Other ways to get broadband

esuhl

The first thing you need to do is to is to rule out anything on "your side". You said you replaced the router(?). It's also worth testing with new cables (from the PC to the router, and the router to the phone line).

What kind of master socket do you have? Are you using (or not using) microfilters correctly:
http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/40812/~/what-type-of-master-socket-have-i-got%3F

If you' need microfilters, they must be used on every phone socket (that has anything plugged in). And for testing, you should remove the faceplate on the master socket and use the test socket behind it.

Ideally, you should test the connection on another computer too.

If none of that helps, then tell your ISP. You have checked everything and it's THEIR problem! They can't fob you off and refuse to send an engineer when... it's THEIR PROBLEM!

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Sounds like I'm veering more towards = if I stick with a conventional company perhaps it should be Sky....:cool:

As a techie, I've been modestly impressed by their customer service. Their staff are friendly and helpful and asked sensible questions when trying to diagnose a fault. They're not perfect -- I doubt they would have fixed my issues if I didn't know what I was talking about and had the logs to prove it, but probably the best of the big/cheap ISPs.

Do NOT under any circumstances even think of trying Vodafone (oh! the horror!).

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Not quite sure what "Ping" is? Can you explain a bit please?

The name "ping" comes from the way that submarines emit ping sounds (sonar) to detect objects. The computer equivalent just checks whether it can "see" a server (another computer that can "serve" files/data) on the network. It's like asking, "Are you there?".

Every server has an IP address (such as 216.58.201.3). DNS is like a phone directory that gives a domain name (like google.com) to each IP address.

If you're having network problems, you might want to check to see if your DNS servers are working correctly. If pinging a domain name (google.com) fails but pinging an IP address works (and it's not a one-off) that's a sign your DNS server is failing.

esuhl

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I did get that cable swopped to a new one recently - in case it helped.

Oh -- just saw that. Good idea :-)

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Wondering how I could avoid using the doubler with this? It's a single phone socket that has a doubler coming from it for both the computer and my main phone. Did you stop using the phone off the doubler and do without one of your phones?

Is it a "doubler" or a microfilter...? Has it ever worked reliably with this set up?

Are you using a "doubler" (a simple splitter) when you need a microfilter...?

Even if you're using the right thing, it's worth replacing it if nothing else has worked. As I say, eliminate everything on your side, then you can give it both barrels to the ISP.

moneyistooshorttomention

esuhl wrote: »

Oh -- just saw that. Good idea :-)



Is it a "doubler" or a microfilter...? Has it ever worked reliably with this set up?

Are you using a "doubler" (a simple splitter) when you need a microfilter...?

Even if you're using the right thing, it's worth replacing it if nothing else has worked. As I say, eliminate everything on your side, then you can give it both barrels to the ISP.

Well - I referred to it as a "doubler" - as its got 2 holes in it and I've got the phone plugged into one and the computer plugged into the other. I'm using what Plusnet sent me - whatever that is. Plusnet recently sent me another one of that item to replace mine (in case that was the problem) and I swopped the previous one to the new one they sent me. I presume they are supplying me with the correct item.

moneyistooshorttomention

Had two "battles" with my Internet already this morning.

So - I took the chance of pinging experiments and just put the number in for MSE website, then the number for the Google DNS server. Nowt either way.

One thing that is confusing me is quite often I can still see the bottom banner saying "Network 3 - Internet access" whilst I've not got that access. It often takes some time to put up that yellow triangle instead saying there is no Internet access. I guess that counts as proof it's the phoneline that's the problem.

There is a general feeling of slowness. Getting into my googlemail of a morning seems to have the set-up calling for it twice before it gets it.

Anyway - I've called Plusnet and there's an engineer coming in tomorrow to take a look. It felt like a right tussle with the person at the end of the phone to be able to get an engineer in in the first place and I had to be quite firm with them to get one. I've not had problems with getting them to send one in before and that's a first:cool:.

I'll give it a go and see how things are with that engineer tomorrow.

