nbn Troubleshooting

Guide
Fibre to the Curb (FTTC)
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Welcome to your FTTC help guide

This guide will provide you with useful tips on troubleshooting your
nbn™ Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) connection. It will also point you in the
direction of additional resources, should you need them.
The nbn™ broadband access network is Australia’s new internet access
network, designed to give you access to fast phone and internet services.

Equipment needed  3

Your telephone wall socket  5

Cable connections  6

nbn™ connection box lights  7

Phone setup  8

Post-setup troubleshooting tips  9

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Check you have all

equipment needed
To set up your FTTC connection, it’s essential you have
all the equipment outlined over this page and the next:

An nbn™ connection box A compatible Wi-Fi gateway

(supplied by you or your provider)

C WAY
GATE
T
RESE
B SOCK
ET
WALL

A R
POWE

Choose the right location Test existing hardware

The nbn™ connection box will work best when Your existing gateway may be compatible if it has a
positioned close to both a power outlet and port labelled ‘WAN’, ‘internet’ or ‘nbn’. If unsure, you Missing something?
the telephone wall socket being used for your can either test it works with the nbn™ connection Contact your phone
connection. The chosen location should be a box, or check its specifications with your phone and and internet provider
cool, dry, well-ventilated part of your home, internet provider. They’ll also be able to supply or for help.
where the device won’t be knocked over. recommend a compatible one, if you need it.
Remember never to cover the device, as this
may cause it to overheat. Select an ideal location
Consider the location of your Wi-Fi gateway in your
home. The longer the Wi-Fi signal has to travel to
reach your internet-enabled devices, the slower
the speed will be. You can always purchase a Wi-Fi
repeater (available at most electronics stores) to
extend the signal.
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Check you have all

equipment needed (continued)

Cables supplied with the nbn™ connection box Cables supplied with your Wi-Fi gateway

nbn™ supplied power cord nbn™ supplied telephone cable Ethernet cable Power cord

Use tools for extra reach Use the supplied Check supplied cables Check your power
You can also use a double telephone cable Ethernet cables come in a This will need to be firmly
adaptor, extension cord or power It’s best to use the telephone variety of colours. If unsure plugged into your Wi-Fi gateway
board for extra reach, provided cable supplied with the which one to use, check the at the wall, and the power outlet
these are safe. nbn™ connection box, as a instructions supplied with your should be switched on.
longer cable could slow the Wi-Fi gateway.
speed of your connection.
Alternatively, try using a power
extension cord for extra reach.

Missing something?
Contact your phone and
internet provider for help.
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Find the right telephone

wall socket Can’t find one or have a
different socket?
Your telephone wall socket is the first point where Contact your phone and
internet provider. They’ll be
your FTTC connection enters your home – so finding able to arrange an installation
the right one is vital. (fees may apply).

It could look like either of the illustrations below, and is most likely the
socket that currently connects to your phone or internet service.

A new wall socket An older-style wall socket An ADSL filter

✘
Adapter

Choose the right socket Older-style sockets need Remove all ADSL Filters
If you have multiple telephone wall an adapter If you connect to the nbn™ access
sockets, you’ll know the correct one You may need to purchase an adapter network via an ADSL filter (shown
is connected when the Connection (pictured above) from a hardware above), your connection may not
Light and DSL Light on the store to connect your cable to your work. For the best performance,
nbn connection box turn solid blue.
™
wall socket. This adapter can be ensure there are no devices
Ideally, the correct socket will installed by you. But if you need help, between your nbn™ connection
be located near to a power outlet. contact your provider. box and the wall socket.
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Check all cables are

connected correctly
Need help setting up your equipment?
You can find more detailed instructions
at nbn.com.au/FTTC or in the manual
supplied with your Wi-Fi gateway.
Sometimes, something as simple as a cable plugged
into the wrong port can impact your ability to connect.

To ensure everything is correctly in place, try this checklist:

 I have plugged one end of the Ethernet cable supplied with my I have plugged the other end of the Ethernet cable supplied with
Wi-Fi gateway into the yellow port labelled ‘C’ on the my Wi-Fi gateway into the correct port on the gateway (usually
nbn™ connection box. labelled ‘WAN’, ‘internet’ or ‘nbn’).

