My internet connection isn’t good enough when I’m working at home. Speed is usually adequate given it’s ADSL but sometimes it runs a lot more slowly and I can’t use VOIP because the connection keeps on dropping. My work’s VPN could be a factor but it’s OK in other locations so I’m going to discount it. I guess my cheap router may be at fault for dropping connections but it’s not responsible for the whole internet either disappearing for an hour or running like the hamsters are sedated (last time this happened I did a speed test plugged directly into the router and it wasn’t the wifi at fault). I also have a very crackly phone line which makes me suspect the line in to the house. My local exchange has recently been upgraded to FTTC so I’m looking for a new fast broadband deal. The current ISP (Vispa) isn’t especially cheap and reliability isn’t as good as I’d like so a new ISP is on the cards. It might also be time for a router which wasn’t picked because it was the cheapest in the shop. Thing is, if the connection into the house is crap I’ll still have problems…

Questions:
What order do I try to eliminate problems?
How can I test if the quality of the phone line is an issue?
If the phone is making things worse how do I get it fixed? Does this mean the horror that is OpenReach?
Recommendations for an ISP which can help with this would be appreciated. I’m prepared to pay more for an ISP capable of sorting stuff out and not expecting me to do it for them. Suggestions?

thanks for any help and sorry for writing an essay

try a quite line test, http://support.zen.co.uk/kb/Knowledgebase/Performing-a-Quiet-Line-Test

any issues here will cause problems. also do some speed tests with route in master socket incase it’s an internal wiring issue.

http://speedtest.btwholesale.com/

also search in the forum, there was a discussion on speeds and testing not too long ago.

the router is plugged into the master socket already so it’s not internal extension wiring but I will try a quiet line test…

If you can hear crackling on the line, IME it’s much easier to get BT to fix a voice line fault than a broadband one, as then they can/will blame your computer/router/ISP/wifi/dog/day of the week.

So I’d make sure you have a quiet, crackle-free voice line then go from there…

Once you have that, I like BT infinity FTTC. Nice router with 5Ghz wifi too, which no one else will supply. Of course no use to you if your devices are all only 2.4

1st find your main socket,if unsure follow wire from outside,if it is a nte5 split socket,remove lower part(if you have extensions this will disconnect them) to expose main test socket inside,plug in a known to be ok corded phone and do above quiet line test.if it is noisy at the test point,look for damage on internal/external cable before master socket.Also check for verdigris on adsl spliter where it is pluged into socket and on portion of nte5 you have removed.
If it is noisy/crackly with test phone in test socket,and no obvious cause can be seen,ring your service provider and report line noise,this is likely the problem with bb.
Not that horrific was it 🙂

Not that horrific was it

the master socket is behind a bookshelf containg several hundred LPs 🙁

I can reach the master enough to change the plug so done the test using the master. A quiet line test using the master socket comes up pretty quiet so looks like that is probably OK

re-running the test with the phone plugged into the ADSL filter gives a whole lot of crackly noises. New filter needed? Or is that to be expected?

if you have a phone pluged direct into filter,then the filter is shagged,buy a couple,just saved yourself a bill, 😉

now run the speedtest recommended by Stoner
Down: 2.95
Up: 0.10
Ping: 53.38

Upload and ping were slightly better when I tried again but not by much

New filter is the next step. And I will go hunting the other threads for tips.

Any other recommendations for ISPs while we’re here? BT are the easy option, and I’ll be happier if I can avoid giving my money to the dirty digger.