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[Beta Tester]

I have an ongoing issue with my ADSL connection. The problem is that my ADSL router looses synchronisation as soon as I use the telephone. I also (from time to time) can "hear" the ADSL modem when picking up the telephone.

I now have an ADSL faceplate attached the the BT Master socket which has the ADSL router plugged in, and one telephone. There are no other extensions in the house (I have checked the back of the faceplate to confirm this). I have tried another ADSL modem, different cables and now also a different phone. Before I got the ADSL faceplate, I tried several ADSL filters.

I have also attempted to connect 2 different filters to my BT test socket, and still experienced the problem.

I attempted to get my ISP to log a line fault with BT (which they did do), but the test came back with no fault found. My line stats are not bad for the length of line:-

Connection Speed 2656 kbps 448 kbps
Line Attenuation 59 db 15.5 db
Noise Margin 5 db 20 db

Any ideas? What sort of fault do I have on my line?

M.

[kitz]

Hi and welcome to the forum

>> The problem is that my ADSL router looses synchronisation as soon as I use the telephone

Sounds like what is called a "High Open" Fault on your phone line, which can cause the symptoms you describe.

Theres a bit more info about high opens on my
Connection Problems page.
Both ~ adsl disconnects when the phone rings and ~ adsl only works when the phone is being used are classic high open faults caused by resistance on the line.

Try doing a quiet line test as described on that page.

[Beta Tester]

Thanks, I'll get onto my ISP and ask them to raise a new fault with BT.

Does it matter that I am not getting all the symptoms you describe?

Mark.

[mr_chris]

Nope... if you've tested in the test socket with a couple of filters and it still does it - then you've obviously got a problem. Your ISP needs to keep rejecting the BT clear until they eventually accept it as a fault.

Bear in mind that there is a BT charge if BT deem the problem to be with your equipment, the fee is quite hefty, about £140 if i recall correctly. They will pass that onto your ISP (who will in turn pass it onto you).

Had to mention that, but the troubleshooting you've already done suggests that you have really tried everything there is to try.

Good luck

[Beta Tester]

Just a quick thought. The problem appears to have "gone away" (as they always do when your about to do something about it). However, I have noticed that when the phone is in use the Noise (SNR) Margin plummets from around 6-9DB to 0db or even -1db (see attached - you can clearly see when the phone was in use). Is this normal? Or is it related to my suspected line fault...

Can I just say how absolutely impressed I am with my new Netgear DG834G V3. Whatever my line throws at it doesn't seem to matter - it seems to be able to hold onto a connection. I have seen my noise margin go to -5db on one occasion, and it continued to function.

Thank you for all your help, I shall certainly be a regular here.

M.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[kitz]

>> I have noticed that when the phone is in use the Noise (SNR) Margin plummets from around 6-9DB to 0db or even -1db (see attached - you can clearly see when the phone was in use). Is this normal? Or is it related to my suspected line fault

Its totally related.

When your SNR Margin falls too low, thats when your line would drop out.
Depending upon your modem/router then adsl connections will start to drop out once your SNR Margin gets to 6dB and below.
SNR Margin decreases the more "Noise" there is on the line.
One of the reasons so many of us rate the netgear is because of its ability to hold on to the line when SNR Margin drops so low.

The actual observation of loss of SNR Margin when the phone is in use certainly points the finger at either faulty filter/phone or a High Open fault.

Since you have an NTE5 adsl faceplate and no extensions, just to be on the safe side have you tried a different phone?  Can you borrow one for a few mins just to eliminate that side of things.
Once you have eliminated this I think then that the most likely cause is oxidisation of one of the joints on your line.  Did you try the "Quiet Line test"?

[Beta Tester]

Thanks. I have already tried another phone and got the same result.

I also tried the quiet line test but could hear anything. I might try it again.

I'll get onto my ISP in the morning.

Mark.

[kitz]

Good luck.  You certainly seem to have done all that you can to rectify the situation and troubleshoot yourself.

Let us know how it goes.  If your SNR Margin dips like it is doing everytime you use the phone then it should become obvious to a BT engineer that there is a fault on the line.

It would have been ideal if the quiet line test showed something because that way you could have reported it as a phone fault which is sometimes quicker to rectify.  An adsl engineer may diagnise a line fault but he may then have to pass it over to line faults rather that it be something that he can directly identify himself.

Let us know how it goes.

[Beta Tester]

Just to update you.

I was on the verge of logging this with my ISP (Virgin Media) and suddenly the problem completely went away. Now, the noise margin hovers around 9db, with some minor fluctuations (except on an evening when it is much more variable). Also, when picking up the phone the noise margin doesn't change at all, and I can't hear the ADSL signal when using the phone either.

I suspect that the fault is related to rainfall (we haven't had any rain for days now). I will log a fault with my ISP when it returns next time....

But thanks with all your help anyway. BTW I have bought a CAT5 extension cable, and this seems to have significantly improved the noise margin on an evening. My noise margin used to go to anything as low as -5 db. Now the lowest I am seeing is -2 db....

M.

[kitz]

Hi

Thanks for the update.  Good Luck with this one, it would be interesting to see if the problem re-occurs after rain.
Water on the line is indeed a possibility that could cause this type of problems.  Water getting on the line, or oxydisation of one of the joints are the common culprits causing extra resistance for High Open faults.