OP
Black Hole
May contain traces of nut
Been there, done that (alarm wiring), but nonetheless worth flagging up.
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Options for Domestic Wired Networking / Broadband
- Thread starter Black Hole
- Start date
OP
Black Hole
May contain traces of nut
I don't understand the "Invalid or non-BT" bit - it is BT.
EEPhil
Number 28
We pay BT for the line but the site came back with
Phone number matched but possible non BT Line. Then, by road, we are sitting on the exchange but also 800m away. (We are 800m+ away - so that bit is right). I agree with Wallace, the accuracy of the information is debatable.
hairy_mutley
Active Member
Is https://availability.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search any better?
EEPhil
Number 28
This page can't load Google Maps correctly. is the first problem. No speeds. (No distances). At first sight - No. 
Ezra Pound
Well-Known Member
Here is another checker, Note, BT only :-
https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome
I suspect this is only calculating to the cabinet
https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome
I suspect this is only calculating to the cabinet
OP
Black Hole
May contain traces of nut
Apart from not displaying the road distance and misinterpreting my line as "non-BT", everything else shown confirms knowledge from other research and is a good match for my own measurements. I therefore interpret it as agreeing that 3Mbps is the best I can reasonably expect from my voice circuit, and BT is only willing to guarantee 1Mbps.
I looked at that before I found kitz, but couldn't make it work.
All of which is just a side issue, prompted by prpr's incredulity at my broadband lack-of-speed (which I thought everyone knew about - I've made no secret of it).
MikeSh
Well-Known Member
Oh yes
prpr
Well-Known Member
I knew about your line speed, but it's the terrible amount of loss on such an apparently short length of cable that surprises me.
Even with 43dB loss, the speed is about half what I would expect.
For comparison purposes, these are the figures on the two lines I have access to:
2.7 km/37 dB/13.5 Mbps
1.7 km/27 dB/19 Mbps
both running at about 3 dB SNR margin.
You haven't got lots of that flat (unbalanced) extension cable have you? MW pickup is a factor for me, and probably is for you too. Line imbalance makes it worse.
Useful reference: https://www.increasebroadbandspeed.co.uk/2012/graph-ADSL-speed-versus-distance
Last edited:
OP
Black Hole
May contain traces of nut
Yes, I saw that chart too.
I have disconnected all the extension cables that were, and have the modem/router plugged into the microfilter on a socket no more than 9' (cable run) from the junction box. Nonetheless, surely house wiring is no worse than the wire coming from the exchange?
What I don't have is a BT master socket or I-Plate (which reading suggests could improve things), but I say again: I am not predicted to get more than 3-5Mbps anyway... so is there any point? (If somebody can supply me an I-Plate on the side, I'll happily fit it.)
My ADSL2+ (or whatever) line rate isn't the problem. The immediate problem is the occasional complete loss of service, and the longer term problem is that I am not predicted to have fibre to cabinet available any time soon.
When broadband drops out, I fall back to my phone hot-spot... which is faster, but my 4G coverage at home isn't great either (if I want a reliable phone call on the mobile, I have to go upstairs)!
I have disconnected all the extension cables that were, and have the modem/router plugged into the microfilter on a socket no more than 9' (cable run) from the junction box. Nonetheless, surely house wiring is no worse than the wire coming from the exchange?
What I don't have is a BT master socket or I-Plate (which reading suggests could improve things), but I say again: I am not predicted to get more than 3-5Mbps anyway... so is there any point? (If somebody can supply me an I-Plate on the side, I'll happily fit it.)
My ADSL2+ (or whatever) line rate isn't the problem. The immediate problem is the occasional complete loss of service, and the longer term problem is that I am not predicted to have fibre to cabinet available any time soon.
When broadband drops out, I fall back to my phone hot-spot... which is faster, but my 4G coverage at home isn't great either (if I want a reliable phone call on the mobile, I have to go upstairs)!
Have you considered mobile broadband with a 4G modem/router and a fixed directional aerial?
OP
Black Hole
May contain traces of nut
That's certainly an option... but is it reliable?
Also, it may seem strange to the younger tribe, but I have an inclination to maintain a wired voice circuit - and if that comes at a subsidised cost as included in a package, so much the better! (Apart from the disaster readiness, I have callers who expect to get me on a land line.)
Also, it may seem strange to the younger tribe, but I have an inclination to maintain a wired voice circuit - and if that comes at a subsidised cost as included in a package, so much the better! (Apart from the disaster readiness, I have callers who expect to get me on a land line.)
everthewatcher
Forum Supporter
A few years back I'd have agreed with you, but recently a mismatched pair of a Devolo dLAN® 1200+ WiFi ac adapter and a Netgear Powerline AV200 Nano fell into my hands.
I've just plugged them in to recheck the figures. With the Netgear connected to the router on a power strip next to two SMPSUs and the Devolo in the garage on a separate CU, the link speed is reported as 129Mbps.
everthewatcher
Forum Supporter
1.2km? Try being on the end of 6.5km of copper to the exchange and <500kbps download last time I looked.
For a bit Virgin was the only game in town, starting with 2Mbps back in 2007. Thank goodness FTTC and >30Mbps came along in 2010/11.
OP
Black Hole
May contain traces of nut
Yeah, that wouldn't be tolerable.
everthewatcher
Forum Supporter
I'd say that was to the premises. POTS is not like VDSL/FTTC - the wire runs all the way from exchange to property and they do know the line length.
everthewatcher
Forum Supporter
Try eBay. A genuine BT Openreach VDSL Faceplate MK3 for an NTE5a Master Socket can be had for £9 and a complete new-style BT NTE5c Mk2 with filter faceplate for much the same.
Ezra Pound
Well-Known Member
The checker in post #27 seems to only have info. on the street cabinet position, I am aware that POTS is copper from exchange to home, but as you only need to supply a telephone number with no address details they are going find it difficult to calculate total line length
I can only quote my daughters experience (in a remote location) where so far (touch wood) it has been totally reliable and more than an order of magnitude faster than the predicted ADSL speed; They have a package with EE that costs £40 a month for 100GB of data (cheaper if your mobile phone is with EE) and the fixed aerial cost (including installation) was less than £100. 200GB of data is £50 a month. See https://shop.ee.co.uk/dongles/pay-monthly-mobile-broadband/4gee-router/details#