New to IDNet

[foreversummer]

Hi

Joined IDNet last Tuesday and my line speed has increased to 3.5 meg from 2.5 meg (Sky) so very happy.  My maximum line speed is supposed to be 7 meg though.

One thing I've noticed is that since the change over on one of my telephone extensions I can hear 'broadband noise' - sounds something similar to the sort of noise I used to get when connecting to a dial up connection many moons ago.  I've changed to filter on both the phone extension that is making the noise and also the extension that the router is connected to but it is still the same.

Following the things I've learned on these boards, I've found my router statistics.  They are:

Sync 7616 kbps
8.7 db line attenuation
11 db noise margin (last night the noise margin was 7.6 db).

I've had a couple of drops today.

Am wondering what you knowledgeable guys make of my stats, also any suggestions regarding the noisey telephone line would be much appreciated.

Foreversummer

[Glenn]

 

With everything disconnected from your master socket, bar a phone, try a quite line test. Dial 17070 then follow the instructions, all you should hear, is a gentle background hum. If there are any crackles, then you will need to log a fault with your phone line supplier, don't mention a broadband fault, just a noisy line.

If the line is quite, add one device at a time, checking for noise as each item is connected.

[foreversummer]

Hi Glenn

Thanks for coming back so quickly!

Can I plug the phone into the master socked as it is or do I need to take the face plate off and find the test socket?  I'm just in the process of changing my line rental to IDNet from Sky and I think that is happening during next week.  Maybe I should wait until the changeover?  Just to reiterate, I've not had any noise on my line before the new router I purchased from IDnet and the changeover.

Best wishes
Foreversummer

[Glenn]

Ideally, remove the faceplate and use the test socket. With Sky, was you on a LLU connection, if so, then I think your line would have been moved in the exchange?

Personally, I would wait until the line is under IDNet's control, then report the fault if it is still noisy, you will no doubt get far better service, than through Sky's helpdesk.

[Simon]

Hi Foreversummer (but glad it isn't!)  

[foreversummer]

Thank you both guys.

I will try that.  I've been so impressed with the service at IDNet but I guess I do not need to tell you that!

I don't think I was LLU (fast fibre optic?), just rural Dorset old wires, but quite close to my exchange.

What do you make of my stats?  Have learned so much over the past couple of weeks but still trying to get to grips with things.

Foreversummer (wishful thinking of course!!)

[Glenn]

Sync 7616 kbps
8.7 db line attenuation
11 db noise margin (last night the noise margin was 7.6 db).

The attenuation of 8.7db, people here would die for, mine is 60.6db, are you in the exchange?

There is noise on the line, but you already know that, as the 11/12db nm shows. Once you can isolate the cause of the noise, the nm should reduce and the line speed increase.

[Ray]

 

[foreversummer]

Thanks all so much.

Will do as you have suggested and will report back in due course.

Foreversummer

[zappaDPJ]

 

[Lance]

Sync 7616 kbps
8.7 db line attenuation
11 db noise margin (last night the noise margin was 7.6 db).

The attenuation of 8.7db, people here would die for, mine is 60.6db, are you in the exchange?

There is noise on the line, but you already know that, as the 11/12db nm shows. Once you can isolate the cause of the noise, the nm should reduce and the line speed increase.

I disagree. I think the sync indicates an interleaved line and therefore the increased noise margin is the margin to spare. I think a BT speedtest would be useful to see along with error counts (I'm not sure if that is possible from Netgear routers).

[DorsetBoy]

Thank you both guys.

I will try that.  I've been so impressed with the service at IDNet but I guess I do not need to tell you that!

I don't think I was LLU (fast fibre optic?), just rural Dorset old wires, but quite close to my exchange.

What do you make of my stats?  Have learned so much over the past couple of weeks but still trying to get to grips with things.

Foreversummer (wishful thinking of course!!)

