Can Anyone Explain This, Please?

I've just set up a friend's new broadband using a Netgear router. It
took a while to sync, and when it did the connection only lasted a
couple of minutes. Every time a web page is called or email collected
the line drops again and it seems to only stay up for a minute or two at
a time.

I checked the stats and these are the figures from the router:

Down Up
Line Attenuation: 37 db 12 db
Noise Margin: 2147483647 db 28 db

Yes, you did read that correctly! Has anyone seen that sort of noise
margin before? Can anyone explain such a large discrepancy?

I suspect that her wiring is the problem as the computer is in a
separate studio outside the house. The phone line runs to it from an
upstairs extension phone and then across from the garage roof into the
studio. The power cable also runs along most of the same route and then
enters the building at the same point. The phone line seems to work ok
for dial up and voice calls.

Is there anything we can do to improve things, short of a full rewire,
or is that the only option?

Thanks for any advice.

Deddajay

--
Put the big cat out to reach me



Deddajay

On Tue, 4 Apr 2006 23:31:58 +0100, Deddajay wrote:

> I've just set up a friend's new broadband using a Netgear router. It
> took a while to sync, and when it did the connection only lasted a
> couple of minutes. Every time a web page is called or email collected
> the line drops again and it seems to only stay up for a minute or two at
> a time.
>
> I checked the stats and these are the figures from the router:
>
> Down Up
> Line Attenuation: 37 db 12 db
> Noise Margin: 2147483647 db 28 db
>
> Yes, you did read that correctly! Has anyone seen that sort of noise
> margin before? Can anyone explain such a large discrepancy?
>
> I suspect that her wiring is the problem as the computer is in a
> separate studio outside the house. The phone line runs to it from an
> upstairs extension phone and then across from the garage roof into the
> studio. The power cable also runs along most of the same route and then
> enters the building at the same point. The phone line seems to work ok
> for dial up and voice calls.
>
> Is there anything we can do to improve things, short of a full rewire,
> or is that the only option?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
> Deddajay

Have you tried moving the router to the house and running cat5 to the PC ?
That would prove the main line at least.

"Doz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:sl7utw8m1t2z$.r50eg7dd07l4$.(E-Mail Removed)...
: On Tue, 4 Apr 2006 23:31:58 +0100, Deddajay wrote:
:
: > I've just set up a friend's new broadband using a Netgear router. It
: > took a while to sync, and when it did the connection only lasted a
: > couple of minutes. Every time a web page is called or email
collected
: > the line drops again and it seems to only stay up for a minute or
two at
: > a time.
: >
: > I checked the stats and these are the figures from the router:
: >
: > Down Up
: > Line Attenuation: 37 db 12 db
: > Noise Margin: 2147483647 db 28 db
: >
: > Yes, you did read that correctly! Has anyone seen that sort of noise
: > margin before? Can anyone explain such a large discrepancy?
: >
: > I suspect that her wiring is the problem as the computer is in a
: > separate studio outside the house. The phone line runs to it from an
: > upstairs extension phone and then across from the garage roof into
the
: > studio. The power cable also runs along most of the same route and
then
: > enters the building at the same point. The phone line seems to work
ok
: > for dial up and voice calls.
: >
: > Is there anything we can do to improve things, short of a full
rewire,
: > or is that the only option?
: >
: > Thanks for any advice.
: >
: > Deddajay
:
: Have you tried moving the router to the house and running cat5 to the
PC ?
: That would prove the main line at least.

Hmm, hadn't thought of just running the cat5. We would need another
cable of at least 60 feet. Is it possible to buy one that long?

My first choice would be to move the whole pc inside the house, but with
a 4 year old running loose and another one about to arrive any second,
it's not the most sensible course of action at the moment.

I'll look into the cat5 suggestion. Thanks.

Deddajay

--
Put the big cat out to reach me

Deddajay wrote:
> "Doz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message

>>
>> Have you tried moving the router to the house and running cat5 to
>> the PC ? That would prove the main line at least.
>
> Hmm, hadn't thought of just running the cat5. We would need another
> cable of at least 60 feet. Is it possible to buy one that long?

You can make up your own easily enough. You can buy the plugs and tool
needed to fit them to the cable.

For example
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/...ork+cable+kit#
and http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...30318&ts=92729

Easier still would be to go wireless. The Belkin Pre-N router/modem is
supposed to have a good range.

