Optus nbn not working, and you’re wondering why? Wonder no more and continue reading!
If your Optus nbn connection box is not working, you must check the light indications on the unit to determine where the problem comes from.
If no lights on the nbn connection box indicate any failure, the problem is more likely with the connection to the modem or itself.
When the Optus nbn box is not working, first check the lights, reboot your equipment, and verify that the electrical outlet is working. Check whether the wiring is correct and reset your nbn box.
To unwrap how all of this is done, continue reading!
Why is My nbn Not Working Optus?
Many reasons may prevent your nbn box from working, affecting your internet and phone, so it’s best to check the suspected factors.
Here’s a list containing everything that can prevent the nbn box from working:
There are many more things to discuss, so jump into the troubleshooting guide!
7 Quick Ways to Fix When Optus nbn Not Working?
Note: Follow the steps chronologically!
1. Check Your nbn Light Indications
The first and crucial step is to check the light indications on the nbn box connection and decipher what the device tells you.
Based on your nbn connection type, the box’s light colours must be different, so let’s determine what is happening.
Fibre to the Premises (FFTP)
| Power Light | |||
| 🟢Green(solid) | 🟢Green(flashing) | 🔴Red(solid) | ⚫OFF |
| The nbn box is powered on and working correctly. | The box is turning on, which may take up to 15 minutes. | The box is working on the battery, and there is no internet/phone service. | There is no power to your nbn connection box |
| Optical Light | |||
| 🟢Green(solid) | 🟢Green(flashing) | 🔴Red(solid) | ⚫OFF |
| The nbn box is connected to the network, and you should have service. | The box is connected and is currently sending data and communicating. | The nbn connection box is not connected to the nbn network; you have no service access. | The box is not plugged into the nbn connection box via Ethernet. |
Fibre to the Curb (FTTC)
| Connection Light | |||
| 🔵Blue(solid) | 🔵Blue(flashing) | 🔴Red(solid/flashing) | ⚫OFF |
| The nbn connection box is securely linked and working. | The nbn box is turning on and loading, which may take up to 5 minutes. | Your modem is connected to the nbn, but there is no access to the nbn network. | The nbn box is not receiving power from the electrical supply. |
| DSL / Internet Light | ||
| 🔵Blue(solid) | 🔵Blue(flashing) | ⚫OFF |
| The nbn box is working normally. | The device is starting up, so wait until the light turns to solid blue. | There is no connection to the internet. |
Note: Based on what your nbn box is telling you, check the following solutions!
2. Check for Network Service Outage
If the Optus nbn box is not working and shows a red light, you must check for ongoing service outages that may affect your area.
Checking for outages is straightforward by going to nbn Status and inputting your full address in the provided field.
Then, you must click the “Check address” button to proceed and reveal accurate results about outages in your area.
Quick Tip: Ask Your Neighbours
The Optus nbn connection box may sometimes stop working after a power outage or electrical surge due to a dead street communication note.
Hence, ask your neighbours whether they are also experiencing problems with their nbn connection boxes, at least for your peace of mind.
Note: Network outages last until they’re resolved!
3. Reboot the Optus nbn Equipment
Another quick way to resolve issues with the Optus nbn connection is to restart your equipment or, even further, unplug the devices from the electrical supply.
This method is a power cycle and will not erase anything from your devices; it will only reboot your system and allow the hardware to cool down.
To reset everything, especially if your Optus nbn landline is not working, you must unplug your Optus modem, nbn box, and landline phone from the power supply for at least 3 minutes.
This will power cycle your devices. In the meantime, continue reading to learn more about the wiring and whether it’s correct.
Pro Tip: Keep your devices unplugged while reading!
4. Reconnect the nbn Service Wires
Your Optus nbn connection box is not working, which may be due to issues with the service connection.
You need to check for loose wiring, obstructed ports, defective connectors and damage to your cable’s length.
There are two general service connections in your Optus nbn setup–modem to nbn and phone to nbn.
The thing is that when the central modem to nbn connection is disrupted, your phone (connected to the modem) will also be out of service.
Modem to nbn Box
The modem connects to the nbn box via an Ethernet cable, except if you’re not using the Fixed Wireless (FW) connection type.
This is the primary link to your services, and when the Ethernet cable is loose, defective, or incorrectly connected, neither your internet nor landline will work.
Phone to Modem
When your Optus nbn phone not working, you must verify the connection between the nbn box and modem, then check your phone cable.
Typically, at least two available “Phone” ports are on the back of the Optus modem, so try to switch from one to the other and test the landline.
Tip: Unplug and reconnect ALL cables!
5. Troubleshoot the Power Supply
Note: Skip this step if your nbn box is showing lights!
If the Optus nbn is dead, not turning on, or showing any lights, you must pay attention to the power cable, port, connectors, and electrical outlet/backup battery.
You need to ensure the power source is working. Otherwise, your nbn box may not turn on and remain inactive indefinitely.
If your nbn box is portable, relocate the device to another room and test an alternative power outlet.
Avoid implementing power strips, plugs, or dividers, and connect your nbn box directly to the socket to avoid power fluctuations.
Tip: If your nbn box is turning off or restarting, implement measures against overheating!
6. Check Your Optus Account Bill
If your Optus nbn is not working, and you have no internet/landline, your bill may be overdue.
Thus, your services have been suspended. You can check your due date, balance, and bill from the My Account or My Optus App.
Check Bill from My Optus App:
- Open the My Optus app and sign into your account.
- Select the account for which you wish to check the bill.
- Tap the “Billing” tab and press “View Bill” to reveal it.
Check Bill from My Optus App:
- Through a web browser, go to the official Optus site.
- Login to your account and select a profile for viewing.
- Click on “Bills & payments” to reveal your bill details.
If you have pending bills or account limitations, the nbn services may be disrupted, so it’s crucial to resume your membership.
Note: If you have trouble paying your Optus bills, seek customer support.
7. Reset Your nbn Box to Defaults
If nothing helps and your Optus nbn connection box is not working, it’s time to reset the settings to default and test whether this will resolve your problem.
There is nothing to back up from your nbn connection box, and all needed configurations will be automatically acquired after the reset.
Here’s how to reset your nbn box in easy steps:
- Verify that your nbn is plugged into the power.
- Locate the “Reset” pinhole on the box’s back.
- Use a pointy-ended object to reach the button.
- Press and hold the Reset button for 10 seconds.
- Release the Reset button when the lights go off.
Your nbn box may require a few minutes to factory reset and up to 15 minutes to reconnect to the nbn network.
You must remain patient and allow your device to re-establish the connection, so observe whether any of the lights will blink or go red.
Reminder: Refer to this guide's Optus nbn light indicators from earlier!
Quick Recap:
Hence, when Optus nbn not working, you must first inspect the light indicator, check for nbn outages and verify that the power source is working.
Also, we advise checking your cable connections, viewing your Optus account bills, and factory resetting your nbn box.
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Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.