Options for Domestic Wired Networking / Broadband

[everthewatcher]

...you only need to supply a telephone number with no address details they are going find it difficult to calculate total line length

They can measure the line length using TDR, although I don't know if they actually use it for this measurement.

But I do know they have very accurate maps of where the cables go around here and the predicted VDSL speeds of a neighbour reflected their extra 150m or so of extra cable from the FTTC cabinet.

 

[Black Hole]

They have a package with EE that costs £40 a month for 100GB of data

Ouch! Too much for me.

 

[Black Hole]

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.

Nice to know what I'm looking for - is that the same as an i-plate?

 

[everthewatcher]

Nice to know what I'm looking for - is that the same as an i-plate?

AIUI the function of the i-plate, or Broadband Accelerator as it's now known, is now incorporated in filtered faceplates.

[Edit] Here's some info: www.increasebroadbandspeed.co.uk/I-Plate-broadband-accelerator-adsl-faceplate

 

[Ezra Pound]

They can measure the line length using TDR

Yes it is possible to measure line lenght, but as you can get an instant result after entering the phone number, I think it is very unlikely that that measurement is done

 

[everthewatcher]

Yes it is possible to measure line lenght, but as you can get an instant result after entering the phone number, I think it is very unlikely that that measurement is done

It's probably all on a database.

 

[prpr]

What I don't have is a BT master socket or I-Plate

So what do you have? Can you provide a picture?
I fitted an "ADSLNation XTE-2005" years ago - it replaces the front half of an NTE-5 Linebox, which is the bit you're allowed to modify. You can modify the back half if you know what you are doing and don't get caught, but technically it's not allowed. If you don't have one of these then you probably ought to change it (somehow!). Don't tell Wallace (or Gromit). BT charge an arm and a leg. You're better off having a 'fault' with your existing socket and hopefully they will change it.

have the modem/router plugged into the microfilter on a socket no more than 9' (cable run) from the junction box.

It's better if you can plug it directly into the socket on as short a length as possible. The house wiring should all be twisted pair (CW1308 etc.), as is the cable back to the exchange.
The typical telephone extension cables you can buy have all the wires next to each other. These are unbalanced and pick up interference from everything. I was amazed how 6 feet of this crap affected mine. It made the difference between 6 and 7 Mbps back in the ADSL-1 days.
Having the ring wire connected (pin 3) also gives a single unbalanced 'aerial', which picks up even more 'everything'. This is what decent sockets and i-Plates get rid of.

 

[prpr]

is that the same as an i-plate?

No, an i-Plate is an interstitial-plate. It goes between the two halves of an NTE-5a. You're better off with a 5c Mk2 or the XTE-2005 which has everything built in (and you dispense with the filter, at that socket).
I actually distribute the ADSL pair and the filtered voice pair separately, so I can pick up the right one in the right location - have a Krone block in the loft which is where all the cables arrive from rooms, and the split incoming line is fed there too. Then it's just a matter of jumpering. Means I don't need any plug-in filters anywhere.

 

[Black Hole]

So what do you have? Can you provide a picture?

An old-style fixed RJ-45 socket box (with a microfilter splitter plugged in), just one step on from the ancient circular jack socket! I have no qualms about (unofficially) updating it. All the house extensions were wired the same way back to the junction box (I unofficially disconnected all but the shortest one, and replaced them by DECT).

No, an i-Plate is an interstitial-plate...

Aha, so that's what "i" stands for. ETW's link in post 44 gave me the full SP on the rest.

I actually distribute the ADSL pair and the filtered voice pair separately, so I can pick up the right one in the right location - have a Krone block in the loft which is where all the cables arrive from rooms, and the split incoming line is fed there too. Then it's just a matter of jumpering. Means I don't need any plug-in filters anywhere.

Nice... but I'm surprised you want to run the ADSL any further than necessary. Wouldn't you be better off stuffing it straight into the modem and then distributing Ethernet?

 

[Black Hole]

Is this what I want?

