Don't know what best to do for our needs!

penrhyn

Follow Jem,s advise, and after retrying the line stats report back.

FBaby

Gosh, thank you so much guys (and/or girls?) for all this support, I really appreciate it.

First things first, disconnect everything from all your phone sockets.
Plug the router into your master socket, (via the microfilter).

Ok, so done that. I think the master socket is the one downstairs although they both look the same (and both already got microfilters), so I rebooted and redid the stats twice and got the same results as before:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 511 kbps 796 kbps
Line Attenuation 23.5db 12.4db
Noise Margin 28.4db 13.5db

Does it mean it is a problem with the line then?

penrhyn

Is everything unplugged except the router, including filters?
Try swapping filters and try again.
If no improvement get on to Sky.

jem16

FBaby wrote: »

Gosh, thank you so much guys (and/or girls?) for all this support, I really appreciate it.



Ok, so done that. I think the master socket is the one downstairs although they both look the same (and both already got microfilters), so I rebooted and redid the stats twice and got the same results as before:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 511 kbps 796 kbps
Line Attenuation 23.5db 12.4db
Noise Margin 28.4db 13.5db

Does it mean it is a problem with the line then?

No, not necessarily.

The problem at the moment will be that Sky's DLM will have set your Noise Margin and therefore resultant connection speed. If there has been a problem before which may be solved with moving to the master socket, you will need to get Sky to restart the DLM or manually adjust.

Get onto Sky and give them the stats and see if they will set DLM to restart or to manually adjust.

macman

You need to ID which is the master socket (probably the downstairs one), they can't both have a split faceplate.
Also plug a handset into the test socket and dial 17070, option 2, quiet line test. Listen for noise on the line. If so, report a line fault (not a broadband fault).

FBaby

Sky to restart the DLM or manually adjust.

Sorry, what is DLM and what does it do?

they can't both have a split faceplate.

Ok, I think I get the difference between the two now in which case I was wrong, the master socket is the upstair one and the one where the router has always been plugged in via a microfilter. I did the test on this one too last night after I reset everything and stats were basically the same as the two I put here.

Interestingly, the interference on the phone line had got a bit better in the last few weeks and this morning was bad again. I did the quiet line test (amazing what I am learning from you guys!) and it was pretty quiet except for a very minor regular background tone, nothing like the interference we have been getting when talking on the phone (which funilly has disappeared again right now!).

Ok, so need to speak with Sky with all this information now. The problem is they have been very unhelpful in the past. They said they did a test themselves and the line was fine (would that be the same test than the one I have done above which clearly shows it isn't) and therefore the problem was with us and they couldn't do anything. We now have the information (and a bit more knowledge) to challenge them and ask them to restart the DLM!, but.... they have now given us our MAC and the line will go to EE on 23rd December, so I would think that would make them even more reluctant to do anything? Are we better off waiting for the official transfer and take it with EE (at least they have a shop in town rather than having to go on the internet to speak to a SKY engineer, and then wait for them to call us back to say it is nothing to do with them!)?

penrhyn

EE won't do too much other than pass the problem on to BTOR, actually EE is a BT reseller these days they don't have their own network.

macman

Firstly, you need to test from the test socket behind the master socket faceplate. If you don't do this, then your extensions are still connected, and they may be the cause of the problem. Yu must rule that cause out first unless you want a £130 call out charge. If the problem remains, it's a line fault. You've been reporting it as a broadband fault, which it probably isn't.
You then need to get your supplier to get BT OR to sort out the line. Changing supplier will not resolve this issue. Neither Sky nor EE have any engineers, any physcal line work is done by BT OR regardless.
You just need to be persistent and say that there is noise on the line.
Have you actually used your MAC? Getting your MAC is not the same as giving notice, it's simply an option to quit.

FBaby

Thanks again for all this. I clearly missed the part about the test socket. I googled and understand I have to unscrew the mater socket. Will do this tonight.

jem16

FBaby wrote: »

Sorry, what is DLM and what does it do?

Dynamic Line Management - more info here.

http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/sky-dlm/23760-what-dlm-everything-you-need-know.html

FBaby wrote: »

Thanks again for all this. I clearly missed the part about the test socket. I googled and understand I have to unscrew the mater socket. Will do this tonight.

Yes the test socket is the most important test. Your speed will not change due to DLM but we should be able to see a possible difference in the Noise Margin which would help narrow down a problem with your internal wiring or the line.

Can't remember if you said or not, but is your Line Rental with Sky or BT?