Too many extensions?

I have just moved over to Broadband following the 6 Sept changes (512K from
Plus.net). Synch kept dropping for the first few days but plugging direct
into the BT master socket cures the problem. Removing the phones from
extension sockets does not, so the problem is with the extension wiring, not
the extension phones. Reconnecting the extensions through a microfilter also
cures the problem - so everything works except I can't use ADSL on the
extensions at present.

It has been suggested that it is the sheer length of extension wiring (big
house, some 8 extension sockets) that causes the problem and that there is
no fault as such, and that a REN booster (supplementing the power input from
the BT line - £40 from Maplin etc) will solve the problem and allow me to
remove the filter from the master socket.

Is this correct? Or might I waste £40?

Chris R

ChrisR wrote:

> Reconnecting the extensions through a microfilter also cures the
> problem

You must filter the phones. There is no other problem.

On Thu, 7 Oct 2004 22:44:01 +0100, "ChrisR"
<(E-Mail Removed) y.com.address>
wrote:

>It has been suggested that it is the sheer length of extension wiring (big
>house, some 8 extension sockets) that causes the problem and that there is
>no fault as such, and that a REN booster (supplementing the power input from
>the BT line - £40 from Maplin etc) will solve the problem and allow me to
>remove the filter from the master socket.

ROFL. Utter bollox.

The problem is all that wiring acting as a giant aerial to pick up
interference. You correctly diagnosed this.

The solution is to have a filtered faceplate or othe rmeans of
filtering the extensions, then run a separate ADSL extension from the
master socket to the modem. Or put a router next to the master if its
wireless away you go, if its not then run an ethernet cable to the PC.

A REN booster is only about ringing - forget it and smack the person
that suggested it !

Phil
--
spamcop.net address commissioned 18/06/04
Come on down !

In message <4165b84a$0$59481$(E-Mail Removed)>
"ChrisR"
<(E-Mail Removed) y.com.address> wrote:

> I have just moved over to Broadband ... Synch kept dropping for the
> first few days but plugging direct into the BT master socket cures the
> problem. Removing the phones from extension sockets does not, so the
> problem is with the extension wiring, not the extension phones.
> Reconnecting the extensions through a microfilter also cures the
> problem - so everything works except I can't use ADSL on the
> extensions at present.

> It has been suggested that it is the sheer length of extension wiring
> (big house, some 8 extension sockets) that causes the problem and that
> there is no fault as such, and that a REN booster (supplementing the
> power input from the BT line - £40 from Maplin etc) will solve the
> problem and allow me to remove the filter from the master socket.

> Is this correct? Or might I waste £40?

Highly unlikely, IMO, that a 'REN booster' would solve your problem: it
boosts only the ring-signal - not of any obvious relevance, especially
when there aren't even any phones plugged-in.

The 'sheer length of extension wiring' should cause no problem (it will
be very short compared to the distance to the exchange), though its
quality, or a leakage-path somewhere, could just conceivably be poor
enough to soak up some of the ADSL signal.

I'd be inclined to try to find which bit(s) of the wiring, or e.g.
damp-damaged socket(s), cause the difficulty: hopefully the topography
is such that you'd at least end up with points at which you *need* ADSL
fed 'unfiltered', even if others still have to be fed through filters.

--
Peter Duck <(E-Mail Removed)>

"Peter Duck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In message <4165b84a$0$59481$(E-Mail Removed)>
> "ChrisR"
> <(E-Mail Removed) y.com.address> wrote:

> I'd be inclined to try to find which bit(s) of the wiring, or e.g.
> damp-damaged socket(s), cause the difficulty: hopefully the topography
> is such that you'd at least end up with points at which you *need* ADSL
> fed 'unfiltered', even if others still have to be fed through filters.

Alternatively put a router next to the master socket and connect you your PC
using wireless or 10base-T/Cat 5/6 cabling.
You can get routers which have both wireless and 10base-T/RJ45 ports. With 8
extension sockets your house may be a bit large for wireless to work properly in
all areas.

(I have a similar post 6th Sept line and have to keep my router plugged into
master socket with extension wiring isolated by filter, to get a completely
stable connection. Only 2 phone extensions!)

Michael Chare

> ROFL. Utter bollox.

What a wonderfully succinct and accurate answer!

In message <(E-Mail Removed)>, Peter Duck
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>I'd be inclined to try to find which bit(s) of the wiring, or e.g.
>damp-damaged socket(s), cause the difficulty: hopefully the topography
>is such that you'd at least end up with points at which you *need* ADSL
>fed 'unfiltered', even if others still have to be fed through filters.

The alternative is to use the modified version of the faceplate filter
that clarity.it sell. If you don't want the ADSL router at the NTE5
Linebox, you can hard wire an unfiltered extension from the back of the
filter to where you've installed the router. If you do this, the
unfiltered extension should go along decent twisted pair cable such as
Category 5e.

Meanwhile, the filter will filter all your other extensions, meaning you
don't need any more plug in filters, nor do you need to worry about the
aerial properties and similar of that cable.



David
--
David Wood
(E-Mail Removed)

Peter Duck wrote:
> In message <4165b84a$0$59481$(E-Mail Removed)>
> "ChrisR"
> <(E-Mail Removed) y.com.address>
> wrote:
>
>> I have just moved over to Broadband ... Synch kept dropping for the
>> first few days but plugging direct into the BT master socket cures
>> the problem. Removing the phones from extension sockets does not,
>> so the problem is with the extension wiring, not the extension
>> phones. Reconnecting the extensions through a microfilter also
>> cures the problem - so everything works except I can't use ADSL on
>> the extensions at present.
>
>> It has been suggested that it is the sheer length of extension
>> wiring (big house, some 8 extension sockets) that causes the
>> problem and that there is no fault as such, and that a REN booster
>> (supplementing the power input from the BT line - £40 from Maplin
>> etc) will solve the problem and allow me to remove the filter from
>> the master socket.
>
>> Is this correct? Or might I waste £40?
>
> Highly unlikely, IMO, that a 'REN booster' would solve your
> problem: it boosts only the ring-signal - not of any obvious
> relevance, especially when there aren't even any phones plugged-in.
>
> The 'sheer length of extension wiring' should cause no problem (it
> will be very short compared to the distance to the exchange),
> though its quality, or a leakage-path somewhere, could just
> conceivably be poor enough to soak up some of the ADSL signal.
>
> I'd be inclined to try to find which bit(s) of the wiring, or e.g.
> damp-damaged socket(s), cause the difficulty: hopefully the
> topography is such that you'd at least end up with points at which
> you *need* ADSL fed 'unfiltered', even if others still have to be
> fed through filters.

The problem with all extensions compared to that of the wiring from the
exchange is that...

The wiring from the exchange is nominally balanced, making it relatively
difficult for external electronic noise to break in...

Extension wiring normally contains a completely unbalanced wire (the bell
wire/ used to be called the anti tinkle wire in the old days) this can &
does act as an aeriel which is decoupled by the ringing capacitor at the
master straight onto one leg of the DSL signal & voila you have a problem.
This happens on all extensions to one extent or another, especially those
lovely easy fit flat ones...

The cure is either to fit a faceplate filter at the NTE & then sort out
things from there (either a data extension kit or via router & wires/wifi)
or you could experiment by making all extensions 2 wire, this should work as
most filters do contain a ringing capacitor)..

You 'pays' your money & takes your choice..