ADSL broadband line drops out - is fibre optic better?

Will_d

Right guys,

If I carried out the test correctly, the results below might point up the problem.

Just to clarify:
• There's one (filtered) extension in the house for an upstairs phone;
• No Sky box - we just get the landline and broadband;
• Although the connection drops out whenever the phone rings, it also drops out at random times throughout the day when the phone hasn't rung.

Reset results:

System Up Time: 0:04:33
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 4 4 0 0 0 0:00:17
LAN 1178 278 0 222 0 0:04:33
WLAN 2531 2106 0 224 208 0:04:08
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 7022 kbps 799 kbps
Line Attenuation 24.5 db 12.8 db
Noise Margin 8.4 db 100.8 db
Poll Interval: (secs)


Master Socket test port results:

Unfortunately, when the faceplate was removed, I couldn't find a master socket port; just a morass of wires with no hidden port in sight. Maybe we've got usual socket, or maybe I'm just doing it wrong.

Nonetheless, after putting the socket back together and restarting the modem on the wall, I took down the following results.

I did notice a few differences, but I don't know what precisely they signify.

System Up Time: 0:06:26
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 1004 1467 0 276 12358 0:01:42
LAN 1350 863 0 212 0 0:06:26
WLAN 3965 3002 0 12456 544 0:06:01
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 9835 kbps 799 kbps
Line Attenuation 25.0 db 13.3 db
Noise Margin 11.1 db 17.1 db


Poll Interval: (secs)



I expect the new filter from Sky will arrive anon.

Cheers

penrhyn

Interesting, you have managed to double your download speed which is now 10mbps, interesting the noise margin is now 11 db, which suggests to me that Sky have capped your speed in an attempt to stabilise the line.

Can you post a picture of your Master socket?

How is the extension wired?

macman

Check any old router boxes for a spare filter, most ISP's supply a couple-though the ISP supplied ones tend to be cheap and nasty.
You really need to swap out the filter ASAP before doing anything else-it's the simplest issue to eliminate by far.

Will_d

Surprisingly, the line has been eerily stable today.

I'm supposed to be on unlimited broadband but, if there's a cap I didn't know about, I'd better speak to them.

After trying to post a screen grab here yesterday and being prevented because I'm apparently 'new' to the forum, I don't know how to circumvent this bar. But I do have internal and external pictures of the socket.

I'll change both filters as well. The solution is bound to be something simple. I'll update this thread accordingly.

Many thanks for the ongoing advice guys.

penrhyn

By cap I meant a cap on the maximum download speed. Download speed is inversely proportional to noise margin, you have resynchronised with the NM at 11 db, typically the modem would sync at 7 db, meaning that you still have some headroom left.

It maybe that there are some corroded idc connections in your Master socket and wiggling the wiring had fixed a problem temporarily.
Suggests to me at least that the wiring may need sorting out.

Are you sure what you are plugging in to is the master socket?

i.e one that looks like this.



PS Some reading on BT socketry and the dreaded ring wire http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/socket.htm

espresso

Will_d wrote: »

Surprisingly, the line has been eerily stable today.

I'm supposed to be on unlimited broadband but, if there's a cap I didn't know about, I'd better speak to them.

After trying to post a screen grab here yesterday and being prevented because I'm apparently 'new' to the forum, I don't know how to circumvent this bar. But I do have internal and external pictures of the socket.

I'll change both filters as well. The solution is bound to be something simple. I'll update this thread accordingly.

Many thanks for the ongoing advice guys.

Simply upload your pictures to tinypic and post the link to the picture less the http://

Will_d

penrhyn wrote: »

Are you sure what you are plugging in to is the master socket?

I think so. I couldn't see a port amidst the wires, once the faceplate was unscrewed. I'll take some more pictures tonight and try to post them.

Will_d

espresso wrote: »

Simply upload your pictures to tinypic and post the link to the picture less the http://

I'll try that with the new pictures later. Thanks.

kwikbreaks

How old is the property? Old style masters had no detachable faceplate. Unfortunately you are not supposed to mess with any of the wiring to those. The ring wire connects to connector #3 and can introduce noise so if it became detached things could improve. Of course if BT were coming out it wouldn't be a good idea for that to happen.

Do you see a circuit board with components on it - e.g. a tube maybe 1.5cm long as fat as a pencil which would be the ring capacitor. There will also be a resistor (thinner tube with coloured rings) and a spark gap surge suppressor(short fat tube)
.
If not it may be that what you think is the master socket isn't.

Will_d

Apologies for not posting the pictures last night - waylaid with work.

I attempted to do it this morning with Photobucket, but the forum's still preventing me, lest I start 'spamming' other forumites. Still, I had another look behind the faceplate and couldn't see a master port.

However, since removing and replacing the faceplate the other day, the internet connection hasn't suffered a single drop-out. Methinks a loose or faulty wire could be to blame.

I've also ordered a couple of new filters over the internet, so when they arrive, the issue might finally be resolved.

Here's another sample of statistics - seems to me as though the noise margin has deteriorated despite the improved performance.

stem Up Time: 0:10:17
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 3825 3402 0 0 0 0:09:09
LAN 2810 1033 0 180 0 0:10:17
WLAN 6559 6205 0 168 144 0:09:52
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 9214 kbps 799 kbps
Line Attenuation 24.5 db 12.8 db
Noise Margin 8.4 db 17.6 db
Poll Interval: (secs)


@Kwikbreaks - Yes, the property is roughly 100 years old.

When I took off the faceplate, the interior looked similar to the image you posted, except with an almighty tangle of wires.

Anyway, I'll update further if the connection relapses or remains uncharacteristically constant.

Cheers

EDIT: Just looked back over the statistics. It seems as though the noise margin hasn't deteriorated.