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[canon]

I seem to have friends & contacts with problems!
I asked this one to connect to the main BT socket but still problems.
Suggestion for possible cause with these symptoms: -
Router plugged into main BT socket via filter (not test socket behind faceplate) and PC connected by 20M Ethernet cable. Router lights (BT Voyager 210) stay on ok over a few days. However, when the PC is switched on and the ADSL Max connection is used, the connection drops after a while, no mention of it coming back up.
I've not been given any stats yet but house 600M from exchange according to SAM's checker so should be good even allowing for a circuitous cable route.

The phone connection set-up is one connected to the Master BT socket via the filter; the other is upstairs and on a filter.

What's the likely cause?
There have been problems with the phone - noise/stopped working. BT man tested and said not BT line but phone working ok now.
I've not yet got the router stats and friend not found the log either - shall have to go round there I suppose but any clues as to what to look for will be welcome.
Terry.

[kitz]

>> Router lights (BT Voyager 210) stay on ok over a few days. However, when the PC is switched on and the ADSL Max connection is used, the connection drops after a while,

At a guess perhaps the monitor or some PC peripheral?  Ive heard of several CRT monitors being a culprit for low SNR in the past.

[canon]

I've got the stats now - they look good and as expected:
for Down, Noise Margin 15.4dB, Attenuation 25.0dB, Output power 19.8dBm,  Sync rate 6880kbps.
I suspect the sync is a bit low because of the drop-outs. I'll have to get round there to check the total set-up but I have lent 2 filters to try as there has been some suspicion about the BT supplied ones.
Terry.

[kitz]

>> house 600M from exchange according to SAM's checker
>> Attenuation 25.0dB

Even if the line length was double - that attenuation is a bit higher than I would expect to see, since its more indicative of a 2km line.  Therefore unless the cabling takes a very weird route, then it would perhaps suggest some sort of resistance on the line some where.


Try doing all the usual from the test socket and quiet line test stuff when you get there.
Obviously I dont know, but it could be a combination of a line/local cable fault, and the interference from a local peripheral just pushing the SNR a bit too high.

[canon]

Thanks for the advice/comments.
I'm not sure what a quiet line test is - is it just listening for background noise or is there a particular technique?
Terry.

[kitz]

Details of the quiet line test here:-

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/connectionprobs.htm

(Dial 17070 and select option 2.)

[canon]

Well I'm mystified on this one, trouble is I've not been invited round to have a look myself!
Quiet line test was good I'm told. Sam's checker gave very optimistic line length (see earlier post) - it looks more like 1km minimum on a map, so could be up to 1.5 or so actual.
Thus, maybe the down attenuation of 25db is reasonable, it drops a little when connected to master socket, to 23db. Noise margin looks fine around 14 or 15 db.
Wherever the router is connected, the connection is lost after a while (half hour max).
I think it may be a faulty router and I can't find another to borrow. They'll have to get BT to supply another.
One other thing, could a new satellite dish next door cause problems?
Terry.

[roseway]

I don't think that a satellite dish is going to have any effect. The frequency at which it operates is several orders of magnitude higher than ADSL.

Eric

[canon]

Thanks for that confirmation - satellite signal cable is very well screened too.
Terry.

[canon]

Well, after many checks I've come to the conclusion that the Voyager 210 router could well be faulty.
Can anyone advise as to the best approach, my friends can take, to BT to get them to change it without going through their off-shore help centre (who'll probably go the usual stuff about testing from the master socket etc which has already been done (in fact it's connected there now).
Is there an address (or e-mail) to write to, or a phone number that by-passes the help centre?
Thanks,
Terry.

[kitz]

>> Is there an address (or e-mail) to write to, or a phone number that by-passes the help centre

Not that I know of Im afraid...  unless someone else knows.

[soms]

You could try using the option on the website to send a question. I did it once and then received direct e-mails back from the tech support, who were overseas of course. All the same it was better than phoning and waiting in a queue.

The use of written words also allows you to more thoroughly explain what you have tried and suspect the problem might be and can probably be better understood by the end recipient.

You might even land an engineers visit to check line conditions etc although this only tends to happen if the automated test system results suggest a problem.

I believe I might have been logged into the website although I cannot remember exactly. I think you go on all the broadband help pages and find the option to contact them using the online form. I received a reply within 24-hours if I recall correctly.

[canon]

Well, there's good news from my friend, she eventually persuaded BT to send her a new router,. It's not arrived yet so I wait with interest.
She had to be quite assertive and say no more tests at her end, been there done that etc. There was a call that sounded like a bit of attempted bullying from an American, requesting further checks but that was rebuffed and BT Sales contacted about a new (free) router.
BT don't seem to have any way of making a complaint by phone - hopefully there's a way via the web site. If not, it's a poor, low quality company.
Terry.

[roseway]

It's a shame that BT so often presents itself as a brick wall, and you have to be really persistent to get through. Here's hoping that the new router is the solution.

Eric

[canon]

The good news is that the new router was delivered  which solved the problems provided it's connected to the master socket. The bad news is that my friends need to re-new their extension wiring to upstairs so I can have my long Ethernet cable back. I can see a wiring job coming on with a filtered faceplate and cat5 cable!
Terry.