How can I fix my home broadband connection?

Try these simple steps before you call us – we’ll only ask you to go through them anyway.

Four quick things to check

1. Check your landline phone is working:

2. Turn your router off and on again

It may sound simple, but it really does solve most problems.

3. Check for any wider problems in your area.

> Use the Openreach local network status checker

4. Make sure there are lights on your router. If not, check the power cables are plugged in properly and it's switched on at the mains.

Are all my cables set up correctly?

Sometimes wires get mixed up or work their way loose.

Your router set-up should look like this:

Or, if you have a dual socket, it should look like this:

Or, if you have a Smart Hub, it should look like this:

Check that all the cables are securely in place. If that doesn't work, move on to the next step.

Is my Openreach modem set up correctly (only applicable if you have a Fibre Max 1 or Fibre Max 2 plan)?

Ensure your Openreach modem is connected to your Smart Hub router via the ethernet cable provided (red connectors).

The cable needs to be inserted into the LAN port on the Openreach modem and the red WAN port on the Smart Hub.

If you have lost power and need to restore your connection:

If you're unsure what the lights on your Openreach modem mean, check the table below:

Check the lights on your router

If the power light is off, make sure your router is plugged into a socket.

If you have a Bright Box router and your lights are green, or if you have a Smart Hub and your lights are steady aqua, you can move on to the next step.

If this isn’t the case, you need to check all your cables are set up correctly and then find out what your lights mean for the Bright Box or Smart Hub, depending on the router you have.

If this doesn’t work, get in touch.

Try using a wired connection

To check if there’s a problem with your WiFi, plug your device directly into the router:

1. Plug one end of the black Ethernet cable into any of the yellow Ethernet sockets on the back of your router.

2. Plug the other end into the Ethernet socket on your device.

If you can access the internet when you plug in, there’s probably a problem with your WiFi.

If you can’t access the internet, carry on to the next step.

Is there a problem with my wiring?

Sometimes wiring between phone and broadband sockets at home can cause connection problems.

If your phone line connects to a single wall master socket (like the one below) when it enters your home:

1. Connect your router to the master socket using a microfilter like this one:

If this improves your connection but means your router is no longer near the centre of your home, you can buy a WiFi extender to boost your wireless signal.

2. If you’re still having problems, try connecting directly to the BT test socket:

The grey broadband cable should connect your Smart Hub router to the filter.

The power plug comes in two parts and should click together. It should connect to your Smart Hub, as in the image above.
 

Disconnect your router from the main electricity supply for a few moments and switch it back on. Your router lights should start flashing again.

If the connection works, there could be a problem with the way your house is wired rather than with the broadband line or master socket. Talk to a qualified engineer to fix the problem.

> Still not working? Get in touch

How do I know if my account has been cut off?

If you haven’t paid your bill, we might’ve put a pause on your account. So, you won’t be able to go online. You should have got an email from us to explain this.

To check if you have an outstanding balance, and make a payment, log in to My EE.

Or find out more about paying your bill.

Seeing the nearly there page

If you’re going online for the first time, or you’ve restored your router to its factory settings, you might see a page that says ‘Nearly there’.

Don’t worry, it just means we’re working to get you up and running.

If you still see this page on certain sites once your router is set up, you can: