Is Optus WiFi Not Working? – (Easy Fix Guide)

Wondering why your Optus WiFi not working? Well, this guide contains the complete solution!

The Optus modem is a gateway device that receives the internet from the NBN connection box and then spreads it over Wi-Fi.

If the Optus modem’s Wi-Fi does not appear, it’s inaccessible, or there is no internet connection, you must thoroughly inspect and troubleshoot your Optus setup.

Whenever the Optus Wi-Fi is not working, start by rebooting your equipment and testing whether the issue only affects your Wi-Fi or the entire broadband.

Let’s unwrap everything!

Why is My Optus WiFi Not Working?

There are many possibilities as to why the Wi-Fi of your Optus modem is not working.

However, you must check whether the Wi-Fi is showing up if it’s accessible, and if there’s internet access. 

Knowing this, take a look at what may prevent the Optus Wi-Fi from working:

This is only the tip of the iceberg, so let’s dig deeper to explore a solution for everything!

How to Fix When Optus WiFi Not Working in Easy Steps?

Tip: Follow the steps consecutively!

1. Reboot Your Internet Equipment

The first and crucial step is to reboot your network equipment involving your Optus modem and NBN connection box.

This will refresh the internet stream to your modem, and if the Wi-Fi was not connected to the internet until now, the restart should restore the functionality.

How to Reboot Optus Modem?

Here’s how to reboot your Optus modem in easy steps:

1. Press the “On/Off” button to turn OFF your modem.
2. Unplug the power adapter from the electrical outlet.
3. Wait 60 seconds for a complete power circulation.
4. Press the “On/Off” button to power the modem ON.

How to Reboot Your NBN Box?

Here’s how to reboot your NBN connection box quickly:

1. Directly unplug the power cable from the A/C outlet.
2. Also, unplug the wire from the back of the NBN box.
3. Wait for 60 seconds while your box is disconnected.
4. Reconnect the wire on both sides to turn on the box.

Tip: Always plug your networking devices directly into the outlet!

2. Correct Your Optus Wi-Fi Settings

Perhaps the Optus Wi-Fi is not working because it’s not configured.

So, this is why the second step would be to verify that the Optus modem’s Wi-Fi is correctly enabled.

To do so, you must enter the Optus modem control panel, accessible through a device connected to the network.

You will be able to access the Optus modem control panel in two ways:

• From a device connected to Wi-Fi.
• From a device connected via Ethernet.

#1) Change Wi-Fi SSID & Password:

Here’s how to change the SSID and password of your Optus modem:

1. Open a web browser and type “192.168.0.1” in the URL.
2. Enter the password found at the bottom of your modem.
3. Click “Login” and then navigate to the “My Wi-Fi” menu.
4. Add a unique Wi-Fi SSID under the “Wi-Fi Name” field.
5. Add an easy-to-remember password in “Wi-Fi Password.”
6. When you’re ready, click on “Apply” to save the changes.

#2) Disable the Optus Band Steering:

The “Band Steering” is an option that any modem has but is disabled by default.

However, this option will combine your 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi if enabled into one wireless network.

This may confuse and unexpectedly impact your Wi-Fi, so we recommend disabling the feature found within the “My Wi-Fi” tab.

This will allow you to set a custom SSID and password for both your Wi-Fi frequencies and hopefully resolve your wireless problem.

#3) Enable the Guest Wi-Fi Network:

Here’s how to enable the guest Wi-Fi network on your Optus modem:

1. From the Optus modem dashboard, go to “My Wi-Fi.”
2. From there, click or tap on the “Guest Wi-Fi” section.
3. Next, verify that the Guest Wi-Fi toggle is set to “ON.”
4. Then, adjust the Wi-Fi Security to “WPA Protected.”
5. Provide the Guest Wi-Fi with an SSID and password.
6. Finally, click on “Apply” to finalise the latest changes.

Reminder: When you’re ready, test if your Optus Wi-Fi is working correctly!

