Microfilters are Important for a Great Broadband Connection

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  • cookie54
    cookie54 Posts: 334 Forumite
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    Again I'm just getting broadband next week-my understanding is my home I will need 5 filters(I have 3 phones,1 sky box connected to different sockets) my dial up line is connected up also to another socket-so I have at the moment 5 telephone sockets in use.My main master socket in our hallway because of its location does not ever have any phones connected to it so I guess you do not need a filter for that one.
    so can anybody confirm that I need to go out and buy 5 filters!!! thanks....
  • Madasafish_Customer_Care
    Madasafish_Customer_Care Posts: 736 Forumite
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    Hi Cookie54,

    Most ISPs will only guarantee the connection at the speeds expected if you're connecting from the master socket.

    That's not to say that phone extensions won't work for broadband, however they may impact the speeds that you receive. Speeds up to 8Mb in particular are sensitive to internal wiring.

    JohalaReewi - you'll have to let us know if bringing the amount of microfilters down to four improve your speeds. In speaking to the head of tech yesterday he said that there are circumstances where more than 4 microfilters won't effect anything - however the majority of the time it will. Because it can cause problems we don't allow for our customers to purchase more than 4 microfilters from us.

    Kind regards,
    Samara
    Madasafish Customer Care
  • JohalaReewi
    JohalaReewi Posts: 2,614 Forumite
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    Madasafish:
    Ran several tests with 3, 4, 5, and 6 microfilters. The sync speed was always around 1.3M regardless of the number of microfilters. This is on a BT MaxDSL service. Even if I plug the ADSL modem into the master socket, I still only get around 1.3M. Not bad for an 'up to 8M service'. :(
  • Madasafish_Customer_Care
    Madasafish_Customer_Care Posts: 736 Forumite
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    Hi JohalaReewi,

    If you go to http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php and run the test on your line are the speeds quoted for MAX ADSL higher than 1.3Mb? With the up to 8Mb services the end speed that you get will rely on the quality and length of your line. If 'Sam Knows' says that you should be getting much faster speeds have a look at these things:

    Is all the firmware for your hardware up to date?

    Also have you tried testing your microfilters one by one? It's possible that you have a faulty one. To test your microfilters unplug everything from all phone sockets in your house. From your master socket connect to the broadband service, testing each microfilter once. If you find that you get slower speeds using 1 microfilter in particular then you may have found the culprit!

    If you're using an Apple Mac, don't use a USB connection always use an Ethernet connection.

    If none of those tips turn up any improvement (and you think that your line isn't performing to it's optimum) I'd get in touch with your ISP.

    Make sure that when you write them you include your account identifier and then state all the troubleshooting that you did and the results that you got. This will save them asking you "do you have a microfilter fitted to every phone socket that's in use in your home?"

    Kind regards,
    Samara
    Madasafish Customer Care
  • deefadog
    deefadog Posts: 2,190 Forumite
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    Originally posted by V1NNY -
    I then changed my old microfilter to a BT one (which was provided with my router that Madasafish sent) & to my surprise my speed went up by a whole 0.5mbs to 1.9mbs. I then thought maybe changing my RJ11 cable (from the modem to the telephone extension) might also help. However I tried about 3 or 4 different cables (all new) but no change in speed. I then decided to purchase a Cat 5 twisted pair cable (RJ11 to RJ11) from ebay (which cost me less than £3) & again to my surprise when I replaced the new standard cable with the Cat 5 cable, my speed went up again by another 0.5mbs from 1.9mbs to 2.4mbs (my router also syncs at a higher rate now).

    is this the cable from ebay - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220033938139&fromMakeTrack=true

    If not can you tyell me which ebay user it was please

    Thanks
  • wonderfullife_2
    wonderfullife_2 Posts: 1,126 Forumite
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    deefadog wrote:
    Originally posted by V1NNY -
    is this the cable from ebay - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220033938139&fromMakeTrack=trueIf not can you tyell me which ebay user it was please
    Thanks
    Hi
    Have a look at this one from svp, its a High Specification Cat5e RJ11 Cable, available in different lengths.
    http://svp.co.uk/products-solo.php?pid=1354
  • V1NNY
    V1NNY Posts: 92 Forumite
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    deefadog wrote:
    Originally posted by V1NNY -



    is this the cable from ebay - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220033938139&fromMakeTrack=true

    If not can you tyell me which ebay user it was please

    Thanks
    The one I got was this one HERE (the seller I got mine from no longer has any up for sale), I only required a 3 meter cable, hence it costing me less than £3.

    The one in your link is more or less the same. As long as it's Cat 5 Cable with RJ11 at both ends then you'll be fine.
  • FelixTCat
    FelixTCat Posts: 31 Forumite
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    The posts about the number of microfilters are interesting because the number 4 ties in with the normal maximum number of phones and devices that can be connected to one phone line.

    Every device that rings (e.g. a telephone) has a REN value (Ringer Equivalence Number) and a BT phone line can usually only work when the total REN value is 4 or less. This is due to the power of the line available to drive the ringer of the phone. I don't know whether there is much of a power drop across a microfilter, but if is more than minute, then with a total REN of 4 there may not be enough power to ring the phone. This wouldn't affect the adsl signal but would prevent phones ringing when a call comes in.

    Perhaps the recommendation of no more than 4 microfilters is more to do with the phones than the broadband.

    Regards,

    Felix
  • Iffy_Wallet
    Iffy_Wallet Posts: 266 Forumite
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    So let's get this straight shall we. I've signed up to Madasafish, who have sent me a Voyager 210 router from BT. They have also included cables and filters. Now you are telling me that many of the filters are dodgy, and BT cables are substandard and should be replaced with some tatt bought from ebay. Have I got that about right?
    [ Eat, Drink and be Merry - for tomorrow we get the bill ]
  • deefadog
    deefadog Posts: 2,190 Forumite
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    Iffy - with all things electronic, they can go wrong, i don't think a majority of the filters are dodgy, but it's a good starting point to find your problem (if you have one). The cable from ebay or wherever is just an upgrade (better protection from interferance), i have had free scart leads with my TV/DVD etc but i have always bought better quality ones, which do improve things!

    Hope that helps!
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