Rj45 socket to bt 431a plug

mdaw · 22 Sep 2017 at 13:51

Hi all.

Im looking to use a plug like this to run a cable from a spare phone socket to a youview box for internet signal. My router is upstairs in my bedroom where the main phone socket is, this socket is downstairs. I was told in a shop a while back that this should work.

I have tried using my tp link powerline adaptors for this previously with only sporadic success. It doesn't seem to hold onto the signal. Now if i have the youview box upstairs with the powerline it works quite well. It will lose the signal at times but will get it back. Hard wired from the router upstairs is very good as you would imagine.
Im hoping using the telephone socket downstairs with the adaptor for the ethernet cable will improve the reliability over the powerline adaptors?

andy_mk3 · 22 Sep 2017 at 14:04

You wont be able to use a telephone socket for this, you would need to run a CAT5e/6 cable from your router to the Youview box, ideally with an RJ45 faceplate at each end.

bremen1874 · 22 Sep 2017 at 14:17

If you're very, very, lucky they may have used network cable for the phone extension wiring. The only way to tell is to have a look (post pictures if you aren't sure).

If it does happen to be network cable you'd need to:-

1. Disconnect the extension wiring from the phone socket.
2. Install a RJ45 socket next to the phone socket and connect the extension cable to it.
3. Replace the phone socket at the other end with a RJ45 socket.

mdaw · 22 Sep 2017 at 14:51

Doesnt look like it will work then. Im pretty sure its just a plain phone socket. I would be running an ethernet cable provided by bt from the adaptor plugged into the phone line. Probably cat5e I'd assume.

bremen1874 · 22 Sep 2017 at 14:59

The current socket doesn't tell you what sort of cable is in use. There was a recent thread where the builders had used Cat6 network cable for the phone wiring.

If you are cabling use Cat5e or Cat6.

Don't forget that cables can run externally. It can be a relatively easy way to get a cable between floors.

mdaw · 22 Sep 2017 at 16:15

Its an old building devided into two flats. Mine is the upper maisonette. I think it was built arount 1910. Converted in the 70's or 80's. When the phone ports were done i dont know. Probably a while ago. I can only hope there is a cat 5e or 6 behind there.

bremen1874 · 22 Sep 2017 at 16:27

It's a slim chance, but worth checking.

Depending on how the existing cable is routed you may be able to use it to pull a different cable through.

mdaw · 23 Sep 2017 at 13:49

To be honest that will be a lot of work so i dont see it happening. It looks like standard phone wire to me from what i can see from upstairs to downstairs. Also have a coax lead on top of it going all the way round. Adding more to the skirting would just look ridiculous.

mdaw · 23 Sep 2017 at 13:53

I have a second router that I thought about plugging in the downstairs socket and running the ethernet cable from that but from the reading I've done that wont seem to do the trick either as that would need to be connected via ethernet to the bt hub. Plus there doesnt seem to be any actual plug sockets near the other phone socket to plug the other router into lol.

bremen1874 · 23 Sep 2017 at 19:34

So the existing cables are surfaced clipped? I’d assumed your were talking about something built into the house’s structure.

mdaw · 23 Sep 2017 at 19:54

I thought it was more under the floor boards etc. myself until i looked a bit harder. Whoever did it drilled a hole throught the bedroom wall to the landing and ran it over door frames and skirting all the way downstairs to the other socket just outside my front room. The rest of the cable goes round the skirting and window frames to some sort of little black device which has a cable going through the wall.

bremen1874 · 23 Sep 2017 at 20:55

Given that description you'd usually assume that the socket downstairs was the master socket.

Avalon · 25 Sep 2017 at 08:46

As above it's quite unusual for a master socket to be upstairs, the description reads as though it's the downstairs socket that's the master socket. The only time a master socket would normally be upstairs is when it's pole fed a first floor location, but then you wouldn't have a feed going from it to another socket and then out through a wall. It's the first socket after the point of entry that's usually the master.

Taking a step back, why not identify the issue with the powerline connection? Did you follow the simple instructions on deploying them? No extensions, avoid spur sockets, make sure they're on the same ring main, check the firmware is up to date and did you download the application to monitor the connection on a PC/laptop etc. It may be a wiring issue in which case it's probably beyond the catagory of 'easy fix', but at least try the basics.

mdaw · 25 Sep 2017 at 19:15

Fair enough I havent done all those things. I didnt know there was an application to monitor those and didnt know i could update firmware on them. They are old. Think they are tp link 4411 mini. Without checking when i get home i cant be sure. Whats the easiest way to check the ring main? I cant avoid extensions as all my sockets are old and in the skirting boards so the plugs wont go in especially once i have the ethernet cable coming out the bottom. They have worked ok like that in the past but i know thats not ideal. I have been told that if i got Devolo range+ adaptors i would be ok as they use the earthing as well and dont need to be on the same ring.

mdaw · 25 Sep 2017 at 19:28

They are tp link TA-PA411.

Avalon · 25 Sep 2017 at 23:06

Start by having a look here: http://uk.tp-link.com/download/TL-PA411_V1.html

Anecdotal testing in my home suggests each extension used results in 25% less bandwidth from memory. If at all possible try and plug them direct to a wall socket, run the rest off surge suppressed extensions, but not the PL adapters, the more joints you place between them the worse things get.

bremen1874 · 25 Sep 2017 at 23:48

You can fix your socket clearance problem by fitting the socket the other way up.

If you're short of sockets buy adapters that have mains pass-through.

mdaw · 26 Sep 2017 at 14:28

Ok so i downloaded the tp link utility manager or whatever its called. It didnt really tell me much. What it did show was that when they are connected less than a metre apart they are capable of giving me 250mbps approx and downstairs when connected to a net book or youview box it was capable of giving 47-52mbps which is more than good enough as i get 52mbps on bt infinity 1 and shouldnt need more than 10mbps to use channels on youview/bt tv. Not sure what is recommended for hd channels but i dont have those. Still know nothing about the ring main. Im wondering if some of the problem was from the upstairs ethernet cable. I changed it and things seem better for now. Im sure i tried it before and still had the problem with the connection being intermittent.

mdaw · 27 Sep 2017 at 20:26

Yep happened again. Was watching football and kept losing signal briefly but just had to change the channel and it came back. Then after a few hours the connection went completely. I give up. Gonna have a look for a wireless repeater or extender with a ethernet connection.

Avalon · 28 Sep 2017 at 08:40

Have you checked the firmware version is up to date and plugged in direct to the socket as mentioned? If you’re running in extensions then you’re wasting your time. What (electrically) was going on at the time? Eg a compressor on a fridge/freezer kicked in or microwave etc?

A wireless extender is generally a horrible solution, you are in effect cutting the bandwidth in half, that said you only need a few mbit for TV and it’s not massively latency sensitive in this application. A wired access point is preferable.