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Fault with phone line

Sharona68Sharona68 Posts: 1,915
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in General Discussion #1
My phone is displaying "No Line" although the internet is working fine.

I went through the BT fault procedure to find out the problem is inside the house.

I have plugged straight into the Test Socket and it works fine.

Is there a problem with me just plugging into the Test Socket permanently as everything works again, or is there a reason that it is a test socket?

Many thanks.

Comments

  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,465
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    #2
    Sharona68 wrote: »
    My phone is displaying "No Line" although the internet is working fine.

    I went through the BT fault procedure to find out the problem is inside the house.

    I have plugged straight into the Test Socket and it works fine.

    Is there a problem with me just plugging into the Test Socket permanently as everything works again, or is there a reason that it is a test socket?

    No problem at all, it's only there so you can disconnect your own internal wiring to prove if it's at fault - it's no different to all the other sockets in your house (and is just wired in parallel with them.
  • GirthGirth Posts: 12,403
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    #3
    Nigel Goodwin wrote: »
    No problem at all, it's only there so you can disconnect your own internal wiring to prove if it's at fault - it's no different to all the other sockets in your house (and is just wired in parallel with them.
    Doesn't it disable all the other sockets when in use? Or something.
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #4
    Girth wrote: »
    Doesn't it disable all the other sockets when in use? Or something.
    It does. That is the whole point of the test socket. To eliminate faults with the internal wiring when trying to workout the cause of the problem.
  • GirthGirth Posts: 12,403
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    #5
    chrisjr wrote: »
    It does. That is the whole point of the test socket. To eliminate faults with the internal wiring when trying to workout the cause of the problem.
    So we can conclude that the OPs internal wiring is faulty, but if they only need one socket they're OK.
  • Sharona68Sharona68 Posts: 1,915
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    #6
    Thanks for the replies.

    I only have one socket so it should be fine then, until I can get round to sorting it?
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #7
    Sharona68 wrote: »
    My phone is displaying "No Line" although the internet is working fine.

    I went through the BT fault procedure to find out the problem is inside the house.

    I have plugged straight into the Test Socket and it works fine.

    Is there a problem with me just plugging into the Test Socket permanently as everything works again, or is there a reason that it is a test socket?

    Many thanks.
    If you have no extension sockets then it doesn't really matter. If you have extension sockets but never use them then again it doesn't really matter.

    But if you have extension sockets and do want to use them then it will matter as removing the faceplate disconnects all the extensions. So you will have to work out what is causing the problem.

    Which means putting the master socket back together, unplug everything from the extensions. Test on the master and see if you have dial tone. If you do then go round and plug the extension devices back in one at a time and test for dial tone as you do so till the dial tone disappears. The last device plugged in is therefore suspect number 1.

    If you don't get dial tone even with nothing plugged in the extensions you then have to work out if it is the extension wiring or the faceplate. Which could mean taking the extension wires off the back of the faceplate. If you then get dial tone back then it's the wiring. Otherwise if no dial tone the faceplate is faulty and needs replacing.
  • Smiley433Smiley433 Posts: 7,890
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    #8
    Are you using microfilters? Can you test them as well, in addition to what chrisjr has mentioned?
  • Sharona68Sharona68 Posts: 1,915
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    #9
    I have one socket, now with one filter plugged in with the phone and the internet line...it's working absolutely fine.

    I don't have any other phone sockets.

    So I'm assuming I'm ok to keep plugged into the Test socket until I can get the wiring checked? Or do I even need to get the wiring checked if I'm never going to have any more sockets?

    Thanks
  • AndrueAndrue Posts: 23,360
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    #10
    Sharona68 wrote: »
    My phone is displaying "No Line" although the internet is working fine.
    That can happen if only one of the two main wires is connected.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,465
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    #11
    Sharona68 wrote: »
    So I'm assuming I'm ok to keep plugged into the Test socket until I can get the wiring checked? Or do I even need to get the wiring checked if I'm never going to have any more sockets?

    As I said in post #2, it's perfectly fine to run like that - the 'test' socket is no different to any of the others.

    If you're never going to use the extensions though I would suggest you disconnect the wires off the front plate (which are the leads to the extension sockets) and refit the front plate - you can then plug your micro-filter in the front plate, which will be neater than leaving the front plate dangling.

    I'm an electronics engineer, and amongst many other things I also fit phones occasionally, and have just completely rewired the works phone system, including moving the internal exchange to a different building.
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #12
    Sharona68 wrote: »
    I have one socket, now with one filter plugged in with the phone and the internet line...it's working absolutely fine.

    I don't have any other phone sockets.

    So I'm assuming I'm ok to keep plugged into the Test socket until I can get the wiring checked? Or do I even need to get the wiring checked if I'm never going to have any more sockets?

    Thanks
    Are there any wires attached to the back of the removable face plate? This image shows how it would look if there was any extension wiring

    http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/3627/cimg0517mm4.jpg

    If however it looks like this

    http://www.telephone-wiring.co.uk/ekmps/shops/tns06/images/nte5-master-socket-with-bellwire-filter-57-p.png

    you have no extension wiring to worry about.

    If there is a cable attached to the faceplate then you need to work out where it is going to. As that may be the cause of the problem when you plug the faceplate back in.

    But if there is no cable attached to the faceplate then it could be the faceplate itself that is faulty. In which case it is a simple matter of buying a new one and plugging it in.
  • jrajra Posts: 48,325
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    #13
    Sharona68 wrote: »
    My phone is displaying "No Line" although the internet is working fine.

    I went through the BT fault procedure to find out the problem is inside the house.

    I have plugged straight into the Test Socket and it works fine.

    Is there a problem with me just plugging into the Test Socket permanently as everything works again, or is there a reason that it is a test socket?

    Many thanks.

    Again. There shouldn't be a problem. I was using the test socket on ADSL2. I've now got a new faceplate because of moving to FTTC.
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