networking question - is this doable?

Abz Hussain · 28 Jun 2011 at 11:07

So i have 2 BT master sockets in my house - for the same one telephone line.
I also just happen to have 2 adsl modems.
can i put a modem on each master socket and have wired connections to the devices of my choice, as as of course there is no settings clash?
thanks

N00bbuilder79 · 28 Jun 2011 at 11:21

Are you sure you have to master sockets? If you did would they not have two different numbers?
It is probably just an extension of the one line.

panyan · 28 Jun 2011 at 11:26

if you have two master sockets, then you have two lines right? then yes, you can two different modems, two different internet providers etc etc

Abz Hussain · 28 Jun 2011 at 14:53

N00bbuilder79 said:
Are you sure you have to master sockets? If you did would they not have two different numbers?
It is probably just an extension of the one line.

panyan said:
if you have two master sockets, then you have two lines right? then yes, you can two different modems, two different internet providers etc etc

No, and this is what people dont get, i have TWO master sockets in my house but only the ONE line. I know it sounds wrong, even the isp helpline thinks im crazy. But thats how it is. Im only paying line rental for one line but i can get a a dial tone from both master sockets.

Anyhoo, i just hooked up my old netgear DG834PN to the master socket downstairs and it works fine, the only problem is its only 3Mbs when upstairs with my bebox im getting 11Mbs. I wonder if this might have something to do with the firewall maybe.

I think it may well be an extension of the line i have, more likely the downstairs one is the main original master socket and the upstairs one is an extension but the BT guy put on a master socket housing more than likely.

PistolPete · 28 Jun 2011 at 15:49

Plug a phone into the upstairs socket and ring the house..... does the phone ring??
If it does, then you have 1 line and it's simply an extension.

1 line - 1 modem I'm afraid, regardsless of the number of "master sockets" fitted.

As for the difference in speeds, try the same modem in both sockets (preferable the bebox). It could be that the line comes in upstairs and downstairs is a poorly wired extension. (And yes, before people say it not uncommon for the master socket to be upstairs, and in fact my BT master socket is in my loft - god knows why)

DJMK4 · 28 Jun 2011 at 15:59

If you only have and pay for one line (IE one number) then no this will not work

Not unless this is a second line, and someone is magically still paying line rental for it, and a monthly ISP fee.

Are you sure no one has just got hold of a master socket and used it as an extension socket? If not, then you may have two lines, but this second mysterious line is more than likely de-activated.

What would your intentions of having this sort of set-up at home anyway? Obviously I know about load balancing and QoS. But what are you running at home that would make you think of having this type of setup?

tezabeza · 28 Jun 2011 at 16:43

Abz Hussain said:
No, and this is what people dont get, i have TWO master sockets in my house but only the ONE line. I know it sounds wrong, even the isp helpline thinks im crazy. But thats how it is. Im only paying line rental for one line but i can get a a dial tone from both master sockets.

Dude you have answered your own question here!!! READ your answer

ONE LINE but TWO MASTER SOCKETS!!!!

As one person has said just because you have "2 Master Sockets" doesn't mean 2 lines LOL All it means is that a second NTE5 socket as been added either by BT or by someone that has got one and fitted it DIY style.

monkeyspank · 28 Jun 2011 at 16:51

lol if you snip out a couple of components in a master socket, it becomes a slave.

Lethagized · 28 Jun 2011 at 16:58

PistolPete said:
Plug a phone into the upstairs socket and ring the house..... does the phone ring??
If it does, then you have 1 line and it's simply an extension.

How would that work? If you ring your own house number, it would be engaged until you put the phone down. I think what you meant to say was, if it rings you have 2 lines.

Sp00n · 28 Jun 2011 at 16:59

Or he meant ring it from your mobile?

pepp77 · 28 Jun 2011 at 17:04

RobRX-7 said:
How would that work? If you ring your own house number, it would be engaged until you put the phone down. I think what you meant to say was, if it rings you have 2 lines.

Plug the phone in the second socket then ring your house from your mobile, if the second phone rings you have one line - is what I think he was getting at.

To the OP - What makes you think they are both master sockets, rather than a master socket and an extension socket?

Abz Hussain · 28 Jun 2011 at 17:09

Well im going down the one line and two master sockets road. So one modem only it is.

However, if anyone can explain how i got the the netgear modem to work downstairs, establish a connection with the same settings as my bebox modem , which was connected to the internet at the same time. Should that be possible to happen, would there not be a settings (dchp or other) conflict etc. Im just curious thats all.

Abz Hussain · 28 Jun 2011 at 17:11

pepp77 said:
Plug the phone in the second socket then ring your house from your mobile, if the second phone rings you have one line - is what I think he was getting at.

To the OP - What makes you think they are both master sockets, rather than a master socket and an extension socket?

They both have mater socket features, the groove in the cover and both have test sockets too? If im right, and please correct me if im wrong, and extension wont have a test socket will it?

pepp77 · 28 Jun 2011 at 17:16

Abz Hussain said:
Well im going down the one line and two master sockets road. So one modem only it is.

However, if anyone can explain how i got the the netgear modem to work downstairs, establish a connection with the same settings as my bebox modem , which was connected to the internet at the same time. Should that be possible to happen, would there not be a settings (dchp or other) conflict etc. Im just curious thats all.

No this should not be possible - if a router is connected and you then connect another one up with the same username and password it should knock the first one off, then that comes back on and knocks the second one off - and vice versa on a continuous loop.

Abz Hussain said:
They both have mater socket features, the groove in the cover and both have test sockets too? If im right, and please correct me if im wrong, and extension wont have a test socket will it?

Right, most likely just someone using the wrong socket as basically the master socket should be the demarcation point from the BT NTE - ie one pair of cables (sometimes 2 pairs if the BT engineer is really old fashioned) will connect to pins 2 and 5 on this. The second socket should then only connect back to the first socket and not to the BT NTE. It is the link from the socket directly to the BT NTE that determines a master socket.

Abz Hussain · 28 Jun 2011 at 17:22

pepp77 said:
Right, most likely just someone using the wrong socket as basically the master socket should be the demarcation point from the BT NTE - ie one pair of cables (sometimes 2 pairs if the BT engineer is really old fashioned) will connect to pins 2 and 5 on this. The second socket should then only connect back to the first socket and not to the BT NTE. It is the link from the socket directly to the BT NTE that determines a master socket.

Thats the conclusion im drawing to, one line and two master sockets. However i thought exactly like you when i connected the netgear modem - did not expect it work at all. Much to my surprise when it did with no problems whatsoever, and at the same time as the Bebox upstairs - very fishy lol.
Anyway, everything downstairs is now wireless. Hopefully wireless N will be sufficient to stream Blu Ray to my TV from my NAS