If I'm still having problems - then I want to swop to Sky and see if they're any better. The thing is that I had to ring Plusnet fairly recently when I found I was getting a noticeably worse deal than new customers and apparently being charged more for the same deal courtesy of being in more remote area (ie less competition from other suppliers I'm cynically thinking...:cool:). With that - then I ended up being put on a new 18 month contract to get that cheaper price (so I count as a new customer - even though I've been with them since moving here). I seem to recall some sort of financial penalty if I swop away from them/trying to remember what it is/assuming it would apply - even though it sounds like this is their fault for not being "firm" enough with OpenReach. Wondering if there's any way I can avoid being penalised for something that's not my doing iyswim?

EDIT; Just done a quick google and looks like Plusnet have this thing called "early termination charges" and would charge me £8.49 per remaining month of contract (without checking - I think I've probably got about 12-15 months of the contract left). So I'd be due to be charged somewhere around the £100 mark for leaving them. I've a feeling I'll be having to keep a countdown note in my diary - looks like I'll be ringing them later today to check when "expiry date" is.

greyteam1959

Have you or have you not got filters in each wall socket ??
Simple things first.
Something like one of these
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=phone+line+filter+pic&oq=phone+line+filter+pic&aqs=chrome..69i57.7409j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

moneyistooshorttomention

greyteam1959 wrote: »

Have you or have you not got filters in each wall socket ??
Simple things first.
Something like one of these
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=phone+line+filter+pic&oq=phone+line+filter+pic&aqs=chrome..69i57.7409j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Yes - I have.

D_M_E

Right, you've only got one socket so the "doubler" is a filter with a separate phone socket combined, or just a, well, socket doubler.

Try asking your computer guy for a filter and plug that into one of the sockets then plug you router cable into that.

Also note that there are 2 versions of the cable from the router to the socket and if you have the wrong one it could cause your problem.

Also, as others have pointed out, a very noisy line which needs sorting by Openreach and for which an urgent ticket needs raising by your ISP.

The length of your phone line could also be a problem.

moneyistooshorttomention

D_M_E wrote: »

Right, you've only got one socket so the "doubler" is a filter with a separate phone socket combined, or just a, well, socket doubler.

Try asking your computer guy for a filter and plug that into one of the sockets then plug you router cable into that.

Also note that there are 2 versions of the cable from the router to the socket and if you have the wrong one it could cause your problem.

Also, as others have pointed out, a very noisy line which needs sorting by Openreach and for which an urgent ticket needs raising by your ISP.

The length of your phone line could also be a problem.

Oh dear...I've had two separate computer firms in here and one of the guys been here quite frequently. I'm not best pleased with Guy No. 2 for coming here numerous times and not apparently clicking to that point re a filter. I'm searching for a 3rd computer firm currently and trying to find a better one - not surprisingly:cool: I would have thought this was "basic knowledge" to computer firms - but obviously isnt to a customer with a typical amount of computer knowledge (ie very little...).

Do you have an image you can share of a filter like you have in mind you think I should try please?

bouicca21

I am somewhat nervous about entering into this one as am decidedly non expert, but just in case it helps ...

Money, did you say your router was plugged into an extension socket rather than the master? My study is also too far away from the master. So the router is plugged into the master and then my pc is connected via a pair of powerlines.

moneyistooshorttomention

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Oh dear...I've had two separate computer firms in here and one of the guys been here quite frequently. I'm not best pleased with Guy No. 2 for coming here numerous times and not apparently clicking to that point re a filter. I'm searching for a 3rd computer firm currently and trying to find a better one - not surprisingly:cool: I would have thought this was "basic knowledge" to computer firms - but obviously isnt to a customer with a typical amount of computer knowledge (ie very little...).

Do you have an image you can share of a filter like you have in mind you think I should try please?

I've been googling away and the item I have coming from my phone socket is definitely being called a "microfilter". Plusnet recently sent me a new microfilter - and I swopped it with the one I had previously. It does look like I'm using the necessary microfilter already.