TALK TALK REP states signing VIA Quidco means you will not be entitled 2 tech support

NinjaB

what a wealth of information thank you. I actually live in france so nowhere physically near mum to help her out. Next time I am over I shall have a look or rather look. For now, she has a plugin extension leading from the actual BT socket to the computer at the moment so yes anything to improve the already low signal is helpful.

So am I right in thinking
Go wireless
put filters (they normally supply them with the box they provide from memory?)
buy a bt iplate http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ProductID=7256 which is probably a lot less scary if I ask my electrician brother to pop over and do it mum would have a fit lol.
I also have to get a wireless adapter for the main computer and might as well for her laptop so she can get online with that too but I take it some are better than others or are they pretty much all the same?

kwikbreaks

Well wireless would allow you to put the router next to the master socket which is good but it also introduces another source of problems.

Running an ethernet cable from the router (by the master socket) to the PC may well be a better option if you have an electrician for a brother.

Just fitting an iPlate will remove the major cause of problems that a plugin extension causes but they will only fit the newer (since about 1980) NTE5 master sockets so you'd need that checking first.

I'd personally avoid using wireless unless needed for swanning around the house with a netbook or iPad - wired connections are faster and more reliable.

If you try to support your mum's computing you may find that https://secure.logmein.com/US/products/free/ is useful - get her to install it on her machine and give you the login credentials and machine passcode and you can operate her PC remotely so long as it is connected to the internet.

NinjaB

I understand what you are saying about keeping the pc wired. My brother is going to have a look at her set up and armed with your useful information I hope whoever she goes with at least she will have things set up so she gets as fast as she can get.

Really appreciate your help, I feel like I have gained a lot of knowledge also.

About the link for being to help her, that would be helpful, thanks, many are the times I have tried to do things by phone and it really can be painful lol