Broadband upgrade

My provider, Orange, offered me a free upgrade from 1mb to 5 mb which I
took up. Since I have been on 5mb the line keeps dropping.

Their helpline says it is probably because I am working off an
extension and the extension cable wont take the traffic.

It will be a shit load of cabling to get back to the incoming BT
socket. I was quite happy with the 1mb service but they say they cannot
revert.

Any suggestions?

On 23 Nov 2006 07:56:41 -0800, "Merryterry" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>My provider, Orange, offered me a free upgrade from 1mb to 5 mb which I
>took up. Since I have been on 5mb the line keeps dropping.

it may improve with time if its just gone over to the higher speeds.

http://newsnet.googlepages.com/maxdsldiagnostics may help.

If you get a router with a maximum speed limit or a ttweakable SNR
(Belkin 7633, various speedtouches, USR910x) you can target a higher
SNR and hence lower speed.

Phil
--
http://www.notspot.info/ - if you can't get the Broadband you want.

"Merryterry" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ps.com...
> My provider, Orange, offered me a free upgrade from 1mb to 5 mb which I
> took up. Since I have been on 5mb the line keeps dropping.
>
> Their helpline says it is probably because I am working off an
> extension and the extension cable wont take the traffic.
>
> It will be a shit load of cabling to get back to the incoming BT
> socket. I was quite happy with the 1mb service but they say they cannot
> revert.
>
> Any suggestions?

Isn't it amazing how the phone cable can run kilometres from the exchange to
a home and yet a few extra meters of extension cable can make such a
difference?

Having said that I did once find that the plug end of an extension cable had
become corroded along with the BT wall socket. This was due mainly to the
hole in the wall where the cable came into the house being oversized and not
filled up with sealant.

Good luck with finding the source of the problem. May be an idea to check
your filters by swapping with a friend?

Don

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 18:39:51 UTC, "Don" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> "Merryterry" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) ps.com...
> > My provider, Orange, offered me a free upgrade from 1mb to 5 mb which I
> > took up. Since I have been on 5mb the line keeps dropping.
> >
> > Their helpline says it is probably because I am working off an
> > extension and the extension cable wont take the traffic.
> >
> > It will be a shit load of cabling to get back to the incoming BT
> > socket. I was quite happy with the 1mb service but they say they cannot
> > revert.
> >
> > Any suggestions?
>
> Isn't it amazing how the phone cable can run kilometres from the exchange to
> a home and yet a few extra meters of extension cable can make such a
> difference?

A lot of extension cables aren't twisted pair, so have poor noise
immunity. They also tend to be more likely to pick up electrical noise
from appliances and the house mains wiring.

--
[ 7'ism - a condition by which the sufferer experiences an inability
to give concise answers, express reasoned argument or opinion.
Usually accompanied by silly noises and gestures - incurable, early
euthanasia recommended. ]

>
> Any suggestions?
>

Could you put a wireless router in by the master socket and feed your PC
from that, er, wirelessly?

For me, that was slower than the wired connection so I reverted.. but I
haven't suffered drop-outs either way, so it might be an improvement if home
wiring's to blame. The other big improvement I achieved by ditching the
crummy £10 wired modem I had previously was a big step-up in actual speeds.

"Bob Eager" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:176uZD2KcidF-pn2-(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 18:39:51 UTC, "Don" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > "Merryterry" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed) ps.com...
> > > My provider, Orange, offered me a free upgrade from 1mb to 5 mb
which I
> > > took up. Since I have been on 5mb the line keeps dropping.
> > >
> > > Their helpline says it is probably because I am working off an
> > > extension and the extension cable wont take the traffic.
> > >
> > > It will be a shit load of cabling to get back to the incoming BT
> > > socket. I was quite happy with the 1mb service but they say they
cannot
> > > revert.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions?
> >
> > Isn't it amazing how the phone cable can run kilometres from the
exchange to
> > a home and yet a few extra meters of extension cable can make such
a
> > difference?
>
> A lot of extension cables aren't twisted pair, so have poor noise
> immunity. They also tend to be more likely to pick up electrical
noise
> from appliances and the house mains wiring.

Even if it is twisted pair, you may well improve SNR by disconnecting
wires from pin 3. The ring wire can pick up RF interference, and if
all instruments have a (decent) filter, it isn't required.

Martin

(E-Mail Removed) declared for all the world to hear...
> My provider, Orange, offered me a free upgrade from 1mb to 5 mb which I
> took up. Since I have been on 5mb the line keeps dropping.
>
> Their helpline says it is probably because I am working off an
> extension and the extension cable wont take the traffic.
>
> It will be a shit load of cabling to get back to the incoming BT
> socket. I was quite happy with the 1mb service but they say they cannot
> revert.
>
> Any suggestions?

Shorten the extension cabling and go wireless?
--
Regards
Jon

Phil Thompson wrote:

> If you get a router with a maximum speed limit or a ttweakable SNR
> (Belkin 7633, various speedtouches, USR910x) you can target a higher
> SNR and hence lower speed.


Will that work though?? Surely as the equipment at the exchange is
constantly monitoring it, it'll keep trying to lower the SNR again with
the router trying to raise it??

Now, where have I heard that before? My connection keeps dropping (mainly
in the evenings) sometimes every few minutes since my connection speed was
increased way back in May. I have spoken to several Orange call-centre
jockeys all of whom have their own take on the cause of the problem. I have
been promised ring backs and a replacement modem which never happen.

I am now lucky enough to be able to speak to someone (not a call centre
jockey) who seems to be able to get things done. Take it from me it IS
possible for Orange to reduce the connection speed.

Any suggestions? Keep pegging away. Don't be afraid to make yourself a
bloody nuisance. Suggest you may take your business elsewhere. Your
patience could be rewarded - eventually!

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Merryterry" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ps.com...
> My provider, Orange, offered me a free upgrade from 1mb to 5 mb which I
> took up. Since I have been on 5mb the line keeps dropping.
>
> Their helpline says it is probably because I am working off an
> extension and the extension cable wont take the traffic.
>
> It will be a shit load of cabling to get back to the incoming BT
> socket. I was quite happy with the 1mb service but they say they cannot
> revert.
>
> Any suggestions?
>

"Merryterry" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ps.com...
> My provider, Orange, offered me a free upgrade from 1mb to 5 mb which I
> took up. Since I have been on 5mb the line keeps dropping.
>
> Their helpline says it is probably because I am working off an
> extension and the extension cable wont take the traffic.
>
> It will be a shit load of cabling to get back to the incoming BT
> socket. I was quite happy with the 1mb service but they say they cannot
> revert.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
Well what do YOU want to do? Stay or find another ISP?
Buy a router or wireless router and put it next to the master socket. The
line dropping is a fault on the local exchange equipment. when enough
people complain direct to BT they fix it.