Moving to the sticks - need BB help
Discussion
Well, the 2700 uses a chipset developed by themselves that's particularly clever when it comes to echo and noise cancellation - it was designed in the US, where "bridge taps" are commonplace (Google it).
As to whether it would work with Plusnet - head for their forums. There are some mentions of them on there, including some posts by their own staff.
BT use a different method of authentication to most ISPs, using the line numebr you are connected to, rather than a Username\Password.
As to whether it would work with Plusnet - head for their forums. There are some mentions of them on there, including some posts by their own staff.
BT use a different method of authentication to most ISPs, using the line numebr you are connected to, rather than a Username\Password.
shtu said:
Here's Shtu's Patented Top Tips for Rural ADSL. (Based on 5 years work to bring a 256kb connection up to 2Mb. At roughly 9.5Km from the exchange)
If you don't have a modern NTE5 master socket - get one installed. BT charge about £30 for "regularisation" of the wiring. I cannot suggest buying an Openreach-branded one from eBay and installing yourself, even though it's a 15 min job. That's illegal, even though it's simple to transfer the A and B connections from the existing to the new.
Ahem.
DIY-Shed master socket? 3rd-party chrome or brass one? Bin, get an Openreach one fitted.
Check that when you remove the front part of the master socket to get at the test socket, every extension in the house goes dead. Check each one in turn with a corded phone.
Check for monitored alarm diallers, Oil or Gas tank "Watchman" devices, basically anything else that could be connected to the line. Find out where they connect, and how. The installers of these have a nasty habit of connecting them directly to the BT wiring, which is both bad practice, and illegal.
Check the incoming "drop" wire for any signs of damage from tree branches or the like. Take a look at any overhead cable near your house too.
If there is a small grey box screwed to the wall that the drop wire goes into, you may want to carefully take the cover off, and check that all the connections look to be in good condition and not damp or corroded.
Get an Openreach-branded filtered faceplate, and replace the front part of the master socket with this. Any further wiring should be connected to the faceplate.
Choose a router that works well on long lines. The 2Wire 2700HGV is an excellent device in this respect, although it can seem limited in some areas as it's intended as a router for BT business customers. It can be used with other ISPs with some work.
Using a corded phone plugged into the test socket (and nothing else), dial 17070, choose option 2, and listen. You may hear a very faint background hiss. Any crackles, pops, rustlilng? Book a voice fault for intermittent line noise and don't mention broadband.
The line checker estimates are deliberately conservative, so wait and see what you get when you actually plug in a router. Id' stil recommend following the above steps to make the most of what you have.
can the Mods not make this post into a sticky! If you don't have a modern NTE5 master socket - get one installed. BT charge about £30 for "regularisation" of the wiring. I cannot suggest buying an Openreach-branded one from eBay and installing yourself, even though it's a 15 min job. That's illegal, even though it's simple to transfer the A and B connections from the existing to the new.
Ahem.
DIY-Shed master socket? 3rd-party chrome or brass one? Bin, get an Openreach one fitted.
Check that when you remove the front part of the master socket to get at the test socket, every extension in the house goes dead. Check each one in turn with a corded phone.
Check for monitored alarm diallers, Oil or Gas tank "Watchman" devices, basically anything else that could be connected to the line. Find out where they connect, and how. The installers of these have a nasty habit of connecting them directly to the BT wiring, which is both bad practice, and illegal.
Check the incoming "drop" wire for any signs of damage from tree branches or the like. Take a look at any overhead cable near your house too.
If there is a small grey box screwed to the wall that the drop wire goes into, you may want to carefully take the cover off, and check that all the connections look to be in good condition and not damp or corroded.
Get an Openreach-branded filtered faceplate, and replace the front part of the master socket with this. Any further wiring should be connected to the faceplate.
Choose a router that works well on long lines. The 2Wire 2700HGV is an excellent device in this respect, although it can seem limited in some areas as it's intended as a router for BT business customers. It can be used with other ISPs with some work.
Using a corded phone plugged into the test socket (and nothing else), dial 17070, choose option 2, and listen. You may hear a very faint background hiss. Any crackles, pops, rustlilng? Book a voice fault for intermittent line noise and don't mention broadband.
The line checker estimates are deliberately conservative, so wait and see what you get when you actually plug in a router. Id' stil recommend following the above steps to make the most of what you have.
Edited by shtu on Thursday 2nd August 11:22
shtu said:
cuneus said:
Here's what I found inside the drop box - bloody terminal blocks!! - Touch it and BB/phone would stop.
No way was that done by Openreach. They would use "jelly crimps" which are quicker, easier and more reliable.That's the sort of thing you see when an alarm fitter or DIYer has been at it.
I had a BT engineer who when installing broadband into a new office, decided rather than running his own wire, cut into our new network installation, and stole one of our leads back to the patch plate, pulling a bunch off in the process....
Im serious thats one of the most concise posts i have ever read on the problems with rural broadband.
Im living with 3-7 depending on the time of day. and kept a real eye out for when they were going to be bringing the superfast stuff to us. we were really high on the list till the TARDS at Talk Talk put in a 20meg board in our exchange now were something like 800th on the list as we have access to what is perceived as decent broadband from a supplier. Problem is they are a s
t provider and its still copper so their 20meg in the box will still not be much better than 8-9 once it gets here on the 50year old cables from the exchange 4.7miles away 
Im living with 3-7 depending on the time of day. and kept a real eye out for when they were going to be bringing the superfast stuff to us. we were really high on the list till the TARDS at Talk Talk put in a 20meg board in our exchange now were something like 800th on the list as we have access to what is perceived as decent broadband from a supplier. Problem is they are a s
t provider and its still copper so their 20meg in the box will still not be much better than 8-9 once it gets here on the 50year old cables from the exchange 4.7miles away 
Nowt wrong with either of those.
Crossing a mains cable at right angles is the correct way to do it, running parallel is a bigger problem. While phone cable is twisted-pair, there are relatively few twists compared to CAT5, for example.
The slight pinch on the cable will have no ill effect - plenty space inside the outer.
Crossing a mains cable at right angles is the correct way to do it, running parallel is a bigger problem. While phone cable is twisted-pair, there are relatively few twists compared to CAT5, for example.
The slight pinch on the cable will have no ill effect - plenty space inside the outer.
shtu said:
TinyCappo said:
can the Mods not make this post into a sticky
If mods are interested, PM me and I'll rewrite it a bit. I've not even mentioned electric fences... 
)shtu said:
Nowt wrong with either of those.
Crossing a mains cable at right angles is the correct way to do it, running parallel is a bigger problem. While phone cable is twisted-pair, there are relatively few twists compared to CAT5, for example.
The slight pinch on the cable will have no ill effect - plenty space inside the outer.
Well to the left the BT cable followed those mains cables parallel for 10 ftCrossing a mains cable at right angles is the correct way to do it, running parallel is a bigger problem. While phone cable is twisted-pair, there are relatively few twists compared to CAT5, for example.
The slight pinch on the cable will have no ill effect - plenty space inside the outer.
Those staples were in so hard they had in some places pierced the outer sheath
Bill said:
shtu said:
TinyCappo said:
can the Mods not make this post into a sticky
If mods are interested, PM me and I'll rewrite it a bit. I've not even mentioned electric fences... )
It also means I don't have to bookmark it 
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