Learn about the broadband troubleshooting procedure and the checks you can perform which may restore your services. Before beginning these checks, we recommend referring to our outages page.

Troubleshooting Process

• Step 1: Restart your equipment

  Power off all devices that are connected to the internet including your modem. Restart the modem first, once the modem comes back online, you can restart your other devices and then try connecting to the internet.

• Step 2: Check cables

  Ensure all cables are plugged in correctly and securely. Loose cables or faulty cables can cause loss of service.

• Step 3: Check the modem lights

  Scenario 1: The DSL light on your modem is flashing or off or if you are on Fibre and your WAN light is off. Please refer to the Isolation Testing section.

  Scenario 2: The DSL/WAN light on the modem is solid green or blue and the Internet light on the modem is red or off. Please factory reset your modem.

  Scenario 3: Modem will not power on. Please try your modem at another power point and contact our team to discuss a replacement modem.

• Step 4 (Fibre only): Check the Optical Network Terminal lights

  Scenario 1: The Optical/PON light on your Optical Network Terminal (ONT) is red. Please check our outages page before contacting our team for further assistance.

  Scenario 2: The Alarm/LOS light on your ONT is red. Please check our outages page before contacting our team for further assistance.

Isolation Testing

To rule out your equipment or the physical setup of your home network as being the reason behind your loss of service, it is crucial to complete the steps outlined below. This will ensure that we are taking all the necessary precautions to avoid any technician call out charges.

• ADSL and VDSL Broadband Connections

  • Before we begin

    The isolation test takes around 10-15 minutes and you will require access to your modem to successfully complete it.

    Click the right arrow to begin the Isolation Test!

  • Step 1: Unplug your equipment

    Unplug all phones, modems, filters or any other devices from all jackpoints in your home. Some monitored home alarms may be automatically triggered if they're unplugged, so it might be a good idea to get in touch with your alarm provider first, to let them know what's going on.

  • Step 2: Testing other jackpoints

    Take your modem to a jackpoint in your home and plug it in. Test the modem directly plugged into your jackpoint without the use of a filter and turn it on. If the light labelled ‘DSL’ lights up, then your modem has reconnected.

  • Step 3: Reconnecting your devices

    Did your modem successfully reconnect?

    Yes

    This means your devices/equipment is the reason behind the loss of service. Plug your equipment back in piece by piece, checking the connection each time. When the problem returns you have discovered the faulty piece of equipment.

    No

    The problem may lie with your jackpoint, phone cable or modem. Try another phone cable and if that doesn’t work, try the other jackpoints in your home, testing the connection each time.

  • Step 4: Final checks

    Lastly, we recommend running through steps 2 and 3 with another modem, to rule out your existing modem as being faulty.

    If you find that you have completed these checks and are unable to restore your services, we recommend contacting our team. Remember to let them know that you have already completed the isolation test

   

   

   
• Fibre Broadband Connections

  • Begin the Isolation Test Process

    The isolation test takes around 10-15 minutes and you will require access to your modem to successfully complete it.

    Click the right arrow to begin the Isolation Test!

  • Step 1: Check your network setup

    Confirm that your modem is correctly and securely connected to your Fibre Optical Network Terminal (ONT). This article here presents more information regarding the physical setup.

  • Step 2: Restart your modem

    Turn the power to your modem off and wait about 5 minutes before turning this back on. Test again to check if your loss of service has been resolved.

  • Step 3: Test another cable

    Test another Ethernet cable from your ONT to your modem. This is to ensure that the Ethernet cable you are currently utilizing hasn't become faulty. The Ethernet cable goes from the WAN port of your modem to the GE1/LAN1 port of your ONT.

   

   

What should I do now?

If you find that you’ve performed all these steps, and you haven’t found a possible cause for your broadband issue, contact our team. We will complete some final checks with you before reporting a fault.

GoTalk is a mobile application Slingshot was offering previously. This service is no longer available although we will continue to support existing customers with it. 

• What is GoTalk?
  GoTalk is a mobile application that allows Slingshot customers to make and receive calls. 
• How do I install the GoTalk application?
  The Slingshot GoTalk application is available in the Google Play store and the Apple App store. Let's begin the installation procedure. 

  1. Open the Google Play store or the Apple App store on your mobile device. 
  2. Search for "GoTalk" without the quotation marks. 
  3. Select and "Install" the mobile application published by Slingshot. 
  4. Once the application is installed, you will be asked to enter your username (phone number) and password. This information is emailed to you. If you do not have these details, please send our team an email. 
     
