Trouble Shooting

My internet connection works intermittently

If you are having issues with intermittent connectivity then first thing you need to be looking at is your internal wiring and the equipment that you own.
1. Have you the most up to date drivers/firmware on your ADSL equipment?
2. If you are using a wireless connection make sure it is not the signal is weak between the router and your computer.
Going on from here if this is not the issue then it is best to start examining the internal wiring.
3. Depending where your ADSL equipment is situated you will need to test the connection for improvement from the BT test socket found behind the faceplate of the BT master socket to rule out interference from any other telephony equipment.

Master Socket with Faceplate removed and filter connected to BT Test Socket
Ensure that you have filters present at your end and that all the connectors are of a good condition. Use another filter to rule out that this is the issue and test with another router/modem.
If there is no further improvement, contact support and we will be happy to advise what to do next.




I can hear noise or an echo on my telephone line.

This can happen due to a number of wiring issues. Please see our guide here which will take you through a step by step process to solve this problem.



No dial tone, no ringing sound, cannot make or receive calls?

1. Check your telephone and its connections:
a. Check the connections to and from the telephone with the problem. Check to make sure that your telephone line connects securely to the telephone port of the micro-filter, and that the micro-filter connects securely into your wall socket.
   
b. If you still do not hear dial-tone, replace the telephone set with a different telephone that is trouble-free. If you hear dial-tone, permanently replace the faulty telephone set and its connections. 

c. If you still do not hear dial-tone, replace the micro-filter with one from another socket. If you hear dial-tone, permanently replace the faulty micro-filter.

d. If you still do not hear dial-tone, proceed to STEP 2.

2. Check other telephones for dial-tone

a. To make sure that there is no problem with your telephone line, turn off your ADSL device. Use a telephone to check for dial-tone at all telephony sockets. Note that these sockets should be sockets that use the telephone number that carries your ADSL service.

b. If there is no dial-tone on any phone, there is a problem with your telephony service. CONTACT BT'S FAULT SERVICE on 151.

c. If there is dial-tone on other phones, there may be a problem with your internal wiring or your telephony socket. Internal wiring may need to be changed to restore service.




ADSL modem or router will not synchronise?

If the modem or router has not synchronised, the ADSL/line/link LED light will flash intermittently and will not remain on.
1. Check that there is a dial tone on the telephone line. If there is no dial-tone, go to: NO DIAL-TONE problem section.
2. Check that your device is receiving power (shown by LED activity).
3. Ensure that you have filters present at your end and that all the connectors are of a good condition.
4. Try using another filter to rule out that this is the issue and where possible test with another router/modem.
5. Depending where your ADSL equipment is situated you will need to test the connection for improvement from the BT test socket. This is found behind the faceplate of the BT master socket and reason to why this should be used is to rule out interference from any other telephony equipment/wiring.

Master Socket with Faceplate removed and filter connected to BT Test Socket
If you are unable to connect once these steps have been completed, please contact Freedom2Surf Technical Support.




Password or login problems?

If you are being denied access because of a username or password error please following these steps:

1. Check the lights on your ADSL device to see if it is synchronised, if it is not synchronised, re-synchronise it.

2. Re-enter your Password and Login After your computer has been loaded up, check the passwords and login information provided to you by us. NOTE: your username begins adsl NOT ads1!!

3: Try to connect to the Internet Attempt to connect to the Internet by opening a web browser. If an error message appears advising that you could not be authenticated, CONTACT FREEDOM2SURF TECHNICAL SUPPORT for further assistance.



I cannot access the internet?

If you are unable to connect to the internet please go through the following steps:
1. Try rebooting your equipment to reinitialise the connection.
2. Check ADSL connection is synchronised. If the DSL light is flashing refer to the ADSL Device Will Not Synchronise section
3. Re-type your logon information within the mode dialler/router config. Attempt to reconnect.
Please contact Freedom2Surf Technical support if you are still unable to connect.




Speed Decreases, Low Data Throughput, Problems With Speeds On Different Websites?

The nature of the Internet and traffic patterns across various time zones and locations, and peak usage means that consistent performance of Internet browsing cannot always be guaranteed. If however you are certain that performance is substantially degraded over a period of time, then you should:

1. Have you the most up to date drivers/firmware on your ADSL equipment?

2. If you are using a wireless connection make sure it is not the signal is weak between the router and your computer.

Going on from here if this is not the issue then it is best to start examining the internal wiring.

