Fix your broadband

To understand a lot of the problems that come up when using broadband, it’s helpful to have a vague idea of what is going on behind the scenes. With that in mind, we’re going to explain how broadband works, from your PC to the internet.

We’ll get straight to the point. There’s not much you can do to the connection between your broadband modem or router and the wider internet, and in most cases, it’s worth contacting your internet service provider’s (ISP) helpline if the solution to your problems is not immediately obvious. See our section entitled 'When to call the helpline' for more information.

First aid
Before we start, we should explain the first thing to try whenever a broadband connection fails. Switch off the PC, then the router if you have one, and finally the modem. Take the power leads out of the router and modem. Wait 10 seconds then reconnect and switch on the modem. Wait 10 seconds, and do the same with the router. Wait again and start the PC. This often solves the problem.

In the UK, almost all broadband connections are made using ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line). You don’t need to worry too much about what this means, apart from the first letter A.

Asynchronous means that the download and upload speeds are not the same – information is downloaded from the internet faster than you can upload files, pictures, email or other data.

Broadband using ADSL connects to the local telephone exchange in most cases, but there is another option, used by Virgin Media and some other ISPs.

Cable TV also allows broadband connections – and these are made using the network put in place years ago for providers such as NTL and Telewest (Now both part of Virgin Media).

In some remote places, neither of these options is available, and users have to rely on satellite and communal wireless networks. We’ll be looking at ADSL and cable only in this article.

Modems and routers
In the simplest case, your broadband connection comes in through a modem and is connected by a cable to a single computer. The modem translates what is sent over your phone line or cable into something that can be interpreted by a computer.

If you have the choice of an Ethernet or USB connection on your modem, choose Ethernet every time. It is more reliable, does not slow down the PC, doesn’t need to be shared with other USB devices such as printers, works automatically on any computer, and allows you to plug in extra networking and security devices, such as a router and firewall, as you need them. It’s worth plugging in a router, or buying a combined modem/router to do both jobs, as this is more secure.

Put simply, a router will route data to a number of different devices - so, for example, if you have more than one PC connected to broadband, it will collect traffic and pass it back and forth between the internet and your computers.

With a single PC connected to a cable or ADSL modem via its Ethernet socket (often referred to as a network socket), the modem is effectively acting as a transparent bridge to pass the IP address - a set of numbers and dots that equate to the computer’s home address or telephone number on the internet - issued by the ISP on to the PC itself.

The ISP gives an IP address to the connection using something called DHCP once it has started talking to the modem, and this address is then applied to the user’s PC to make it visible on the internet. That is why it is essential to run security software on a PC connected in this way, as the modem offers no security - your PC is sitting on the internet in full view.

Routers have all manner of settings that can be easily changed through a web page that is generated by the router itself. If you have a router, launch a browser, enter the private address - its exact form will be in the router manual or printed on the back of the router - and you will reach the configuration pages.