ADSL Filter over microfilters...

Hi all

I'm looking for some advice please. We moved to a property in October where Broadband speeds were incredibly slow - around 1MBps. We decided to upgrade to Sky Fibre Broadband with an estimated line speed between 36.6MBps - 40MBps. At the moment, the line rate downstream is 27397Kbps. I know that part of this is due to the Sky Hub not being plugged directly into the master socket - the socket is right next to the front door and the PC is upstairs and on the opposite side of the house so not really feasable.

I've been reading online about using an ADSL filtered faceplate as that can improve the speed compared to the microfilters that are sent by Sky. However, I don't know if this will work for me as our Sky Hub is plugged into an extension socket in the Study room upstairs.

Any thoughts appreciated! Thank you

David

For the best speed and performance, your modem should be plugged into the master socket. If the mster socket is in an inconvenient place, you could get it moved. Alternatively you could use a data extension kit to provide a special socket for the modem to plug into.

Another alternative is to plug the modem into the current master socket and then run an ethernet cable to connect your PC in the bedroom to the modem at the master socket over your own LAN.

Hi Batboy,

Thanks for the quick reply

I'm assuming that I'm not able to move the master socket myself? I don't think there's a feasible way of running a cable from the socket to my router really. I assume that the filtered faceplate isn't applicable to me as I'm not plugging directly into the master socket?

Can you explain the data extension kit idea to me? Not familiar with that....

Edited by deleted (Sun 11-Jan-15 14:12:06)

http://www.run-it-direct.co.uk/vdslextensionkit30m.html

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

http://www.run-it-direct.co.uk/vdslextensionkit30m.html

I see they do 4 pair 100% copper CAT5e in 20m lengths for £10.43 also - that's a fair deal

You could replace the faceplate on the existing master socket with a filtered faceplate, such as the Pressac ADSL Faceplate Splitter at www.solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters-faceplates.htm.

You would need to run a suitable wire (such as Cat5e) from the ADSL terminals at the rear of the filtered faceplate to a new RJ45 ADSL socket in your study. Then, you could remove the filters from every telephone extension socket and connect the Sky Hub to the new socket.

Another possibility might be to leave all micro-filters in place. Then, connect your Sky Hub to the existing master socket by the front door - and use a TP Link (or similar) Powerline adapter kit to establish a connection between the Sky Hub and your computer via the mains electricity wiring in your house (see www.pcadvisor.co.uk/test-centre/network-wifi/3490638/15-best-powerline-adapters-2015-uk/). If the Powerline adapter doesn't improve your speeds (and you purchased it from a High Street retailer), take it back for a refund.

A few recommendations.

1) first establish the theoretical maximum that you can reach to see what gain you might make by rearranging the internal wiring. It's easy to do. Temporarily remove the master faceplate and plug the router/modem into the test socket underneath (you'll need to do it via a microfilter as it's a phone socket - that doesn't matter). As that action disconnects all the extensions, it's as good as it's going to get. Check the router sync stats and throughput. If it's a significant improvement (very likely) then see (2),

2) don't even consider moving your master socket. If you have a line problem in the future, it could cost you a lot of money. It's also unnecessary. First thing is to get yourself a filtered faceplate. The most "standard" way is to get a "vdsl interstitial faceplate". Do a web search, they are freely available. Alternatively get yourself one of the third party VDSL faceplates, but make sure it has an unfiltered output. Attach all the extensions bar the one for the VDSL modem to the filtered output. Note that if you've got a "daisy" chain to the socket for the modem/router, you should change your extension wiring so that the modem socket is serviced by a single extension cable. Now attach that broadband extension to the unfiltered output on the faceplate

3) You might find now that your modem extension socket syncs at a decent speed. (You'll still have to use a microfilter at the modem socket, if only because the modem cable won't fit - that, neatness apart, doesn't matter). However, it's unlikely to be optimal, so if you want to improve things further, then get one of those VDSL extension kits (somebody pointed to one on this thread) and make sure it uses twisted pair cable.

All a bit of a nuisance, but this is pretty near optimal and should be both faster and more stable.

Note that once the unfiltered extension is in place, optimal performance will only be when the modem is plugged into that extension. If the modem is plugged into the VDSL faceplate for any reason it will be slightly degraded as the extension will then act as a "bridged tap".

I would steer clear of moving the modem/router to the master socket and using powerline adapters. They often perform quite slowly and, of course, use power all the time.

Well I am using a MK3 version (brought a couple) of the following that doesn't require touching any wires on the master sock at all, well if your careful that is.
GENUINE BT Openreach - vDSL Interstitial Faceplate

You can get them from Amazon for several quid, please note, this is assuming you still already have the NTE3a Phone Face Plate.

And the cool thing is you can either plug your Modem/Router in at the front of the vDSL fate plate via its RJ45 socket (yes, you can connect your Modems/Routers RJ11 connector in there), or use the two pin IDC connector where you can attach your data extension so you can place your Modem/Router where you want it.

With the NTE5A Master Socket, vDSL plate and BT front plate it sticks out about 6cm from the wall, assuming the back box is flush to the wall.

So if you need one you now have an extra place that you can buy one from.

Please be warned that this requires that you have BT NTE5 Master Socket, but this should of been fitted when you got the Fibre installed.

But yeah, I would follow what TheEulerID said to do, there is no point installing the Modem/Router on an extended cable if you don't know the max speed that you can achieve if nothing is connected.
Please beaware you "may" have to leave it connected on the master test socket for a while for it to settle.

As for using 4 pairs of twisted cable, I am not really a fan of leaving unused pairs unterminated like that, any wires unterminated becomes an antenna picking up more noise, but that's just me.

Now what would I choose between a micro filter or a mater faceplate ADSL/vDSL filter.
Hmm, easier answer, NTE5A ADSL/vDSL filter anytime, but that would depend on who made it.

Paul

Edited by PaulKirby (Mon 12-Jan-15 02:56:23)