Tim

Thus spaketh Deddajay:
> "Doz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:sl7utw8m1t2z$.r50eg7dd07l4$.(E-Mail Removed)...
>> On Tue, 4 Apr 2006 23:31:58 +0100, Deddajay wrote:
>>
>>> I've just set up a friend's new broadband using a Netgear router. It
>>> took a while to sync, and when it did the connection only lasted a
>>> couple of minutes. Every time a web page is called or email
>>> collected the line drops again and it seems to only stay up for a
>>> minute or two at a time.
>>>
>>> I checked the stats and these are the figures from the router:
>>>
>>> Down Up
>>> Line Attenuation: 37 db 12 db
>>> Noise Margin: 2147483647 db 28 db
>>>
>>> Yes, you did read that correctly! Has anyone seen that sort of noise
>>> margin before? Can anyone explain such a large discrepancy?
>>>
>>> I suspect that her wiring is the problem as the computer is in a
>>> separate studio outside the house. The phone line runs to it from an
>>> upstairs extension phone and then across from the garage roof into
>>> the studio. The power cable also runs along most of the same route
>>> and then enters the building at the same point. The phone line
>>> seems to work ok for dial up and voice calls.
>>>
>>> Is there anything we can do to improve things, short of a full
>>> rewire, or is that the only option?
>>>
>>> Thanks for any advice.
>>>
>>> Deddajay
>>
>> Have you tried moving the router to the house and running cat5 to
>> the PC ? That would prove the main line at least.
>
> Hmm, hadn't thought of just running the cat5. We would need another
> cable of at least 60 feet. Is it possible to buy one that long?
>
> My first choice would be to move the whole pc inside the house, but
> with a 4 year old running loose and another one about to arrive any
> second, it's not the most sensible course of action at the moment.
>
> I'll look into the cat5 suggestion. Thanks.
>
> Deddajay


http://www.ebuyer.co.uk/customer/pro...duct_uid=16471


Quickfind code: 16471 if the above link fails - Belkin Cat5e Snagless UTP
Patch Cable (Grey) 30 metre

You can buy in bulk the cable, in 50m, 100m, 250m, 300m or 500m rolls. Then
you need to


--
Items for sale: www.dodgy-dealer.co.uk
3p/min & 1p Texts, EasyMobile, For £5 airtime bonus contact via:
www.southeastbirmingham.co.uk

"Deddajay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've just set up a friend's new broadband using a Netgear router. It
> took a while to sync, and when it did the connection only lasted a
> couple of minutes. Every time a web page is called or email collected
> the line drops again and it seems to only stay up for a minute or two at
> a time.
>
> I checked the stats and these are the figures from the router:
>
> Down Up
> Line Attenuation: 37 db 12 db
> Noise Margin: 2147483647 db 28 db
>
> Yes, you did read that correctly! Has anyone seen that sort of noise
> margin before? Can anyone explain such a large discrepancy?
>
> I suspect that her wiring is the problem as the computer is in a
> separate studio outside the house. The phone line runs to it from an
> upstairs extension phone and then across from the garage roof into the
> studio. The power cable also runs along most of the same route and then
> enters the building at the same point. The phone line seems to work ok
> for dial up and voice calls.
>
> Is there anything we can do to improve things, short of a full rewire,
> or is that the only option?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
> Deddajay
>
Out of interest what router is she using? The length of your phone line
extention will lose some signal obviously. Try putting the router next to
the phone line and maybe use wireless. Just a suggestion..

Dan
>

> Easier still would be to go wireless. The Belkin Pre-N router/modem is
> supposed to have a good range.
>
> Tim

Extra set of problems until they have sorted the original one.

Dave

"Dave Stanton" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
:
: > Easier still would be to go wireless. The Belkin Pre-N router/modem
is
: > supposed to have a good range.
: >
: > Tim
:
: Extra set of problems until they have sorted the original one.
:
: Dave

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will follow up on the cat5 links.

Still curious about the noise margin figure though, anyone seen one as
high at that before?

Deddajay

--
Put the big cat out to reach me

Dave Stanton wrote:
>> Easier still would be to go wireless. The Belkin Pre-N router/modem
>> is supposed to have a good range.
>>
>> Tim
>
> Extra set of problems until they have sorted the original one.

Not really, just a different kind of problem. The present trouble is very
likely to be related to the existing extention wiring. *If* the router
works fine in the main house then going wireless would probably be simpler
(and cheaper) than faffing about rewiring the phone exensions to the studio.

Tim

On Tue, 4 Apr 2006 23:31:58 +0100, Deddajay wrote:

> I've just set up a friend's new broadband using a Netgear router. It
> took a while to sync, and when it did the connection only lasted a
> couple of minutes. Every time a web page is called or email collected
> the line drops again and it seems to only stay up for a minute or two at
> a time.
>
> I checked the stats and these are the figures from the router:
>
> Down Up
> Line Attenuation: 37 db 12 db
> Noise Margin: 2147483647 db 28 db
>
> Yes, you did read that correctly! Has anyone seen that sort of noise
> margin before? Can anyone explain such a large discrepancy?
>
> I suspect that her wiring is the problem as the computer is in a
> separate studio outside the house. The phone line runs to it from an
> upstairs extension phone and then across from the garage roof into the
> studio. The power cable also runs along most of the same route and then
> enters the building at the same point. The phone line seems to work ok
> for dial up and voice calls.
>
> Is there anything we can do to improve things, short of a full rewire,
> or is that the only option?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
> Deddajay

Best to test the install first... temporary move the PC into the house next to
the main line.. plug in the router there and test.. It'll prove the BT install
at best.