What causes noise on line?

G

GrootBaas

Expert Member
Joined
May 25, 2006
Messages
1,306
Reaction score
236
Hi guys

My line has been going from decent to pretty bad over the last couple of weeks. Last night it was unusable so I am posting this from work.

Have a 10mb line with 4mb account (yes with MWEB, but I'm not throttled just yet so that is not the issue).

Have a Netgear N300 router and have noticed that when I log into the modem the connection is not 10mb but a lot lower (sometimes only connects at 1mb). I then restart the router but this only helps for 30seconds and then it starts getting worse again. Have tried a different router as well, same problem.

Checking my stats, there is a lot of noise on the line if I read the stats correctly (with guidance from the sticky) :

Line Attenuation
Downstream : 33.5db
Upstream : 22.5db

Noise Margin
Downstream : 5.1db (was anything between 0 and 5.1 last night)
Upstream : 2.1db

We are close to a big telkom exchange in Bellville.

I have unplugged everything close to the router, but doesn't seem to make a difference. My question is what can cause such bad noise on the line? Is it something within the house or can it be a line issue that Telkom need to sort out? I have sent Telkom rep a message as well hoping he can assist.

Thanks
 
If you've eliminated everything from your house I'd say its a Telkom issue, I had a similar problem a while back, Telkom crossed my copper pair with a neighbor and my SNR went down from 30db to 5.5 :sick: Luckily they fixed it after mweb at the time logged a fault for me (because I had my line rental through them)
 
Segg said:
If you've eliminated everything from your house I'd say its a Telkom issue, I had a similar problem a while back, Telkom crossed my copper pair with a neighbor and my SNR went down from 30db to 5.5 :sick: Luckily they fixed it after mweb at the time logged a fault for me (because I had my line rental through them)
Click to expand...

Yeah I think my situation may be similar to this. Hoping the telkom rep responds quickly and that channel will be faster than logging a fault myself.
 
I had the same issue a few months ago. It was indeed an issue with telkom which they "fixed" somehow somewhere. Filter was replaced, another router was tested, plugged out the telephone and nothing helped. The tech did something on the exchange and it was fixed, ever since the line is clear from static and my ADSL sync have not dropped even once.
 
Could be a damaged line, do you have a phone hooked up to the line?

If you do, does it work?

If it doesn't report a voice line fault with Telkom
 
grim said:
Could be a damaged line, do you have a phone hooked up to the line?

If you do, does it work?

If it doesn't report a voice line fault with Telkom
Click to expand...

Interesting. I do have a phone connected, but the phone has always been slightly unclear - thought it was the phone...
 
GrootBaas said:
Interesting. I do have a phone connected, but the phone has always been slightly unclear - thought it was the phone...
Click to expand...
Nope.
Report the VOICE service faulty. It is much more difficult for the techie to trace and fix and they cannot BS you as you will still hear noise on the line if he prematurely closes the fault.
 
Check the handset and make sure that that its ok, check the pots filter also they are cheap just buy another and you never know when one gets taken out or chewed by the dog. Remove the modem and check the line also, mine does make some noise on the line if you dial a single digit and wait for the engaged tone to stop you will hear clearly. If all tests and checks are ok and the noise on the handset persists report a voice line fault with noise on the line. Fluctuating snr can indicate a line fault or a fault at the exchange. once the line is clear and if the internet fault persists then log it that way but I have found over the years with my clients that a noisy telephone line is usually the problem and indicates a problem with the cable/exchange.
Below 6 on the snr you are not going to have connection to the internet or very intermittently at best depending on the router you have.

Most Isp's have tools to also check your line so maybe arrange with your ISP that once the Techie has sorted out the noisy line to run a test quick and give you the results that can be a good indicator if there is still a DSL problem if you are not at the premises to check.
 
GrootBaas said:
Hi guys

My line has been going from decent to pretty bad over the last couple of weeks. Last night it was unusable so I am posting this from work.

Have a 10mb line with 4mb account (yes with MWEB, but I'm not throttled just yet so that is not the issue).