Dorset??? Someone say Dorset  ?      Which exchange are you on?  (LLU by the way is not a fibre service )  Noise could be line or a duff filter so Quiet line test, if line is noisy with just the phone connected the problem is the BT line, if line is quiet try a new filter then internal wiring and noise sources,  a BT speed test and the router stats would be good to see.

[Steve]

 

You need to check your home wiring especially looking for the bell or ring wire since you've got a couple of extensions. It might be worth considering a filtered face plate on the master socket which will do away with the need for extra filters.

[Rik]

Hi Forever and welcome to the forum. I agree with Lance, your stats suggest noise or errors on the line and interleaving has been turned on. If you can hear the router on the phone, the first thing to do is try a different filter. For that attenuation, I'd also expect a higher noise margin, so if you have a battery powered, MW radio, de-tune it so that all you have is a hiss, then following your phone line from where it enter the house right up to the router. If the hiss gets louder, something in that area is giving off interference.

[foreversummer]

Hi Guys

Just an update and a question.

Everything has been working fine in our house.  Haven't had time to carry out any of the tests yet probably because everything has been going really well until today.  On the odd occasion that I did do a speedtest speeds have been improving.  We were around 6.6 meg (absolutely brilliant!!)

However, today the kids have complained of the router disconnecting about every 45 mins.  The little red light on the DGN1000 router shows just for a few seconds and then they can connect without problem again.

However, speed has dropped to about 3-4 meg, sync speed has dropped to 6624 and the line attentuation has increased to 14.2 db!!!!!  Now correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the attentuation was about how far you are from the exchange?  The house is still in exactly the same location as it was yesterday and I'm sure the exchange is probably in the same place as it was the last time I went past it on Friday!  How on earth can this be?

Foreversummer

[Rik]

I think you're probably looking at the noise margin there, unless you're very close to the exchange. An increase in that figure would fit with a lowering of sync speed and frequent losses of sync. It suggests interference, either locally or along BT's wiring. How is the router connected to the BT socket, ie direct of via an extension? What else is connected to the line, phones, Sky boxes etc?

[foreversummer]

Hi Rik

Many thanks for coming back so quickly.

The attentuation figure is definitely 14.2 db again 8.7 db previously (we are close the the exchange - it is just a couple of minutes walk away).  The noise margin is currently 11.6 but does fluctuate between 11 and 13.5 dcb.

The router is connect to an extension socket.  Unfortunately the master socket is just inside my front floor quite low down so it would be a silly place to put the router unfortunately.

I just can't see why my attenuation would rise (almost double) so suddenly!!

Foreversummer

[Rik]

Neither can I, except through a wiring fault. What kind of extension lead is it, flat or round? If you dial 17070 and select option 2, quiet line test, do you hear any crackling? Can you do a BT speed test for me an post the results?

[Steve]

Unless you've changed router,moved from adsl to adsl2+ or the line has deteriorated.

[foreversummer]

Hi Rik

The extension lead is round and goes from the master socket through the external wall of the house and back into the house to a different room.  (The extension was done for us by an engineer when we moved into the house four years ago).   I've just done the quiet line test from the phone attached to the same socket and at first I can hear the broadband noise (like the old broadband dial up noise), then a slight hiss but no crackling.

Steve, thanks for replying.  I moved to IDNet on 16th August and purchased the Netgear dng1000 router from them and I live in dorset so have old wiring.

Foreversummer

[Rik]

Try using a different filter and, if possible, a different extension. Did the engineer use proper external grade cable, has the insulation degraded in any way, eg become crombly?

[foreversummer]

Oh crickey.

My line attenuation has just gone down to 8.5 db.  Am keeping the router stats minimised.  Sync is now 7296, attentuation 8.5db and noise margin 13.1.

??

[foreversummer]

Hi Rik

I have replaced all the filters in the house a couple of weeks ago.  The wiring looks ok by eye.

Foreversummer

[DorsetBoy]

Which exchange are you on?

[foreversummer]

Bere Regis exchange in Dorset.

Router still dropping.  Dropped about 10 minutes ago.