What does BT do to activate ADSL on my line?

1. I'm due to be activated tomorrow, Friday. What, exactly, does BT do
and do they do it remotely? My exchange is a little brick building
about half a mile up the lane and one rarely sees any OpenReach van
there. Is it the case that when the exchange was enabled (and there
was a LOT of activity in the neighbourhood then - OpenReach vans all
over the place) that equipment is installed that BT engineers can talk
to remotely?

2. How will I be able to tell when the line is activated? Will I know
because my analogue modem will stop working until I connect the
micro-filter Zen sent me?

3. When I install the gateway following activation can I plug in the
Ethernet patch cable with the PC switched on? Or is it always best to
power down first?

MM

On Thursday 02 August 2007 5:51 pm, in MID
<(E-Mail Removed)>, MM ((E-Mail Removed))
wrote:

> 1. I'm due to be activated tomorrow, Friday. What, exactly, does BT do

Physically connect your line through the DSL equipment.

> and do they do it remotely?

No.

> My exchange is a little brick building
> about half a mile up the lane and one rarely sees any OpenReach van
> there. Is it the case that when the exchange was enabled (and there
> was a LOT of activity in the neighbourhood then - OpenReach vans all
> over the place)

Openreach don't install the DSL equipment - that's BTWholesale.

> that equipment is installed that BT engineers can talk
> to remotely?

Yes, but the initial connection of your line to the DSL equipment has to be
done by somebody at the local exchange.
>
> 2. How will I be able to tell when the line is activated? Will I know
> because my analogue modem will stop working until I connect the
> micro-filter Zen sent me?

No - it doesn't become an ADSL line until an ADSL device is connected. If
you do nothing else, like connect a DSL modem/router, your analogue modem
will continue to work.

Connect the DSL modem/router, and leave the analogue modem connected (via a
filter). There's usually a light labeled "ADSL" or similar on the ADSL
device which will indicate when it's activated.

> 3. When I install the gateway following activation can I plug in the
> Ethernet patch cable with the PC switched on? Or is it always best to
> power down first?

Just plug it in - away you go.

--
Ian...

"MM" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> 1. I'm due to be activated tomorrow, Friday. What, exactly, does BT do
> and do they do it remotely? My exchange is a little brick building
> about half a mile up the lane and one rarely sees any OpenReach van
> there. Is it the case that when the exchange was enabled (and there
> was a LOT of activity in the neighbourhood then - OpenReach vans all
> over the place) that equipment is installed that BT engineers can talk
> to remotely?
>
Change some leads over which takes about 2 minutes.

> 2. How will I be able to tell when the line is activated? Will I know
> because my analogue modem will stop working until I connect the
> micro-filter Zen sent me?
>
Your normal phone modem will stay working if you use it. You should plug in
your ADSL modem or router and the SYNC light will stay on. You are told all
this by your ISP!

> 3. When I install the gateway following activation can I plug in the
> Ethernet patch cable with the PC switched on? Or is it always best to
> power down first?
>
Read the instructions sent to you or go to the help pages on the ISPs page.
No idea what gateway you are installing - is this a network for all your
other computers?
Ethernet leads can be plugged in and out the same as other leads, you don't
need to keep switching off. Whether you need to for the installation of
software will be explained in the instructions or help files.

> MM

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:51:09 +0100, MM <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>1. I'm due to be activated tomorrow, Friday. What, exactly, does BT do
>and do they do it remotely? My exchange is a little brick building
>about half a mile up the lane and one rarely sees any OpenReach van
>there. Is it the case that when the exchange was enabled (and there
>was a LOT of activity in the neighbourhood then - OpenReach vans all
>over the place) that equipment is installed that BT engineers can talk
>to remotely?

Yes - it is far too inefficient to send an engineer to each
activation etc, so it is done remotely.

>
>2. How will I be able to tell when the line is activated? Will I know
>because my analogue modem will stop working until I connect the
>micro-filter Zen sent me?

Your analogue modem should not stop working. You should be able
to use your phone in the exact same way that you used to.

Fit the filters anyway. They shouldn't hurt anything. There
should be one filter for each analogue device in your house.

Connect the gateway to the line via the data socket on the filter
and switch it on. It can be left on. When activation happens the
ADSL light should do something. Refer to the manual for what the
light shows, but I'd expect it to come on solidly.

>
>3. When I install the gateway following activation can I plug in the
>Ethernet patch cable with the PC switched on? Or is it always best to
>power down first?

Ethernet cables can be plugged and unplugged while the equipment
is switched on and it won't damage anything.

Regards,
Harry.


