If you’re having problems connecting to broadband, experiencing a lost connection or not being able to see web pages, follow our steps below or Report a fault online. By reporting a fault online, you’ll follow the same steps our repair experts would talk you through if you called us.
Connecting to broadband for the first time
1. Check for a fault
Broadband not working? First things first, check if there’s a major fault in your area. Try connecting to the internet using a different device like a smartphone and head to our service status page.
2. Check your setup
No faults reported? Check your setup and make sure your hub is in range. If your hub is out of range, your Wi-Fi might be weak.
3. Restart everything
Restart your computer (or device) and hub/router. It’s a simple but often effective fix.
4. Check there hasn't been a problem with your bill
If a bill hasn't been paid, we'll initially suspend the broadband connection. If you have a My Account, you can check this online.
5. Check your firewall
Got security software on your computer or device? They can occasionally malfunction so try disabling them temporarily to see if this makes any difference. You'll usually find instructions on how to do this on the manufacturer's website. Microsoft Windows and Apple's OSX (MacOS) come with firewalls so you might need to disable these temporarily as well.
6. Try using an IP address
For any website to load it needs to translate the name of the website into the IP address used on the internet to identify where the website is. You can test if this has gone wrong by trying to access 193.113.9.162 in the address bar of your web browser. If you’re able to access the BT homepage, visit our guide to specifying your DNS servers to fix this.
7. Report a broadband fault
Report a fault online and you’ll follow the same steps our repair experts would talk you through if you called us.