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BT Master Socket - NTE5
Network Terminating Equipment
If you're suffering from broadband problems often the first thing you will be asked to do is to "try the test socket".
Often it’s not explained or clear why this is so important.
WHY?
Using an extension socket or plugging into your BT Master Socket ( photo here ) isn’t the same as using the TEST socket! The TEST socket is revealed by removing the lower portion of the faceplate ( photo here ).
This not only reveals the TEST socket but most importantly it disconnects all your home’s phone extension wiring and phone equipment. This means that you get to connect under the best possible conditions which allows you to see if there are any issues with your home’s phone wiring to phone equipment.
Your internet speed normally won’t increase immediately due to BT’s IP Profiling system. See my understanding ADSL thread for more details. But if there are issues with your home wiring your actual connection speed (also known as bandwidth, line rate or sync) will change immediately.
You can check this by logging into your router, these figures are often shown on a 'status' page. Check before and after using the TEST socket.
If you don’t have any wires behind the removable faceplate then that means you don’t have any phone extensions or if you do they have been wired incorrectly!
Also if you remove the faceplate and your extensions continue to work – then again, they have been incorrectly wired and need correcting.
In the past 'house alarm' installers were often known to ‘hardwire’ the phone connection incorrectly by connecting behind the Master Socket. Only BT can legally access the connections behind the Master Socket – homeowners are only allowed to remove the lower faceplate. When (illicit) connections have been made behind the Master Socket they are often un-filtered which will cause ADSL problems.
HOW?
If you don’t have a modern Master Socket (NTE5) which is a good thing to have if you are a keen broadband user, it’s worth trying to get BT to fit on for free!
If you contact BT and explain your phone wiring is ancient and you can’t fit a new extension because you haven’t got a modern style Master Socket then they will often come and fit one for free. Don’t mention improving your broadband connection else they will charge you! People often quote having your wiring ‘regularised’.
I’ve literally (last week) just managed to get BT to fit an NTE5 for free for one of my clients by taking this route.
BT don’t seem to have an official approach to this – so some people don’t seem to fare so well. BT can charge £100’s for a call out so you have to be careful.
The most official price I can find is this.
“ Conversion of hard-wired master socket to Linebox and Regularisation of illicit master socket ” - £30 including VAT
But I'm not sure if a call out fee would be added - best to get BT to put things in writing so you know where you stand!
So my advice would be to nicely ask BT to install a new Master Socket as you don’t have one and therefore can’t touch your wiring – it worked for me.
It's a shame BT don't have a clearer system in place!
If you currently don’t have a modern Master Socket you can carry out testing by unplugging ALL of your phone equipment in ALL of your extensions – faxes, Sky boxes, phones, answer machines, etc. Then plug your router into the socket closest to where the phone wire enters your property. Check the connection speed as above.
IMPROVE!
If the tests have shown that the results from the TEST socket are better than elsewhere then that shows either your internal phone wiring or phone equipment is causing problems. Cheap ‘flat’ style extensions often cause problems as they don’t use ‘twisted wire’ which means they pick up more interference.
The ring-wire (terminal 3) is also a well known cause of slow connections.
If you have got a modern Master Socket then you can also fit either a BT iPlate which removes interference from the ringwire (which can create an unbalanced pair causing interference) but normal ADSL filters are still required.
Or you can carefully disconnect terminal 3 (the ringwire) – you actually only need wires connected to terminals 2 and 5, which has the same effect!
But the best solution is to fit an ADSL Faceplate filter. This filters all your house wiring at source which also means you don’t need to plug in any additional filters for your connected equipment. I can recommend the ones supplied by ADSLNation.
Make the most out of your NTE5!
Network Terminating Equipment
If you're suffering from broadband problems often the first thing you will be asked to do is to "try the test socket".
Often it’s not explained or clear why this is so important.
WHY?
Using an extension socket or plugging into your BT Master Socket ( photo here ) isn’t the same as using the TEST socket! The TEST socket is revealed by removing the lower portion of the faceplate ( photo here ).
This not only reveals the TEST socket but most importantly it disconnects all your home’s phone extension wiring and phone equipment. This means that you get to connect under the best possible conditions which allows you to see if there are any issues with your home’s phone wiring to phone equipment.
