Equalizer and method of setting initial value for same

An equalizer is provided which is capable of making a filter factor to be set in the equalizer having an equalizing filter (15) converge rapidly and a method is provided for setting an initial value for the rapid convergence of the filter factor. In the equalizer having a filter factor computing device (14) to compute a filter factor for an equalizing filter (15), and a differential detecting circuit (16) to generate a differential signal between a signal output from the equalizing filter (15) and a common pilot diffusing code, an initial value for the filter factor computing device (14) is generated and set by a multipath timing detecting circuit (11), a reverse diffusing section (12), and a channel estimating device (13) being operated based on a received signal.