NBN outages: What to do when your internet goes down

Has your internet suddenly stopped working? It could be due to an issue with your home Wi-Fi connection or part of a wider problem with the NBN.

Here are a couple of things you can do to determine your next steps.

Check if there's a widespread NBN outage

Your first step should be to find out if the NBN is down for other users or if the incident is only affecting you. There are multiple ways to action this:

• Check NBN Co's official network status and outages page and type in your address to see if there are any NBN outages in your area.
• Use a third-party website such as Down Detector to track outage reports from other users.
• Check your NBN provider's app or status page for notifications or updates.

We'd recommend checking with your provider's network status directly via its status page or app to get the most accurate information, though these may not update as soon as the outage occurs.

Third-party websites with crowd-sourced information or your provider's social media (Facebook, Twitter accounts) can be a faster way to check that the problem isn't just isolated at your premises. Keep in mind that information through these sources may be less reliable.

In order to check the network status, you'll need to use your phone and mobile data to get online since your home internet connection isn't working. Make sure you've disconnected from your Wi-Fi network in order to use your mobile data.

I've confirmed there's an NBN outage, now what?

If you discover there's a network outage in your area, there's little to be done about your internet connection. You'll need to wait until the NBN is back up and running.

In the meantime, if you really need the internet, consider:

1. Hotspotting

Your home internet connection might be cooked but your mobile internet connection should be unaffected. You can hotspot or tether your phone connection to other personal devices such as your laptop and tablet on both Android and iOS systems.

• Keep in mind that you will be using up mobile data. Pay attention to how much you have left on your mobile plan for the month before browsing or streaming away mindlessly.

2. Visiting a local cafe or library (if it's open)

If all else fails, you can head to your local cafe, library or anywhere that offers public Wi-Fi until your home connection is back up and running. It's probably your best option if you don't have enough mobile data for hotspotting.

What if it's not an NBN outage and just affecting my home internet?

If the issue is isolated to your household only, there are a couple of steps to try to get it working again:

1. Restart your modem

Sometimes it's just as easy as that. Your modem or router might just need to be restarted to re-establish your internet connection with your NBN provider.

Unplug your modem, wait at least 30 seconds and then plug it back in. If the light turns green, you've hit gold and should be good to go.

If your internet connection still isn't back up and running after restarting your modem, consider calling up your NBN provider.

2. Call your NBN provider

If there isn't an NBN outage in your area and restarting your modem hasn't worked, it's time to contact your NBN provider's technical support team to see if it has any solutions. There could be a problem from the provider's end that's affecting your connection specifically.

Here's a list of phone numbers for technical support from some of the major NBN providers:

• Telstra: 13 22 00 (Monday–Friday, 7am–11pm AEST)
• Optus: 13 39 37 (Monday–Sunday, 9am–6pm caller's local time)
• TPG: 1300 997 271 (24/7)
• iiNet: 13 22 58 (24/7)
• Aussie Broadband: 1300 880 905 (Monday–Sunday, 8am–midnight AEDT)
• Dodo: 13 36 36 (Monday–Sunday, 9am–9pm AEST)
• iPrimus: 1300 851 185 (Monday–Friday, 9am–9pm AEST/Saturday–Sunday, 9am–6pm AEST)
• Vodafone: 1300 650 410
• More: 1800 733 368 (Monday–Friday, 24/7/Saturday–Sunday, 8am–8pm AEDT)

Frequently asked questions

• How do I check if the NBN is down?

  There are a number of ways to do this:

  1. Check the official website from NBN Co where you can see the network status at your address. It should notify you if there's a widespread outage in your area.
  2. See if your NBN provider has updated its website or social channels reporting a network issue.
  3. Visit a third-party site like Down Detector to see if other users in your area are experiencing the same problem.

• Why is my NBN not working?

  There are a few reasons for losing your internet connection:

  • Power outage. When the lights go out, the internet connection automatically gets disconnected as well unless your NBN comes with a back-up battery.
  • Scheduled maintenance. There's a chance you might have missed a notice from your provider about upcoming maintenance works.
  • Network congestion. Too many people online at once can overload the network and cause problems too.
  • Natural events. Rain and wind, among other weather conditions, could bring down a signal pole. This will require maintenance teams to get onsite and assess the problem.

• Is there anything you could do to prevent an NBN outage?

  NBN outages can't really be avoided. However, modems with 4G backup can come in handy during these times. These modems kick in using mobile networks when your NBN is down. Just keep in mind that the connection is usually limited to speeds of 25Mbps.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Mariam Gabaji

Editor I Tech and utilities expert

Mariam Gabaji is an editor and tech and utilities expert at Finder with 12+ years of experience as a journalist. She's committed to helping households cut through the industry jargon and save money on their bills. Her expertise is often featured in media including the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, 7News, A Current Affair, The Guardian, SBS and Money Magazine. See full bio

Mariam's expertise

Mariam has written 296 Finder guides across topics including:

• Energy
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