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the checker talks about ATM rate = sync rate.

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I thought so, thanks. At lease I know now that even if I'm getting a 4000 sync and 3.5MB profile, it's what BT think my line is capable of, so in my case, the checker is accurate.

One thing that made me wonder, although I always thought it was a marketing claim, was a call I got from Homecall (Pipex) a few months ago saying my 2MB line speed would be "doubled" to 4MB if I upgraded.

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The "8M" marketing claims started with UKonline and Bulldog followed.

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I remember this. Most providers are now offering up to 8MB products, and some up to 16MB or even 24MB. When I originally upgraded from dialup to half a meg broadband, I noticed a phenominal difference in both speed and reliability with everything from web browsing to downloading large files. But with subsequent upgrades to 2MB and then 3.5/4MB, I've seen no noticeable difference with things like web browsing and e-mail. Where the difference is noticeable is when downloading large files from a fast server. It makes me wonder whether people on 16MB plus connections actually see any benefit over a connection of a few MB?

Tim

Edited by deleted (Sat 28-Oct-06 16:08:41)

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I'd noticed the conductors were much thicker than the new cable, so would offer less resistance, I was just a bit concerned that not been twisted pair, it might be more prone to picking things up like AM radio and interference from the nearby streetlight more?

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I would say that you're right. The thickness of the conductors will make little if any difference because we're talking about quite low currents here, so voltage drop is not a big issue. But twisting the conductors will make a big difference in the possibility of interference pickup.

Eric

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I fitted a faceplate filter from Clarity, re-located the router to within 2 metres of the master socket and connected it with a Belkin shielded twisted pair RJ11 lead.

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Rather than attacking the drop wire, the belkin cable is probably a better subject for your attention. I had one and it added about 1.5dB of noise compared to the flat rj11 lead which came with the router. The shielding is pointless if it is not earthed or something done to it. Probably the impedance of the cable is a bad match, but it _looks_ like what you would expect for a decent cable, so sales are probably decent. I suggest try experimenting with a short length of plain rj11.

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The thickness of the conductors will make little if any difference because we're talking about quite low currents here, so voltage drop is not a big issue. But twisting the conductors will make a big difference in the possibility of interference pickup.

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That's my line of thinking. The dropwire is only 10-15 metres long, so it's not volt drop that's an issue, but as it runs across probably the most vulnerable to interference part of the network, straight up the outside wall of the house, then suspended up and across the driveway to the pole with a street light in fairly close proximity, it has the potential of acting as a huge aerial! As I understand it, twisting the pairs drastically reduces interference pickup.

Am I right in thinking that replacing this wire with a twisted pair won't make matters worse, might one one hand not make any difference (so nothing would be lost!) but on the other hand might reduce noise pick up on the line? Whether or not it would make a difference would depend on whether or not the old dropwire is picking up any interference or not to start with, something that couldn't be ascertained unless it were replaced and results compared...

My hoping is that BT will replace the telegraph pole at the top of our drive like they've replaced all the others on the street and several others across the village over the last month or so, and replace the dropwire, for free, when they do this (is there anywhere on the net to find out about planned engineering work?). If this doesn't happen, what's the best way to get it replaced? Ring them up and ask them to do it (would they do this? would they charge?) or maybe it could have an "accident" after a storm (I really wouldn't want to consider anything like that, unless it really was a last resort!). Or maybe even reporting that the pole has a split down the middle (which it has!) would get them to replace it and the cabling?

Tim

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Rather than attacking the drop wire, the belkin cable is probably a better subject for your attention. I had one and it added about 1.5dB of noise compared to the flat rj11 lead which came with the router.

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The first thing I did when I brought this cable was to test it against the old one, and mine didn't degrade my stats. It could be that maybe you either had a faulty cable, or something in your system didn't agree with it, maybe as you say causing a mismatch. The exact properties of every line will be different, perhaps you just got unlucky?

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The shielding is pointless if it is not earthed or something done to it.

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I read at the time I brought it that the sheielding wasn't connected to anything, so probably wouldn't make much, if any difference. The main reason I made the invesment was because it's a twisted pair cable, and I wanted to make sure that absolutely every part of my internal wiring was as good as I could get it before applying for Max.

Tim

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The first thing I did when I brought this cable was to test it against the old one, and mine didn't degrade my stats.

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Did it improve them??? I think you have damned the cable with faint praise.

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It could be that maybe you either had a faulty cable,

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I doubt it for a 1.5dB increase in noise, and power levels the same. It was just a rubbish cable. You can't even say it was twisted wrongly, as a flat cable worked better.

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or something in your system didn't agree with it, maybe as you say causing a mismatch

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I have no reason whatsover to think that my system is responsible for the failure of a belkin cable. Whatever coild have been wrong with my system, the belkin cable should have made it better, certinly not worse, inless the cable was rubbish

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The exact properties of every line will be different, perhaps you just got unlucky?

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Well unless you have registered an improvement, I don't think you have got lucky

They will probably be replacing the poles due to either damage (e.g. hedgecutting/rotten) or to meet minimum height requirements for drop wires across carriageways.

"what's the best way to get it replaced? Ring them up and ask them to do it (would they do this? would they charge?) or maybe it could have an "accident" after a storm (I really wouldn't want to consider anything like that, unless it really was a last resort!). Or maybe even reporting that the pole has a split down the middle (which it has!)"

Of those options the latter is probably the only option I could possibly suggest.
Of course you could just leave it as it is.

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Am I right in thinking that replacing this wire with a twisted pair won't make matters worse, might one one hand not make any difference (so nothing would be lost!) but on the other hand might reduce noise pick up on the line? Whether or not it would make a difference would depend on whether or not the old dropwire is picking up any interference or not to start with, something that couldn't be ascertained unless it were replaced and results compared...

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I would say that's spot on.

Eric

Is the pole which BT didn't replace carrying anything other than phone cables ? In rural areas some poles carry electric cables too, and if that's the case, BT have to liase with the electricity company.

No, just telephone services. This isn't a rural area, but on the edge of Chesterfield, a large town. Electricity supplies are all underground feeds.

The next pole down from us was replaced 2 weeks ago which would have been about the same age as ours, around 40 years. The pole up from ours, which was probably older, has also been recently replaced, as have a number of others around here. I've seen BT replacing at least 2 others as I've been driving past in the last few weeks, and looking around (I'd not really taken any notice until now) most of the poles that I pass on the way into town look brand new...

BT installed an additional metal pole on the one down from us to serve the houses on the opposite side of the wooden pole they replaced (to stop the cables drooping across the road maybe?) and the one up from us does look a lot taller, so minimum hight requirements could have something to do with it.

The cables from our pole do seems to droop a lot by comparisson to the new ones, but I don't know whether or not they're below minimum requirements, and the actual pole does seem to be splitting in several places, but again I don't know whether or not this is so bad as to be a hazzard for someone climbing it, I know I wouldn't like to try it!

I think it might be a case of wait and see. If it's not been touched within say the next 6 months, I might try saying something.

Tim