Assistance with ADSL

Kol · 26 Dec 2011 at 11:20

Good morning guys,

Over the festive period I'm staying at my folks, who have recently switched from Virgin to Sky and now have a bundle with them, TV/Phone/BB.

The problem is, from the router stats it is syncing at 384kb/s which is frankly awful, having switched from a 10mbps service and Sky suggesting their line would support 6mbps with potential to upto 8.

So, I ran a test on the BT Wholesale site, linked from think broadband (forgive me, I've always had virgin so never dabbled with ADSL - though I know they're only estimates) and it suggested this:

Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial check on your postcode indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a fixed line speed up to 2Mbps.

Our check also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 5Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 3.5Mbps and 7.5Mbps.

Our check also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 6Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 4Mbps and 8Mbps.

The actual stable line speed supportable will be determined during the first 10 days of use. This speed may change over time, to ensure line stability is maintained.

Thank you for your interest.

These are the stats that the router is suggesting:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 384 kbps 415 kbps
Line Attenuation 42.0db 17.8db
Noise Margin 16.4db 21.6db

I've had a look at the main socket where the connection comes into the house, but from reading it looks like they don't even have an NTE5 socket, it's some old ancient socket, with only two wires connected to the actual socket where the filter is then plugged into. If that makes a difference?

So where would I go from here? I'm not sure what the BT chap did when he would have come around and reactivated the line, but is there anything I can do from this end that could help sort things? Or would the best action be to call Sky or BT?

Naturally, those are the two options I'm going for, but wanted to seek advice beforehand from you gents.

Thanks,
Kol.

Nightglow · 26 Dec 2011 at 11:30

Have a look at this link, might be able to identify it.

http://www.telephonesuk.co.uk/line_jacks.htm

Better to call Sky & let them sort it, as if you call BT & they send a engineer, you will be charged about £125.

Kol · 26 Dec 2011 at 16:33

Thanks night glow. Yep - I've identified the socket, it's ancient! Anyhoo, I'll get my father to give sky a call in the next few days.

Out of interest, given the current stats (42db for attenuation, and now 11db for noise margin) could he be expecting better than a 384kbs sync speed which it currently sits at?

edscdk · 26 Dec 2011 at 16:38

Call sky tell them,

1) you have tried it in the master socket with the face plate removed
2) tell them you are using a Ethernet cable and have tried two pc"s
3) tell them you have tried a different router
4) tell them it's been like this for months

This will get you past first line in 5 mins and onto real support who will book an engineer.

If the1 st line person still insists on asking you to do stupid things hang up and call back..

( I am assuming you have tried it in the master socket )

Caged · 26 Dec 2011 at 18:44

There is no master socket, lying/being misleading about testing in the test socket to get an engineer out will just mean that if the fault is within the house that you'll get a nice bill to resolve it.

You need to find the first socket from where the line enters the house, then see if there are any extensions wired off it. Only once you've disconnected these are you testing the actual line as opposed to a load of internal bodges.

entail · 27 Dec 2011 at 16:58

if there is no proper master socket Openreach will most likely need to make one anyway.

Kol · 27 Dec 2011 at 17:18

Thanks boys. Yes, as confirmed it's one of the older sockets, where there is no NTE socket, some old style one. I'll get my Dad to give them a call because 384kbps is useless for the situations required.

Threepwood · 27 Dec 2011 at 17:53

Caged said:
There is no master socket

Caged said:
You need to find the first socket from where the line enters the house

Erm, is that not the master socket?

hominid · 27 Dec 2011 at 18:01

In my house there are only extension sockets in four rooms, they are split from the main line in the attic where the line comes in so I too do not have a master socket. I can see myself losing some extensions when FTTC gets installed later this year and a pain in the rear for the installer aswell..