Home internet not working? How to check for an nbn outage in Australia
Most Australian home internet runs over the nbn network, but you buy your plan from a provider such as Telstra, Optus, TPG, iiNet or Aussie Broadband. When it stops working, the fault could be in your home, with your provider, or on the nbn network. Here’s how to narrow it down.
Start inside your home
- Restart your modem/router. Switch it off at the wall, wait 30 seconds, switch it back on and give it a few minutes.
- Check the cables between the wall socket, any nbn connection box and your modem.
- Look at the lights. Many connection boxes and modems have a light that shows whether the line is connected. Note any red or unlit lights before you call your provider: it speeds things up.
- Test with a cable. If you can, plug a computer straight into the modem. If it works by cable but not on Wi-Fi, the problem is your Wi-Fi, not an outage.
Check for outages
- nbn: nbn’s network status page lets you check for outages and planned work at your address.
- Your provider: most providers have their own outage checker. Find yours on its service page here, where we link to the official checker.
- Other Australians: each provider’s page here shows community reports by state. Many reports in your state at the same time suggests a wider problem.
Who to contact
Contact your provider, not nbn. nbn sells to providers, not households, so your provider lodges any fault with nbn for you. Have your account details ready, and tell them what you’ve already tried and which lights are on.
If you can’t sort out a complaint with your provider, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is a free, independent service that may be able to help.
While you wait
- Use your phone’s hotspot for anything urgent (watch your data allowance).
- If you rely on a phone service over the nbn for emergencies or a medical alarm, make sure you have a working mobile phone as a backup.
- Ignore calls or texts claiming to be from nbn or your provider asking for remote access to your computer or payment. That’s a common scam.
General information only, not professional advice. Is It Down AU is independent and not affiliated with any provider mentioned.