Your internet speed normally won’t increase immediately due to BT’s IP Profiling system. See my understanding ADSL thread for more details. But if there are issues with your home wiring your actual connection speed (also known as bandwidth, line rate or sync) will change immediately.
You can check this by logging into your router, these figures are often shown on a 'status' page. Check before and after using the TEST socket.
If you don’t have any wires behind the removable faceplate then that means you don’t have any phone extensions or if you do they have been wired incorrectly!
Also if you remove the faceplate and your extensions continue to work – then again, they have been incorrectly wired and need correcting.
In the past 'house alarm' installers were often known to ‘hardwire’ the phone connection incorrectly by connecting behind the Master Socket. Only BT can legally access the connections behind the Master Socket – homeowners are only allowed to remove the lower faceplate. When (illicit) connections have been made behind the Master Socket they are often un-filtered which will cause ADSL problems.
HOW?
If you don’t have a modern Master Socket (NTE5) which is a good thing to have if you are a keen broadband user, it’s worth trying to get BT to fit on for free!
If you contact BT and explain your phone wiring is ancient and you can’t fit a new extension because you haven’t got a modern style Master Socket then they will often come and fit one for free. Don’t mention improving your broadband connection else they will charge you! People often quote having your wiring ‘regularised’.
I’ve literally (last week) just managed to get BT to fit an NTE5 for free for one of my clients by taking this route.
BT don’t seem to have an official approach to this – so some people don’t seem to fare so well. BT can charge £100’s for a call out so you have to be careful.
The most official price I can find is this.
[s]UPDATED 7/7/2012[/s]“ Conversion of hard-wired master socket to Linebox and Regularisation of illicit master socket ” - £30 including VAT
But I'm not sure if a call out fee would be added - best to get BT to put things in writing so you know where you stand!
So my advice would be to nicely ask BT to install a new Master Socket as you don’t have one and therefore can’t touch your wiring – it worked for me.
It's a shame BT don't have a clearer system in place!
If you currently don’t have a modern Master Socket you can carry out testing by unplugging ALL of your phone equipment in ALL of your extensions – faxes, Sky boxes, phones, answer machines, etc. Then plug your router into the socket closest to where the phone wire enters your property. Check the connection speed as above.
IMPROVE!
If the tests have shown that the results from the TEST socket are better than elsewhere then that shows either your internal phone wiring or phone equipment is causing problems. Cheap ‘flat’ style extensions often cause problems as they don’t use ‘twisted wire’ which means they pick up more interference.
The ring-wire (terminal 3) is also a well known cause of slow connections.
If you have got a modern Master Socket then you can also fit either a BT iPlate which removes interference from the ringwire (which can create an unbalanced pair causing interference) but normal ADSL filters are still required.
Or you can carefully disconnect terminal 3 (the ringwire) – you actually only need wires connected to terminals 2 and 5, which has the same effect!
But the best solution is to fit an ADSL Faceplate filter. This filters all your house wiring at source which also means you don’t need to plug in any additional filters for your connected equipment. I can recommend the ones supplied by ADSLNation.
Make the most out of your NTE5!
[s]Hmmm...[/s] Page:
What a pleasant chap eh Hmmm ... at least you tried :¬)
You need to brush up on your persuasion techniques!
Thanks for the updates - lots of people ask questions here and don't come back to say how they got on! :¬(
Thanks for the updates - lots of people ask questions here and don't come back to say how they got on! :¬(
[s]Hmmm...[/s] 
Oh well, phoned them and laid it on thick about him being a pensioner, wanting to have an extension fitted etc. Indian guy said he'd be charged (£129 or something), I explained that in that case we'd have to think about going with Virgin who would fit a brand new one for free. He had a word with his manager, came back and said there would still be the charge. I guess BT are swimming in customers at the minute.
Looks like I'll be trying Sky after all.
Btw, sorry for not realizing what this website is about. I only found your thread through a google search and didn't take any notice of anything else.
cheers anyway
joe
Looks like I'll be trying Sky after all.
Btw, sorry for not realizing what this website is about. I only found your thread through a google search and didn't take any notice of anything else.
cheers anyway
joe
Already with Sky for the broadband and switching to their 'talk' service would drop the BB cost from £12.50 to £7.50 pm. BT account is in my dads name.
