I'm experiencing frequent disconnections with my Vodafone broadband - what should I do?

If your broadband keeps disconnecting, there are a number of reasons why this could be happening:

• Your router or modem may be overheating so try to keep it out of direct sunlight or away from other devices which produce a lot of heat.
• The "disconnect when idle" may be selected in your router or modem settings - have a look at the manual that came with your hardware to find out how to change this setting.
• If you have more than 6 phones connected at the premises (including faxes, sky digital or a monitored house alarm) - in this case, it's a good idea to unplug any that you don't use or give us a call to organise special wiring just for your broadband connection (this costs $149.00).
• If you're using a wireless router the signal strength may be set too low - check the manual that came with your hardware to find out how to change this setting.
• There maybe a 'high noise margin' on your phone line - just check the SNR Margin (AKA Signal or Noise Ratio) under the status menu of your router, if it's below 6dB, this means you have a noisy line which can cause intermittent disconnections.
• Your ADSL filter/s may be faulty or you may have a faulty ADSL cable - that's the one that goes from your router or modem to the phone jack.
• If you can hear pulses or clicks when you're on the phone there may be a lot of electric fences in the area - unfortunately there isn't a lot you can do about this!

We suggest you:

1. Do what we call an isolation test - simply disconnect all phones and other equipment that are plugged into your phone jacks and make sure your router or modem is connected directly to a phone jack i.e. you need to take off your line filters as well as any extension cables etc.
   
   Still getting disconnections? Go to step 2.
    
2. 
   a. Try resetting your router to its factory settings and run the setup wizard
   b. If you are not using an ADSL router but using an ADSL dial up modem, you will need to remove the modem drivers and run the installation CD (please refer to your instruction booklet for instructions)
   
   If you need help with our broadband settings please click here

If your broadband is still getting disconnected then please give us a call on 0800 438 448 so we can get to the bottom of it!

You may need a technician to come to your house to fix the problem - this will cost $81 so please make sure you've followed the instructions above so any unnecessary charges are avoided.

Why do I get a 401 unauthorised error when I'm logging into my broadband modem/router?

This simply means that the password you are typing is incorrect.

Your password is case-sensitive so try entering it again, making sure you use the correct upper and lower cases.

If you've forgotten your password and can not get access into the configuration of your hardware, you will just need to reset it to the factory default settings on the back of the modem/router (as we don't  keep a record of hardware passwords and can't reset them either).

The following reset procedure will completely restore the default settings on your modem/router.

1. Locate the reset pinhole on the back of the unit.
2. With the unit powered on, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Hold the Reset button for about 10 seconds.
4. Release the Reset button.
5. The device is now at factory defaults.

Don't forget if you have reset your modem/router you will need to reconfigure it with your our broadband settings otherwise you may find that you can't access the internet.

What are the basic settings for my Vodafone broadband?

  Answer  

These settings are the same for all our Vodafone fixed line broadband products.

• Login: username (your username for broadband is your Vodafone fixed line email address eg. username@vodafone.co.nz)
• Password: your password (lower case)
• PPP: PPP over ATM (RFC2364) VCMUX encapsulation
• VPI - 0
• VCI - 100
• Every ADSL modem or router has a slightly different way of entering in these basic settings. Simply look at the instruction manual that was supplied with your ADSL modem or router for full details on how to enter these settings correctly.Some brands of router ask for the DNS settings. If required these are
  • Preferred DNS server: 203.109.129.67
  • Alternate DNS server: 203.109.129.68

If you're switching to Vodafone broadband from another provider, we've put together a handy guide of all the settings you need to change.  Download a copy here.

I've got an Xtra D-Link broadband modem - how do I set up my hardware for Vodafone broadband?

If you've switched from Xtra broadband to Vodafone and have a D-Link 502T, 504T or 604T modem/router you can use this for your Vodafone broadband as well! (If you have a D-Link 502G, 504G or 604G modem or router, you can also use this for Vodafone broadband).

We've also put together a handy guide of all the settings you need to change.  Simply download a copy by clicking here .

You just need to follow the instructions below to set up the hardware for Vodafone broadband.

1. Open your web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer) and type in the address http://10.1.1.1

2. Enter the username admin and the password admin. (This password is to access the modem configuration process and can be changed at a later stage of the set up to your own personal one).

3. On the following screen select the Advanced User Mode

4. Press Run Wizard to start

5. Set Password
Choose a new password and then press Next to continue.  (This password is so you can access the set up process to make any changes to your hardware so it's a good idea to write it down and keep it in a safe place.  Please note: this is not your Vodafone internet password).

6.  Choose time zone
Select "(GMT + 12.00) Wellington, Auckland" and then press Next to continue some models may only have "(GMT + 12.00) New Zealand Standard Time" so just select that.

7.  Set PPPoE/PPPoA
Connection Type: PPPoA VC-Mux
Username: your username (this is your Vodafone fixed line email address eg. username@vodafone.co.nz)
Password: your password

(These details were sent to you when you signed up to Vodafone - if you haven't got a record of them, simply call us on 0800 438 448)

8. Setup completed
Select restart to save your settings.  Your modem will then shutdown and restart automatically.

How do broadband wireless networks work ?

As the name suggests, broadband wireless networks, sometimes called WiFi, allow you to connect to the internet without relying on wires. If your home, office, airport, or even local coffee shop has a wireless connection, you can access the network from anywhere that is within that wireless area.

Wireless networks rely on radio waves rather than wires to connect computers to the internet.

A transmitter, known as a wireless access point or gateway, is wired into an internet connection. This provides a "hotspot" that transmits the connectivity over radio waves.

Hotspots have identifying information, including an item called a SSID (service set identifier), that allow computers to locate them. Computers that have a wireless card and have permission to access the wireless frequency can take advantage of the network connection.

Some computers may automatically identify open wireless networks in a given area, while others may require that you locate and manually enter information such as the SSID.

Below is an example of how a typical home wireless network will function. 
 

 
What security threats are associated with wireless networks?

Because wireless networks do not require a wire between a computer and the internet connection, it is possible for attackers who are within range to hijack or intercept an unprotected connection.

We strongly recommend that you take steps to help protect your wireless network against unauthorised use. For tips see securing your connection  or refer to your user guide.