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On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:10:39 +0100, Harry Broomhall
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:51:09 +0100, MM <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>1. I'm due to be activated tomorrow, Friday. What, exactly, does BT do
>>and do they do it remotely? My exchange is a little brick building
>>about half a mile up the lane and one rarely sees any OpenReach van
>>there. Is it the case that when the exchange was enabled (and there
>>was a LOT of activity in the neighbourhood then - OpenReach vans all
>>over the place) that equipment is installed that BT engineers can talk
>>to remotely?
>
> Yes - it is far too inefficient to send an engineer to each
>activation etc, so it is done remotely.
>
>>

I should qualify the above by saying that this can be done fully
remotely if your exchange line has been 'jumpered'. This bit must be
done by a visiting engineer. But it isn't always done at the same
time that the service is enabled, it can be some time in advance.

Regards,
Harry.

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MM <(E-Mail Removed)>typed


> 2. How will I be able to tell when the line is activated?

They send you an email to your current email address.
BT sent mine at about 10pm on my activation date, so don't jump about
thinking it might be early. Check your emails reasonably frquently
though.

> Will I know
> because my analogue modem will stop working until I connect the
> micro-filter Zen sent me?

Your analogue modem will continue to work.

> 3. When I install the gateway following activation can I plug in the
> Ethernet patch cable with the PC switched on? Or is it always best to
> power down first?

It might be best to power down.

--
Helen D. Vecht: (E-Mail Removed)
Edgware.

MM [(E-Mail Removed)] said:
> 1. I'm due to be activated tomorrow, Friday. What, exactly, does BT do
> and do they do it remotely? My exchange is a little brick building
> about half a mile up the lane and one rarely sees any OpenReach van
> there. Is it the case that when the exchange was enabled (and there
> was a LOT of activity in the neighbourhood then - OpenReach vans all
> over the place) that equipment is installed that BT engineers can talk
> to remotely?
>
> 2. How will I be able to tell when the line is activated? Will I know
> because my analogue modem will stop working until I connect the
> micro-filter Zen sent me?

You might find it is already working.

>
> 3. When I install the gateway following activation can I plug in the
> Ethernet patch cable with the PC switched on? Or is it always best to
> power down first?

What do the instructions say?

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 18:57:13 +0100, ian <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>On Thursday 02 August 2007 5:51 pm, in MID
><(E-Mail Removed)>, MM ((E-Mail Removed))
>wrote:
>
>> 1. I'm due to be activated tomorrow, Friday. What, exactly, does BT do
>
>Physically connect your line through the DSL equipment.
>
>> and do they do it remotely?
>
>No.
>
>> My exchange is a little brick building
>> about half a mile up the lane and one rarely sees any OpenReach van
>> there. Is it the case that when the exchange was enabled (and there
>> was a LOT of activity in the neighbourhood then - OpenReach vans all
>> over the place)
>
>Openreach don't install the DSL equipment - that's BTWholesale.
>
>> that equipment is installed that BT engineers can talk
>> to remotely?
>
>Yes, but the initial connection of your line to the DSL equipment has to be
>done by somebody at the local exchange.
>>
>> 2. How will I be able to tell when the line is activated? Will I know
>> because my analogue modem will stop working until I connect the
>> micro-filter Zen sent me?
>
>No - it doesn't become an ADSL line until an ADSL device is connected. If
>you do nothing else, like connect a DSL modem/router, your analogue modem
>will continue to work.
>
>Connect the DSL modem/router, and leave the analogue modem connected (via a
>filter). There's usually a light labeled "ADSL" or similar on the ADSL
>device which will indicate when it's activated.
>
>> 3. When I install the gateway following activation can I plug in the
>> Ethernet patch cable with the PC switched on? Or is it always best to
>> power down first?
>
>Just plug it in - away you go.

Well, late Thursday evening, I'm on tenterhooks! I can't wait until
Friday. I'm like a kid with a Christmas stocking. How will I get to
sleep tonight? (Er, I'll only need to wait until one minute past
midnight, and then it will be Activation Day....!)

MM

On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 18:59:16 +0100, "David" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>
>"MM" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>> 1. I'm due to be activated tomorrow, Friday. What, exactly, does BT do
>> and do they do it remotely? My exchange is a little brick building
>> about half a mile up the lane and one rarely sees any OpenReach van
>> there. Is it the case that when the exchange was enabled (and there
>> was a LOT of activity in the neighbourhood then - OpenReach vans all
>> over the place) that equipment is installed that BT engineers can talk
>> to remotely?
>>
>Change some leads over which takes about 2 minutes.
>
>> 2. How will I be able to tell when the line is activated? Will I know
>> because my analogue modem will stop working until I connect the
>> micro-filter Zen sent me?
>>
>Your normal phone modem will stay working if you use it. You should plug in
>your ADSL modem or router and the SYNC light will stay on. You are told all
>this by your ISP!

Yeah, yeah, I know. But a second opinion is always nice! Like having
more than one recipe for apple crumble.

MM

On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 19:45:12 +0100, Bert <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>What do the instructions say?

Nothing on that particular issue. I asked because I blew the mobo on
my Viglen years ago when I plugged the mouse in while it was on.

MM