Extensions Everywhere

My ADSL 2+ was activated last week and my sync is lower than expected. Was estimated 12Mb. Here are my current stats:

==================================================================
Uptime: 0 days, 18:00:13

DSL Type: ITU-T G.992.5

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 443 / 8.514

Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/GB]: 803,35 / 1,99

Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 12,9 / 0,0

Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 20,6 / 38,0

SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 27,6 / 4,6

System Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / ----

Chipset Vendor ID (Local/Remote): BDCM / IFTN

Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 9 / 0

Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 1 / 0

Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Link (Remote): -

Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 2.932 / 0

FEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 0

CRC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 1.432

HEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 4.047
==================================================================

The upload is currently capped and I can't get it removed until after the first 10 days. My download sync is apparently quite low so I would like to try and get the best speed possible. This is where the extensions come in. It's a small apartment with what seems enough extensions to run a call centre lol. I have taken a look and really don't have a clue how they are wired and assume this will be having a great effect on my speed. Another weird problem is that an "extension" seems to work while plugged into the test socket but I'm starting to think this is actually the master socket. Hard to explain in writing lol. I am in an apartment block and all sockets including the NTE5 seem to be fed by cat 5.

This is the NTE5 which an engineer replaced a few weeks ago before the broadband was activated. Behind (the bit I assume I am not allowed to touch - saw while the engineer was here) there is cat 5 and the blue and blue/white is connected to 2/5. The three wires on the front faceplate then lead to 2 extensions (I think).

NTE
NTE

Extension1
Extension2

These extensions become inactive when the faceplate is removed from the NTE. I really don't think they are wired correctly. How does 3 wires become 4? but maybe I am wrong. My ADSL is currently plugged into one of these extensions (there is no noticable difference in sync when plugged directly into the NTE or test socket.

Then there is this "extension" which remains active when the faceplate is unplugged from the NTE which I thought was very unusual but looking at the hardware at the back I am starting to think that this is the actual master socket with the NTE connected afterwards? This is where I have become really confused and have given up messing around without some help.

"extension"

I know this is a very long and most likely confusing post but if anyone can take a look and give me some advice I would be grateful. I have a proper IDC tool so I will make some changes if they are simple enough.

Thanks in advance.

Those wires could be Cat5e or 4 pair CW1308 (BT phone). BUt either will be fine.

The first two extensions are connected correctly - just that the numbers do not align with the IDCs!

The odd extension is a master too and having that in circuit along with the NTE5 can cause issues - is it wired to the back of the new NTE5?

Carefully remove the face plate and post a picture of what you see behind, all wires - you may have to move te connection to teh removable faceplate and also clip out the components.

This is where I think there is a problem. It seems the line comes into the master then to the NTE? There are only 2 wires in the back of the NTE and I assume they come from the master.

Behind NTE

Also out of interest, why is connection 4 used? I though it was only 2,5 and 3 for bell?

Edited by swervinc (Wed 03-Jul-13 23:40:26)

I am going to guess that there is a hidden junction somewhere with the incoming wires connected to the feed to your new NTE5 and the extension.

Find where the incoming feed get to the house and then try to follow what could be the route for the wiring and see if you can find a junction box. Tapping off before the master (Bridge Tap) can cause problems on VDSL and also to some extent ADSL..

As a minimum, you need to cut off the three components on that extension - the master circuit is within the top half of the front plate you have removed.

Connection 4 is not used - but often done for neatness, similarly some Techs would also connect 1 & 6 for the same reason

Really a job for OpenReach since you should not have a live extension when the NTE5 faceplate is removed.

Connections to A&B on the back of the NTE5 look fine though and the live "extension" certainly doesn't look as if it is connected from there - probably from a junction box as MHC suggested.

Also out of interest, why is connection 4 used? I though it was only 2,5 and 3 for bell?

Symmetry - somewhere to store the other half of the pair.

4 is for earth recall on PBX systems like when you press R to get a dial tone to forward the call or whatever.

Pull the white/orange out of terminal 3 on the rogue master socket.

In reply to a post by partial:

Pull the white/orange out of terminal 3 on the rogue master socket.

That could make things even worse. It will depend on what it is connected to and where that connection is.

Nonesense.

Pulling the White/Orange will prolly increase synch. There is a clear A to B reversal and a Bell Wire backfeed from the rogue master based on the photos provided.

The worst that can happen from pulling the the White Orange from terminal 3 of the rogue master is no change of synch speed.

The rogue master, the unchoked bellwire it is introducing and the reversal of polarity is highly likely to be unbalancing the circuit.

Edited by deleted (Thu 04-Jul-13 21:40:28)

It's an apartment, I cannot find where the line enters and I have searched high and low for a junction box so I assume it's in an easy to access location i.e behind a wall somewhere lol. I have done something I probably am not supposed to do. I have disconnected the rogue master and just put it back on the wall neatly but not connected. My speed has now jumped to over 11Mb on the test socket and extensions =). Everything is working perfectly like it is supposed to now although I may get in trouble =S.

Here are my stats now:

==================================================================
Uptime: 0 days, 3:47:55

DSL Type: ITU-T G.992.5

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 443 / 11.175

Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/MB]: 77,49 / 153,18

Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 13,1 / 0,0

Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 20,6 / 38,0

SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 27,7 / 5,5

System Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / ----

Chipset Vendor ID (Local/Remote): BDCM / IFTN

Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Link (Remote): -

Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 422 / 0

FEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 0

CRC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 959

HEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 812
==================================================================

Thanks for everyones help.