master socket mould - internet dropping

Lartyconshayo

Lartyconshayo

Lartyconshayo

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Hello again folks. OCUK seems like my go to place now for help with all my problems lol. :D


Anyway just moved into new place and went with Zen internet as BE wouldn't transfer with me as I wouldn't move to sky. So internets been up and running BUT keeps dropping every so often - sometimes ok for a few hours - other times every 20 mins but been a problem ever since we started.

Have followed ZEN's check list guide on internet and opened master socket which is upstairs. The internet we use through an extension in the hall.

So opened master socket and found this

b41e0b15-bae5-49e5-b45c-e2456adda438_zps10d54ac0.jpg


a bit blurry I know but basically all the connections have black mould around them. SO I've got the ethernet cable trailing all over the stairs while I plug the whole ADSL combo direct into test socket.

Seems to be fine so far. The mould is where all the individual wires are connected for the extension which runs down the stairs.

I reckon this is the problem

Do you think it will be cheap(ish) to fix like in or around 100 ? And who would do the work ? Is it BT or can a non BT person replace a master socket. Will be bringing to LL attention as live on the internet !


EDIT : actually not mould per se but corrosion

msockmould3_zpsa505fec7.jpg


msockmould2_zps798d6637.jpg
 
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You can buy the a new master socket and just fit the front plate. This can be bought for £5 or so on a popular auction site. Use a krone tool and punch the wires down yourself, again that'll be a couple of quid. You can also buy newer master sockets with a built in high quality filter for telephone and a pass through for xDSL at the top, or ones from other places like ADSLNation that have just the front panel with telephone and xDSL connections.

You may need to trim those wires back a bit though to get a decent contact.

You only need one pair connected, in 2 and 5. Looks like you have blue/white white/blue in those spots. The other wires do not need to be connected.

You are not supposed to remove any more than you have done so in the image but if you were to replace the master socket with a new one I doubt BT would ever know if you did a half tidy job. The drop wire from outside the house will arrive as a pair of wires out of maybe a two pair cable. Note which wires go to which terminals, A or B and replicate on the new socket. Some master sockets, also called NTE5, are screw fixed and some are IDC fixed, for which the Krone tool will be needed.

If you want Openreach to come and do it for you they'll charge you over £100 for the privelege for what is a job that can be done for less than £10.
 
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I'm renting and just moved in. Will leave it up to LL to sort.

Thanks for the detailed reply though ! The extension socket has the old BT logo with t where the right half of the cross is 2 dots.
 
djferrick said:
On a side note is it OK to stay plugged into test socket for the next week or two while we wait for replacement?
Click to expand...

Assuming you don't need to use the extension - yes

Tealc said:
If you were to replace the master socket with a new one I doubt BT would ever know if you did a half tidy job.
Click to expand...

Except BT fit NTE5 with their logo on which are hard to find on sale to the public, but I replaced mine with a generic one and they never commented despite coming back twice for exchange related faults.
 
Hmm. The thick plotens.

Been fine in test socket all night. But just woke up now and having a quick check of things and got a drop out !

Will need to do line test. There's always a bit of crackle on the phone as well when I pick it up.Bit windy outside as well
 
If there's noise on the line report it as a fault. Don't mention broadband, just keep things simple and get the voice line fixed. There's a fair chance getting rid of the noise fill fix the broadband.
 
arrrgh. This is starting to annoy me now. I am getting it dropping really frequently now ( bad weather )

So far have tried the following

(a) plug filter directly into test socket - thought that fixed it BUT about 5 hours later drop outs started again

(b) did quiet line test with adsl filter in = crackle. Also even when pick up phone have crackle - put phone directly into test socket - line is quite - switch filter and everything seems ok

(c) BUT skyping this morning I drop connection sometimes every 5 mins and I mean my DSL connection just drops so no devices have internet. I do a factory reset on the router (Technicolor tg582n pro ) as that's what ZEN advised when I first got it because I tried to set it up without an activated line and the adviser said it causes the router to go into an infinite loop. Anyone confirm this ? And would it have affect on whether connection would drop ?

