Troubleshooting with a DSL (Modem) Connection

There are many modems out in the market. Some are built for offices, hotels, MDU's , and to the comfort of our home. It is important to always check the light status of the modem when we do troubleshooting because it is where we should begin.

We will be using a modem here used in some hotels.



This is a simple VDSL modem. To check if the lines are properly plugged in you have to trace the cable running from these specific ports.

LINE PORT - the rj45 cable plugged in to this port should be connected to the a port usually mounted on the wall.

PHONE PORT - the rj45 cable plugged in to this port should be connected to the phone.

ETHERNET PORT - the cat5 cable plugged in to this port should be connected to your laptop.

POWER - power cord should be connected to the power source.


If these cables are plugged in properly then we need to check on its light status.

Power - if its on, then theres power running through the device. If not, make sure the power adapter is plugged into the power source.

Link - if its a solid light, then theres a connection from the laptop to the modem. Therefore, if its not lit then you better check on the ethernet cable plugged in to your laptop to the Ethernet port of the modem.

- if unplugging/replugging the cable doesnt work then check on speed and duplex. Please refer to the previous article for changing speed and duplex.

ACT - if its flickering it means there is activity going on. If not, check on the cable plugged in from the line port to the same port on the wall. Check the phone port too.