No Dial Tone

[IanSF]

Since I moved house four months ago I have never had to use the dial-up modem in my PC as I've always used broadband.
Decided to flog my second PC as it was proving redundant so I stripped it back to basics and configured it for dial-up. (It was previously set up for broadband on the LAN.)
Now for the weird bit: I don't have dial tone from the same socket that I have my broadband modem plugged into. I have tried bypassing the microfilter but still no joy. BTW, a phone won't work either.
Ideas anyone?

 

[breezer]

yes there is no line present at the socket

take it apart and check the connections.

make sure they are tight and secure

 

[ninebob]

But if I'm reading his post right, his broadband does work, at the same socket?

 

[breezer]

yes thats the way i read it, but if no dial tone must be loose connection

 

[IanSF]

But if I'm reading his post right, his broadband does work, at the same socket?

Yep, that's what is puzzling. Broadband - OK; Phone - zilch

 

[TexMex]

Ian
If you have an ADSL connection, at the socket, pins 2 and 5 are used for the phone line. Pins 3 and 4 are used for the broadband connection. Check that pins 2 and 5 are connected in to the same cores as the rest of the house.

 

[breezer]

think you will find that the whole idea of broadband is that it comes "on the phoneline" so it does not use 3 & 4

3 is the "ringer terminal" which connects all slave sockets to the capacitor in the master socket (terminal 3) enabling all phones to ring.

I am thinking though, perhaps their is an earth fault, so he gets his broad band that way, but no dial tone

 

[TexMex]

think you will find that the whole idea of broadband is that it comes "on the phoneline" so it does not use 3 & 4

You're quite right, I was thinking of a modular network installation that I have seen installed. This would not apply to a domestic installation.

The earth "ringer terminal", fault is a good possibililty. The ADSL could make it's own earth by a built in Voltage divider across the line, and therefore be immune to this fault at the socket.

 

[AdamW]

Occam's razor states "one should not increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything."

This is usually quoted as "The simplest solution is often the correct one."

Why do I bring this up? You will see.

Do you have a full on adsl installation, where a BT "engineer" came round, or did you have a "wires only" package?

If you have the "engineer" installed package, then it is quite likely he disconnected your extensions. Either intentionally (not "official" ones, or they were done incorrectly) or unintentionally (forgot). This happened with my parents' house. The extensions were wired in by a previous owner and no doubt bodged. So the BT guy refused to reconnect them and left them with just a master socket and an RJ11 outlet for the ADSL (RJ11 is the small US phone plug, like a small RJ45 connector).

This RJ11 outlet (which I presume is the one your adsl modem is connected into, and you are trying your old modem on) will not provide a dialtone.

 

[IanSF]

I opted for a 'wires only' broadband provision, as I already had a modem/router. The master socket is now the only socket where I can get dialtone, all the others are silent. Three are provided in the house wiring, i.e. in the walls, and one extra was added (by BT, and he checked for DT at all the others after he fitted it) to provide a socket in my spare bedroom. This is the extension where the modem is plugged into; it has no dialtone but still allows me to connect to the 'net via a microfilter. I have tried connecting both the modem and a phone without the microfilter but no joy.

 

[breezer]

I would check ALL sockets to make sure 2 & 5 are conected, same colours through out

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

As an 'aide memoire'

Usually, but not always 'Blue 2'

Blue (white tracer) Pin 2 (middle left)
White (Blue tracer) Pin 5 (middle right)

Also, I think if you use master sockets (with a capacitor fitted) you do not connect the ringer circuit Pin 3 (usualy orange)

 

[DaveAngel]

Then your modem or more likly modem cable is up the swanny

 

[chinesewhispers]

This is probably a bit late now, but I had a similar problem.

Just months after the BT engineer had put the new box on the main cable into the house (previous owner's had cable). The telephone signal started deteriorating (sp). ADSL was mostly OK, but intermittent sometimes. Sky box was stating the line was properly connected. Self install ADSL so an additional filter on the main box.

After a few hours of testing, different filters, differnet phones, different cables, I found the problem. The consumer box that the BT guy had fitted was rotting on the inside (it's one of the ones that has an internal socket that the faceplate socket plugs into). Anyway, I took the faceplate off, and plugged directly into the socket inside the box. 100% since.

So must have been a problem with some of the connections on the cable, stopping the phone from working at all, but allowing the ADSL and sky connection to work.

 

[felix]

A phone socket provides about 50 volts to power 'dumb' phones. When you lift the handset the phone must draw some minimum current (about 5mA I think but don't quote me) from this supply then the exchange sends a dial tone. If you have a bad connection you don't draw enough current. Result - no dial tone.

So why does broadband still work? Broadband uses high frequencies which can get through capacitors. Where is the capacitor? It's formed by adjacent cable cores.

Check all your connections carefully. I've had so much trouble with those IDC connectors that I've devised a different approach. I solder each pair of wires together and push just one into the slot. This ensures that all sockets get a fair chance. And another thing: NEVER BELIEVE THE NUMBERS. I've found too many sockets with their terminals numbered in the wrong order. Always go by terminal position. This can save you many fruitless hours wondering why some phones won't ring in some sockets.