FTTP vs FTTN for gaming: why your connection type matters

Connection type is the structural factor most gamers overlook, and it can be the entire reason your ping spikes at night. Two people on the same plan with the same provider can record very different latency purely because of the physical technology running to their homes: one on fibre, the other on copper.  

This guide explains how each nbn connection type works, sets FTTP and FTTN head to head on the metrics that matter for gaming, and shows how to check what you have and upgrade if you are on the weaker one. If you have read that ping beats speed and still lag every evening, your connection type is the next thing to check. 

The nbn connection types, ranked for gaming 

FTTP is the best connection type for gaming, with HFC close behind; FTTC is solid, and FTTN is the weak link. The difference comes down to how much copper sits between you and the fibre network, because copper is where latency turns variable. 

Fixed Wireless and satellite are not compared here; both add latency and suit gaming less than any fixed-line option. 

The independent numbers back the ranking. In the ACCC's final Measuring Broadband Australia report, the three main fixed-line technologies compared as follows. 

Why FTTN is the weak link for gaming 

FTTN's problem is the copper. The final leg of an FTTN connection runs over the old copper phone line from a street cabinet to your home, and copper degrades with distance, age and moisture. The further you sit from the node, the lower and less stable your speed and latency become, and it gets worse in the evening as more of your neighbourhood comes online. 

For gaming, that instability matters more than the raw average. Copper introduces jitter and packet loss, the two things behind rubber-banding and failed hit registration in fast games. FTTN also caps out: many FTTN lines cannot reliably exceed NBN 100, and none can reach the 250 Mbps and higher tiers, which need fibre. If your ping is fine at 10 am and unplayable at 8 pm and you are on FTTN, the copper is the most likely cause. 

There is a quick way to tell how much the copper is holding you back. When your FTTN service was installed, nbn measured your line's maximum sync speed and your provider can tell you what it is. A line that syncs well below 100 Mbps is a long or degraded copper run, and no plan change will fix it, only fibre will. That measurement is also why nbn is prioritising underperforming copper lines for upgrades. 

Why FTTP wins for gaming 

FTTP removes the copper entirely, so latency stays low and stable regardless of your distance from the exchange or the time of day. Fibre to the premises is the connection type behind the lowest, most consistent ping, and it is the only one, along with eligible HFC, that reaches the full speed range. 

On a well-routed FTTP service the numbers speak for themselves. Independently measured ACCC data recorded Superloop's peak-hour latency at 8.5 ms (ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia, Report 33, June 2026, data collected March 2026), the kind of low, stable baseline copper cannot match at peak. 

Full fibre is only half the picture; the network behind it decides how far your packets travel and how cleanly they arrive. Superloop connects directly to all 121 nbn points of interconnect and runs >100,000 fibre route km across international networks (owned, IRU and leased fibre), with extensive peering to major game servers, so an FTTP service on Superloop pairs a clean local connection with a short, well-routed path to the game. To get the full benefit, pair FTTP with a wired ethernet connection rather than Wi-Fi, so the last few metres inside your home do not undo the gains fibre delivers to your front door. 

FTTP vs FTTN: the head-to-head 

On every metric that matters for gaming, FTTP beats FTTN. Here is the direct comparison. 

What if you are on HFC or FTTC? 

If you are on HFC or FTTC, you are in good shape for gaming and usually do not need to change anything. HFC delivers latency close to FTTP and runs the full speed range, including NBN 1000, so a well-routed HFC connection is genuinely competitive. FTTC is solid too: it runs fibre to a pit at the kerb with only a short copper run, so it holds up far better than FTTN, though it still tops out around 100 Mbps and sits on nbn's list for full-fibre upgrades. If you are on FTTC and want the higher tiers or the most consistent ping, the same free upgrade path to FTTP applies, and from mid-2026 FTTC premises can take the upgrade without moving to a higher-speed plan. 

How to check your connection type, and upgrade to full fibre 

Check your connection type in two minutes, and if you are on FTTN or FTTC you might be eligible to upgrade to FTTP for free on standard installations only when you stay connected for 12 months on 500 Mbps plan or higher. . 

• Check what you have. Enter your address on the fibre upgrade page, or ask your provider. Superloop confirms your technology type when you check your address. If it shows FTTN or FTTC, read on. 

• Upgrade to FTTP. Under nbn's fibre upgrade program, many FTTN and FTTC premises can have full fibre installed. The equipment and installation are free on standard installations when you stay connected for 12 months on 500 Mbps plan or higher; you pay only for your new plan, and for FTTN the upgrade is triggered by ordering an eligible higher-speed plan starting at NBN 500 (500/40 Mbps typical evening speed). nbn is also progressively retiring copper, so upgrading now puts the timing on your terms rather than waiting for a forced switch. 

That works in your favour, because NBN 500 (500/40 Mbps typical evening speed) is also where we would recommend a gamer start: it runs on the full-fibre connection that keeps latency flat at peak, which is the entire point of upgrading. Step up to NBN 1000 (860/85 Mbps typical evening speed) if you stream or share the line with other gamers, or NBN 2000 (1700/170 Mbps typical evening speed) for a busy multi-gamer household with a creator uploading at the same time. Eligibility depends on your address, so confirm it before you order. 

If you are switching providers as part of the upgrade, Superloop holds the TechRadar 2026 Australian PC Award for Best nbn Provider for Gaming and is a participating provider for nbn's FTTP upgrade. 

Next step 

On FTTN and lagging every evening? Check your address for a free FTTP upgrade, then move onto a full-fibre plan starting from NBN 500 (500/40 Mbps typical evening speed) and set up a wired connection before your next session.