     
• What are the calling rates?
  You can utilize any of our calling packs with GoTalk to receive the best calling rates. You can find information relating to our current calling packs here and you can activate any calling pack through your Slingshot My Account. Alternatively, you can complete calls at our standard per minute calling rates. 

To protect our customers from cyber attacks, we network block inbound traffic (TCP/UDP) associated with the following ports.  If you have an onsite email server (business email server), NAS servers, Web server or remote admin access to router, then network port filtering may impact you. To resolve this, simply log onto MySlingshot and on the main page select ‘Off’ under Port filtering.

Note: Network port filtering will not impact your normal internet browsing, video streaming or email services.

 A local area network (LAN) is very small network comprised of computers and peripherals, as a home internet consumer, a LAN would normally only be large enough to provide internet throughout your home, however a LAN can also be as large as an office space.

The router we provide you manages the network layer connectivity for the LAN but you may have to configure your devices to be recognised by other devices on your LAN and access the internet.

An example of home networking is creating a media server hosted on your LAN which your TV, wireless devices and desktop computers will be all able to access and stream the content from the server.

Slingshot does not provide support for LAN setup but there’s plenty of information on the internet to help guide you.

DNS Servers are:

IPv4 address:
Preferred DNS Server: 202.180.64.10
Alternate DNS Server: 202.180.64.11

IPv6 address:
Preferred DNS Server: 2404:4400::1
Alternate DNS Server: 2404:4400::2 

Router/Modem: Netcomm NB604N, NF4V, GF1v, NF18AC

• Login into your router to see how to do this.
• Once you have log into your router click
• Advanced Setup
• DNS
• Select the below radio buttons and manually enter in the IP addresses.

Be sure not to make an error with the IP addresses else you may not be able to resolve web pages, if you make this change and noticed you’re unable to resolve web pages please double check you have entered the correct ones. Also, we recommend using our DNS to help resolve websites promptly, using other DNS may increase latency and therefore may increase load times of web pages.

The NF4v, GF1v, and NB604n may not have the option to configure IPv6 IP addresses but could become available as new firmware is released.

Router/Modem Fritzbox 7490

• Log into the router – see here for how to do this
• Click on Internet
• Account information
• Click the DNS Server
• Enter 202.180.64.10 in Preferred and 202.180.64.11 in the Alternative
• Click apply.

The Slingshot Helpdesk will do their best to help you get connected to the internet, and help you with any internet connection related problems. This list is intended to clarify exactly what it is that we do and do not support. 

Slingshot Homeline and/or Tolls

1. We support Slingshot customers' use of our Homeline and Tolls product.
   
   

Internet Connection (Broadband or Dial-Up)

1. Establishing and maintaining the connection from the exchange to your house/premises.
2. Connection speed issues from our modem/router over Ethernet. 
   
   

Modem/Router

1. We support getting you online with the modem/router we provide and support, and we will attempt to help set up and troubleshoot all other compatible modem/routers but will refer to you to the Vendor of that device if required.
2. We will configure the wireless only on the modem/routers we provide.
3. We support and troubleshoot the connectivity of only one fully functional device to your modem/router, any other devices will be supported as best effort.
   
   

Wireless

1. We will investigate wireless speed and stability issues, but have no control of your surroundings which can interfere with your wireless.
2. We support the modem/routers basic wireless configuration only if it’s a modem/router we have supplied.
3. We will support up to one device on your wireless LAN (local area network), any other devices will be supported as best effort.
   
   

Mobile

1. The setup of SMS, APN and MMS.
2. Network faults and calling faults for any device using a Slingshot SIM that is approved for use on our network
3. Our mobile application
   
   

Email

1. We support Slingshot customers' use of our webmail product.

• We can support the configuration of Microsoft Outlook to use your Slingshot provided email address.

Note: We only support setting up your e-mail account, nothing else. e.g. forwarding rules 

Operating Systems

We support all Windows and Mac Operating systems to the best of our knowledge, as long as it is still supported by Microsoft or Apple.

This can be found here:

1. Microsoft
2. Apple 
   
   

Web Browsers

We support internet access by the following web browsers

1. Microsoft Internet Explorer/Edge
2. Mozilla Firefox
3. Chrome
4. Safari

1. Navigate to the Control Panel in the Start Menu by searching for it

2. Click on Network and Internet and then Network and Sharing Centre
   
3. In the left-hand menu, click on Change adapter settings
   
4. Right Click on the Ethernet adapter and then select properties
   
5. Under Ethernet properties, highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click properties

6. Check Use the following IP address and enter the necessary router details (this can vary from router to router), also check Use the following DNS server addresses as well and manually enter a DNS address (eg 8.8.8.8)

7. Click on OK to Save settings and then click OK on the properties page

IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) addresses are stored in an easy to read 32-bit format, making it easy to configure home networks and routers. For example 192.168.0.1 is a IPv4 address and so is 8.8.8.8

IPv6 is designed as a replacement for IPv4 as IPv4 only had a limited number of public address available. IPv6 is a 128-bit format that is written as a hexadecimal and can be written like 2001:4860:4860::8888 or 2001:4860:4860::8844.