3. Depending where your ADSL equipment is situated you will need to test the connection for improvement from the BT test socket found behind the faceplate of the BT master socket to rule out interference from any other telephony equipment.


Master Socket with Faceplate removed and filter connected to BT Test Socket

Ensure that you have filters present at your end and that all the connectors are of a good condition. Use another filter to rule out that this is the issue and test with another router/modem.

You will need to test from this point for approximately 72 hours if you are a DSL Max user. The way Dynamic Line management works is it collates how your line performs over this period. If the line shows to be steady then it will then rate adapt you back up. If your line shows to be interleaved it will require a longer period of 10 days. This does not mean that you have a stuck profile but a line that may be problematic and fluctuate from time to time.

4. You can check your speeds at http://speedtester.bt.com. If there is no further improvement, contact support and we will be happy to advise what to do next.



What DNS servers should I use?

We have new DNS caches:

Primary DNS: 212.139.132.5 or 212.139.132.6
Secondary DNS: 212.139.132.21 or 212.139.132.22

Our old caches that need replacing are:

194.106.56.6 and 194.106.33.42.

Hardware Installation

What is the correct way to uninstall the Fujitsu FDX340 modem drivers on Windows?

If you need to uninstall the Fujitsu FDX340 modem drivers, please use the uninstall program included on the driver CD, or by running the uninstaller found in the start menu.

News Server

Does freedom2surf have a news service I can connect to?

Our ADSL customers have a free subscription to one of the world's biggest Usenet providers - Giganews. This access is provided as part of your ADSL subscription. A monthly limit of 20GB of Usenet (newsgroup) data applies to all subscriptions. This is a generous allowance and customers need to be aware that use of this service counts towards their package download limit if used within the metered period. Some subscriptions have download limits substantially less that the maximum allowed by their Giganews subscription so care must be taken not to exceed their quotas.



How do I access the news service?

First of all you will need to install a news reader application on your PC. See our example of how to configure a news reader.

The news service is accessed using the following address: news.freedom2surf.net



Does the news service have text and binary groups?

Both text and binary newsgroups are supported.



I get a connection error such as 'you have no permission to talk' when I try to connect to the news server.

Access to the news service requires you to use your ADSL username and password as the login credentials.

NTP Time Server

Does freedom2surf have an NTP (time server) I can synchronise with?

Yes. The time server IP address is 194.106.56.98. An example of how to configure Windows XP to use the time server is given here.

BT Major Service Outages

What kind of problems can a BT service outage cause?

This varies depending on the type of technical problem BT are experiencing. It could be a total loss of connection or it could be a degraded service.



I have been advised that there is a BT outage in my area, what does this mean?

BT have advised us that they are having a technical problem within their network/exchanges which could potentially affect your ADSL broadband service.



What should I do now?

As BT are aware of this problem they are actively working to resolve it. Please wait until the outage is confirmed as fixed in your members area.



Should I contact technical support?

No, BT are already aware of the problem and are working to resolve it.



The BT outage has been confirmed as cleared/fixed but I still have problems?

Please reboot your ADSL Broadband equipment (modem or router) and try to connect again to your broadband service. If this fails please check out the troubleshooting guide above. Failing this contact freedom2surf technical support.



Is this likely to happen to me often?

This is very unlikely as these outages are unplanned. They are usually fixed ASAP and do not re-occur often.

MAC Codes

Information on how f2s manages MAC codes

• f2s follow the Migration Code of Practice.
• We will provide a MAC key at no charge to any customer within 5 days of request.
• To obtain a MAC code simply call 0870 242 3758. or email cancel@f2s.net stating that you want to migrate away and also including your account details (account number, phone number, name and address).
• There is no charge for provision of a MAC code.
• All MAC keys, whether they start with BBIP, BBDS, FTIP or with an L are all equally valid.
• f2s can accept all MAC codes in and all are dealt with and charged the same (at present).
• There will be a short period of downtime on the day of migration which is outside of our control.
• Once a MAC key has been distributed, it is valid for 30 days from the issue date.
• If a MAC code is not used it simply expires and all services will continue and continue to be billed. Issuing a MAC code is not a request to cease service.
• All outstanding balances must be paid in full, as per the terms and conditions.