BT I-Plate

Tacitus · Aug 07, 2009, 18:39:22

It's not unknown to have a dud faceplate - this recently happened to my next door neighbour. The existing NTE5 was years old so I suggested it would be a BT/OR job which they should do for nothing since it's their box. In the end their son in law fitted a flat master plate like you can get from Maplin.

Their extensions are via a series of plug in adaptors which look like a Christmas tree sprouting from the master socket and, since the son in law has said it's OK they won't listen to any other advice. Needless to say they're still having problems.....

Rik · Aug 07, 2009, 18:42:15

Oh how I know the feeling...

Wags · Aug 07, 2009, 18:49:44

Well, thank goodness the ping situation is OK now - it must have been a pure fluke that it shot up at lunchtime when I put the I-Plate on!

C:\Documents and Settings\Wags>ping multiplay.co.uk

Pinging multiplay.co.uk [85.236.96.22] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 85.236.96.22: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=124
Reply from 85.236.96.22: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=124
Reply from 85.236.96.22: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=124
Reply from 85.236.96.22: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=124

Ping statistics for 85.236.96.22:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 13ms, Maximum = 14ms, Average = 13ms

Rik · Aug 07, 2009, 18:51:31

Let's hope it stays there.

Wags · Aug 08, 2009, 20:52:32

This is rather strange, my SNR margin has dropped to 1db! It seems to be hovering between 1-2db and has been 11/12db for the past day...

DSL Status:     Up
             DSL Modulation Mode:     GDMT
             DSL Path Mode:      FAST
             Downstream Rate:     4416 Kbps
             Upstream Rate:      448 Kbps
             Downstream Margin:     1 db
             Upstream Margin:     23 db
             Downstream Line Attenuation:     36
             Upstream Line Attenuation:     20
             Downstream Transmit Power:     0
             Upstream Transmit Power:     0

By the way I disconnected the SKy boxes and it made no difference to the sync. rate, so I think I can eliminate this as an issue (as discussed earlier in this thread).

Rik · Aug 09, 2009, 11:08:25

Not necessarily, we're looking to see if the stability improves without the Sky boxes.

How does that sync speed compare to earlier times. Either you've got a massive amount of noise on the line, or the sync is at a higher speed and lower margin.

Wags · Aug 09, 2009, 11:40:02

The sync speed seems to be staying at a slightly higher level that before the I-Plate was installed - from about 3616. SNR margin was about the same, although it has now increased to 11-15db.

This morning I have plugged the router into another extension in the house - one of the original ones which 1 I believe was put in when the house was built 10 yrs ago. The synch rate and snr etc are the same as the extension I normally use for ADSL.

I then plugged the router with filter into the master socket and the ADSL won't connect from this socket - i.e no dsl or internet lights come on at all. I'm sorry if this is a dumb question, but do you think there could be a fault with the NTE5 master face plate which is causing issues with the extensions?

Thanks again for all your help thus far Rik

Rik · Aug 09, 2009, 11:51:18

It's entirely possible that you have a faulty face plate, it's not that uncommon. Luckily, you can change that yourself without getting BT involved.

If your sync speed is staying about the same, but your noise margin is rising, it suggests that your circuit is putting noise onto the line. In all probability, BT would have responded by raising the target NM and, without the additional noise, you are seeing the true margin.

Wags · Aug 09, 2009, 12:33:29

Thanks Rik.

I think I may call an ex-BT engineer that we used at work to see if he can check out the NTE5 wiring....That would hopefully be cheaper than BT. I am just concerned that if I do it myself things will go wrong.

Rik · Aug 09, 2009, 12:36:23

It's guaranteed to be cheaper than BT, given they want £160+ just to come out.

Wags · Aug 10, 2009, 09:52:51

Quote from: Rik on Aug 09, 2009, 12:36:23
It's guaranteed to be cheaper than BT, given they want £160+ just to come out.

It cost me £180 for BT to put in 2 extensions 2.5 yrs ago, which I thought was rather expensive.

I have googled about not being able to connect to the master socket (front of face plate), etc without success....so maybe this is quite rare

Rik · Aug 10, 2009, 09:53:38

Relatively, but it can happen.

Wags · Sep 05, 2009, 18:05:12

An update...

I have gone for a major overhaul of my ADSL wiring- I build my own PCs successfully, so thought I'd go for it!

I today removed the i-plate and fitted an ADSL Nation xte-2005 in its place, connected the router directly to that and have run 22m of external grade cat5e from here to a new Linksys switch and the pcs up stairs.

It was all pretty straight-forward and as a bonus I learnt how to make my own cat5e, using a rj45 crimper!

The only snag was that one of the long screws snapped in half in the BT side of the NTE5 socket

, so I have one screw and some heavy duty double sided tape on the other securing the ADSL nation faceplate to the backplate !!

The router took a lot longer than usual to connect and synced at 5000, compared to 3800 before the 'improvements'. I then accidently caused a reboot of the router whilst tidying some cables

and the damn thing has synced at 3900!!! I will leave it overnight and reboot early morning to see if this improves. I know that re-syncing at 4pm on a Saturday is probably not going to give the best result., so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Wags · Sep 05, 2009, 18:11:59

Errr this is rather good - no sooner had I posted the update and:

DSL Status:      Up
             DSL Modulation Mode:     GDMT
             DSL Path Mode:      FAST
             Downstream Rate:     6432 Kbps
             Upstream Rate:      448 Kbps
             Downstream Margin:     12 db
             Upstream Margin:     24 db
             Downstream Line Attenuation:     36
             Upstream Line Attenuation:      20
             Downstream Transmit Power:     0
             Upstream Transmit Power:      0

I guess it will take a few days for my profile to change now from 2500!

Not a bad improvement in my adsl for £71 outlay (cable, tools, etc)

Rik · Sep 05, 2009, 18:14:39

That's a result - and demonstrates just what can be achieved without any help from BT.

Wags · Sep 05, 2009, 18:17:14

for all the help and advice Rik!

Rik · Sep 05, 2009, 18:24:34

Thanks.

Sebby · Sep 05, 2009, 19:32:20

Good stuff.

Wags · Sep 06, 2009, 10:28:38

Well, my profile has changed quite quickly. I was getting 2.93 mb down before:

I appreciate that none of this is I-plate related as per the title of the thread (it is now in its packaging again), but thought it best not to start another one!

Rik · Sep 06, 2009, 10:29:21

Aw, go on, we could get going on food in no time.

Wags · Sep 06, 2009, 10:31:22

Quote from: Rik on Sep 06, 2009, 10:29:21
Aw, go on, we could get going on food in no time.

Hmmm that has reminded me....time for breakfast!

Rik · Sep 06, 2009, 10:32:52

A true IDNetter.

Glenn · Sep 06, 2009, 10:40:05

What would that be then Rik, DR sausage & bacon, black pudding (

) mushrooms, eggs, tomatoes, fried potatoes (Scottish Maris Piper), maybe some baked beans, lashings of tea or coffee?

Rik · Sep 06, 2009, 10:48:50

No baked beans, they do things to me that you really don't want to know about, Glenn. I'd probably put fruit pudding in instead of the black pudding, and definitely some onions.

Glenn · Sep 06, 2009, 10:51:45

In place of the black pudding, hogs pudding.