11

Common Setup Connection Difficulties

Your Computer Cannot Connect to the Internet

(If connected to modem via an Ethernet Cable)

Follow the instructions until your computer can connect to the Internet:

•

Make sure that the modem is powered on. The power LED should be green and not flashing.

•

If the power LED is flashing, then power off all of your network devices, including the modem

and computers. Then power on each device in the following order:

1.

Modem

2.

Computer

•

Check the LEDs on the front panel of the modem. Make sure the power, DSL, and at least one

of the numbered Ethernet LEDs are lit. If they are not, then check the cable connections. The

computer should be connected to one of the Ethernet ports numbered 1-4 on the modem,

and the DSL port of the modem must be connected to the ADSL line.

Internet Speed: Some Basics

When you sign up with Aussie Broadband your internet speed is determined by the Plan that you

selected. This speed determines how fast you can transfer data to and from the internet. For

example, you may have selected the 1500/256 plan with 10GB Peak data and 10GB Off-Peak data.

The 1500 represents the download speed and the 256 represents the upload speed. This means that

you will be able to potentially download data from the internet at 1500kbps and be able to upload

data to the internet at speeds up to 256kbps.

Download & Uploads

A download is any data that you receive from the internet. This includes any files downloaded from

the internet and any websites that are displayed in your browser. An upload is any data that you

send from your computer to the internet such as sending an email.

kbps vs. KBps

Your broadband plan is displayed in

kilobits

(e.g. 1500/256Kbps). Most applications, including your

browser, display your download and upload speeds in

kilobytes

. This is important to note as it is

easy to misinterpret your internet speeds based on your selected plan. In simple terms, 1500kbps

(kilobits) is equivalent to 187.5KBps (Kilobytes).

Local Network

The speed displayed by your network connections (e.g. 100Mbps for Ethernet) represents the local

network speed only and does not relate to your internet speed.

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Internet Speed: How to Carry out A Speed Test

If you are experiencing any connection issues relating to speeds it is recommended that you carry

out a speed test. Before starting the test please make sure that you have no other programs running

that may be using the internet connection as this will cause the results to be inaccurate. Please

ensure that you are not currently shaped, this can be check by accessing your account details from

our homepage.

To carry out a speed test go to:

Select a file to download (preferably a file larger than 10Mb). Save this file to your desktop or

somewhere that you can easily find to delete it later on. Wait for a minute or two until the transfer

rate settles somewhat and take note of it. This is your current download speed.

Internet Speed: What Affects It?

The speed of your ADSL connection can be affected by numerous factors, as shown below. Some of

these you may be able to improve yourself, while others you have no control over.

•

Distance from the exchange:

One of the main factors that determine the speed of your ADSL

connection is the cable distance from the telephone exchange to your property. The closer

you are to the exchange, the faster your broadband connection speed can be.

•

Number of people sharing the connection & how many tasks are being carried out online at

once:

If there are multiple computers or other devices connected to the ADSL service within

your home, it’s possible that one of them may be causing slow speeds. When a computer

downloads large files or updates they can effectively slow down all other internet traffic on

your network.

This also applies if you are attempting to carry out multiple tasks online at the

same time.

•

The Quality of your cables and modem:

The cabling, both to your house and inside it, play a

significant role in determining your internet speed.

If the phone lines are in good condition,

your internet speeds will increase. Similarly, the better the quality of the modem or router,

the faster your internet connection. Hence good quality wiring and short cables should be

used.

•

The Website you are looking at:

If there are a lot of people attempting to access the same

website at the same time (such as bank sites) this will affect your internet speed. The server

that hosts the website has to work harder to serve the requests, hence if more people

request the site than the server can handle then the speed of that site will decrease. If this

happens, try accessing the website at a less busy time.

•

Spyware, Viruses & Adware:

If there is any form of infection on your computer, this can

seriously slow down your internet speed. Make sure that you have an anti-virus program

installed onto your computer and that you regularly remove any spyware or adware that may

be on your PC.

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Positioning your

modem

You will want to place your wireless modem somewhere that it will receive the strongest signal with

the least amount of interference. For best results:

Place in a Central Location:

Place the modem as close to the centre of your home as possible to increase the wireless signal

strength.

Place in a High position:

The modem should be kept off the floor and away from walls, and metal objects such as filing

cabinets. Generally, the more obstacles the signal has to pass through the weaker it may

become, hence keep physical obstructions to a minimum.

Reduce Interference:

The frequency that the wireless modem uses is sometimes the same as most microwaves and

many cordless phones. Hence if you turn on the microwave or get a call on a cordless phone,

your wireless signal might be temporarily interrupted. You can avoid most of these issues by

using a cordless phone with a higher frequency, such as 5.8 GHz. It’s also a good idea to keep

away from radios, TV sets, power sources and other wireless devices in your home or office

TIP:

For tips on how to improve your wireless network, go to:

www.microsoft.com/athome/setup/wirelesstips.aspx

Setting up your Wireless Network

Does your computer have wireless capability?

Most desktop computers do not come with a wireless network adapter. If you have a desktop

computer and are not sure if it has a wireless network adapter, contact the manufacturer or retailer

who sold you your computer.

If you have a laptop then it is likely that you will have a wireless network adapter. Check the original

specifications for your computer. If you are still unsure, contact your manufacturer.

Before you continue

In most cases the wireless network will have already been setup on your wireless modem.

If your

wireless is already running a secure network, then you do not need to make any changes. Otherwise

follow the steps below.

Wireless Security is a major consideration when setting up a Wireless Network in your home or

office. Aussie Broadband recommends that all access points use some type of Wireless Encryption

to hinder unauthorized access to your network.

NOTE:

To Setup Wireless Settings in your modem, first connect your computer to the modem with an Ethernet Cable. Once you have

finished Configuring the Settings you can remove the cable and connect wirelessly.

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Connect to your ADSL modem

Follow steps

1

to

4

on page 6 to log onto your ADSL modem

Configuring the Wireless Network

1.

Click

Home Network

in the left menu.

2.

Click

Advanced Settings.

3.

Click

Begin Wireless Wizard

.

15

4.

Click

Configure the Local SpeedStream Gateway Wireless Network

. Set Wireless Interface to

Enable

. Then specify the SSID (This is your wireless network name, you can choose to leave

this as default).

5.

Click

Next

.

6.

Set

Security Mode

to

WPA-PSK

TKIP

.

7.

Click

Next

.

8.

Specify a

Shared Key

. This is your wireless network password and must consist of 8 or more

digits containing letters and/or numbers. We recommend using the same password as your

Aussie Broadband account password. Set

Group Key Interval

to

30

.

9.

Click

Next

.