BT Infinity frequently drops out - changing set-up help?

[Brigadier]

Hello all,

recently gone to BT Infinity.

Current set up is

(Master socket - BT Openreach single outlet faceplate) - aftermarket filter into socket, with Siemens Gigaset cordless phone main base unit into the phone port of the filter

(first extension) - aftermarket filter into socket, with cat 5 straight into BT Home Hub.

BT Home Hub then cat 5'd into both PC (1.5 m run), and YouView box (7m away).


Openreach reckon that the incoming line to master socket is fine.
BT reckon that the service is fine, with no problems reported when I have an outage.


Due to wiring faffing, I really do not want to a. move the master socket, or b. move the router to the master, then have to run 2 x cat 5s from master, to their existing destinations.




Would I be better plugging the phone into the first extension filter?


Any help / advice / products appreciated

 

[ironsidebod]

You don't need the old ADSL filters with FTTC so you can ditch those to start.

Is the HH5 pugged into the top port of the master socket or on an extension from the VDSL punch down connector on the back of the faceplate?

 

[Brigadier]

Thanks for replying

HH5 is plugged into the extension.
I don't know how the extension is wired into the master.

What is FTTC, and why does it negate the need for filters?

 

[ironsidebod]

No problem.

For your internet to be working at all the extension must be taken from the VDSL pins so that's probably ok.

FTTC stands for Fibre To The Cabinet - it's the 'proper' name for BT's Infinity service (aside from the fibre to the premises offering). the technical name is VDSL (whereas normal broadband is ADSL).

Filters are not needed as the VDSL/Phone services are split at the master socket using the new faceplate BT fit. It also means that you can't use the hub on any old extension in the house - it's either the master socket or an extension run from the VDSL pins on the master socket. Other phone extensions are separate again.

Being split this way means voice can't interfere with internet and vice versa.

Regarding the drop outs - are you sure it's the VDSL service dropping out - have you checked the logs on the hub? If not it's highly likely to be the wireless connection between your machine and the hub that's being interrupted. Very common where lots of house have wireless hubs. There are ways to mitigate it but that would depend on your technical ability

 

[Brigadier]

No problem.

For your internet to be working at all the extension must be taken from the VDSL pins so that's probably ok.

So, no need to take the faceplate off to check (not that I'd know what to look for, in any case)? I can (with almost 100% certainty) take the extension as being properly connected?

No problem.


Filters are not needed as the VDSL/Phone services are split at the master socket using the new faceplate BT fit. It also means that you can't use the hub on any old extension in the house - it's either the master socket or an extension run from the VDSL pins on the master socket. Other phone extensions are separate again.

Being split this way means voice can't interfere with internet and vice versa.

Good, clear explanation - I got that. Many thanks

Regarding the drop outs - are you sure it's the VDSL service dropping out - have you checked the logs on the hub? If not it's highly likely to be the wireless connection between your machine and the hub that's being interrupted. Very common where lots of house have wireless hubs.

PC / Youview etc are all hard-wired into the HH - these drop out on a regular basis.
iPads, xBox, and phones DO drop out when wirelessly connected too, but as this happens as well as the hard-wired stuff, I'd guess that the problem is in the wiring as a minimum.

There are ways to mitigate it but that would depend on your technical ability

I take it that you mean fiddling with the HH settings, through a browser? Or something else?


Finally, as I am a cynical sort, I might expect a BT engineer to come out, charge call-out, and find nothing wrong (as much out of not wanting to find anything, as there being nothing to find).
Would I be better sourcing a reputable self-employed engineer or similar, on the above basis?


Thanks for the help so far

 

[AlanE]

Do you have one of these faceplates?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GENUINE-BT-...id=1430129658&sr=8-10&keywords=nte5+faceplate

If not it may be worth getting one and plugging directly into this, even on a temporary basis, and see if you still have problems.

 

[Brigadier]

Do you have one of these faceplates?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GENUINE-BT-...id=1430129658&sr=8-10&keywords=nte5+faceplate

If not it may be worth getting one and plugging directly into this, even on a temporary basis, and see if you still have problems.

I'll take a look when I get back. Thanks

 

[bernardgreen]

There is a lot of good advice about wiring methods and equipment here.

http://solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters.htm

There are other suppliers.

 

[drgl]

You don't need the old ADSL filters with FTTC so you can ditch those to start.

You do if you don't have a filtered faceplate (which is no longer always fitted!). The first post said single outlet faceplate so sounds like no filtered faceplate.

 

[Brigadier]

Do you have one of these faceplates?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GENUINE-BT-...id=1430129658&sr=8-10&keywords=nte5+faceplate

If not it may be worth getting one and plugging directly into this, even on a temporary basis, and see if you still have problems.

I'll take a look when I get back. Thanks

One of these..........

Untitled

• Brigadier
• 27 Apr 2015
• 1

Is this a new enough faceplate to not need the additional filter?

 

[ironsidebod]

No it's not. That's not the one BT were fitting as part of the engineer attended Infinity installs. Do you have a HomeHub 5? These don't require the separate Openreach VDSL modem. Is that what the white thing in the photo is?

This is the one I expected you to have based on what I've seen and was told was being fitted:

And this shows the VDSL extension pins:

So, does anyone know if you have one of the self install Infinity packages what *do* you get these days. I no longer work for them so can't ask

 

[Brigadier]

No it's not. That's not the one BT were fitting as part of the engineer attended Infinity installs. Do you have a HomeHub 5? These don't require the separate Openreach VDSL modem. Is that what the white thing in the photo is?

This is the one I expected you to have based on what I've seen and was told was being fitted:

And this shows the VDSL extension pins:

So, does anyone know if you have one of the self install Infinity packages what *do* you get these days. I no longer work for them so can't ask

So, if I buy one that Alan linked to, fit it, and ditch the filters, I should see an improvement?

 

[cajar]

No, you'll just be wasting your time and money. There isn't much you can do if you can't move the router to the master or wire 'straight through' the existing master to take the master to the router.

And even if you did, it might not give any improvement, unless the problem is actually your wiring to begin with. Could be a dodgy dropwire outside, or aluminium underground cable?.

How long have you been with infinity? The line takes up to 10 days to find it's best speed and settle properly, during which time dropouts are common. might be that.

 

[bernardgreen]

A well designed front plate filter on the NTE5 will have two outputs :-

[1] two terminals for ADSL equipment. These connect directly to the incoming BT pair. These terminals can be used to feed a twisted pair telephone cable ( CW1308 ) to a socket that the router / modem plugs into.

[2] three terminals for telephone equipment. of these the terminals labelled 2 and 5 connect via the filter circuit to the incoming BT pair. The third one provides capacitor coupled bell supply for telephones that do not have an internal ringing capacitor.

Using CAT5 or CAT6 instead of CW1308 for the ADSL signal can reduce the level of the ADSL signal, in some circumstances this can bring the ADSL signal level below the minimum needed for reliable service.

 

[drgl]

Using CAT5 or CAT6 instead of CW1308 for the ADSL signal can reduce the level of the ADSL signal, in some circumstances this can bring the ADSL signal level below the minimum needed for reliable service.

You really need to show some proof of that or explain why BT themselves fit this cable....

ADSL & vDSL can happily be patched over CAT5e or CAT6 with next to no deg to the signal.