This is a post about improvements you can make, that could improve your ADSL or VDSL connection. It's possible doing these things will make no difference, however you'll give yourself the best chance for good connection. I'm sure many of you already know about these things, I'm also writing in note form to rush over them.
1) The BT / Openreach VDSL faceplate, the contacts can sometimes get dirt or even oxidation on the plugs. You need to undo the 2 screws, pull the front part of the faceplate away and clean the plug with electronic cleaner. Servisol Aero-Kelene 50 is good.
2) The RJ11 cable that comes bungled with your router is of basic quality. Tandy On-line make some twisted pair RJ11 cables that are very cheap and good quality. The twisted RJ11 cable will help counter interference.
3) Double filtering. This works best if your analogue phone lines are all filtered in one localised place, however you can double filter from the VDSL panel. Double filtering is a second ADSL / VDSL filter in series, if you have a problem phone or fax machine this can sometimes make a difference.
4) Mains conditioning the router. Mains spikes and interference can enter the router from the mains causing the modem to sync at lower speeds, or even occasionally drop connection. I use a Tacima CS947 to filter mains to my router.
5) Use contact enhancer, this one is from the audiophile play book. Even better then electrical cleaner is contact enhancer, basically you apply it over all DSL / phone connections, the contact enhancer also resists oxidation and keeps connections better maintained. Good ones are 801C-super contact cleaner, also Deoxit Gold.
6) Final point. The most simple you can make your phone wiring the better, in a perfect world you don't want any phone extensions running in your home. Personally I use Siemens Gigaset DECT phones that are connected near the BT VDSL faceplate, the Gigaset DECT phones also have ECO DECT that reduces radiation and lowers power usage.
In addition I plug the Gigaset DECT phones into the same Tacima mains conditioner the Router / Modem is using. The reason for this is a mains spike could enter the DECT phone via it's transformer, travel down the phone line, pass the ADSL/VDSL filter, and still enter the router via this route.
After any of the above do a quiet line test by dialling 17070 and make sure your analogue phone side is still working.
1) The BT / Openreach VDSL faceplate, the contacts can sometimes get dirt or even oxidation on the plugs. You need to undo the 2 screws, pull the front part of the faceplate away and clean the plug with electronic cleaner. Servisol Aero-Kelene 50 is good.
2) The RJ11 cable that comes bungled with your router is of basic quality. Tandy On-line make some twisted pair RJ11 cables that are very cheap and good quality. The twisted RJ11 cable will help counter interference.
3) Double filtering. This works best if your analogue phone lines are all filtered in one localised place, however you can double filter from the VDSL panel. Double filtering is a second ADSL / VDSL filter in series, if you have a problem phone or fax machine this can sometimes make a difference.
4) Mains conditioning the router. Mains spikes and interference can enter the router from the mains causing the modem to sync at lower speeds, or even occasionally drop connection. I use a Tacima CS947 to filter mains to my router.
5) Use contact enhancer, this one is from the audiophile play book. Even better then electrical cleaner is contact enhancer, basically you apply it over all DSL / phone connections, the contact enhancer also resists oxidation and keeps connections better maintained. Good ones are 801C-super contact cleaner, also Deoxit Gold.
6) Final point. The most simple you can make your phone wiring the better, in a perfect world you don't want any phone extensions running in your home. Personally I use Siemens Gigaset DECT phones that are connected near the BT VDSL faceplate, the Gigaset DECT phones also have ECO DECT that reduces radiation and lowers power usage.
In addition I plug the Gigaset DECT phones into the same Tacima mains conditioner the Router / Modem is using. The reason for this is a mains spike could enter the DECT phone via it's transformer, travel down the phone line, pass the ADSL/VDSL filter, and still enter the router via this route.
After any of the above do a quiet line test by dialling 17070 and make sure your analogue phone side is still working.
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