It won't work properly! Troubleshooting your broadband connection

We understand how frustrating it can be to be faced with a broadband problem. However, before you get on the phone to your service provider there are some essential troubleshooting tips you can try to help you get back online. The good news is you don’t always have to be a technical whizz to get your broadband connection back up and running. Follow our troubleshooting guide carefully and you will be able to at least eliminate possible causes for faults.

My internet is down. It was working fine earlier!

Your internet connection can stall for a number of reasons. It’s best to take a methodical approach to find out what’s causing the problem before you can fix it.

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

We probably don’t have to tell you computers sometimes have a habit of seizing up or crashing without any real explanation. You should try resetting your modem and restarting your computer to see if this fixes the problem. When turning off your ADSL or cable modem it’s best to leave it for a good few minutes rather than power it back on straight away. This should give it time to settle and iron out any faults. Restart your computer and go through your usual routine to see if that’s done the trick. Oh, and turning things on in the correct order seems very important too. Turn your router on first, leave it till the lights have calmed down, and only then turn your computer back on.

Using a wireless router

Sometimes your problem can be caused by your wireless router rather than your internet connection. If you’re experiencing sluggish download speeds or your internet connection keeps dropping it might be worth wiring up your wireless router direct to your computer using an ethernet or USB cable (you should have been supplied with such a cable with your router). It may sound like it’s defeating the point for having a wireless router at all, but if you can eliminate this as the cause for all your strife then it’s worth the trouble.

Your router/modem isn’t up to scratch

If you’ve recently upgraded your broadband package and have opted for a faster speed , but you’re still using your old wireless modem or router, it may be that your device simply can’t cope with a faster service and pump the signal through fast enough. Your provider may be able to pass over a list of supported broadband modems suitable for your connection.

Checking your passwords

If you recently changed the password for your broadband account it may be that your modem is still trying to connect using the older password. Try going to your router’s address (should be in your documentation) using your web browser – you may need to update your password if you haven’t already. The address to visit is often printed on the bottom of your modem or in the manual of any introductory kits you were given when you first set up your home connection.

Check your modem sync light

All ADSL modems have a light you can use to check it’s successfully connected to your local exchange. The light may be labelled ‘Link’, ‘Sync, ‘ADSL’, ‘DSL’ or ‘Broadband’. If it’s blinking, red or completely unlit then you have a physical problem. First of all, if you have any other devices plugged into the ADSL phone line in your house you should disconnect these and restart your modem again, making sure you leave it unplugged for a while. If your ADSL light then comes back on you can plug your devices back in one by one and it should be clear if you have a faulty device interfering with your connection.

If you have a broadband and phone package rather than a Naked ADSL option you should also check your phone line is working. Problems with internet wiring or telephone extension cables can cause broadband faults.

Secondly, if you’re getting a dialing tone in your phone receiver but your internet still isn’t working then you may have a fault with your microfilter. This is the plastic splitter device allowing you to connect your telephone line and ADSL at the same time. If you have a spare, try to replace the one you’re using and see if that solves the problem.

My broadband is working but it’s really slow

You may be falling victim to ‘traffic shaping’ also known as ‘throttling’. It’s worth checking out your provider’s terms and conditions to see whether or not it carries this out. Some aren’t as transparent on their procedure for throttling as others so you may have to read through the small print.

Sometimes throttling is standard and your provider may restrict the broadband speeds of everyone on your network at a certain time of the day, just to calm traffic, especially at peak times (traffic shaping). Alternatively, a provider may limit broadband speeds as a punishment for repeated heavy usage. It’s important you’re clear on your provider’s terms and conditions. If you’re regularly going over your monthly data limit it may be time to opt for a different deal.

Network problems

Of course, there may also be unexpected disruption on your network - in which case you may just have to sit tight until any faults or outages affecting your service are resolved. Your internet service provider should have a newsdesk or a network status page letting you know of any hiccups in your area. Of course, if you can’t get online at all you might only be able to check this if you have access to a different broadband line, can call upon a friend or family or can check on updates using a wireless broadband connection, but it could be a way of getting a quick answer to your problem.

If none of these tips help you get back online we do suggest you give your broadband provider’s support line a call.