Troubleshoot Internet Connection

Sometimes, your internet connection just won’t work properly. It might be unusually slow, or it feels like it’s stopping and starting a lot.

This page, and the associated links, will give you a few things to try.

When in doubt, however, contact your service provider.

Typical internet connection setup

Internet connection setup

Picture with text. Text reads: Internet connection. The external line connects first to the modem, Network Termination Device (NTD), or connection box. You can connect your computer directly to this box with an ethernet cable. The modem, NTD or connection box may then connect to a router. Sometimes the modem is combined with a router in the same box. The router sends the internet connection to all your devices, either wirelessly (through Wi-Fi) or using an ethernet cable.

Tips to try first

  • Connect a computer directly into the modem, if you’re able to, using the ethernet cable. Run a speed test to determine whether your connection is unusually slow or laggy for the time of day and weather conditions.
Modem Connection

Picture with text. Text reads: Modem connection. Your computer can receive the internet connection directly from the modem, Network Termination Device (NTD), or connection box. It uses an ethernet cable to make the connection.

  • What speed should you get from your connection? Be aware of the plan you’re connected on. Are you expecting something faster than your connection can actually provide?
  • If possible, use a different ethernet cable to connect your computer to the modem. Ethernet cables can be very prone to damage.
  • Check all the cables and connections used by your devices. If you find a damaged power cable, remove and replace it immediately. Never use damaged power cables – they can give you an electric shock.
  • If you connect via a wi-fi (wireless) connection, bring your computer or device right next to the router that broadcasts the wireless signal throughout your premises.
  • If this works, your router may not be strong enough to broadcast the signal to where you want it. Consider a more powerful router.
  • If your connection is slow, but you can still get on, log into your account on your service provider’s page. Check that you haven’t used all your data for the month. If you have, your provider may have slowed down your connection – “shaped” it – until the start of the next billing period. There are ways to save data, or to add more data temporarily to a connection, if you need more.
  • If you don’t have a working connection, please try a power cycle routine (“turn off and on again”) once, with a computer plugged directly into the nbn™ modem with the ethernet cable (if possible). See “How to restart (power cycle) your connection device (modem, or RTD)” below. What is an ethernet cable?
  • If you are still not able to access internet pages or services, check the service status page for nbn in general, or your service provider in particular.
  • You can also ring the nbn hotline for Sky Muster outages. They will tell if a beam is down, an earth station (many beams) is down, or if the outage is national. 1800 687 626.
  • If you can’t connect and it doesn’t seem to be a widespread problem, please contact your service provider. Ensure you get a ticket number for your ticket so you can follow up later. Note that if you call your service provider and are placed on hold, it may be an indication that many people are trying to report the same issue you’re reporting. It may be worth trying alternative contact methods instead, such as sending an email or visiting their Facebook page, if you have an alternative Internet service.

 

How to restart (power cycle) your connection device (modem, or NTD)

If you have a computer in your home, you probably have at least one other device that works alongside it, such as a modem, wireless router, or printer. These devices have a tendency to stop working from time to time, and it’s not always immediately clear why.

Before assuming anything is actually broken, you should try to run a “power cycle”.

To do this, you’ll want to turn the device off, and all devices connected to it, then turn it back on. This will force it to reset, which can fix a lot of basic problems.

It is important to turn the devices on in the correct order.

Power cycle a typical nbn™ modem.

  1. Turn off all the computers that connect to the Internet, including printers, tablets, phones (turn off their wifi connection), laptops, desktops, TVs, play stations, and so on.
  2. Where safe and able to do so, unplug the cables from your modem and router. We strongly recommend labelling both the cable and the port where the cable comes from, so you can put them back in correctly.
  3. Wait for 5-10 minutes. This gives the services time to “forget” any settings that are causing issues, which will force them to get new settings when you plug everything back in again.

Now, put the plugs back in and turns things back on.

  1. Put the cables back into the router, and then into the modem.
  2. Turn on the modem. Wait until all the lights come back on and show a good connection, generally with a solid blue light or all the lights being on. This can take up to 5 minutes for some connection types, particularly satellite and ADSL.
  3. If you don’t seem to be getting a good connection, the issue may be with the connection itself.
  4. If you get a good connection, turn on your router.
  5. Plug in, or connect, your main computer or device, and open a web browser.
  6. Go to your service provider status page, as a test.
  7. Can you open the page?
  8. If so, your “power cycle” process has worked and you’re back online.
    1. Re-connect your devices in order, checking they can connect properly before adding the next one.
  9. If not, you definitely have some technical issues. We recommend contacting your service provider for further advice.

Image of an nbn™ Sky Muster satellite service modem, courtesy of BIRRR.

Image of a satellite router connections to a router and a computer

Check your Wi-Fi router

Wi-Fi connection

Picture with text. Text reads: Wi-Fi connection. Your computer and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices receive the internet connection wirelessly from the router or combined modem/router.

  1. Turn the Wi-Fi router off.
  2. Connect your computer to the modem using a single ethernet cable.
  3. If you’re online now, there might be a problem with your router.

Still having problems?

Contact your provider, first of all.

You can also give us a call on 1300 081 029, and we’ll help the best we can.