A student in Zetland on an Exetel 100Mbps DSL plan with a ZTE router simply could not get online — and could not work out which wall socket the router was supposed to plug into. We sorted it over a video call. The culprit is one many newcomers hit: in some Sydney buildings the internet still runs over the old phone line (DSL), and the phone socket looks almost identical to an Ethernet socket. Plug into the wrong one and you get nothing.
一位住在 Zetland 的同学，用 Exetel 的 100 兆 DSL 套餐加一台中兴（ZTE）路由器，怎么都上不了网——而且搞不清路由器到底该插墙上的哪个口。我们通过视频指导解决了。原因是很多新来的人都会踩的坑：悉尼有些楼的网络仍然走老式电话线（DSL），而电话线口和网口长得几乎一模一样。插错口，就完全没有网络。
Many people arriving from China have not seen phone-line internet in years, so DSL feels alien. But in parts of Sydney — some older CBD buildings and a number of Zetland blocks — broadband still comes in over the copper phone line using DSL, typically topping out around 100Mbps. That is exactly this student's setup: an Exetel DSL plan, not a fibre or cable connection. The router has to connect to the phone line, through the correct wall socket, or it will never see the internet no matter how many times you reset it.
- DSL delivers internet over the copper telephone line, usually capped around 100Mbps.
- Still in use in some older Sydney CBD buildings and parts of Zetland.
- This home: Exetel 100Mbps DSL plan with a ZTE router.
- The router must reach the phone line via the right wall socket to get online.
很多从国内来的人已经好多年没接触过电话线上网了，所以对 DSL 会觉得陌生。但在悉尼的一些地方——部分较老的 city 楼和不少 Zetland 的小区——宽带仍然是通过铜制电话线、用 DSL 方式进来的，速度通常最高在 100 兆左右。这位同学正是这种情况：Exetel 的 DSL 套餐，而不是光纤或有线电视线路。路由器必须通过正确的墙上接口连到电话线，否则不管你重启多少次，它都看不到网络。
- DSL 通过铜制电话线传输网络，速度通常上限约 100 兆。
- 悉尼部分较老的 city 楼和 Zetland 的一些小区仍在使用。
- 这户：Exetel 100 兆 DSL 套餐，配一台中兴路由器。
- 路由器必须通过正确的墙口连到电话线才能上网。
The two look similar but are not the same size. The phone/DSL socket (RJ11) is narrower; the Ethernet/network socket (RJ45) is wider. A small RJ11 phone plug will physically fit into the bigger RJ45 Ethernet port — but not the other way around — which is exactly how people plug into the wrong hole and end up with no internet. Two ways to find the right one: look for a wall socket labelled DSL or with a phone icon, or test each socket in turn and watch the router — the correct one makes the DSL/link light go solid.
- Phone/DSL socket (RJ11): smaller and narrower.
- Ethernet socket (RJ45): wider. A small phone plug fits it, but not vice versa — a common trap.
- Look for a wall port marked DSL or with a phone symbol.
- Or test each port and watch for the router DSL/link light to turn solid.
两者看着像，但尺寸不一样。电话线/DSL 口（RJ11）更窄一些；网口（RJ45）更宽。小的 RJ11 电话线插头，是可以插进更大的 RJ45 网口的——反过来却不行——这正是很多人插错口、结果没网的原因。找对口有两个方法：找墙上标着 DSL 或带电话图标的接口；或者挨个口试，同时看路由器——插对的那个口，会让 DSL/连接指示灯常亮。
- 电话线/DSL 口（RJ11）：更小、更窄。
- 网口（RJ45）：更宽。小电话线插头能插进去，反之不行——常见的坑。
- 找墙上标了 DSL 或带电话符号的接口。
- 或者挨个口试，看路由器的 DSL/连接指示灯是否变常亮。
Working over a video call, we walked the student through identifying the DSL wall socket, moved the ZTE router lead into the correct phone/DSL port, and watched the DSL light change from off to solid — the sign the line was locked in. We then set the connection mode on the router and confirmed it was online. To finish, we helped connect the desktop to the router by cable and ran a speed test to confirm it matched the 100Mbps plan. From no internet to a fully working, wired connection, entirely remotely.
- Identified the correct DSL wall socket and moved the router lead into it.
- DSL light went from off to solid — line synced.
- Set the router connection mode; confirmed internet was working.
- Wired the desktop to the router and speed-tested against the 100Mbps plan.
在视频指导下，我们带着同学一步步找到 DSL 墙口，把中兴路由器的线插到正确的电话线/DSL 口上，看着 DSL 指示灯从不亮变为常亮——这就是线路已锁定的信号。随后在路由器上设置好联网方式，确认已经能上网。最后，我们帮忙用网线把台式机连到路由器，并测速确认速度与 100 兆套餐一致。从完全没网，到有线连接完全可用，全程远程完成。
- 找到正确的 DSL 墙口，把路由器的线插进去。
- DSL 灯从不亮变常亮——线路已同步。
- 设置路由器联网方式，确认网络正常。
- 用网线把台式机连到路由器，并按 100 兆套餐测速。
Result最终结果
The line was fine and the router was fine — it was simply plugged into the wrong wall socket. Once the ZTE router was in the correct DSL/phone port (RJ11, not the wider Ethernet port), the DSL light locked, the connection came up, and a wired speed test matched the 100Mbps plan. Solved entirely over video.
线路没问题，路由器也没问题——只是插错了墙上的接口。把中兴路由器插到正确的 DSL/电话线口（RJ11，而不是更宽的网口）后，DSL 灯锁定、网络接通，有线测速与 100 兆套餐一致。全程视频远程解决。