Not sure if this is in right place, apologies if it isn't.

I've been on Sky Broadband now fow a few months, and overall I can't really complain. Until recently. The thing is, lately I've been having problems getting a connection at times, usually later at night. I've rang Sky 'Technical', but they are obviously just call centre staff reading off a sheet. Then on Wednesday night a 'Technical Support Worker' informed me, that my problem stems from having my Router plugged into a telephone extension cable, and not plugged directly into the main telephone socket.

Does this sound right to anyone, as it seems a bit odd to me that it can work one minute, but then I can't get a web page to load up at any cost.

Due to the logistics of my house, I cannot place the router directly at the main telephone socket, if I did I would have to route an Ethernet cable around my skirting, which is not very appealling. Even if I tried that and it worked, I don't have a mains socket anywhere near the main telephone socket.

Any ideas, are Sky trying to fob me off, or does it all sound legitimate?

Any help greatly appreciated.

I'm no expert but I think BB over extensions is normally frowned upon.

Could you put the router next to the Master Socket and then wireless to the PC?

I'm no expert but I think BB over extensions is normally frowned upon.

Don't really think I've had any problems running 2Meg BB over an extension reel running from the socket, all the way upstairs and into my study. Although it might explain why my router crashes from time-to-time! Connection times and speed never an issue though - if it does crash, quick reboot of the router and I'm away again...

Just my 2ps...

I'm no expert but I think BB over extensions is normally frowned upon.

Could you put the router next to the Master Socket and then wireless to the PC?

Sky have said they will send me a wireless adapter FOC, so I'm waiting for that to give wireless a go, but if that works I then have a problem because I don't have a mains socket anywhere near the phone socket. So when the wireless adapter comes, I'll move the router to the phone socket and have to trail a mains extension cable in order to try it, and if evreything works, then I'll have to get a mains socket put in next to the phone socket. It's all

The Sky service is RASDL (Rate Adaptive ADSL) as far as I know. What that means to me, and I may have it wrong, is that the exchange will by process of trial and error find the most suitable speed for your line, hence the up to 8mb or up to 16mb services being quoted.

I would imagine it does this in communication with the router to measure packet loss or something.

Sometime ago I had to change my office socket to a BB master socket which has a built in filter after similar problems.

Other causes can be microfilters, either not fitted to every device or breaking down.

Don't really think I've had any problems running 2Meg BB over an extension reel running from the socket, all the way upstairs and into my study. Although it might explain why my router crashes from time-to-time! Connection times and speed never an issue though - if it does crash, quick reboot of the router and I'm away again...

Just my 2ps...

I'm running upto 8MB, and when it crashes, it doesn't matter if you re-boot the router, re-boot your PC, or go and make a cup of tea! It just will not load any pages. All you can do is wait for it to pull it's finger out. SWMBO is convinced that re-booting sorts it out, but I can tell you, it doesn't with mine. Bloody women! LOL

We have an IT Dept. at work, so they are going to knock me up a 20' Ethernet cable, that way I can leave everything in situ, but route the Ethernet cable straight to the main phone socket. At least I'll know if the phone extension is really a cause of my woe's.

It just means I'll be tripping over 20' of Ethernet for a few days, still, you have to try everything don't you?

SWMBO is convinced that re-booting sorts it out, but I can tell you, it doesn't with mine.

To fully clear the session from the router and the exchange or ISP DSLAM I've been told leaving it off for 15-20 minutes can help.

For the issue that started this thread I'd tend to look at the microfilters and also check for noise on the phoneline when someone is accessing the internet.

I've seen many connections running off extensions without problems unless the wire has been damaged so check for odd kinks in the wire, especially if it goes through any doors.

To fully clear the session from the router and the exchange or ISP DSLAM I've been told leaving it off for 15-20 minutes can help.

That certainly used to be the case at my old work when we first got (512k) BB. If we didn't log off the network properly, we couldn't log back in again until the session had timed out. At the time, our connection was hosted by the server (a legacy of or former dial-up setup), so when it crashed we'd have to wait a while to get back on the web (although the server took a good 15 minutes to boot up as it was... )

Right, I've got my wireless adapter set up now, and touch wood, it does seem to have cured my problems, for the time being at least. I'll keep you informed accordingly. Thanks guys.

FYI, Sky Engineers run telephone 'links/extensions' to the router from the closest point. this 'may' be the root of your problem, but I would first check to see if your extension is a 'decent quality' one ..if not.. i would certainly go down the route of moving the router to the main socket and running a power extention to it, then setting either the mahoosive ethernet cable your work is providinnnngs or utilise the WIIGT netgear wireless pen that Sky said they will send you

FYI, Sky Engineers run telephone 'links/extensions' to the router from the closest point. this 'may' be the root of your problem, but I would first check to see if your extension is a 'decent quality' one ..if not.. i would certainly go down the route of moving the router to the main socket and running a power extention to it, then setting either the mahoosive ethernet cable your work is providinnnngs or utilise the WIIGT netgear wireless pen that Sky said they will send you

Cheers for that Mr Brum. At the moment I've got my router directly into the phone socket, and I have installed a new mains plug socket to power it. Then using the wireless adapter compliments of Sky I am hooked back up, and touch wood, so far so good. If I get any more problems I'll be back.