Sky Broadband

[greencreeper]

I have a filtered master socket, and two extensions, one filtered and the other unfiltered. The filtered one is for my Sky+ box, and the unfiltered for my router/phone (I have a filtered socket to connect them). To be honest, I'm not entirely happy with the setup. It gives me the connectivity I want but it feels a bit "bodged". I'm thinking of having BT move the master socket up here, near my PC. Going to cost me but better in the long-term.

[mr_bo]

Originally Posted by Paul

GC that SNR/ Noise margin is very low, you may start suffering drop outs on the connection. <snip> Peak times you may struggle with that SNR and your line may be a bit flakey. BTW did you get the old white router or the new dark grey/ black one?

Take another look at the screenie, the system up time looks pretty good to me.

I use Mossywell utility as my attn is 63db and snr hovers around 6.5 but rarely get drop outs, just re-boots.

[greencreeper]

I have Mossywell nestling in my system tray also

[edit]Just emailed BT for a quote.

Oh and I have the "old white" router

[Paul]

If you are on a prefiltered ADSL master socket you don't need filters else where on the line, only worry about the SNR if it starts dropping lower but at that level any issue on the line can drop the connection pretty quickly.
Keep a check on the connection with Mossywell and check your errors and LOS levels after a week or two, you may not even notice drop outs as they normally re-connect quickly but I had to sort mine as I need a "static" IP that I can guarantee for at least 4 hours per night so any reboot of the router caused me to disconnect.
If you do get any trouble call through to TS late in the evening if possible as our call volumes drop sharply towards end of night and get them to troubleshoot for intermittant connection and point out your SNR level to the CST if you get put through to them.
Oh and happy new year.... guess who is on call Jan 1st lol

---------- Post added at 23:11 ---------- Previous post was at 23:07 ----------

Originally Posted by mr_bo

Take another look at the screenie, the system up time looks pretty good to me.

I use Mossywell utility as my attn is 63db and snr hovers around 6.5 but rarely get drop outs, just re-boots.

System up time just tells you when the router last rebooted, not the last time it dropped signal connection, my up time is 21 days and counting but I know I have dropped connection at least 4 times in that time.
I use this as well as mossy
http://www.vwlowen.co.uk/internet/files.htm

[greencreeper]

Thanks, Paul

BT have quoted £165.33 to basically screw a box to the wall and connect two wires. I should have gone into networking and not desktops. Perhaps for sexual favours I may get a discount Probably 33p knowing my life I think it is something I will pay for doing, though - just not sure when. Cash flow and all that.

[Paul]

Try the software (router stats lite) in my post, I use it to monitor how stable my SNR is, if you see problems with it then try to sort things out on the line, if not and your speed is good then don't worry till you can afford it
Failing that call Sky TS any time after 8pm most nights and you will have very little queuing to get to tech support and after 10 we can normally get straight through to Customer Solutions Team for Tier 2/ 3 assistance.

[greencreeper]

I've got that program installed - took a bit of sussing out how it works, but it's now running. I may be able to pay for the line move in installments - add it to my bill, which I currently may at a fixed amount each month. Will email them.

[greencreeper]

Right. I'm sure we used to have an emoticon that was a geek, with glasses. Anyway, as you can see from the attached image <wacks image with pointer>, there has been a steady decline in the SNR over the course of the day, including a soft reboot at about 15:15 (this was Mossywell detecting a loss of connection). At the moment, the SNR is fluctuating between 5.3 and 6.1

I've emailed BT.

[Paul]

That's what I was worrying about, I see you have posted on SkyU forum for help on the wiring, hopefully they can get some sort of stability on the line for you. If you get the wiring to a point where you know it is as it should be and the SNR is still like that then you may need a call to TS to get it looked at.

[greencreeper]

Yeah - I continued my original thread. It is odd though - a steady decline. You can't leak broadband The odd thing was the second reboot - noise margin hit 19, then dropped immediately. The extension up here doesn't use Cat 5e - just generic telephone cabling (3 pair, twisted), which should be pretty much the same (the twisting is the main bit). But when I first got the router, no fancy faceplates, it was on the same wiring, with a Sky filter - I did notice the odd dropped connection, but never when I was using the PC. The dropped connections tended to be when I was away from the PC - I knew the connection had been lost because there'd be a message from BOINC, complaining about the connection. Mossywell logs confirmed it.

www.jpw.me.uk/misc

[greencreeper]

Hmm. Today is following the same trend - but not a steady decline, more of a stepped decline, punctuated by losses of connection. I've a few irons in the fire regarding tackling the issue. Had a think last night (well, more the early hours of the morning), and I've bought another faceplate - same one I used for my parents, so I know it should be fine. And 30m of CAT 5e with a socket. Also reserved a DECT phone at Argos. Total cost about £50 My plan is to forget BT and move the modem downstairs, with a CAT 5e extension upstairs to my PC - Ethernet travels better than ADSL, being the theory. I won't have a socket for the phone, so I'll use a DECT phone instead. If all goes well, I'll have a socket doubler for the phone downstairs and the new DECT phone; an extension for Sky+; and a CAT 5e extension upstairs. It's more of a hassle than an expense, but it should allow me to be certain that the fault is an exchange one and not the internal wiring - assuming that the rewire does not fix the connection drop outs.

[mr_bo]

If it's any consolation my snr steadily decreases each day with more often than not a Mossywell reboot during peak hours. I have a poor attn which I was well aware of before signing up (anything to get away from vm ) but took all available precautions like an adsl nation xte face plate and only one new telephone extension from master socket to sky hd box where I also have the base station for cordless phones dotted around my house.
Also, when my sky hd was being installed the engineer said about power cycling the router if the internet appeared slower than usual and it will improve but I use Mossywell to do that for me.

[greencreeper]

It's down to 4.2dB at the moment - how low can you go... It's dying... Mosseywell has gone yellow... Wait for the WOOOOOO... No, yes, no... Drum roll... Now 3.9dB... And it's gone <waits patiently> And we're back - at 7.6dB

I think that's the fourth or fifth time today, so far.

[greencreeper]

Right. I've basically replaced the existing telephone/ADSL extension to the attic with an ADSL extension using CAT 5e. I bought a kit. Also replaced the faceplate again with a different type, and bought a DECT phone. I'll see how it goes - may purchase a crimper and RJ45 socket, and move the modem downstairs. Currently SNR is 6.3dB

[downquark1]

If that's the best you can get it you can use this: http://www.mognuts.com/NetgearRouterUtility.html to set the target noise margin higher, which should reduce disconnects but will probably lower the sync speed a little.

Actually, just remembered this will only work if you have the older router.