3. Relieve Optus Network’s Bandwidth

If the Wi-Fi appears, and you’re able to connect with external devices, but there is no internet, or the speed is slow, the culprit may be insufficient bandwidth.

The bandwidth is the capabilities of your Optus modem and how many devices can be supplied with an internet connection at once.

When you’ve got too many devices connected to the Wi-Fi network of your modem, additional devices may experience internet lag and dropouts.

Here are a bunch of ways to uplift and optimise your Optus Wi-Fi network:

• Disconnect all unused devices from the Wi-Fi.
• Disable any ongoing updates and downloads.
• Shorten the Wi-Fi device connection proximity.
• Toggle OFF and ON the device’s “Wi-Fi” option.
• Forget and connect to the Optus Wi-Fi network.

Note: Verify that your Optus modem is not obstructed, overheating or positioned in enclosed spaces and tight spots.

4. Check for Ongoing Optus Outages

It’s not excluded that the Wi-Fi problem that you’re experiencing with your Optus equipment is caused by the service delivered to your NBN connection box.

When the income service is down, your Optus modem will continue to spread the so-called “empty Wi-Fi” without internet access.

Therefore, you can connect to the modem’s Wi-Fi, but your devices will remain offline, just like your modem.

We have two tips to help you identify the actual cause:

Test Your Broadband Connection:

The first thing to do is to determine whether you’ve got internet access on a hardwired device to your modem via Ethernet cable.

This will entirely bypass the Wi-Fi, but this is the point since you’ll quickly find out whether the issue comes from the service or the modem’s Wi-Fi network.

Check for NBN Network Outages:

Note: If your broadband connection is working on a hardwired device, skip this step!

To check for downtime in your area, you must go to NBN Outages and input your address in the provided field.

From there, you must click the “Check address” button and be provided with up-to-date information on whether your service area is currently affected and globally offline.

Tip: In case of a network outage, you must wait until the services are restored.

5. Switch to Another Wi-Fi Channel

The neighbouring network may impact your Optus Wi-Fi because other routers use the same Wi-Fi channel as your modem.

Even though this is very rare, if you live near an office or a city block with many other active routers/modems, the used Wi-Fi channel may be overcrowded.

It’s very easy to switch from one Wi-Fi channel to another on Optus modem:

1. On a connected device, go to “192.168.0.1” from a browser.
2. Sign in by using your Optus control panel login credentials.
3. Click “Advanced Settings” and go to the “Wireless” section.
4. Then, reveal the drop-down menu found next to “Channel.”
5. Switch to another Wi-Fi channel for the selected frequency.

It’s not essential which channel you would select as long as you switch to another, which may restore the functionality of your Wi-Fi.

If this doesn’t help, test multiple Wi-Fi channels for your Wi-Fi frequencies until you land on a working channel.

Note: You can use a “Wi-Fi Analyzer” app for Android and iOS to determine which Wi-Fi channels are overcrowded and empty.

6. Resolve Optus Wi-Fi Interference

If everything is checked up until this point, and your Optus home WiFi not working, you must check for wireless or physical interference.

Many factors can impact your Wi-Fi connection and prevent the wireless network of the modem from working, so let’s take a quick look:

• Distance – The Wi-Fi signal gets weaker the furthest you go, so move closer to your Optus modem and test.
• Obstruction – Physical obstructions such as fish tanks, metal objects and reflective surfaces can impact the Optus Wi-Fi connection.
• RF interference – Your modem/connection device must not be near microwaves, wireless phones, Bluetooth devices and other RF signal transmitters.

Tip: One of the most efficient ways to troubleshoot Wi-Fi interference is to relocate the modem!

Quick Recap:

Whenever Optus WiFi not working, you must verify that the modem’s “Guest Network” is enabled and “Band Steering” is disabled.

In addition, we recommend setting a new SSID and password for the Wi-Fi, switching to another Wi-Fi channel and solving interference.

We hope this guide was helpful, so follow us for more!