Varying Noise Margin

I have been getting occasional ADSL loss of synchronisation and varying
noise margin figures. I have tried everything I can think of, including
rewiring my extension with ethernet cable - and I'm wondering if anyone
can suggest anything else?

Situation:
* 5 km from exchange
* Pipex
* Netgear DG834 version 2 latest firmware
* Line loss 49

Noise margin is all over the place.
It doesn't seem to relate to anything in my house
(although there may be things I'm not yet aware of).
Sometimes connecting another computer to the router causes the SNR to
drop - but not always.

It is usually between about 6 and 17.
(But why should it vary?)

Sometimes the router loses synch continuously, dropping out and
re-connecting about once a minute. When this happens, rebooting the
router usually helps.

BT have been very helpful and have given me the best available on the
E-side and on the D-side and my Line Loss has gone from 59 to 49.

Any ideas will be gratefully received and valued.
--
Chris

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Chris <nospam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:

> I have been getting occasional ADSL loss of synchronisation and
> varying noise margin figures. I have tried everything I can think
> of, including rewiring my extension with ethernet cable - and I'm
> wondering if anyone can suggest anything else?
>
> Situation:
> * 5 km from exchange
> * Pipex
> * Netgear DG834 version 2 latest firmware
> * Line loss 49
>
> Noise margin is all over the place.
> It doesn't seem to relate to anything in my house
> (although there may be things I'm not yet aware of).
> Sometimes connecting another computer to the router causes the SNR to
> drop - but not always.
>
> It is usually between about 6 and 17.
> (But why should it vary?)
>
> Sometimes the router loses synch continuously, dropping out and
> re-connecting about once a minute. When this happens, rebooting the
> router usually helps.
>
> BT have been very helpful and have given me the best available on the
> E-side and on the D-side and my Line Loss has gone from 59 to 49.
>
> Any ideas will be gratefully received and valued.

Have you tried a different router and/or power supply for the router?

I don't know whether the problem I had affects Netgear kit, but my 3Com
router won't work reliably with the switch-mode power supply provided by
3Com - but is fine with a generic 3rd-party power supply.

Have you got any other kit (e.g. laptop computer) using a switch-mode power
supply, which could be injecting noise into the system?
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

Tiscali Tim wrote:
> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
> Chris <nospam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
>
>> I have been getting occasional ADSL loss of synchronisation and
>> varying noise margin figures. I have tried everything I can think
>> of, including rewiring my extension with ethernet cable - and I'm
>> wondering if anyone can suggest anything else?
>>
>> Situation:
>> * 5 km from exchange
>> * Pipex
>> * Netgear DG834 version 2 latest firmware
>> * Line loss 49
>>
>> Noise margin is all over the place.
>> It doesn't seem to relate to anything in my house
>> (although there may be things I'm not yet aware of).
>> Sometimes connecting another computer to the router causes the SNR to
>> drop - but not always.
>>
>> It is usually between about 6 and 17.
>> (But why should it vary?)
>>
>> Sometimes the router loses synch continuously, dropping out and
>> re-connecting about once a minute. When this happens, rebooting the
>> router usually helps.
>>
>> BT have been very helpful and have given me the best available on the
>> E-side and on the D-side and my Line Loss has gone from 59 to 49.
>>
>> Any ideas will be gratefully received and valued.
>
> Have you tried a different router and/or power supply for the router?
>
> I don't know whether the problem I had affects Netgear kit, but my
> 3Com router won't work reliably with the switch-mode power supply
> provided by 3Com - but is fine with a generic 3rd-party power supply.
>
> Have you got any other kit (e.g. laptop computer) using a switch-mode
> power supply, which could be injecting noise into the system?

