Jessie The Jeep Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Up until a couple of weeks ago, my 2MB Orange Broadband was fine, if a little slow at times. Then after coming home from a weekend away on 22nd May, my speed had dropped to around 130kbps down load speed. Also, we lost the ADSL signal a number of times, especially each time we tried to use the phone. which was also very crackly. We tried a number of Orange helpline calls, and tested the BT line. The line was fine, Orange were useless, but we were planning on changing providers anyway as Orange were too expensive for what they were offering. So, we switched to BT as they had a phone package too, plus if there was a line or exchange fault, it was theirs to fix anyway. BT went live on Tuesday 7th June, and we were advised that speeds/connection may be up and down for the first 10 days with the new provider. So far, the speed with BT is little different to Orange, ranging between 70 and 130kbps on a line that should be giving us up to around 4mbps, and still a crackle on the line which gets progressively worse as a call goes on. BT won't look at it until after this 10 day period. Any suggestions as to what the problem is? We've tried different routers, wireless and wired, tried swapping adsl filters, tried removing all the phones and just leaving the router connected. Router and main phone are in the main BT socket into the house. All three computers in the house get the same speed test whether wireless or LAN cable connected. One laptop brand new on Win 7, one a couple of years old on Vista and a desktop on XP. I'm running out of ideas for things to unplug and check! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzy-t Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Dear Sir. I am not sure as to where you live, if you are in the UK, you could try giving Computer Heroes a ring, their number is 01242 511026, this is a Cheltenham, Glos. No, there are two guys working there, Shane & Tom. Hope you get sorted soon. Regards Dick Smith (dizzy-t) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Hi, I'm in Washington, Tyne & Wear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Used to be with orange a few years ago, had similar problems to yours and orange where completely useless, remote BT line tests said the line was fine, I disagreed. I was told that I would have to pay some exorbitant sum for a call out if no fault was found..it turned out to be one of their nearby underground junction boxes full of water! The chap found it in about 5 mins. no charge. I had checked and re checked every thing in my house, it had to be their line in. Changed to O2, totally different attitude there, speed went up from around 1 to 1.5 meg to 7.5 to 8 meg on the same line that BT said would only carry 2 meg, and cheaper! Result Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 I've been suspecting it's more of an exchange issue. Something has failed somewhere to be going from normal working broadband to dial up speeds over a weekend and different providers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigman Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I had the same sort of prob I am with Bt and after a lot of hair pulling and there is nothing wrong sir with the line from them. I found the prob to be damp had got into the master socket which was fitted in hall, fitted a new socket and all is well. hope this helps. s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willyslancs Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Had trouble this week too, BT said it was their line somewhere in my house , after tests, they said they would send an engineer out, turned out to be my router( which they replaced for free ,even tho it was not one of theirs in the first place .) Plus they replaced the connection box on the wall as it was old , engineer said it should have been changed years ago! (how are we to know if not told??!!!) ok now (TOUCH WOOD )...Hope it gets sorted mate ......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 I feel a call out coming soon. Working at twice dial up speed is killing me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Try replacing the first phone socket in the house (filter socket) . A MK one from B&Q is about £4 - worked for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Cheers, will give it a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 How old is your master socket? If it's one of the later two-piece ones where the front comes off to reveal another socket inside, try plugging the modem into that as it bypasses all the house wiring. That should show if the problem is internal or external to the house. Also try another modem just to check? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Master socket is 11 years old. It is the two piece type, I have removed the cover and plugged the new BT router directly into the internal socket, and still have the same problem. I've also previously tried two other routers, one wireless and one wired, and get the same fault with each. I tried the engineers test number again last night with the phone and router into the internal master socket. Broadband worked slowly ( dial up speed ) as usual during the call until I pressed option to for the silent line check, at which point the ADSL signal was lost. It came back as soon as I hung up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Sounds like they have loaded more and more on either the local exchange or the twisted pair connections to the exchange, and your signal quality has gone right down the tubes. Any new building near you ? another small estate maybe that has been hooked to your local cross connection cabinet, typically within about half a mile of your place? Unfortunately there is very little that can be done, but you should start now and find a good speed test site, then do regular weekly tests at the same time of day to see where your connection speed is going. This will prove your connection quality ( or lack of it ) over time, even to the most reluctant of suppliers. It sounds like something directly associated with your twisted pair connection to the local exchange, and as such it is a BT problem, whether they like it or not. My house connection is a Virgin Broadband Cable connection, and just flies along, but no consolation if you are outside a cabled area. Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 (edited) There's no building going on, no new houses anywhere locally. The only thing we know about is Talk Talk just moved into the area and were doing something, possibly related to the exchange. This was around two weeks ago when the trouble started. I have been doing daily speed tests, which is why I was quoting around 130kbps download speed. I did more tests this morning with the phone, line and router. Phone on its own is ok. Phone through 10ft extension is ok. Phone through extension, plugged into ADSL filter is fine. Then as soon as the router is connected, I hear crackling and modem noise down the line, and during the engineers test number, as soon as I select option 2 for 'Quiet Line Test' I loose the ADSL signal. The router and filter are the new ones BT supplied, but it's exactly the same with the old router and filters. We can't get cable here or we would have gone that way. Edited June 9, 2011 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Collins Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Steve As a PC Engineer, If your getting crackling on the line then usually it is the filter that has gone, but as your getting them on all the filters that you have tried then I would say it is something with the line. It might be worth asking any of your neighbours if they have had the same problem, if they have then it’s the exchange and it could be then where Talk Talk have gone into the exchange. As it seems to be that voice on the line (when a phones connected works fine) it must be the data side of the line that’s causing the problem and I expect that Talk Talk have knocked a cable as its usually two cables for each telephone number (which is what I have been told) as I am no telecommunications engineer I can't be certain, but I expect one has come loose or is touching another cable in the exchange. Sorry I can’t be any more help. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Cheers. It's all stuff to consider and discuss with the engineer when we drag him out of his comfy office! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 I had a word with my neighbours ( left and right ) and they have both been having the same problems as me. BINGO!!! The people over the road aren't having any troubles. So at least it isn't just me. Reported the fault and BT are looking into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Collins Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Steve That's good news least you know it wasn't just you having a problem so it has got to be a fault in the exchange. Thanks for the update. Mark Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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