some neat features, like provider-agnostic mobile backup, and it's a networking device that can feasibly travel with you between providers. It's not perfect, but it does a good job of tackling the important stuff.