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landline extension stopped working but broadband on extension ok


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Old 17-08-2007, 19:48
Achilles3001
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Hi

I've got a simple landline extension in my flat. There is one phone plugged in before the extension and after the extension line there is another phone and an ADSL router. About a month ago the phone on the extension stopped working - no dial tone when picking up phone and can't make or receive calls on it.

The phone before the extension still works fine and if I swap them the problem stays with the position - i.e. whatever phone is after the extension doesn't work.

What is confusing me is that the ADSL is working as good as ever.

I have a microfilter fitted between the first phone and the wall and another between the extension and the second phone and the ADSL router. I put the extension in myself about a year ago, it was a diy set from Maplin. It is about 10m long.

Any ideas anyone?

At first I thought it might be because the extension is only two of the wires (the middle two), whereas the phones seems to use all four of the wires, but from reading some forum posts I got the impression that this wouldn't matter. Is this correct?
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Old 17-08-2007, 19:58
brownboyjnr
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The phone line needs 2 wires to work, where as the broadband only needs one wire for the signal to travel down, You probably have a broken wire which is stopping the phone from working.
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Old 17-08-2007, 20:06
Heinz
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Have you tried a new ADSL filter on the extension?
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Old 18-08-2007, 19:04
chrisjr
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The phone line needs 2 wires to work, where as the broadband only needs one wire for the signal to travel down, You probably have a broken wire which is stopping the phone from working.
Broadband also requires two wires. The fact that it can work with a broken wire is because of the frequencies it uses. In crude terms the signal jumps the gap. Though with some degradation.

The phone stops working because it has a 50V DC signal on the line at all times. This signal cannot jump a break and since it also powers the phone the phone stops working.

As Heinz suggests it could also be the filter. An easy test is to unplug it from the extension and plug the phone directly in it's place.
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Old 19-08-2007, 08:17
nigel306
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I've got exactly the same problem but with my main socket, my broadband is ok but no dial tone, tried every combination of phones/filters but not dial tone.
Done the checket thing on the BT site and it says fault is in my property, but nothing connected at checking stage , no extensions etc just my corded phone (checked working with neighbour)
BT want to come check it out and if its a fault my end I will have to pay £116
Hope it one of their wires not my socket
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Old 19-08-2007, 13:19
Achilles3001
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Thanks for the replies guys.

I've tried removing all the microfilters from the system and the problem remains - phone ok before extension but not after extension.

If the problem is a broken wire in the extension how would I test for this? Should there be 50V DC between the two wires at the end of the extension? I guess this should also be the case for the main socket?

Cheers
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Old 19-08-2007, 16:15
openreachpeep
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I've got exactly the same problem but with my main socket, my broadband is ok but no dial tone, tried every combination of phones/filters but not dial tone.
Done the checket thing on the BT site and it says fault is in my property, but nothing connected at checking stage , no extensions etc just my corded phone (checked working with neighbour)
BT want to come check it out and if its a fault my end I will have to pay £116
Hope it one of their wires not my socket
if you've done the checks at the master test socket then you won't need to worry about any charges. unless of course the fault is caused by somat you have done. (trimming ivy, etc)
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Old 19-08-2007, 17:34
chrisjr
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Thanks for the replies guys.

I've tried removing all the microfilters from the system and the problem remains - phone ok before extension but not after extension.

If the problem is a broken wire in the extension how would I test for this? Should there be 50V DC between the two wires at the end of the extension? I guess this should also be the case for the main socket?

Cheers
Yes you should see 50V DC between pins 2 and 5 of the socket.

You don't say what kind of extension you have. If it is wired into the terminals on the back of the detachable section of the master socket you could check the security of the connections. They will most likely be IDC types where the wire is pressed into a slot in the terminal block.

If you don't use the correct tool for this you can end up with a poor connection that pulls out of the terminal very easily. And it can also work itself free enough to break contact with the terminal.

You can get cheap plastic IDC termination tools from places like Maplin and it might be worth getting one and just making sure the wires are pressed firmly into the terminals.
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Old 21-08-2007, 12:50
Achilles3001
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Thanks guys. I'll check the voltages at the end of the extension and then back through the system and hopefully find the problem.
Cheers
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