Have found that Netgear isn't to accurate for SNR readings (latest
firmware 3.01.5) so the OP maybe chasing ghosts there. Have you (the
OP) tried removing the bell wire on the master/frontplate to see what
happens, generally your Loop attenuation will increase by a couple of
points but your SNR should be affected to a greater extent to the
positive, it should also be more stable as well. Even though you may
have wired it all in cat5 cable, it still doesn't make any difference to
the bell wire being unbalanced & effectively it can become a long wire
aeriel. You don't require the bell wire as each filter will decouple the
ringing, if it is required by the phone at all

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Tiscali Tim
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
>Chris <nospam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
>
>> I have been getting occasional ADSL loss of synchronisation and
>> varying noise margin figures. I have tried everything I can think
>> of, including rewiring my extension with ethernet cable - and I'm
>> wondering if anyone can suggest anything else?
>>
>> Situation:
>> * 5 km from exchange
>> * Pipex
>> * Netgear DG834 version 2 latest firmware
>> * Line loss 49
>>
>> Noise margin is all over the place.
>> It doesn't seem to relate to anything in my house
>> (although there may be things I'm not yet aware of).
>> Sometimes connecting another computer to the router causes the SNR to
>> drop - but not always.
>>
>> It is usually between about 6 and 17.
>> (But why should it vary?)
>>
>> Sometimes the router loses synch continuously, dropping out and
>> re-connecting about once a minute. When this happens, rebooting the
>> router usually helps.
>>
>> BT have been very helpful and have given me the best available on the
>> E-side and on the D-side and my Line Loss has gone from 59 to 49.
>>
>> Any ideas will be gratefully received and valued.
>
>Have you tried a different router and/or power supply for the router?

In the past - yes.
Both of those have had an effect.
My old Netgear 814 gave problems, which were cured by a different power
supply.
A very old borrowed D-Link router never disconnected - but I didn't want
to continue using it - because of its lower security than a modern
Netgear router. Netgear replaced my 814 with the latest 834 - and that
has been a lot better.

>Have you got any other kit (e.g. laptop computer) using a switch-mode power
>supply, which could be injecting noise into the system?

What do you mean?
Sometimes I connect a laptop, which is powered from the mains - but that
doesn't seem to affect anything.
What is a switch-mode power supply?
--
Chris

In article <4395ba92$0$1457$(E-Mail Removed)>,
Kraftee <(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>Tiscali Tim wrote:
>> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
>> Chris <nospam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
>>
>>> I have been getting occasional ADSL loss of synchronisation and
>>> varying noise margin figures. I have tried everything I can think
>>> of, including rewiring my extension with ethernet cable - and I'm
>>> wondering if anyone can suggest anything else?
>>>
>>> Situation:
>>> * 5 km from exchange
>>> * Pipex
>>> * Netgear DG834 version 2 latest firmware
>>> * Line loss 49
>>>
>>> Noise margin is all over the place.
>>> It doesn't seem to relate to anything in my house
>>> (although there may be things I'm not yet aware of).
>>> Sometimes connecting another computer to the router causes the SNR to
>>> drop - but not always.
>>>
>>> It is usually between about 6 and 17.
>>> (But why should it vary?)
>>>
>>> Sometimes the router loses synch continuously, dropping out and
>>> re-connecting about once a minute. When this happens, rebooting the
>>> router usually helps.
>>>
>>> BT have been very helpful and have given me the best available on the
>>> E-side and on the D-side and my Line Loss has gone from 59 to 49.
>>>
>>> Any ideas will be gratefully received and valued.
>>
>> Have you tried a different router and/or power supply for the router?
>>
>> I don't know whether the problem I had affects Netgear kit, but my
>> 3Com router won't work reliably with the switch-mode power supply
>> provided by 3Com - but is fine with a generic 3rd-party power supply.
>>
>> Have you got any other kit (e.g. laptop computer) using a switch-mode
>> power supply, which could be injecting noise into the system?
>
>Have found that Netgear isn't to accurate for SNR readings (latest
>firmware 3.01.5) so the OP maybe chasing ghosts there.

My firmware is 3.01.25 ... just checked.

