ADSL / SDSL Broadband Connections

My ADSL connection has never worked properly or has stopped working. What do I do?

• Check our network status page to make sure there are no known issues with the network that would affect your service.
• Check that the power supply and other cabling to your router is securely connected and functioning.
• Routers sometimes "lock up", so try restarting the router to see if the problem clears.
• Check that every device on the phone line (phones, faxes, Sky box etc) has an ADSL filter between it and the BT socket.
• Make sure there are not too many devices attached to the same line (there should be no more than 4 normal devices on any one line).
• Check if you have a dial tone on the line with ADSL. Try this with and without the micro-filter to establish where the fault lies.
• If your router is attached to an extension socket, try connecting it directly to the BT master socket, and disconnect any other devices from the line.
• If you've changed any settings on your PC (including installing new software, particularly anti-virus software), change them back and try again.
• If you have another router or ADSL modem, try using that.

ADSL sync light is flashing all the time.

• Is the DSL sync light on your router flashing or steady?
• If this light is steady it means that the ADSL connection should be OK, so check your username and password (which are often case-sensitive).
• If the light is blinking all the time, restart the router. The router should try to re-sync with the exchange. The sync light should flash for a while and then turn solid. If, after a few minutes the light is still flashing, this means that there is a problem with the connection to the exchange and we will have to raise a fault with your telecoms provider.

Some websites / applications don’t work properly

• If most of your internet sites or applications work OK, but you have a problem with certain software (e.g. instant messaging) it's usually down to a firewall (hardware or software) or antivirus software stopping it working. Check your firewall settings and try again (firewalls allow you to block certain applications from accessing the Internet).
• Try clearing your temporary internet files and cookies from your browser. Sometimes the website or services you are trying to connect to will be down so keep trying.
• I have a *****node4@ukbb username and cannot access some web sites on my ADSL 50:1 or SDSL 10:1 connection

MTU size on ADSL 50:1 & 10:1 Services

The Standard MTU size on most networks is 1500bytes. Because of the way we implement our connectivity to BT's IP Stream Service (which provides some of our broadband links) we only support a MTU of 1452bytes.

During PPP negotiation your router should negotiate the PPP MRU option with our network equipment and therefore reduce the MTU automatically to 1452bytes. However some routers fail to negotiate the MRU and therefore use the default 1500bytes. If this occurs, the MTU or PPP MRU of the DSL interface or PPPoA or PPPoE session must be manually configured to 1452bytes.

We can talk you through this procedure if you are not comfortable configuring your router yourself.

My internet connection seems slow

Check that no other users on the same connection are using your bandwidth. Look out for programs like file-sharing applications that can use lots of bandwidth for a long period of time.

If you are on a normal, contended ADSL service, it is usual for the internet to be slower at peak times as other users take up bandwidth. You can test your connection using one of the many internet speed checkers available. We recommend the BT Speedtest.

How do I perform a BT Speedtest?

If you're connection seems slow, there are a number of online tests to check the actual speed of your connection. Please note that not all ADSL connections can obtain the maximum quoted speed, due to variables such as line quality, distance from the exchange etc.

Visit http://www.speedtester.bt.com/ and follow the instructions on the site to perform your test. You can email the results to node4 for further investigation if necessary.

I've tried all this and it's still faulty, what information do you need?

If we need to raise a fault with your line provider, it helps greatly if we have as much information as possible. Raise a ticket on our ticket system (https://helpdesk.node4.co.uk) and include the following information.

• ADSL order number
• ADSL line telephone number
• ADSL username
• Contact name and telephone number (in case your line provider needs to speak to you)
• Brief description of the fault
• Date and time it stopped working, and the last time you were aware that it was working properly

Leave all your ADSL equipment attached to the line.