C WAY
T GATE
B RESE
SOCKET
WALL
A ER
POW C WAY
T GATE
B RESE
ET
SOCK
WALL
A ER
POW C AY
GATEW
B RESET
SOCKET
WALL
A ER
POW
C WAY
GATE
RESET
B ET
SOCK
WALL
 he telephone cable running from the nbn
T A
™ connection box to the Look for a blue or amber light
ER
POW
wall is secure and not pinched, kinked or bent (this can cause a You’ll know the nbn™ connection box and your Wi-Fi
break or short in the cable). gateway are connected correctly when the LAN Light on
the device turns blue or amber.
 he power cord running to the nbn™ connection box is firmly
T
plugged into the device at the wall, and the power outlet is
switched on.
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Check the lights on the The four lights on the top of the nbn™ connection box
can tell you a lot about your connection.
nbn™ connection box
Light Colour What’s happening? What should I do?

None The device is off. Plug in the device and switch the power outlet on.
Power Light
Blue Power is running to the device. Nothing – this is normal.

The device isn’t connected to the nbn™ access

None Check all cables have been connected correctly.
network equipment outside your home.
Wait for setup to complete (up to 20 minutes).
Blue (blinking) The device is starting up.
The light should then turn solid blue.
The device is connected to the nbn™ access network
Connection Solid blue Nothing – this is normal.
equipment outside your home.
Light
There may be a line fault or problem affecting the Turn off power to the nbn™ connection box and contact
Solid red (or blinking)
nbn™ connection box. your phone and internet provider.
Disconnect all non-compatible devices from telephone
Alternating red/blue There may be a line fault, such as an off-hook telephone. wall sockets. If that doesn’t work, contact your phone
and internet provider.
If the Power and Connection Lights are solid blue,
None The device’s broadband link is down. but the DSL Light is out, contact your phone
and internet provider.
DSL Light
Solid blue The device is DSL synchronised. Nothing – this is normal.

Wait for the update to complete. The light should then turn
Blue (blinking) DSL synchronisation or a software update is in progress.
solid blue.
Check all cables have been connected correctly and your
None There is no Ethernet connection to the device.
Local Area gateway is switched on.
Network
(LAN) Light Data is flowing between the nbn™ connection box
Blue/amber (solid or blinking) Nothing – this is normal.
and your Wi-Fi gateway.
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Check your phone setup

Unlike copper phone networks, the nbn™ access

network uses VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
technology to provide access to your phone services.

This means audio signals are converted into digital data before
being sent over the internet to landline and mobile handsets.
Depending on your phone, here’s what you’ll need to do:

New VoIP-compatible phones

If you ordered a new phone service with your nbn™ powered plan
Your compatible Your compatible
from a phone and internet provider, it’s likely that your provider telephone*
Wi-Fi gateway*
may have supplied you with a phone that’s compatible with VoIP.
Follow the instructions provided with the phone to connect it to
your Wi-Fi gateway.
* Check compatibility with your provider.

Traditional non-VoIP phones Other cables (not supplied by nbn)

Most traditional non-VoIP phones will not be compatible with the
nbn™ access network. To test your existing phone, try plugging it
into the ‘phone’ port on your Wi-Fi gateway.
If your existing phone is not working, you’ll need to contact your
phone and internet provider to find out what is needed to enable
your telephone service, which may include ordering a new
VoIP–compatible phone.
Need more help setting up your VoIP phone?
Refer to your phone’s instruction manual, or contact your
provider for more information on compatibility and setup.
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Try these post-setup

troubleshooting tips
If you’ve completed your setup but are still
struggling to connect, you may want to:

Reset the nbn™ connection box Test your connection

To do this, simply press and hold the ‘RESET’ button on the side of You can do this by plugging an Ethernet cable from your
the device for 1-2 seconds. This will cause indicator lights to blink for Wi-Fi gateway directly into an internet-enabled device,
several minutes. such as a computer. If your connection is set up correctly,
you should be able to browse the internet without trouble.
Note: Your internet connection may take up to 20 minutes
to re-establish – although in most cases, it will be quicker.
Set up a new Wi-Fi network
If a new Wi-Fi network hasn’t been set up by your provider,
you may need to create one for your gateway. Once you’ve
confirmed your connection is working, you can do this using the
instructions provided with your gateway. Alternatively, contact
your phone and internet provider for help.

C
C AY

WAY
GATEW

GATE
RESET
B SOCKET
WALL

T
RESE
A

B
ER
POW

KET
WAL L SOC

A ER
Still experiencing prolonged outages
POW or not receiving the speed you expected?
Contact your phone and internet provider or learn how to help
make the most of your connection at nbn.com.au/experience
© 2019 nbn co ltd. ‘nbn’ and the Aurora device are trade marks of nbn co ltd ABN 86 136 533 741. 1930120_C_OB