1st contact with Customer Service

I've been an Infinity customer since January 2011. I was supplied with a HH2 (and OR Modem) and have always been a (relatively) happy bunny. Last week my desktop permanently died. I bought a new machine. The dead one was connected via Ethernet to the hub and DSL to the modem. The new machine had only the Ethernet port. Therefore, thought I, the DSL cable from the modem was now redundant. I thought to check this with BT customer service.
The gentleman on the other end of the line. ignoring my reassurance that I really did know what I was talking about, described in detail the ports on the modem (and the colour of the wires coming from the ports). He told me that theiI/p ports on my new machine were on the back and so on...When I again asked for reassurance that DSL connection was not required he told me that this was not a BT problem. It was the fault of Lenovo for not providing the proper ports.
There was no way of getting the oaf off script.
Whoever set up this organisation should be shot.
The new machine is up and running with no DSL input.

If the old pc had a dsl port that would be very odd

Wiring usually is

Phone line with dsl cable into openreach modem
Ethernet cable from modem to home hub WAN/Internet port
Ethernet cable from HomeHub LAN port to LAN port on the pc

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

If the old pc had a dsl port that would be very odd

Perhaps the OP was plugging the old PC's 56k dial-up modem socket into the DSL filter, which of course would have been redundant long before now.

Thanks both of you.The dead PC was a 2002 Evesham. The reason I called it a DSL port is that the OR modem port is labelled DSL and the wire from it is now dangling free. All this I explained (or at least tried to) to the Customer service person. The original setup was by an OR engineer and, apart from the very rare reboot I've never had to touch the HH2/Modem config.

In reply to a post by jimholder:

The reason I called it a DSL port is that the OR modem port is labelled DSL and the wire from it is now dangling free.

If the OR modem's DSL port is not plugged into your phone line, then what is?

Honestly I am confused by your setup...

It should go
Filter - DSL cable - BT modem - Ethernet cable - BT HomeHub - Ethernet Cable or WiFi - Desktop

So going into the desktop would only be 1) Ethernet or 2) Nothing if using wireless.

As it works, lets assume you have it right.

I just think you had perhaps a dial up cable connected somehow?

Your right. I've just looked at the back of the dead PC. There's a two port card phone/line. That's where it was connected so it was for dialup (which I never used). Thanks again..

To be fair to the CS guy I can quite understand given your description of your set up why he felt the need to start from first principles.

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

Perhaps the OP was plugging the old PC's 56k dial-up modem socket into the DSL filter, which of course would have been redundant long before now.

He was. But it can still be used for making phone calls from the PC or even Fax.

He was. But it can still be used for making phone calls from the PC or even Fax.

Can also be used as a convenient dialler for numbers stored on the computer, then pick up a real telephone for the actual call.