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[Basil]

I have posted several times about my slow and sometimes dropping ADSL connection. My problems have gone on for months at an annoying but tolerable level, but when Zen wrote saying my line is to be automatically "upgraded" at no cost then things came to a head. I posted RouterStas graphs showing lots of intermittent noise and a gradual (or sometimes sudden) drop in sync speed. I tried everything I could here, but due to ignorance missed one point, that now, addressed, seems to have effected a cure

My filtered master socket is in the loft where there is a big boarded storage area at one end of the bungalow, and my home office at the other end. The line from outside runs across 2/3rds of the roof space to the master socket. The 3 house phone lines are spurred off, and the ADSL socket in my office was taken from the ADSL port on the master socket, to another ADSL socket and separate phone socket in the office. I eventually found some improvement by running a new (Ebay cheapy) ADSL extension cable from the ADSL socket on the fascia plate of the master socket, direct to my (new, Zen sourced Technicolour TG582n) router. Things would be OK for a few days, then noise would again show and sometimes sync dropped right down, needing an exchange reset to bring things back. In desperation I decided to take the router to the master socket and plug it in using a very short ADSL cable to the ADSL front port. I then ran a long ethernet cable from router to PC. I have since enjoyed several days of totally trouble free fast speeds and low noise (save when I mismatched a transmitter to a linear amp and put a load of harmonics ridden RF into the area, this caused a huge noise spike and a dropped connection, but I feel mea culpa there!). I am now thinking of permanently hard wiring from the router by the master socket to the PC with CAT 6 cable.  But before I do that is there any future in having the master socket moved to where the drop cable (up cable in my case, as the previous owner / builder of the house insisted the phone lines came across the garden underground, not overhead), comes into the property and ridding the loft space of as much in house, pre master socket cabling as possible?

Is this something many people have to do to get a stable connection? Thanks for all the great help and support here!!

[kitz]

During an FTTC installation if your SP has ordered a HWS then BT will do an NTE shift free of charge (note i say BT and tough luck if you get a contractor!) as part of the install cost.

However I think I recall you saying you didnt expect FTTC anytime soon?  Therefore if you want an NTE shift then unfortunately you are liable for this expense yourself.

A permanent cat5/6 cable run is a good idea and could well perhaps help stabilise your line.   The problem is some faults are intermittent so it could be a case of suck it and see.

>> I decided to take the router to the master socket and plug it in using a very short ADSL cable to the ADSL front port. I then ran a long ethernet cable from router to PC.

A permanent NTE shift is most likely to be the most solution, but I would imagine it depends on how much cabling you are going to shorten your overall line by.  As long as the joints & cable are good then in theory a few extra meters shouldnt make that much difference. 

I have in the past had a 25m CAT5E cable run from my NTE to router location to give my old adsl2+ the best conditions. I think you will find that this is something others also try to save the expense of an NTE shift.

[Basil]

Thanks kitz!

My connection has been fast and stable since moving the router to the master socket and using CAT6 from router to PC. I will have a poke about and see how hard a job BT may consider moving the master socket to where the drop wires enter the house, and using a longer CAT6 cable from there to the PC. If it looks a marathon I'll leave the master socket where it lies and do a more permanent install of the CAT than draped across the floor!

Thanks again for all your help and use of this superb forum.

[kitz]

yw... let us know what you decide to do and how you get on.

[Basil]

Due to an illness in the family and work pressure I still have the wire draped across the floor, but no drops or issues at since moving the router to next to the master socket!

The only issue I have is directly related to my amateur radio hobby. If I transmit with more than 20 Watts on the 10 meter band (28 MHz) the router will sometimes drop the connection. It must be picking up RF. A Google search found http://www.qso365.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ADSL-filter.pdf  He seems to have had a similar problem but on a much greater scale. I asked my neighbour if they had internet connectivity issues and they said no, there's was fine. Now, how do I find out if I am on ADSL1 or the new type? I can then perhaps build a filter to see if that helps. Or has anyone else had experience of RF killing the router? Thanks.

[kitz]

Sorry to hear that all is still not well with your wife's family.... but glad that your adsl is at least holding on in its current location.

iirc earlier going 'hmm' to myself when I read of your hobby in another thread.  Yes it is a known area which can cause EMI and in turn causing the router to lose sync.

>> how do I find out if I am on ADSL1 or the new type

By looking at your linestats.   ADSL1 is G.DMT or G.992.1.  ADSL2+ is G.992.5 or G.DMT.bis+

[Berrick]

I have skim read these posts so forgive me if I have got things wrong.

It may also be worth while ensuring you haven't got a wire connected to pin 3 of the master socket going to all your extensions. If you have I would suggest disconnecting it as this can act as an aerial.