Have a Netgear N300 router and have noticed that when I log into the modem the connection is not 10mb but a lot lower (sometimes only connects at 1mb). I then restart the router but this only helps for 30seconds and then it starts getting worse again. Have tried a different router as well, same problem.

Checking my stats, there is a lot of noise on the line if I read the stats correctly (with guidance from the sticky) :

Line Attenuation
Downstream : 33.5db
Upstream : 22.5db

Noise Margin
Downstream : 5.1db (was anything between 0 and 5.1 last night)
Upstream : 2.1db

We are close to a big telkom exchange in Bellville.

I have unplugged everything close to the router, but doesn't seem to make a difference. My question is what can cause such bad noise on the line? Is it something within the house or can it be a line issue that Telkom need to sort out? I have sent Telkom rep a message as well hoping he can assist.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Good Morning,

Is there any noise on your telephone line (a crackling sound)?

If yes, it is possibly a faulty filter.

This is the most common cause of intermittent connectivity, other than the router itself or the line.
 
Hi

Sorry I've been running around for the last few days.

The internet has been slightly better for the last few days, but terrible again today. So I used another filter - still not better.

Plugged in a corded phone and there is a lot of noise on the line. I always thought the cordless phone we use was the issue, but turns out it is the line.
 
How long one expect to wait to get feedback once a fault was logged online with Telkom?
 
I'm in a similar situation. Lightning hit my line last week and destroyed a lot of stuff.
After replacing all the stuff, downlink SNR fluctuates a lot. Sometimes its 20+dB, sometimes its 10 or less. As soon as there's any lightning or rain, the line drops intermittently. Mostly the line does not drop, but results in a load of CRC errors.

Not sure how I'm going to convince Telkom to look at this, since its intermittent without many line drops or even any audible noise on the phone...
 
Mr.Jax said:
I'm in a similar situation. Lightning hit my line last week and destroyed a lot of stuff.
After replacing all the stuff, downlink SNR fluctuates a lot. Sometimes its 20+dB, sometimes its 10 or less. As soon as there's any lightning or rain, the line drops intermittently. Mostly the line does not drop, but results in a load of CRC errors.

Not sure how I'm going to convince Telkom to look at this, since its intermittent without many line drops or even any audible noise on the phone...
Click to expand...

Sucks man. I logged a fault on Monday, still waiting for any response unfortunately.

I wanted to work from home tonight, but afraid there won't be any internetz there so stuck at the office now.
 
Weird, I normally get a techie around the day after a report a fault.
Those kinds are tough to get sorted though because of the best effort nature and them being lazy.
 
GrootBaas said:
Hi guys

My line has been going from decent to pretty bad over the last couple of weeks. Last night it was unusable so I am posting this from work.

Have a 10mb line with 4mb account (yes with MWEB, but I'm not throttled just yet so that is not the issue).

Have a Netgear N300 router and have noticed that when I log into the modem the connection is not 10mb but a lot lower (sometimes only connects at 1mb). I then restart the router but this only helps for 30seconds and then it starts getting worse again. Have tried a different router as well, same problem.

Checking my stats, there is a lot of noise on the line if I read the stats correctly (with guidance from the sticky) :

Line Attenuation
Downstream : 33.5db
Upstream : 22.5db

Noise Margin
Downstream : 5.1db (was anything between 0 and 5.1 last night)
Upstream : 2.1db

We are close to a big telkom exchange in Bellville.

I have unplugged everything close to the router, but doesn't seem to make a difference. My question is what can cause such bad noise on the line? Is it something within the house or can it be a line issue that Telkom need to sort out? I have sent Telkom rep a message as well hoping he can assist.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I know you said you've unplugged everything - but does EVERY single thing that runs on your line have a filter? (Alarm, Phones, Fax's anything). If not - you will get low sync rates and bad Attenuation readings :)
 
Zertop said:
I know you said you've unplugged everything - but does EVERY single thing that runs on your line have a filter? (Alarm, Phones, Fax's anything). If not - you will get low sync rates and bad Attenuation readings :)
Click to expand...

Everything except the alarm, I realise now...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X