can I stop my computer freezing?

mrs_moneyspinner

After a happy year with sky broadband, tv and phone we moved our telly to the other side of the room, plugging sky box into the phone point where it enters the house... everything is fine unless we plug our fax/phone into the old phone socket where sky was plugged in previously (opposite corner) then computer freezes sometimes... unplugging the fax/phone solves the problem. We have about 5 phone points around the house all with filters. the two phone points that we are using for the fax and sky connection are unlike the other 'flat to the wall types' being on about 6 inches of cable with a small white oblong thing that the filter and then the phone plug into ... What is going wrong? would appreciate an expert advice before we spend out on a callout.

espresso

Have you tried using a different ADSL filter where the fax/phone is plugged in? What is the total number of devices that you have plugged into the line?

mdbarber

sounds like you are exceeding the ren number on the line.
There is a limit on the amount of devices you can connect to a phone line and this is divided into ren units.
Some devices may take up more than one unit, check the model stickers for their ratings.

mrs_moneyspinner

we have 6 phone sockets throughout the house, presumably 5 will be spurs off the main line. Only one item is plugged into each of the ones in use. We are using 5 of the sockets 1 x fax and 1 x sky, 1 x multiroom, 1 ext phone, 1 x computer. Will look for REN numbers on the appliances - anyone know how I can find out max allowed? However, everything was ok until we swapped the telly/sky and the fax over so we have not increased the no. of appliances. I am wondering if the socket we now use for the fax is not intended for other appliances - could it be something specifically for a sky connection?

espresso

mrs_moneyspinner wrote: »

we have 6 phone sockets throughout the house, presumably 5 will be spurs off the main line. Only one item is plugged into each of the ones in use. We are using 5 of the sockets 1 x fax and 1 x sky, 1 x multiroom, 1 ext phone, 1 x computer. Will look for REN numbers on the appliances - anyone know how I can find out max allowed? However, everything was ok until we swapped the telly/sky and the fax over so we have not increased the no. of appliances. I am wondering if the socket we now use for the fax is not intended for other appliances - could it be something specifically for a sky connection?

The max REN figure is 4 but this is unlikely to be the cause of your problem. Possibly the socket previously used for your Sky box has it's line pair reversed and the fax machine does not like this. Was this installed by a Sky fitter?

mrs_moneyspinner

Thanks and yes espresso the socket was fitted by a sky engineer - do you think we can fix it ourselves? we had an electrician move the telly stuff over so maybe he should have done the socket too and we could get him back.

espresso

mrs_moneyspinner wrote: »

Thanks and yes espresso the socket was fitted by a sky engineer - do you think we can fix it ourselves? we had an electrician move the telly stuff over so maybe he should have done the socket too and we could get him back.

The Sky fitted socket may simply need the line pair connected to 2 & 5 swapping over. This type of fault may only show up when using that fax machine. You seem to have found the problem area, so it may well be worth trying.

mrs_moneyspinner

Thanks again espresso, I think you have been right on everything so far ... however, the freezing still occurs when the fax is moved to another phone point upstairs or unplugged. We think the connection problem is with the tv to the main phone point - maybe that one is needing it's line reversed do you think? I guess we will have to put our hands in our pockets!

espresso

mrs_moneyspinner wrote: »

Thanks again espresso, I think you have been right on everything so far ... however, the freezing still occurs when the fax is moved to another phone point upstairs or unplugged. We think the connection problem is with the tv to the main phone point - maybe that one is needing it's line reversed do you think? I guess we will have to put our hands in our pockets!

Sorry I thought that your had said "unplugging the fax/phone solves the problem" in post #1? Without knowing exactly how all of your extension sockets have been wired, it's difficult to say, so logical trial and error progressively adding devices and swapping out the filters to try to find a faulty one is the only way to go. I only have one good ADSL filter at the master socket, that filters all extensions in the house, perhaps that could be an option for you.

mrs_moneyspinner

sorry for any confusion espresso -as we unplug various things we appear to identify the problem and then it crops up again but it looks like the problem is the sky box connection point which we moved to another phone socket. But good news! an engineer is visiting without charge - yippee!! that's a reward for 20 years loyalty so it was worth asking in a 'very loud voice' - a MSE solution I suppose!!!
:T :rotfl: :beer: