Which is a weird setup, can you take pics of the wiring where it connects?

Isn't it just, hence my wondering earlier about a data extension kit.

I had a look at the extension socket that my router is plugged into and it looks like a generic socket with an RJ11 insert - of the type I've normally seen with an RJ45 socket for Ethernet connection.

As I spent the afternoon with a negative SNR and no broadband I've decided to bite the bullet and call an engineer to wire the master socket correctly and I'll plug the internal wiring into the faceplate. Even if I could sort it out this time I've no confidence that there aren't more problems lurking so I think it's time to undo the mysterious wiring and start with a clean slate.

Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions.

Who is this engineer? Please don�t tell me someone you found in the yellow pages or online

It has to be raised through your internet provider and needs to be a genuine openreach guy, builders are known to mess this stuff up massively.

My broadband provider is BT so it's a pukka Openreach engineer. I'm not risking more cowboys, I'd rather pay for someone who knows what they're doing and have done with it.

In reply to a post by Hawthorns:

My broadband provider is BT so it's a pukka Openreach engineer. I'm not risking more cowboys, I'd rather pay for someone who knows what they're doing and have done with it.

Lets hope you don't get a Kelly's or MJ Quinn Subcontractor, I have always bad work done when its been a Kelly's engineer, might of had the odd MJ Quinn engineer, don't recall if I had any issues with their work.

If you are with BT for your broadband, I would of asked BT if they could send out a Boost Engineer, they will disconnect your whole master socket and BT80 (if you have one) and re-do them, they will also try and get the best possible stable speed for your line with and without the internal extensions if any.

TBH I cannot fault the BT Boost Engineer that we got, very polite and chatty and wasn't in a rush like Kelly's or MJ Quinn engineers always have been.

Paul

Paul, thanks.

I'm out in the sticks so I would hope that the chances of getting a subcontractor are reduced. But I'll keep an eye open anyway.

I also noticed that the Netgear D7000 is not good at hanging on to sync on my line so at least I've found that a router swap didn't help.

Edited by Hawthorns (Tue 19-Sep-17 10:15:17)

I also noticed that the Netgear D7000 is not good at hanging on to sync on my line so at least I've found that a router swap didn't help.

Might be fine once your setup is more normal

In reply to a post by Hawthorns:

I had a look at the extension socket that my router is plugged into and it looks like a generic socket with an RJ11 insert - of the type I've normally seen with an RJ45 socket for Ethernet connection.

That's interesting - the engineer will probably only have to reconnect the other extension to the lower outer plate and that will be filtered for voice use only. The current unfiltered extension that you are using for the router should be OK if it's good quality twisted pair and not too long.

Good luck.

I'm wondering how the story ends...

The story ends with a young woman engineer visiting, swapping out the master socket and sorting out the exotic cabling. The sync speed has gone from around 1500 kbps to (currently) 2080 kbps. She told me that the local network is a mess and full of aluminium. Roll on FTTP.