Hi,
I'm new here and hope someone can help.
I joined Plusnet 19/11
All fine for about 2 weeks, then struggled with sporadic and slow broadband but don't know if this is connected to my current problem. I assumed it may havebeen the bad weather, but while connection is better, not perfect though, it's still slow (11 down to about 2 max).
Today i realised the phone was not working at all - silence, no calls in or out. Not sure when this started as not a heavy phone user.
Tested online, said it was with my set up.
So far I have
Tested corded (working) phone in master socket - silence.
Tested in test socket - dialling tone
Have router plugged into master socket, works but as mentioned above.
Checked wiring in face plate, all appears ok to my amateur eye.
I have only one extension off it, which runs outside the house, over the garage then back in the house. Router works in this, albeit slow etc.
However, earlier this year, i disconnected an unused extension that ran off this one, outside the house again into the kitchen.
Possibly very stupidly, I just cut it off outside and sealed it off - several people reassured me beforehand that this would be ok.... hindsight, eh?
To be honest, I had looked at trying to do this "properly" at the time but one look inside the box made me wary as I have very limited movement in my hands and fingers. Also, the house is that old that trying to pull it through may well have caused yet more bricks to crumble!
After deciding I had nothing to lose now, I've tried to identify which cable in is which and pushed the culprit through a bit more, but not disconnected it yet as I'm not 100% certain, and not yet got the tool to push the wires back in.
Surprisingly, related or not, I now have a dialling tone from the master socket and the extension, very faint and noisy, can make a call but not sure how long it would hold for. Calls in - rings once, then drops it with line busy message.
Sorry if this is convoluted, just tried to give as much info as possible.
My problem is that with my dexterity issues (not a sob story, I promise! Just an explanation) I'd just like to get a better opinion on where to start so I don't waste effort/money. Plus the option of getting to buy supplies is limited, so usually online.
I can't, in my ignorance, understand how a router can work in a socket that a phone doesn't.
That aside, does it appear to be pointing to replacing the extension socket, without the cut off one, first? With a possible upgrade of the ancient master socket with a vdsl filter plate when funds and courage meet to improve the internet....
I know it would be easier to call an engineer, but money's tight and I tend to want to try things myself first anyway. Determination usually (but not always) pays off.
Thanks if you've ploughed through this, and thanks in advance for any advice.
