Have had for the last 7 years had a BT Voyager ADSL modem/router running off a self-installed 50 foot pluggable extension from a master socket (Now 20 years old) - obviously the modem/router is placed behind a microfilter plugged into the extension.

The master socket is shared by a BT bell-tone phone and the extension socket is shared by a old loop-back phone and an analogue fax/modem used by the computer. Total REN value 1+1.5 +1.5 = 4.

About three weeks ago, I started losing the ADSL signal in mid session. The usual remedy when this happens was to clean the mastersocket orifice and the plug that goes into it, as they usually get clagged with greasy dirt - this comes in through the wall drilling for the cable as the developer didn't put a draft protector on the outside wall. On this occasion, despite several cleans the intermittment ADSL drop-out persisted. So, I checked and cleaned all the other connections on the extension and checked the continuity on the extension circuit (Solid copper wire). All the readings/states seemed OK but the problem persisted.

So I called-in the BT Engineer.

Being impatient, I had tried several other remedies before the engineers appointment, including running the ADSL modem off of the master socket, leaving the extension unplugged and using a proprietry powergrid networking system to get the ADSL signal to the remote computer. When doing this, the ADSL signal problem disappeared.

The BT engineer tested the line to the exchange from the master socket and found that to be OK.

However,following the engineers visit, I am now finding that when ever I attempt to reconnect the extension (The analogue modem and phone) at the master socket , the ADSL signal drops out.

Further, I'm also finding that when I attempt to use the phone which shares the master socket with the ADSL modem, that the ADSL signal is lost.

I'm also noticing some ADSL signal break-through when using the phone - lots of crackling and intermittent bell tones.

All this equipment had worked perfectly OK for the last 7 years off-of the same master socket and had allowed simultaneous ADSL and phone usuage without issue.

So the equipment has not changed, the BT engineer says the master socket connection to the exchange is OK. So what's the problem ?

I suspect that somethings wrong at the exchange or on the line from the exchange to my house e.g. something that caused ampage to be lowered.

Any ideas ?

Nick

Edited 4 July, 201016 yr by Clunkclick

Sounds like the microfilter is faulty.

Try one of these http://tamarshop.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=363 and use discount code radioplymouth for 10% off. This replaces the faceplate on the master socket and includes a filter. Many people find an improvement in connection speed when they use these. If you have extension sockets you will need an IDC tool if you have extensions wired into the back of the faceplate.

+1 for a failing microfilter

Yep, sounds like the microfilter has gone.

Try one of these http://tamarshop.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=363 and use discount code radioplymouth for 10% off. This replaces the faceplate on the master socket and includes a filter. Many people find an improvement in connection speed when they use these. If you have extension sockets you will need an IDC tool if you have extensions wired into the back of the faceplate.

Unfortunately, the existing master socket is a single width flush fixed plate of 1980's origin (Replaced for new by BT about 3 years ago), i,e, it takes the 400 series modular plug and nothing else. I would imagine I would have to get the BT engineer in again to fit a NTE-5 back plate in order to accomodate an NTE-5 faceplate +ADSL filter. For various reasons, I'm not keen to do this.

I've got a couple of spare unused microfilters, so I'll just swop the existing one out to see if it makes a difference.

Nick

Oops ! Just checked the master socket only to realise that when I changed the location of the ADSL router/modem I hadn't plugged the phone into the microfilter but directly into a trailing BT socket coming out of the master socket. No wonder it was playing up !

Corrected that error and now the ADSL connection is no longer dropped when the phone is used.

Also reconnected the plug-in extension to the microfilter and thats now OK - no loss of ADSL connection.

But the phone line is still very crackly. So I swopped-out the microfilter. No difference.

Although all the ADSL problems have now gone away, the phone line is of poor quality and I'm sure that it was this that first caused the ADSL drop-out 3 weeks ago.

