Problem with XF-1e's

Lance · Mar 26, 2007, 18:08:38

I have now got a couple of XF-1e's but now I am using them I keep getting massive noise spike, taking my margin down to -5db, almost continuously. Its not a dodgy filter because I have tried with four different XF-1e's (the first 2 I brought from Ebay and assumedI had been unlucky, the new two purchased from adslnation themselves!). Its not a problem with the line, as my old filters (free from Tiscali) don't show this problem.

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas, or has had the same problem?

Thanks Lance

Rik · Mar 26, 2007, 18:20:11

It would be worth talking to ADSL Nation, Lance. They give a 30-day moneyback guarantee, but they also may recognise the issue, or know that there's a bad batch out there.

jupiter · Mar 26, 2007, 18:28:49

I recall, but can't now find evidence of, some kind of problem with a batch a while ago.

Lance · Mar 26, 2007, 18:45:27

I just wonder if for whatever reason they don't like my line. But I will say what they say.

Thanks
Lance

old Bill · Mar 26, 2007, 22:33:37

I had a ADSL Nation filtered face plate, loads of problems,noise margin droping to about 2, resyncs ect. BT changed it for their one it has been fine ever since. Not sure if the filter was faulty or just did not like my line.

Inactive · Mar 26, 2007, 23:18:32

I used the two provided filters with my BT Voyager 2100 Modem/Router, both failed within 6 months, swapped them for some real cheap Solwise ones, no problems since.

Lance · Mar 28, 2007, 08:28:32

UPDATE:

It would appear that the problem isn't with the filters. Last night I returned to my old filter, but my line kept dropping with noise margin dropping to -4db, with all phones unplugged. My guess is that the cable has been damaged somehow so will go and buy one today and see if that improves the situation. If not the last thing to try will be a new router, but I don't fancy splashing out £50 unless I really have to!

So, seeing that I have a Maplin nearby, should I go for a bog standard cable or will I get much benefit from this one? Something which may influence is that is that the cable runs alongside a power lead.

Thanks

Rik · Mar 28, 2007, 10:33:34

I've seen people who swear by these cables and people who swear at them. For me, it did help things as the braiding provides a Faraday Cage effect. If you can find a way to re-route the cable so it's not alongside a power lead, but crosses it at right-angles, you'll be doing yourself a favour.

Did you get a frog when you first acquired ADSL. That would be good enough to rule out the router. Alternatively, do you know anyone who would bring theirs round for you to test with?

Lance · Mar 28, 2007, 10:47:33

Unfortunately, because of where the sockets are located and where the cables need to go, crossing at right angles isn't possible.

I did get a frog, but have given it to someone else. However, it might be that I am able to get it back at the weekend, and if so will test the line with that.

My bet is that it is the cable. My thinking behind this is that I must have disturbed the cable when previously trying the new filters, but thinking it was the filters at fault when the line wouldn't connect, changed the filters back. Doing this must have settled the cable down again and hence the connection was fine. It now seems in my latest spate of filter swapping I have disturbed the cable and can't get it back to how it was!

Rik · Mar 28, 2007, 11:20:42

Your theory sounds good to me Lance, if you can't get your hands on a frog or router, let me know.

Lance · Mar 28, 2007, 11:53:49

Thanks Rik.

Just thought I would clarify what we are talking about when we say frog... By frog, Rik and I mean the free speedtouch modem which many ISPs give away as freebies when you sign up to their service!

Rik · Mar 28, 2007, 11:55:59

You have read Avenger's Tech Support posts.

Seriously, good point, jargon can be a dangerous thing.

Lance · Mar 28, 2007, 18:09:39

Now i really am purplexed. It seems I can have a rock solid connection... but only if the house phone is in use!

Rik · Mar 28, 2007, 18:19:02

Quote from: lance on Mar 28, 2007, 18:09:39
Now i really am purplexed. It seems I can have a rock solid connection... but only if the house phone is in use!

Sounds like a line fault, Lance, possibly high resistance, thinking about what I've read on TB. Worth calling support, if they concur, it's an engineer visit for you!

Lance · Mar 28, 2007, 18:28:50

Just spoken to Andrew at support, he is going to get BT to run some tests and checks on the line...

Rik · Mar 28, 2007, 18:44:14

IIRC, HR doesn't always show on standard tests. Might be worth posting on TB and see if a friendly engineer is passing...

Lance · Mar 29, 2007, 09:46:10

I might post it on TB, I'll see what the outcome of the tests are today. Interestingly, the line seems a little better today. I've been pinging it from work with a timeout of 1000ms and of the first 1000 only three timed out.

However, now running a test of 10,000 pings and it looks like the line has dropped, although it was good for the first few thousand or so.

Just looked again and it looks like it come back for another 35 pings and then dropped again.

Rik · Mar 29, 2007, 10:16:00

I take it you can't get your router to email you the log every hour or so?

Like the new sig, btw...

Lance · Mar 29, 2007, 10:43:27

Unfortunately not, the logging in the router is as good as none existent. It only seems to log traffic passing through it, nothing about the actual state of the connection.

The line does seem more stable this morning, certainly seems to be up more than down anyway! Once the 10,000 pings have done I'll post the results...

The sig is stolen btw!

Rik · Mar 29, 2007, 10:47:32

Quote from: lance on Mar 29, 2007, 10:43:27
The line does seem more stable this morning, certainly seems to be up more than down anyway! Once the 10,000 pings have done I'll post the results...

Not individually I take it.

QuoteThe sig is stolen btw!

I still like it.

Lance · Mar 29, 2007, 11:07:28

Quote from: rikbean on Mar 29, 2007, 10:47:32
Not individually I take it.

You take it correctly! Just the statistics at the end!

Lance · Mar 29, 2007, 11:51:33

And here they are...

Ping statistics for 212.69.xx.xxx:
Packets: Sent = 10000, Received = 9735, Lost = 265 (2% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 18ms, Maximum = 152ms, Average = 24ms

It seems that on the whole the line seems reasonable stable, although I would expect packet loss of 0% on a sample this size. It may be slightly higher because I set a time out of 1000ms but there were also a few times where many of the time outs came in a group, indicating the line had dropped.

I guess that I will have to wait and see firstly what the BT results are (I'm guessing they will be all clear) and then secondly see how the line performs when I'm at home tonight.

Rik · Mar 29, 2007, 12:17:59

Just a thought, Lance, but I've seen packet loss caused by too high an RWIN value, could this apply?

Lance · Mar 29, 2007, 14:04:47

Because I'm at work, I can't really check the value, plus it's quite possible there is some packet loss within our company's network, it is run by BT afterall!

I'm wondering why it seems to have sorted it self out, as in its not dropping all the time. Very strange!

I'll give support a ring in a minute and see if they have got the results from BT yet.

Rik · Mar 29, 2007, 14:17:45

Keep us posted. I put your problems down to the malice of inanimate objects. They get at me all the time!