Varying ADSL speeds in my house

Stoney · #1 04-Jan-2008, 08:31 PM

Evenin'

I've recently decorated my lounge, which has involved removing the (main) incoming BT box so that the wall could be re-plastered.

I have put the box back on the wall and my phone is working fine and I can get my 2.3 Mbps ADSL as per usual.

However, there is an extension that runs from the main box to the office upstairs and when I use the internet upstairs (modem plugged directly into the extension socket) the ADSL is at 163.8 kbps!!

It never used to be any different upstairs and I don't really see why it should be.

I'm going to take both the extension points off the walls tomorrow to see if the wiring looks ok and check that nothings snagging on the wires, but I just wondered if anyone else had had a similar problem or could suggest any potential problems.

Cheers

**Mr.Cheeks** · #2 04-Jan-2008, 08:34 PM

electrical intereference?

greenbrucelee · #3 04-Jan-2008, 08:36 PM

sounds a bit weird if its been ok in the past.

It could be degredation of the line (cable), or something wrong at the nearest telephone exchange.

**Raffaz** · #4 04-Jan-2008, 08:42 PM

Well im going to say that its your internal wiring, it worked fine before it was removed and now it isnt so it seems like they are related. Is the slow speed mentioned above the sync speed or the actual throughput on your line? Are you a BT broadband customer?

**hbroomhall** · #5 04-Jan-2008, 09:51 PM

First thing to do is to go to your 'master socket'. Hopefully this is the newer version (visualy in two halves). If so remove the screws for the lower half, which will reveal another BT socket. Plug just the ADSL modem into this and check the speeds.

Doing this isolates the rest of your internal wiring from the BT wiring.

If the speeds are good then you know that your internal wiring has a problem - if you call out BT to fix it they will charge you.

I strongly suspect that your internal work has damaged your internal wiring.

Harry.

Stoney · #6 06-Jan-2008, 02:21 PM

I've checked the connections on both the sockets and they're fine, I can get the correct ADSL speed on the master socket.

I think the problem lies in the cable that runs from the master box to the extension socket. The cable was quite tight when we put the new skirting boards on the wall and there wasn't much play in the cable to pull up behind the skirting. I'm guessing the cable has got crimped or knicked due to this and this is what is causing the problem.

I guess i'll have to run a new cable upstairs at some point or invest in some wireless technology!

**Raffaz** · #7 06-Jan-2008, 07:39 PM

Sounds like you have found the problem. If the sync rate drops when your connected to the extension then that would be the cause.

Notes_Bloke · #8 07-Jan-2008, 10:40 AM

Hi Stoney,
What terminals are wired up on the extension box? Only terminals 2 & 5 need to be wired in.
Cheers
NB

Stoney · #9 07-Jan-2008, 12:32 PM

Quote:

“

Originally Posted by Notes_Bloke

Hi Stoney,
What terminals are wired up on the extension box? Only terminals 2 & 5 need to be wired in.
Cheers
NB

”

Hi,

If I remember rightly terminals 2,3, and 5 are wired in on the extension box.

Notes_Bloke · #10 07-Jan-2008, 01:05 PM

Hi Stoney,
You could try removing the wire from terminal 3. The link below explains in better detail:-
http://www.dslzoneuk.net/socket.php?type=html.

HTH
NB

Stoney · #11 08-Jan-2008, 12:31 PM

Quote:

“

Originally Posted by Notes_Bloke

Hi Stoney,
You could try removing the wire from terminal 3. The link below explains in better detail:-
http://www.dslzoneuk.net/socket.php?type=html.

HTH
NB

”

Hmmm, isn't terminal 3 used to ring the bell on the telephone when an incoming call is recieved?

**hbroomhall** · #12 08-Jan-2008, 12:40 PM

It is. However quite a few phones these days don't actually use this connection to ring. You need to test to see if this true in your case.

Harry.

**Boyce** · #13 08-Jan-2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

“

Originally Posted by Stoney

Hmmm, isn't terminal 3 used to ring the bell on the telephone when an incoming call is recieved?

”

Every *new* box i have seen only has two wires coming in to the house; not quite sure if the other pins are fed from these...

Stoney · #14 08-Jan-2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

“

Originally Posted by Boyce

Every *new* box i have seen only has two wires coming in to the house; not quite sure if the other pins are fed from these...

”

You only get 2 wires coming in from BT, but the third is added when you put in an extension.

Stoney · #15 08-Jan-2008, 02:06 PM

Quote:

“

Originally Posted by hbroomhall

It is. However quite a few phones these days don't actually use this connection to ring. You need to test to see if this true in your case.

Harry.

”

I will test this out and see.

However, I think the underlying problem is that the extension cable has been squidged behind the new skirting board and has been damaged as a result.

Still worth a test tho