That's where I am so far. The next thing will be to replace the router with the old bebox and see if that has same issue.

After that I am out of ideas as I have been continuing to try quiet line and I keep getting a quiet line since changing the filter.
 
13906489419159127363-mini.png


my test results. Note is it ok to directly link the think broadband link ? Or should I upload it to photobucket ?

Edit: Since the two or three dropouts about half an hour ago we seem to be ok. Really hope the factory reset worked.
 
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Looking at the socket, there also seems to be the ring wire connected? That could cause extra noise so perhaps remove that and see if that helps. Which one is the ring wire, I don't know :p.
 
Stop messing around with the socket. If you are connected into the test socket and the line is dropping, you can hear crackle, and the faults increase as the weather gets worse then you have a line fault.

You can play around with filters and new routers all day long but it won't fix anything.

You don't need a filter connected to use ADSL - just go straight from the test socket into your router.
 
yeah but I can't recreate the crackle now. It's just dropped for the first time since I did the factory reset.

I'll put the old bebox on it and see if we get same issue. I mean the whole point really is to be able to say I've ruled everything out when I report it to BT.

I'm a bit paranoid about not being able to hear the crackle anymore - still couldn't it be a problem at the exchange ? And would that even be noticeable 'on the line' ?
 
Make sure you check for crackle with a wired phone with no other equipment on the line. Plug into the test socket.

What I used to so was listen as soon as my line dropped. It was only once I verified the crackle with this set up that I phoned and got the line sorted. Once the OR guy fixed it the line never dropped again.

OR will replace your master socket when they call anyway and providing there's nothing your end causing the line fault you won't get charged. That's why the test socket is always mentioned as that's the end of OR's liability.

You can buy openreach branded nte5 line boxes off eBay.
 
Tealc said:
You can buy the a new master socket and just fit the front plate. This can be bought for £5 or so on a popular auction site. Use a krone tool and punch the wires down yourself, again that'll be a couple of quid. You can also buy newer master sockets with a built in high quality filter for telephone and a pass through for xDSL at the top, or ones from other places like ADSLNation that have just the front panel with telephone and xDSL connections.

You may need to trim those wires back a bit though to get a decent contact.

You only need one pair connected, in 2 and 5. Looks like you have blue/white white/blue in those spots. The other wires do not need to be connected.

You are not supposed to remove any more than you have done so in the image but if you were to replace the master socket with a new one I doubt BT would ever know if you did a half tidy job. The drop wire from outside the house will arrive as a pair of wires out of maybe a two pair cable. Note which wires go to which terminals, A or B and replicate on the new socket. Some master sockets, also called NTE5, are screw fixed and some are IDC fixed, for which the Krone tool will be needed.

If you want Openreach to come and do it for you they'll charge you over £100 for the privelege for what is a job that can be done for less than £10.
Click to expand...


Is that the same for all masters sockets only 2 pins connected in 2 & 5 ?

My masters socket has a micro filter in then the phone plugs into tht and then the router too ?

i'm gonna check mine see if i can get my noise margins down.
 
MadMan-JaMeS said:
Is that the same for all masters sockets only 2 pins connected in 2 & 5 ?

My masters socket has a micro filter in then the phone plugs into tht and then the router too ?

i'm gonna check mine see if i can get my noise margins down.
Click to expand...

Yes.

There are generally only 2 wires coming into the property and these will go to 2 and 5. There used to be a need for the ring wire (3) but modern telephones don't need it so it can be removed. The wire in 4 was installed for neatness only and doesn't usually serve a function. I've no idea what the other wiring points are for. Maybe second lines or something.

The ring wire can pick up noise and cause some line issues and removal of the wire has seen some people get better speed.
 
so - apparently according to the ZEN website the line may drop off for the first week while the service finds the best 'line speed' for my connection. so until then will have to live with it. Only did it twice yesterday since factory reset.

We'll see how we get on then betwixt now and Thursday

EDIT: have also plugged back into extension socket for time being
 
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