cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Connecting to test socket

shure
Grafter
Posts: 509
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Connecting to test socket

My router is dropping signals like it's going out of fashion.  Tried to play Xbox Live (BLOPS II) and managed to complete one game in just under an hour - connection kept failing every other game.  Was fine for most of today but starting going AWOL just after 6pm, peak time, which leads me to believe it's a line fault rather than router hardware related
So, thought I'd connect to test socket to rule out any internal wiring.  But... the previous clown has butted the window frame right up to the BT master socket, meaning I can't access the test socket without undergoing some major surgery on the window, which as you can imagine the missus is thrilled about.  So my question is, can I still get reliable results from connecting directly to master socket or do I have to connect to test socket before an engineer is called out?
Case number is #64765479 if needed
20 REPLIES 20
zpeterk
Grafter
Posts: 430
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Connecting to test socket

The need to test the connection from the test socket is because when you remove the front half it isolates all the extensions and eliminates house wiring  from the equation
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Connecting to test socket

The best you can do in this situation is ensure everything else is unplugged from any extension sockets and the phone socket on the master then check for disconnections. Just be honest with Plusnet on what you are doing.
David
shure
Grafter
Posts: 509
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Connecting to test socket

will do.  Thanks both.
I've plugged in my old Netgear DG834PN to see if that holds the connection better than the Technicolor.  Fingers crossed
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Connecting to test socket

Quote from: spraxyt
The best you can do in this situation is ensure everything else is unplugged from any extension sockets

Even then, in the worst case your internal phone wiring can act like a radio aerial and pick up enough transmissions to severely impair your broadband performance.  So you may not get the same result as if you had been able to use the Test Socket.
Edited to add missing word
chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Connecting to test socket

Hi shure,
let us know how you get on.
shure
Grafter
Posts: 509
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Connecting to test socket

Hi Chris,
I've been away for a day hence the delay in replying.
I've replaced the Technicolor router with my old Netgear DG834PN and connected this directly to the master (not test) socket.  Yesterday my family did not report any noticeable issues, and so far today it's been good.  If all is OK by this evening I will reconnect the Netgear router to the original socket, just to see whether it's a router or socket related issue.  If all remains well then I'd hazard a guess and say it was the router.
If this turns out to be the case and everything works OK, then would it be advisable to just keep the Netgear router is situ, rather than replace it with the new Technicolor you've sent?  From a layman's perspective the Netgear seems to offer more customisation with regards to port forwarding and gaming, but is there any advantage the TG582N offers over the DG834PN?
Thanks,
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Connecting to test socket

I love my Netgear DG834PN and turned down the offer of a router from Plusnet.  However I think the DG834PN can only offer wireless g speed (up to 54 Mbps) unless linked with a matching Netgear wireless adaptor.  The Technicolor router should do wireless N speed (up to 150 Mbps) with any wireless N adaptor.  This may or may not be an issue because usually the speed of your internet connection is the limiting factor.  Wireless range with the Netgear should be similar or possibly better than the Technicolor. 
shure
Grafter
Posts: 509
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Connecting to test socket

Hi RR,
thanks for your reply.  I've used the DG834PN for years and seems OK, but until recently my BB connection was only 2MB anyway.  I now enjoy approx 7MB and have noticed a positive difference.
Whether it's because the TG582N was possibly faulty, I noticed that I had far, far more occurrences of line dropping with the Technicolor than I ever got with my Netgear.  This is best demonstrated by the fact that I tried to use the TBB quality monitor but was unable to do so satisfactorily as I would get a new IP address several times per day.  Since I connected the Netgear three days ago I've not dropped connection once! I've also noticed that having multiple users on the connection at any one time (my kids like YouTube and video streaming) made it almost impossible to game, while this is not the case with the Netgear.  Connecting to parties on Xbox Live was very hit and miss, too.
Confusingly, I've set the TG834PN to auto 108mbps.  Where would I notice the speed difference the most?
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Connecting to test socket

You would only notice a speed difference at all for cross network traffic; moving files form one device on your network to another device on your network.
shure
Grafter
Posts: 509
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Connecting to test socket

thanks, I don't transfer between PCs so no real advantage to go back to the TG582n at all then?
shure
Grafter
Posts: 509
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Connecting to test socket

@Chris,
the response on my ticket proposes to switch interleaving on, but since one of my issues was gaming wouldn't that actually make things worse?
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Connecting to test socket

Quote from: shure
thanks, I don't transfer between PCs so no real advantage to go back to the TG582n at all then?

Not that I can see.
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Connecting to test socket


Interleaving is being added to try and sort out the quite large number of disconnections on your line. We can turn it back off the next working day if it impacts your gaming but I'd suggest trying it to see if it stablises the line first.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Connecting to test socket

Quote from: shure
...................But... the previous clown has butted the window frame right up to the BT master socket, meaning I can't access the test socket without undergoing some major surgery on the window, which as you can imagine the missus is thrilled about.  So my question is, can I still get reliable results from connecting directly to master socket or do I have to connect to test socket before an engineer is called out?

As mentioned by a previous poster, ideally you need to isolate your internal wiring, but the real problem is that if OpenRetch need to visit and they can't access the test socket, you might end up with a bill for having a new one fitted. If you can post a picture of the problem, someone may be able to suggest a method of solving it.