Static can cause RF noise that affects the ADSL2+ frequencies.

Try unplugging the HomePlug units, and see if the static clears up, and reboot the router, it might go faster.

How long is the HDMI cable? Short cables (2 to 3m) almost any cheap brand will suffice, 10m or longer you should be looking at better quality.

The Smart TV is it a plasma unit? We've seen some interfere with ADSL2+ before.

A divide and conquer approach to figuring out what is the main cause of any static/interference.

HDMI cables are 2m tops and basic quality. Yes, it is a plasma. Would one of those ferrite cores on the network cable be of any use? I'm not sure what they're for but I think I have a vague memory of there being one in the box and me not using it because we didn't connect it to the internet at first.

I will disconnect the homeplugs for a week or two and monitor the effects anyway.

Thanks again for the advice.

MIght help - but it is a long shot.

Is there any phone wiring near to the TV?

Hmmm.

No phone wiring, no. Dangling network cable that's sometimes used for the laptop and a network cable to the PVR.

I have all my wiring at the back of the telly clipped close together for tidiness. Please don't tell me that could be a reason. I'll cry.

Today's incidents could have been coincidence of course but it does seem odd. We've had A Lot of lightbulbs going lately so I'm beginning to wonder if we just have terrible wiring or something. This is all too complicated! Too many things involved now.

Ever grateful for your advice.

In reply to a post by sadkate:

I have all my wiring at the back of the telly clipped close together for tidiness. Please don't tell me that could be a reason. I'll cry.

Start crying. (Well, please don't).

If you have power cables and signal cables in that neat bundle that is bad. The signal cables in a bunch could be OK, and power cables in another with the two separated as much as possible.

If any power and signal cable need to cross, try to get the cross at a right-angle.

Power cables create a magnetic field round themselves. If they run parallel and close to a signal cable you get the maximum disruption to the signal. If they cross at right-angles any disruption is minimised.

I think with signal cables in a bunch the quality will matter more than normal. They probably need to be twisted pair even if short.

To help in identifying if a network cable is twisted pair, the ones that have a round profile usually are twisted pair.

I would be taking the wiring apart and spreading around the lounge as a test first, if all works well with reasonable spacing then two bundles and maybe better cabling will help.

Also have you considered the posibility that the static source is from the carpet, it can be worse in winter, particularly as people may be wrapped up in more layers of clothing

Hello again.

Finally got a persistent red light so I noted the summary details again to see if they tallied with your initial suspicions?

Internet light went red first:

System Uptime 333:14:18
Modem DSL(Sync) uptime 0:02:58
ADSL Mode ADSL2 PLUS
Interleaving On
DSL Line Speed
up 1020 kbps
down 17756 kbps
Line Attenuation
up 5.6
down 12.0
SN Margin
up 7.1
down 6.0
Total Errors Seconds 0

Shortly after the DSL light went too:

System Uptime 333:16:52
Modem DSL(Sync) uptime Line Down
ADSL Mode -
Interleaving -
DSL Line Speed
up 0 kbps
down 0 kbps
Line Attenuation
up N/A
down N/A
SN Margin
up N/A
down N/A
Total Errors Seconds -

K

The figures are two minutes apart, so it may be the issue was intermittent noise, i.e. not always showing in the stats, but eventually caused a resync.

How often do these happen? My TalkTalk line tends to have one most nights in the summer, but is happy all winter.

Difficult question. It was September when I lost the rag and decided to change ISP but was still in contract but it's been reasonably well behaved recently, so conceivably yes, it's worse in the summer.

When it has been problematic it would go at least once a night.

What is 'noise' in this context please MrSaffron?

Once a night while annoying is in the normal range for ADSL

Noise anything that is not your ADSL signal, in the 25KHz to 2.2MHz range, or put another way, anything that makes an AM radio squawk, squeak, whistle