I imagine you're probably right about little to difference it might make adsl wise, but I like the idea of a filtered faceplate looking neater on the wall. I was going to fix a new NTE5 on myself but after opening the box up I backed out of it....the wires look rather brittle to me (unless that's how they're supposed to be) and the apparent short length of cable coming in means I would probably get one chance to do it right. All in all I don't fancy it.
I imagine you're probably right about little to difference it might make adsl wise, but I like the idea of a filtered faceplate looking neater on the wall. I was going to fix a new NTE5 on myself but after opening the box up I backed out of it....the wires look rather brittle to me (unless that's how they're supposed to be) and the apparent short length of cable coming in means I would probably get one chance to do it right. All in all I don't fancy it.
From my experience BT will update/move that master socket free of charge. For an 80yo they would help out - even move the socket if your Dad says he can't bend down that low to use the test socket (once you've got one)!
I guess you could come unstuck if it's your name on the bill though so you might have to bluff a bit.
But if you've no extensions as you mention then in theory there's not much to be gained anyway (ADSL wise).
My 88yo Dad is a Freeola Broadband customer why not give them a go for a month before you tie yourself into a long contract!
I guess you could come unstuck if it's your name on the bill though so you might have to bluff a bit.
But if you've no extensions as you mention then in theory there's not much to be gained anyway (ADSL wise).
My 88yo Dad is a Freeola Broadband customer why not give them a go for a month before you tie yourself into a long contract!
[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Its my mam & dad's house, though I'm currently living there too. He's 80 with slightly dodgy hearing, and they've been with BT forever though I don't suppose any of that would cut sway with BT. The master socket is a one piece plate older type without the test socket (or bottom panel) and that's all there is to it (no extensions). The line comes straight through the wall at the front door and wired directly to the socket.
See photo....
http://imageshack.us/a/img15/8585/tx7k.jpg
Its a twin socket as we used to have 2 lines but the other one was disconnected years ago (though is still physically connected inside the box).
To be honest we're ( I pay the broadband bill) thinking about moving to Sky Talk shortly so maybe I can use that as a condition of signing up with them- get them to arrange for it to be changed, free of course
thanks
joe.
See photo....
http://imageshack.us/a/img15/8585/tx7k.jpg
Its a twin socket as we used to have 2 lines but the other one was disconnected years ago (though is still physically connected inside the box).
To be honest we're ( I pay the broadband bill) thinking about moving to Sky Talk shortly so maybe I can use that as a condition of signing up with them- get them to arrange for it to be changed, free of course
thanks
joe.
Hi Joe,
It's not easy getting BT to carry this work out without paying lots!
You need either ancient equipment as in my case, be elderly or infirm or a new house owner inheriting dodgy kit.
Yes it would have been an original old style socket with no removable faceplate etc. If you've already got a modern style master socket (NTE5 style) with a test socket then they wouldn't be interested.
What's your situation?
It's not easy getting BT to carry this work out without paying lots!
You need either ancient equipment as in my case, be elderly or infirm or a new house owner inheriting dodgy kit.
Yes it would have been an original old style socket with no removable faceplate etc. If you've already got a modern style master socket (NTE5 style) with a test socket then they wouldn't be interested.
What's your situation?
[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Hi
I know this is replying to a (very) old post, but you mentioned getting BT to fit an NTE5 for free (for one of your clients). Was this a hardwired socket (?), as this is the only type they seem willing to replace, without charging a crazy amount.
thx
joe
I know this is replying to a (very) old post, but you mentioned getting BT to fit an NTE5 for free (for one of your clients). Was this a hardwired socket (?), as this is the only type they seem willing to replace, without charging a crazy amount.
thx
joe
Warhunt wrote:
> A handy guide on the iPlate should be up on the site soon, but if
> you want to list one on here this week Hmmm.... it may improve
> the chances of technical outweighing the sheer landslide of game
> reviews ;)
I can take a hint!
iPlate introduction, background and fitting info here :¬)
> A handy guide on the iPlate should be up on the site soon, but if
> you want to list one on here this week Hmmm.... it may improve
> the chances of technical outweighing the sheer landslide of game
> reviews ;)
I can take a hint!
iPlate introduction, background and fitting info here :¬)
[s]Hmmm...[/s] 
A handy guide on the iPlate should be up on the site soon, but if you want to list one on here this week Hmmm.... it may improve the chances of technical outweighing the sheer landslide of game reviews ;)
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