Genuine OpenReach BT Master Socket NTE5C + VDSL MK4 New2018 Clear Cams + BackBox | eBay

Clear Cam lock connectors. With new 2019 logo. This is a Genuine BT OpenReach product with logo as shown in the picture. This is the new for 2016 Master Socket - The NTE5C just released in August 2016.

www.ebay.co.uk

A bit more expensive, but it says (and shows) a third part - a back box which other ads don't seem to include.

How do sellers have access to this stuff (or shouldn't I ask)?

 

[everthewatcher]

Wouldn't you be better off stuffing it straight into the modem and then distributing Ethernet?

Yes, that does seem a bit odd and could introduce problems with unterminated branches.

 

[everthewatcher]

Is this what I want?

That's the current NTE, which means you'll have to swap the incoming BT connections over, which is easy enough as the lever-type IDC terminal don't need a punchdown tool.

However if you've got an earlier flat-front NTE with a 50/50 horizontal split you just fit a Mk3 filter frontplate and leave the BT line alone.

How do sellers have access to this stuff (or shouldn't I ask)?

Probably the same way as the nice weathertight compression F-connectors used by VM [that] appear on eBay.

 

[MikeSh]

Is this what I want?

Genuine OpenReach BT Master Socket NTE5C + VDSL MK4 New2018 Clear Cams + BackBox | eBay

Clear Cam lock connectors. With new 2019 logo. This is a Genuine BT OpenReach product with logo as shown in the picture. This is the new for 2016 Master Socket - The NTE5C just released in August 2016.

www.ebay.co.uk

A bit more expensive, but it says (and shows) a third part - a back box which other ads don't seem to include.

How do sellers have access to this stuff (or shouldn't I ask)?

That's the same as we had fitted by BT last year to replace our old one.
I think the back box is just a pattress for surface mounting - ours doesn't have it as it's fitted over a wall box. Still sticks out a heck of a long way though.

 

[Black Hole]

However if you've got an earlier flat-front NTE with a 50/50 horizontal split you just fit a Mk3 filter frontplate and leave the BT line alone.

As mentioned above, all I have is a very old small square box with a RJ45 on the front, so I need everything...

I think the back box is just a pattress for surface mounting - ours doesn't have it as it's fitted offer a wall box.

including a pattress.

I'll go with that then, thanks all. Nice it has built-in IDC insertion cams, and made of clear plastic for post-installation inspection.

Digging into the details, it appears to have the usual Rs and C, but no surge arrestor. Is that now usual?

 

[everthewatcher]

Still sticks out a heck of a long way though.

Agreed. I was amazed when a neighbour had one fitted when they went back to BT recently. I'll have to measure it against the older-style NTE + Mk3 faceplate here.

 

[everthewatcher]

I actually distribute the ADSL pair and the filtered voice pair separately...

That could well cause problems - ADSL/VDSL can have problems with branches.

 

[Black Hole]

Still sticks out a heck of a long way though.

Fortunately, where mine will be is out of the way.

 

[everthewatcher]

Digging into the details, it appears to have the usual Rs and C, but no surge arrestor. Is that now usual?

R= Out of service resistor. Stops the exchange test equipment flagging it up as a broken line when nothing's connected to it.
C= Bell capacitor. Couples the AC ringing voltage to the bell/BC line.

They dropped the spark gap when they found it had an adverse effect on VDSL speeds and probably didn't do anything.

 

[Ezra Pound]

BH : An old-style fixed RJ-45 socket box

For the record (benefit of other readers), it isn't an RJ-45 socket or if it is it shouldn't be, I guess you are referring to the BT631A socket, In this picture RJ-11 (6way) is on the left, BT631A (BS6312 6 Way) in the Centre and RJ-45 (8way) is on the right

 

[MikeSh]

Fortunately, where mine will be is out of the way.

Good. Ours it at the bottom of the stairs
The other day we lost internet. I did the usual - reboot router, checked service reports (using phone data) - couldn't fathom where the problem was. Then I noticed one side of the Master Socket was smiling. Bastard
(The front portion is held on with a clip each side. I had to give the problem side a good thump to get it to latch, so it's possible it had never been properly seated since installation last year and only needed a slight bump to dislodge it.)