Interestingly, the BT trailing socket which was fitted to run off the Master Socket after the BT Engineers visit (And out of which every telecom connection now runs) has a LED voltage surge indicator which lights up when the voltage rises above a prescribed limit. Even when the 50 ft extension is disconnected from the microfilter, leaving only the bell-tone phone and ADSL modem connected, this light illuminates when I use the bell-tone phone. This suggests to me that the amperes supplied on the line are down and that when the bell-tone phone is used it draws over-voltage in order to make up its wattage requirement ?

Just done a Quiet line test on the BT line (Option 2, on 17070) and it was crackly as hell - that's a FAIL according to BT's own standard. And now the phone won't hold dial tone, it keeps cutting out. But ADSL is still connected.

Looks like there was something wrong with the line. Is somebody tapping it ? They'll be having an awfully boring time if they are ! Possibly been swopped out to a poorer grade line between the road box and the exchange (Higher resistance) to enable some other bugger poached from a another service provider to have a top-of-the-line two wire service ?

Nick

Edited 4 July, 201016 yr by Clunkclick

Just done a Quiet line test on the BT line (Option 2, on 17070) and it was crackly as hell - that's a FAIL according to BT's own standard. And now the phone won't hold dial tone, it keeps cutting out. But ADSL is still connected.

Looks like there was something wrong with the line. Is somebody tapping it ? They'll be having an awfully boring time if they are ! Possibly been swopped out to a poorer grade line between the road box and the exchange (Higher resistance) to enable some other bugger poached from a another service provider to have a top-of-the-line two wire service ?

If the quiet line test fails, then get BT back to check the line. Ensure you have performed the Quiet Line Test at the master socket with no extension cabling connected and ideally with a couple of microfilters and phones - to rule out any faults on your equipment.

My work phone line (at home) lost voice the other day, but the ADSL side of it still worked fine. Logged a call with BT business and within 45 mins an engineer had fixed it - *one* of the wires had become disconnected at the junction box on the pole. Apparently voice needs both wires, but ADSL only needs one of pair to be connected.

50ft is a hell of an extension lead! It'll be affecting your speed anyway.

Can you use wifi?

or run a length of cat5, or at worst use some powerline style adapters.

50ft is a hell of an extension lead! It'll be affecting your speed anyway.

Can you use wifi?

If you think about how long the line may be to the exchange, underground submerged in water, on poles swaying in the wind with trees possibly battering it, an extra 50 ft isn't going to hamper it much.

If you think about how long the line may be to the exchange, underground submerged in water, on poles swaying in the wind with trees possibly battering it, an extra 50 ft isn't going to hamper it much.

The external grade of wire is probably better than internal stuff.... I have seen many people get improved ADSL performance at the master socket rather than after a few tens of yards of rubbish internal extension wiring....

I definitely got a better connection when I plugged my router directly into the phone socket downstairs and ran a cat5 cable up instead.

The external grade of wire is probably better than internal stuff.... I have seen many people get improved ADSL performance at the master socket rather than after a few tens of yards of rubbish internal extension wiring....

If the cable ran internal to the house is proper CW1308 cable like what BT would install it should be fine, if the internal cable is a super cheap B&Q extension lead job which is stranded and barely contains any copper than yes you would see an improvement in ADSL speed with the router plugged directly into the NTE5.

From memory Voyagers used to have a diagnostic setup built in to the software - can't remember how to access it ,but do remember default username /password was admin ,and that's accessed via the address of the Voyager .

This site will give some ideas of facilities on the voyager - http://corz.org/comms/hardware/router/bt.voyager.205_router.how-to.php.

Don't just cover the 205 ,there's other ones mentioned .

Oh ,on the 17070 ,there's also a test facility and some BT blokes don't like non BT people using it , I got a show of displeasure from one supervisor once for using it as proof of funnies on a firms lines .

When I had ADSL from BT- I wired line to socket beside computer ,split ADSL & speech with one filter and wired the rest of the house from there - gets round the unsightly filters .