MWeb's free-to-use router, properly explained

It's a specific arrangement, and the wording matters. MWeb supplies a WiFi router with most fibre plans on a free-to-use basis: MWeb owns the hardware, you use it for as long as you stay subscribed, and you hand it back in working order if you cancel. It isn't a router you buy off or keep.

The upside is that you skip the upfront cost. A decent fibre router runs north of R1,000 to buy, and here it's bundled in. The trade is simply that it stays MWeb's property - keep the box, and return the unit if you leave.

Because MWeb owns the router, MWeb covers it. If the unit develops a fault, gets hit by lightning, or is stolen, MWeb replaces it free - generally up to a couple of replacements over the life of the service. That's a genuine saving most people overlook: when you own your router and it dies in a storm, that's your problem and your money.

The detail is in MWeb's own free-to-use router terms, and it's worth a skim before you sign so you know exactly what's covered and what counts as fair wear.

There's usually a small once-off order or delivery charge - in the region of R249 - billed on your first invoice. It's not a router purchase, just the cost of getting set up. The bigger thing to remember is the return: if you cancel and don't send the router back in good condition with its box, MWeb will bill you for it. Keep the packaging somewhere sensible.

Yes. The supplied router handles dual-band WiFi fine for a normal home, but if you've got thick walls or a double-storey, you're not stuck with it. You can run your own mesh system behind the MWeb router and let that handle the WiFi, while the MWeb unit does the fibre connection.

If you're weighing an upgrade, our guide to the best WiFi router for fibre in South Africa covers what's worth buying and when the free router is already good enough.

For most households the free-to-use router is the easy, sensible default: no upfront cost, no hardware worries, and a free swap if it fails. The only things to keep in mind are the small setup fee and the return policy. If you want whole-home coverage in a larger place, add a mesh - you don't have to give up the free router to do it.