IPv6 would only affect your public facing address for now as everyone is assigned a unique number when you go online.

Malware is short for Malicious Software and it categorises a variety of hostile or intrusive software such as Trojans, Ransomware, Adware and Worms.

This is software that can be downloaded to your computer or mobile phone without your permission and can go by undetected too. These programs are designed to harm your computer or device and can steal your private information as well such as your Banking details.

The best way to prevent malicious software is to keep your PC and your mobile devices up to date with the latest security patches as well as using reputable antivirus programs.

Tips for staying safe online

A good rule of thumb is to never give your personal information out especially credit card details.

Always try to validate who you may be dealing with, if it seems suspicious then do not interact

There are trusted services which you can complete financial transactions with on the internet but triple check with that business verbally over the phone if you’re unsure the website or email is legitimately from them.

Application updates

Applications will often release updates, this helps to ensure new features work and interact with other computer processes at their best, it can also help patch security holes in the application.

Hardware

Hardware can also be exploited, ensure you mobile devices and computer systems are running the latest firmware, you can go to vendor support pages for support or you maybe prompted to update if automatic updates is something your device is configured to do.

Antivirus

You should have a reputable antivirus application installed on your devices and allow it to update as required.

Websites

If you’ve gone to a website and downloading something which you’re not 100% sure about then do take some caution, software which does not have a certification could be malicious 

Email attachments

If you do not know the sender and the attachment or link was not requested by your from a contact then do not click on the link or open the attachment, this is a very common method of trying to gain information or access to your machine.

Passwords

Also create a complex password for services like banking logins, PayPal or accounts which may contain sensitive information. For example, password should contain lowercase and uppercase alphabetic characters, numbers and special characters. The longer your password is the longer it can take to crack, for example 12 characters can take up to 200 years to crack with the current technology available.

Here at Slingshot, we spend a lot of time looking after our broadband network. This is to ensure the best possible experience for all our customers. Without getting into the nitty gritty, there are two main things that allow us to do this:

Traffic management

This is a very important part of how we look after the network, and it is applied to all our broadband plans.

We use a system called Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) to identify and protect types of traffic that are latency-sensitive (delay-sensitive) and popular applications (like Facebook and World of Warcraft or other games) above other traffic. This means that at times of high network load, less time-sensitive traffic types will be affected. Examples include BitTorrent and peer-to-peer (p2p). The good news is that p2p and other traffic types such as YouTube are accelerated by our industry-leading caches, which we'll get to shortly.

Our DPI configuration is constantly fine tuned as well, so your feedback is extremely important to us - it can only make things better for everyone. To do this, please use the Contact Us link to the right.

For more information about our network traffic management, go to our Bandwidth, data caps and P2P explained article.

Caching

In order to accelerate the delivery of international content, Slingshot caches p2p, video streaming, and HTTP traffic (like browsing). This allows you to make the most of our free downloading periods and not be limited during peak times. Another great benefit is savings on international bandwidth for Slingshot, which can then be passed down to you!

We have also made some tweaks that enable you to remove your connection from the cache if you'd prefer - you are in control of the experience you want.

Wiring insurance is an optional add-on to your Slingshot home line and broadband services. It covers the cost of repairs for faulty wiring inside your home that could be impacting your Slingshot services.

Wiring Insurance Features

• What does Wiring Insurance cover?

  This optional assurance covers the cost of on-site repairs to faulty internal wiring relating to the homeline and broadband connection, up to and including the Jackpoint on the wall. This includes:

  1. Interference on your phone line or the line not working that is caused by the internal copper wiring and R11/BT Jackpoints.
  2. Broadband faults such as frequent disconnections to the broadband service or a loss of broadband connection caused from internal copper wiring or Jackpoint faults
  3. If your Splitter becomes faulty the cost of repair or replacement will be covered
• What is not covered by Wiring Insurance?
  1. Wiring from the Jackpoint to other devices such as modems and computers.
  2. Ethernet wiring from the modem to other Ethernet sockets in your house
  3. Changes that are not related to a fault, such as moving, adding or changing sockets.
  4. Repairs to wiring or sockets that have not been installed to by a qualified technician.
  5. External cabling between your premises and another building on your property.
  6. Set-up of a new broadband connection and wiring at a new or existing premise.
  7. The purchase and installation of a Splitter.
  8. Repairing damage caused by natural disasters, building alterations, refurbishments, animals (including rodents), insects or vandalism, these are usually covered by insurance policies

Wiring Insurance FAQs

• Should I sign up for Wiring Insurance?