> Have you (the
>OP) tried removing the bell wire on the master/frontplate to see what
>happens, generally your Loop attenuation will increase by a couple of
>points but your SNR should be affected to a greater extent to the
>positive, it should also be more stable as well. Even though you may
>have wired it all in cat5 cable, it still doesn't make any difference to
>the bell wire being unbalanced & effectively it can become a long wire
>aeriel. You don't require the bell wire as each filter will decouple the
>ringing, if it is required by the phone at all

I am getting results which confuse me.
At first I connected to the MEP and got a really good SNR of 27.
That was with mains powered laptop plugged into MEP.

I left it on overnight and next morning it was 24 ... still good.

Then, before I did my extension re-wiring, I checked again ... and got
15.

That is an enormous difference!

Then I re-did my extension wiring - about 90 feet - with cat5 cable -
with 4 wires connected:

PIN 2 - CAT5 cable White (blue)
PIN 3 - CAT5 cable Orange (white)
PIN 4 - CAT5 cable White (orange)
PIN 5 - CAT5 cable Blue (white)

Then I got - on the end of the extension - 22 - then 17 - 16 - 16 ...

Why should it be changing?
This is not making sense!
And why should it be better at the extension than at the MEP?

Later I got 11.

After a reboot of the router I got 17-16-16-16-17-17.

Later I got 6-6-6-6-6-9-9-9-9.

Later I got 12-12-12-12-12-12.

This afternoon it was 14-14-14-14-14-14.

Now it is 12-12-12-12-12.

I am at a loss for hypotheses.
Can you suggest what might be going on?
--
Chris

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Chris <nospam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:

> What is a switch-mode power supply?

AIUI, it is one which produces a low voltage from a high voltage by
switching itself on and off rapidly - with a capacitor to smoothe the
output - rather than a conventional one which uses a transformer. The rapid
switching can generate a lot of high frequency noise - which can interfere
with the ADSL signal, making it appear to have a lower noise margin than it
really has.

Whereas router supplies probably have the greatest effect, others have
claimed that noise from supplies powering other equipment can affect their
signal.
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

> What is a switch-mode power supply?
> --
> Chris
========================================
It is a cheap and nasty collection of electronic components which
radiates noise and interference for yards and yards, causing all sorts
of misbehaviour in all sorts of electrical and digital equipment in
both the near vicinity and at considerable distances.

Its effects are propagated via radio waves at all frequencies and
along equipment interconnecting cables and transmission lines,
screened or otherwise.

Switch-mode power supplies are best completely housed in metal boxes,
the metal being a partially-effective screen. Very common plastic
enclosures are useless - they may as well not be there.

Switch-mode power supplies can appear in all types of mains-driven
electronic equipment, from TV receivers to computers and their
peripherals. Reasons - cheapness of manufacture!

The results - electronic noise, interference and polution of the
whole environment.

Incidentally, transmission of Broadband signals along overhead wires
and along domestic power wiring is also a source of noise and
interference to other equipment, including radio, TV and even other
broadband circuits.

Results and effects are unpredictable. If your broadband line keeps
dropping out then blame your, your service provider's and everybody
else's installation.

If you should experience a useable service then consider yourself to
be lucky.
----
Reg.

Tiscali Tim wrote:
> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
> Chris <nospam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
>
>> What is a switch-mode power supply?
>
> AIUI, it is one which produces a low voltage from a high voltage by
> switching itself on and off rapidly - with a capacitor to smoothe the
> output - rather than a conventional one which uses a transformer. The
> rapid switching can generate a lot of high frequency noise - which
> can interfere with the ADSL signal, making it appear to have a lower
> noise margin than it really has.
>
> Whereas router supplies probably have the greatest effect, others have
> claimed that noise from supplies powering other equipment can affect
> their signal.

As well as things like flashing Christmas tree lights, rope lights,
heating thermostats & mercury switched central heating systems
themselves, fridges, TV's, freezsers, lighting relays etc etc etc...In
fact anything powered of the mains can cause a problem

On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 15:31:54 +0000, Chris <nospam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:

>It is usually between about 6 and 17.
>(But why should it vary?)

more or less interference.

What speed is this line at ?

Phil
--
Tiscali - dialup speeds at Broadband prices, see
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist...&Board=tiscali

AOL - the unlimited ISP of choice for heavy downloaders.

