Broadband dropouts

[#1]

The master box appears to be an NTE5a which is why it has three connectors.

I'm going to leave playing with wire 3 until I find something to safely remove it (screwdriver not a good idea for fear of shorts).

How tough are these cables to uncrimp?

[#2]

Just gently pull it vertically from the IDC terminal being careful not to yank the wires in 2 & 5. (or cut it off right next to the IDC connector). Curl back out of the way any disconnected wires so they don't touch any of the contacts etc.

(Do not poke screwdrivers into the IDC terminals themselves as this could open the jaws and result in a bad connection).

[#3]

Ta.

Re removal or (especially) cutting off: must it be reconnected before anyone from BT looks at it?

[#4]

Not at all. You are free to disconnect or connect whatever you want to the front plate (that's lawful that is!), you can even replace the front plate. It's the rear stuff where the BT incoming line is that you are not allowed to play with.

The whole idea of the NTE5a is that EUs can wire up their own extensions and should you have problems you remove the front plate - which disconnects all your internal wiring, and you plug straight into that test socket behind the front plate.

[#5]

Got it, thanks.

[#6]

So how is progress? If you have the bell wire removed from the NTE5a and elsewhere, post up the current stats, that may tell us a story.

[#7]

Probably won't get round to much until Thursday so hope to have news early afternoon.

[#8]

Fingers crossed, I'll be removing the bell wire tomorrow.

ITM another total dropout about midnight for several minutes.

Came back with d/l speed = 15.04 (IPP 16.3) and u/l 1mbps (highest yet). Router stats stable re power & SNRM.

[#9]

I'll wait with bated breath then

[#10]

Start breathing AO - tomorrow now.

[#11]

Unfortunately, planning other things means I need the internet so can't afford to lose the connection so bell wire issue indefinitely delayed.

ITM, some stats from today after the connection slowed to a halt. Getting these was near impossible; there's a BTW d/l test still running, grey blocks on their screens, ludicrous results. Heavy rain 30 mins ago.

Test1: 6.29/0.04/0.00 (down/up/ping) - 14.39

Test2: 3.99/0.03/0.00 at 14.51

Test3: 66.10/0.06/0.00 at 14.54 - Yes! 66.10!!!

BT speed test no longer working.

Throughout, even at 6.29, is abysmal - the internet has been almost unusable.

I'm more than ever convinced this is external.

Edit1: at 15.12 4.93 down

Edit2: at 15.13 1.49 down

Edit3: has settled at c.7.5 (after being 15.5 for a few weeks). Absolutely annoying especially as close neighbours are getting 15.5 to 18.5 completely stable. 

Too soon - just dropped and it's now 1.49!!!

[#12]

Vindicated!

I knew the bell wire was a red herring.

I just removed all bell wire connections following AO's procedure exactly.

Result: 1.0/0.15/69.5 (down/up/ping)

DSL stats attached and explain all - bandwidth = 1.699 and down line attenuation is 40.5! IP Profile is now 1.5mbps - internet now close to unusable.

[#13]

PLUSNET - please reset my IP Profile asap.

Also, please tell me what you can see your end about my connection.

TIA

[#14]

I just removed the bell wire from the phone line having disconnected the internet session and powered down the router.

On reboot my IPP is 1.5mbps and d/l speed 1.5, with down line attenuation of 40.5 and snrm 7.6.

This after having c.18mbps in November after ADSL+. Since then there has been a gradual reduction in speed (with a blip back to 15.5 the last two weeks) culminating in speeds all over the place today (from 1.0 to 10) before taking the recommended bell wire action.

Please - no posts here from anyone other than PN. Anyone with ideas & help please go here: https://community.plus.net/t5/Broadband/Broadband-dropouts/td-p/1275840/highlight/false/page/8

PLUSNET - please reset my IPP.

TIA

[#15]

---

@Mardler wrote:

Vindicated!

I knew the bell wire was a red herring.

I just removed all bell wire connections following AO's procedure exactly. 

---

Vindicated?  In what way?  There is every possibility that (a) the bell wire can cause issues and (b) that you've disturbed something whilst removing the bell wire.  Is your phone is still working?

Those stats are massively different from what they were - previous attenuation was 18dB with a synch of 18Mbps - it is now 40.5dB with a synch of 1.69Mbps.  That's very low for that attenuation.

Plusnet cannot just "reset your profile" it follows the synch speed, which in turn follows the attenuation.  Your are going to need to find out what's caused the massive change in attenuation.

I suggest that you remove the NT5a faceplate, plug the router filter and router into the exposed test socket and then report back the stats please.

Just to check the distance and the expected speeds...

Please use the following links to check the services available and their estimated speeds. From the first link, please record and report back the distance from the exchange. The second link advises of which fibre services (if any) are available on your line and their anticipated speed.

• Kitz line check
• Kitz BT checker