  Wiring Insurance is highly recommended; it acts like insurance if something goes wrong with your internal wiring or sockets.

  1. For a small fee of $3.95 per month, Slingshot can arrange for a qualified telecommunications technician to come to your premises and repair your internal wiring and sockets. 
  2. If you do not take Slingshot Wiring Insurance, you will be responsible for the repairs inside your premises. This means that if any repairs are required, you would arrange your own local electrician to carry out the work. Alternatively, you can request Slingshot to organise a technician to complete repairs although you will be liable for charges up to $230.
• How much is Wiring Insurance?

  Wiring Insurance is $3.95 per month and you are required to retain this service for a minimum of 12 months. 

• How can I add Wiring Insurance to my account?

  You can add Wiring Insurance to your account during sign up or at anytime through your Slingshot My Account. Instructions for this have been provided below.

  1. Login to your Slingshot My Account. 
  2. Choose My Plan from the options above. 
  3. Select 'Change Now' on the 'Insurance' section. 
  4. Choose Wiring Insurance and click Submit. 

  This will add Wiring Insurance to your Slingshot account immediately. 

  

• What would I be charged for fault repairs without Wiring Insurance?

  If a technician carries out repairs inside your premise, Slingshot will on-charge the costs involved. This can be up to $230. 

What is the difference between Kilobits and Kilobytes?

Data transfer is always measured in bits

Bit per second, equals 1 bit

1000 bits make a kilobit (kbps)

1000 kilobits makes a megabit (mbps)

1000 megabit make a gigabit (gbit/s)

Data storage in bytes.

8 bits make a byte (B)

8 bytes make a kilobyte (KB)

1000 kilobytes make a megabyte (MB)

1000 megabytes makes a gigabyte (GB)

When you see a transfer rate on your internet it’s very likely to be shown as mbps not MB.

1megabyte is equal to 8 megabits so dividing your transfer rate by 8 will show you the data size you are transferring.

For example: 50mbp / 8 = 6.25MB

For another example, if you’re testing your gigabyte fibre connection and test 900mbps, that has the capability of transferring 112.5MB a second to your computer, to get you’re an idea of how much capacity that is you only need 25mbps to stream Ultra HD quality via Netflix.

If you would like more detail, click this Wikipedia link for more info

PPPoE (Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet) and PPPoA (Point to Point Protocol over ATM) are two methods that Internet Service Providers use to deliver an Internet connection to households or businesses.

Most New Zealand ISPs use PPPoA, and it's important that your modem be configured correctly in order to get a connection. A lot of Australian providers will use PPPoE, so if you bring an Aussie modem to New Zealand, it may not work!

Your broadband usage isn't based on the length of time that you're connected, rather it's the amount of data uploaded and downloaded. Data usage is generally measured in gigabytes (GB) and refers to any form of data that is either sent or received on your connection. This includes the downloading of web pages, sending and receiving email, file sharing, and live streaming. One gigabyte is equal to 1024 megabytes (MB).

One gigabyte is approximately the equivalent to:

• Visiting 8,500 web pages, or
• Watching videos on YouTube for approximately 13 hours, or
• Downloading 200 3-minute music files, or
• Sending 204,800 text-only emails or sending 280 high-resolution pictures via email, or
• Talking on your iTalk line (VoIP) for 120 hours

The following test can be helpful in diagnosing problems such as very slow Internet traffic or none at all.

We support Dynamic IPv6 on most access types. We currently only support Dynamic /56 prefix allocations.

There’s a range of nasties out there and we want to make sure our customers stay safe online. Slingshot have our own product called Family Filter to help protect you from some of the more unsavoury corners of the internet but one of the best weapons to have in this case is information.

The team at Netsafe have great guides on topics from how to identify scams to ways to improve your home network security and many more in between.

While our technical support team will not be able to walk you through setting up your VPN, there should be no issues with your chosen VPN service working over our network. If you encounter any problems please contact your VPN provider or companies IT team to troubleshoot any issues

Our DNS Servers are:

IPv4 address:
Preferred DNS Server: 202.180.64.10
Alternate DNS Server: 202.180.64.11

IPv6 address:
Preferred DNS Server: 2402:8200::1
Alternate DNS Server: 2402:8200::2