No internet connection on a leased line

If you have no internet connection on your leased line, there are a few basic checks you can carry out before contacting the Fastnet Helpdesk.

This guide is for leased line services where Fastnet has supplied a Cisco router.

Please do not factory reset the router unless we have specifically asked you to do so. A factory reset may remove the configuration required for your service to work.

Check whether the issue affects wired, wireless, or both

First, try to confirm whether the problem affects all devices or only some devices.

Please check:

• Are wired devices connected by Ethernet working?
• Are wireless devices connected by Wi-Fi working?
• Is the issue affecting one device or all devices?
• Can any device access the internet?
• Are you connected to the correct Wi-Fi network?

Fastnet supplied Cisco leased line routers do not provide wireless directly. If only wireless devices are affected, the issue may be with your wireless access point, wireless controller, internal network equipment, or the device providing Wi-Fi.

If wired devices are also offline, the issue may be with the leased line, Cisco router, carrier NTE, cabling, firewall, or internal network.

Check the Cisco router power

Check that the Cisco router is powered on.

Please make sure:

• The power cable is firmly connected.
• The plug socket is switched on.
• The router power light is on.
• The router has not been accidentally switched off.

If there are no lights on the router, try another power socket if available.

Check the carrier NTE

Your leased line will usually terminate on an NTE provided by the carrier. The NTE is the network termination equipment installed at your premises as part of the leased line service.

Please check that:

• The NTE has power.
• The service lights are showing as expected.
• There are no obvious alarm lights.
• The cable between the NTE and Cisco router is securely connected.

If there are any red, amber, or flashing alarm lights on the NTE, please make a note of these before contacting us.

Check the cabling

Please check that all cables are firmly connected.

Depending on your service, the connection between the NTE and Cisco router may be presented as either RJ45 Ethernet or single mode fibre.

For RJ45 Ethernet connections, check that the Ethernet cable is connected from the access port on the NTE to the correct WAN port on the Cisco router.

For fibre-presented services, check that the fibre cable is securely connected between the NTE and the SFP in the Cisco router. Please avoid bending fibre cables sharply and do not look directly into the end of a fibre cable or optic.

If your setup includes a firewall, switch, or other internal network equipment, please also check the cabling between the Cisco router and your internal network.

Reboot the router

A reboot can sometimes resolve temporary connection issues.

To reboot the Cisco router:

1. Switch the router off at the power.
2. Leave it switched off for 15 minutes.
3. Switch the router back on.
4. Allow several minutes for the router to restart and reconnect.

If your service uses a firewall or other network equipment, it may also be worth checking whether that equipment is powered on and connected correctly.

Check the router and NTE lights

After the router has been powered back on, check the lights on the Cisco router and the carrier NTE.

Useful things to note include:

• Whether the Cisco router power light is on.
• Whether the WAN or link light is on.
• Whether any lights are red, amber, or not showing as expected.
• Whether the NTE shows any alarm or fault lights.
• Whether the LAN connection to your firewall or network equipment is active.

The lights can help us understand whether the leased line is live, whether the router can see the NTE, and whether the issue may be on the internal network side.

If your service has a backup connection

If your leased line service includes a backup connection, please let us know when you contact the Fastnet Helpdesk.

We can remotely check the router and test whether failover is working correctly.

When to contact Fastnet

If the service is still not working after completing these checks, please contact the Fastnet Helpdesk.

When contacting us, please provide:

• Your company name
• Your site address
• Your circuit ID or customer reference, if known
• Whether the issue affects wired, wireless, or both
• Whether one device or all devices are affected
• The lights showing on the Cisco router
• The lights showing on the carrier NTE
• Whether the router has been rebooted for 15 minutes
• Whether your service has a backup connection
• Whether any cabling has been changed or disconnected
• Whether there is a firewall, switch, or wireless access point connected after the Cisco router

Providing this information helps us investigate the issue more quickly and progress the fault where required.