speed issues

[Rik]

Do you have multiple phone extensions, Moonshine? As Sebby says, the rate is a little low, more or less the same as mine, but I have a 57db attenuation.

[Moonshine]

Hi Rik.

This is where I begin bumbling about, and sounding as though I know absolutely nothing about my home set up (which I don't - I'm happy when it's all working fine, and miserable when it's not, and apart from that, I take no interest in the bits inbetween!).  I have the main phone socket downstairs, with an extension socket upstairs, which then gets plugged into the microfilter etc.  I really am not sure if it's an ideal set up, but am very reluctant to touch it - my husband and I are both technically illiterate (I'm sure we must have other qualities!!??), so if it's working, and not running too slow, I'm happy enough (little things....).  Is there anything I should be doing that's not too technical or mind blowing that would help speed?  Other than that, I'm on the Milton Keynes exchange, if that's of any use??!

Cheers.

Moonshine.

[Rik]

That extension may be adding noise to your circuit, Moonshine. Do you have the newer type of master socket, where you can remove the bottom portion of the face plate? If you do, could you test there, plugging the router into the BT socket which is behind the face plate. At that point, you are connected directly to the BT line, and if the figures improve, it suggests that your extension is causing a problem.

I'm only just up the road from you, btw, I'm on the Wolverton exchange.

[Moonshine]

Hmmm....well, I've just had a little look at the sockets.  The downstairs one seems to be in two parts - it has two screws either side, and appears to have a bottom bit that could potentially be removed .

The upstairs exension socket looks a bit older; it still has two screws either side (see, you're just loving this technobabble of mine, aren't you?!), but appears not to be in two halves.  Jeez, I'm chuckling at my own clumsy description here....

So, anyway, it would seem we've established I have a newer type downstairs, and an older type upstairs, and no confidence to play about with either!!  I think unless my speed comes to virtually a standstill, I'll accept the slightly lagging speed. 

By the way, small world, eh Rik?!  Sunny greetings from MK!

Moonshine.

[Rik]

You can see a picture of an NTE5 (the BT name for the socket) in thisFAQ, Moonshine. It's really a lot simpler than you fear to check the speed using the test socket. The most common cause of noise pickup, which affects speed, is the redundant ringwire on terminal 3. Disconnecting that at each end could gain your 500k+.

It is remarkably nice out there today, isn't it.

[Moonshine]

Ah, well, you see Rik - for the average layman, that would be a piece of cake.  For the daydreaming, wishy-washy, would-rather-scrub-toilets than understand the internet technophobe that usually doesn't suffer fools gladly (but is one) - not so easy.   

What a pleasure it is having a sickie with the sun beating down on one's keyboard....

Moonshine.

[Rik]

If you change your mind, Moonshine, we'll be here to help. (Every day's a holiday when you're retired. )

[Moonshine]

 

[Sebby]

Yep, it's certainly worth removing the lower half and connecting the router to see if you can achieve better.

[Baz]

ooooo.....bit of a blip for a while there, about half an hours worth of very slow/non loading pages.

anyone else 

[Rik]

Fine here, Baz. What sites?

[Baz]

everything, this, google, idnet home page etc.

[Rik]

Are you seeing a delay in lookup, or is it a delay in loading, ie does the status bar sit on 'Looking up...'?

[Baz]

it was in loading but its just kicked back in now Rik 

[Rik]

Possibly the local exchange, Baz, but if it persists, do some BT tests and have a word with support.