Wiring from an NTE5A

I'm getting a bit confused by several recent posts in different places, some of which state definitively, and others imply, that extensions should be daisy-chained off the IDCs.

As I understand it, there is nothing to say you shouldn't star-wire from the faceplate, or even mix star and daisy-chained from it.

Any BT/Comms engineers around?

I am not a BT Engineer, but I have had a couple of them come across my own star-wired extensions at home.

Neither of them had any negative comments to make about it.

- Alex

Wiring from the IDCs of the customer connection unit of a NTE-5 (A or B)* may be daisy-chained or star wired or a mixture of both.
The problem arises when a NTE-5 is fitted to an already star wired set-up, so that when the customer connection unit is removed and the test socket exposed, other sockets remain connected.

When a NTE-5 is fitted it should always be wired so that all extensions are connected to the IDC's of the customer connection unit so that when the test socket is exposed there is a dial tone at the test socket and nowhere else.

As far as Broadband is concerned, a filter faceplate on the NTE-5 is the way to go.

* A or B in this case refers to the type of NTE, not the A and B terminals.

Edited by deleted (Tue 29-Mar-11 15:52:29)

Thanks . That's what I thought.

(And yes, I suppose I should have said NTE5A/B. I do know the difference ).

Sorry Bob, I was not trying to be a smart [censored] but there is always some confusion and someone would be bound to say you are not supposed to connect to the A and B terminals and then we would be off on a long post about how much BT charge to fit a nte5 and then someone would bring up alarms and Redcare circuits and on and on it would go.

Thanks to you too .

Seconded.

I am an engineer with a large house (say around 10 extensions in the house - all wired though not all have phones), set up is - nte5 first, ssfp, then a wire (about 20cm) to a box connection where all the extensions are teed into the feed from the socket. same as having all at the nte5 except that would not fit!
The nte5 has a an adsl filter plate ensuring all filters / alarms etc are filtered - there is no degradation in service whatsoever compared to plugging into the test socket.

I have had this argument with the daisy chain brigade and from my experience star wiring past a filter faceplate is perfectly fine and indeed preferable (as if one extension goes faulty it can be isolated rather than messing up every other extension after it), a straight 6/8w to every socket direct also allows greater flexibility for providing multiple lines etc.

Star wiring before the nte is problematic although in most cases I suspect it is more the case of the multiple unfiltered bell wires than the actual star wiring causing an issue (although technically it can cause issues on longer lines)

Daisy chaining seems to be the preferred route for those who want an easier life / cheaper installation costs i.e. house builders / electricians - but then they also use braided tin alarm cable so wouldnt trust a thing they say about adsl.

You are too kind !
My contribution was negligible compared to the others.

- Alex

No reason why you cannot use any of the three solutions - star, daisy chain or combination. Just use a filtered faceplate to ensure full filtering.

I run from faceplate to another socket and also to a BoxCon200 along with several other lines and from there in a combination of star and daisychain connection - about 10 sockets around the house. Some of the daisychain links are very short and a couple are very long.

It was the first, and gave the correct answer and what I was hoping for . So worth being thanked for.

The nte5 has a an adsl filter plate ensuring all filters / alarms etc are filtered

Thanks, just a thought about your own setup, rather than my general question.

ARe you saying you have a burglar alarm wired (indirectly) into the filtered IDCs on the faceplate?

If so surely if you ever need to remove the faceplate you will trigger the alarm control centre? Alarms should be filtered at the control panel end and wired to the BT A/B terminals.

It will all work but best practice is to only put 2 connections in to an idc termination cos the third one will tire the connection after a few fiddles .

Edited by deleted (Tue 29-Mar-11 23:27:02)

Some alarm interfaces have DSL filters built in but the ideal way is to wire from the AB terminals to a "Hardwire Filter Box" which is a filter on a faceplate but with no phone socket, just in and out IDCs. They are normally fitted using security screws too.

In reply to a post by MHC:

Some alarm interfaces have DSL filters built in but the ideal way is to wire from the AB terminals to a "Hardwire Filter Box" which is a filter on a faceplate but with no phone socket, just in and out IDCs. They are normally fitted using security screws too.

edit to add:
Clarity.it version

http://www.clarity.it/acatalog/adsl_hardwire.html

I have currently have three wires into each idc termination, behind the faceplate.
Does that mean those connectors are being weakened ? They seem to be holding
at the moment. Is it possible that one or more wires could come loose in future ?

- Alex

Yes, standard IDCs are designed for just two. Yes, they can come loose in future and the original specs say just two.

In the consumer world there are none, but there were at one time, commercial IDC terminals that would take 3 wire but no more.

Probably fine, but don't meddle. You would probably be best if installing a further socket to daisy-chain it from an existing one.

You've obviously seen the IDC terminals. Not exactly robust or capacious.