Methods and apparatus adapting equalizers for compensating for signal distortion of a received digital signal are disclosed. The method comprises deriving equalizer settings for a received signal, determining at least one signal parameter of said received signal; and storing the derived equalizer settings together with an indication of the signal parameter. The signal parameter could, for instance, comprise the data rate of the signal. If the signal parameter changes the equalizer is configured to use any stored settings which are appropriate for the new signal parameter. Thus, rather than start an entirely new equalizer adaptation routine every time the signal parameter changes the equalizer will use any stored settings which are appropriate for the changed parameter.