Getting a decent Master box for ADSL

Scougar

Scougar

Scougar

Soldato
Joined
30 Jan 2007
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Location
PA, USA (Orig UK)
I live in an old house that has a twin copper ohone wire coming in, attaches to what looks like a small bell box on the wall, then continues on to the master socket.
Unfortunately, my ex-wolf hybrid ripped the phone line off the wall, and I was forced to use some extension cable to replace the chewed stuff. There are also existing issues with the mastersocket anyway, so I'd like to replace that entirely.

So... where is best to get replacement boxes for the main 'bell box' (not sure of the technical name), and the master socket. If possible, I would like something as good as the BT Openworld filtered box, or something from say solwise that is better.
I have looked, but frankly, I'm a little unsure of what parts would 100% work.

(And yes, I realise about BT having ownership of all the part's upto and including the master socket, but it's already screwed anyway from the dog ripping the cable out before the master socket).
The main reason for doing all this btw, is because the master socket is now so loose it keeps cutting out, which reduces my rate eventually down from 1.3Mbps to about 0.125Mbps.. and that's even running through a jury rigged BT filter to help the signal.
 
Is the "bell box" as you call it, on the outside of your house?
If so then that's BTs remit, you can't touch it.
 
The small bell box (only because it looks like an interior bill), is inside the house. The twin wires comes in through the wall.
 
Well when I replaced my master socket I used the ADSLNation XTE-2005 Professional Quality Master Faceplate Filter. To be honest if you just keep the one you replaced in a safe place then if you ever need BT engineer out just put the old 1 back on.

Or, you can just buy a I-Plate and fit that worked for me and got me like 0.60mb more.

You should also remove the bell wire if you ain't already and just leave wire 2 & 5 connected.

I don't know what the 'Bell Box' is so can't help you with that one.
 
Does your bell box look like this
btclosedsmqq8.jpg


If so you can buy a split NTE5 box online for about £8 and install that, all you need to do is connect the two incoming wires from the BT line. Unless you really hash it up nobody will ever know you've altered it.

Then you can get the filtered face plate that theipodkid suggests. It allows you to run a extension after the filtering so you don't loose speed because of the extra cable in the extension wire, a great piece of kit.
 
Yes, the bell box bit looks like that :-) Very old!

The master socket is screwed though, and I already have an i-plate but my little girl also keeps pulling it out as it's all exposed :-( (Another reason I'd like to get it sorted).

Well from Solwise I can see the NTE5 PBX (austin) socket that takes the incoming wires, but doesn't look like it has a cover bizarrly?
 
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Are they? I have a socket after that I consider the 'master socket'?

All I know is the socket is screwed.
 
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Just report a fault (low threshold breach), BT engineer will come and fix it all for free.

They did with me anyway, you shouldn't really be touching that as it's BT's side of the cable.

Anything behind the master is their responsibility, they won't care about the state of the cable.
 
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Troop said:
This is what you need.......nothing else

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BT-Master...t=UK_Phones_PhoneLeads_RL&hash=item3cb8e07455
Click to expand...

Shame I can't get one that connects directly to the line, so I can replace the old bell box thingy-ma-jig.

PiKe said:
Just report a fault (low threshold breach), BT engineer will come and fix it all for free.

They did with me anyway, you shouldn't really be touching that as it's BT's side of the cable.

Anything behind the master is their responsibility, they won't care about the state of the cable.
Click to expand...

Might give them a call tbh... and see what they say.
 
Scougar said:
Shame I can't get one that connects directly to the line, so I can replace the old bell box thingy-ma-jig.
Click to expand...

That is what connects to the BT line as soon as it comes into the house,(you don't need anything else) nothing else needed,..... the 2 wires connect directly to that box I linked too, then the faceplate connects to that box.

Open the "bellbox thingy, disconnect it, connect the linked to items,.......... job done........ that is exactly what I have done to my line.

Now my line 4.2Km long gets me a rock solid 4mb, with a 48db downstream attenuation.
 
So that box takes in the two copper wires, as it says it takes IDC, which I thought was the really thin cables (i.e. like a single strand inside an extension wire). Looks pricey at £17.. but might do it rather than buying games.

Think wife will kill me.. though lol. I have pics I will upload in a bit.
 
Scougar said:
So that box takes in the two copper wires, as it says it takes IDC, which I thought was the really thin cables (i.e. like a single strand inside an extension wire). Looks pricey at £17.. but might do it rather than buying games.

Think wife will kill me.. though lol. I have pics I will upload in a bit.
Click to expand...

The 2 single core wires coming into the house just join up to the box, if you look around you should be able to find the same setup with a 2 screwdown terminal fitting for the incoming BT wires.(that is what I have) if you think that would make fitting easier for you, or if you're wires are thicker than the IDC cables.
 
Master should be as close as possible to where the main line enters really.

And it's your, not you're, unless you are trying to say "or you are wires".
 
The 'bell box' you refer to is officially known as a Block Terminal 52A and simply joins one length of cable to another.

They are usually used to convert from external feed (overhead dropwire or underground cable) to internal cabling. However, that was many years ago before the adoption of NTE5.
 
Just bear in mind that anything up to and including the master socket is BT's property. It is illegal to work on it and yes people have been prosecuted.

In your situation I would ring them up and report a fault - you are unlikely to be charged
 
Hmm.. ok. Since it's not my house, and I may be moving from here soon.. I suppose it's better NOT to risk the possibility of my actions getting someone else in trouble. I will call BT (Even though it's utterly ridiculous).

BTW.. here are my pics:

What I was calling the 'bellbox':

Mainlinebox.jpg


The master socket: (which is utterly knackered.. that circuit board is a jury rigged i-plate btw as it won't fit my socket :-( ).

MasterSocket.jpg


The cabling is nothing to do with me.. there are extensions all over the house that are knackered.
 
On the phone as we speak... they have just tried to charge me £130 to get an engineer out to repair/replace THERE property. Now waiting in a cue to talk to someone else as that's not exceptable.

Update: He's booking me a complaint appointment or something.. bizarre.
 
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Right.. he only gave me the telephone number for the complaint people. He (without telling me) did a line check on my line, and it all came back fine. So.... they wouldn't actually do anything. Sorry, but that's nuts.. I explained my line rate keeps dropping because the box is defective and keeps cutting out. My line speed is currently half what it should be at around 600Kbps rather than 1300Kbps.

I had already stated that I didn't want to get prosecuted for touching THEIR property... then later on in the conversation he explicitly said I (yes me) could replace the Master Socket. er... stunned. Yes sure, I'll risk prosecution for a phone guy telling me it's ok lol.

Crazy £130 to fix a box that is their's.. or change it myself. hmm... think I'll be calling that complaint number...
 
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