Chris wrote:
> In article <4395ba92$0$1457$(E-Mail Removed)>,
> Kraftee <(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>> Tiscali Tim wrote:
>>> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
>>> Chris <nospam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I have been getting occasional ADSL loss of synchronisation and
>>>> varying noise margin figures. I have tried everything I can think
>>>> of, including rewiring my extension with ethernet cable - and I'm
>>>> wondering if anyone can suggest anything else?
>>>>
>>>> Situation:
>>>> * 5 km from exchange
>>>> * Pipex
>>>> * Netgear DG834 version 2 latest firmware
>>>> * Line loss 49
>>>>
>>>> Noise margin is all over the place.
>>>> It doesn't seem to relate to anything in my house
>>>> (although there may be things I'm not yet aware of).
>>>> Sometimes connecting another computer to the router causes the SNR
>>>> to drop - but not always.
>>>>
>>>> It is usually between about 6 and 17.
>>>> (But why should it vary?)
>>>>
>>>> Sometimes the router loses synch continuously, dropping out and
>>>> re-connecting about once a minute. When this happens, rebooting
>>>> the router usually helps.
>>>>
>>>> BT have been very helpful and have given me the best available on
>>>> the E-side and on the D-side and my Line Loss has gone from 59 to
>>>> 49. Any ideas will be gratefully received and valued.
>>>
>>> Have you tried a different router and/or power supply for the
>>> router? I don't know whether the problem I had affects Netgear kit,
>>> but my
>>> 3Com router won't work reliably with the switch-mode power supply
>>> provided by 3Com - but is fine with a generic 3rd-party power
>>> supply. Have you got any other kit (e.g. laptop computer) using a
>>> switch-mode power supply, which could be injecting noise into the
>>> system?
>>
>> Have found that Netgear isn't to accurate for SNR readings (latest
>> firmware 3.01.5) so the OP maybe chasing ghosts there.
>
> My firmware is 3.01.25 ... just checked.
>
>> Have you (the
>> OP) tried removing the bell wire on the master/frontplate to see what
>> happens, generally your Loop attenuation will increase by a couple of
>> points but your SNR should be affected to a greater extent to the
>> positive, it should also be more stable as well. Even though you may
>> have wired it all in cat5 cable, it still doesn't make any
>> difference to the bell wire being unbalanced & effectively it can
>> become a long wire aeriel. You don't require the bell wire as each
>> filter will decouple the ringing, if it is required by the phone at
>> all
>
> I am getting results which confuse me.
> At first I connected to the MEP and got a really good SNR of 27.
> That was with mains powered laptop plugged into MEP.
>
> I left it on overnight and next morning it was 24 ... still good.
>
> Then, before I did my extension re-wiring, I checked again ... and got
> 15.
>
> That is an enormous difference!
>
> Then I re-did my extension wiring - about 90 feet - with cat5 cable -
> with 4 wires connected:
>
> PIN 2 - CAT5 cable White (blue)
> PIN 3 - CAT5 cable Orange (white)
> PIN 4 - CAT5 cable White (orange)
> PIN 5 - CAT5 cable Blue (white)
>
> Then I got - on the end of the extension - 22 - then 17 - 16 - 16 ...
>
> Why should it be changing?
> This is not making sense!
> And why should it be better at the extension than at the MEP?
>
> Later I got 11.
>
> After a reboot of the router I got 17-16-16-16-17-17.
>
> Later I got 6-6-6-6-6-9-9-9-9.
>
> Later I got 12-12-12-12-12-12.
>
> This afternoon it was 14-14-14-14-14-14.
>
> Now it is 12-12-12-12-12.
>
> I am at a loss for hypotheses.
> Can you suggest what might be going on?

Some of the Netgear routers (& 3Com for that matter) do display such
tendencies. With the 3Com it appears to have been pinned down to fault
prone power supplies & I wouldn't be suprised that it could be that with
the Netgear ones as well the only problem would be actualy proving it as
even with the latest firmware I still am apparently rebooting around
every 36-40 hours...

Think I'll stick with my Draytek ;-)