Where's my DSL splitter?

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paulchinnz

172 posts

Master Geek

Topic # 17972 20-Dec-2007 09:30
Setting up in a new place and feeling security conscious, got a monitored alarm. The nice folken at thesecurity company offered to install an ADSL splitter to obviate interference from the intrawebs with the alarm and vice versa at a reasonable price, so went for it. I wasn't there at the installation. When I had my last splitter installed, it had it's own jackpoint and I didn't have to use any microfilters. Couldn't find the jackpoint this time, called the installation technician about it, who said that he'd definitely installed a splitter but no jackpoint and still need microfilters. I thought I'd go away to check my understanding of filters and splitters etc again. It sounds like he's installed a splitter for the alarm (i.e. isolating the alarm from the phone line and DSL), but not a DSL splitter, which I would have thought should have isolated the DSL line, thus obviating the need for microfilters (as long as a jackpoint is installed I guess). Thoughts? 'ADSL splitter' is on the invoice, and mewondering I haven't got one of those!

cyril7

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Reply # 100986 20-Dec-2007 10:24
I dunno exactly what he has done, but sounds like he has just installed a filter ahead of the security panel and all the rest of the house lines hang post the panels switched cct. It would still require that you pickup the direct incomming line for the DSL modem. This can be done by wiring the second pair of the house wiring to before the filter and ensuring this goes directly to the site of the modem. Without seeing the actual way he has wired it I cannot tell. Have you opened the panel to see if the filter is in there. Cyril

paulchinnz

172 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 100989 20-Dec-2007 11:23
Apparently the splitter is in the attic (I'm unable to access without getting a ladder or a dozen large books!), and I don't think I'd know what I was looking at anyway without spending several hours with diagrams etc. My bottom line is, is this a DSL splitter if it hasn't actually split the DSL from the rest of the house lines? A security filter is all well and good, but it's not a DSL splitter in my (very limited) books.

cyril7

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Reply # 100996 20-Dec-2007 11:36
A splitter is just a filter with two outputs, one via the filter that the POTS (phone) connects to and the other output is just the input. There is a filter between the inbound line and any pots device, the inbound line connects directly to the DSL modem. I presume that the inbound line in the roofspace goes to a filter, ideally if the installer did his job correctly it should be a MM3200B which is a black device abit bigger than a matchbox with an orange and blue wire pair at each end. The output of this filter should go to the alarm panel, a return from the alarm panel should go to all the POTS(phone) circuits of the house. A split of the inbound line should go directly to the DSL modem. To see what he has done will require siting the installation. By doing this you might find if there is a direct feed for the DSL modem that you have not noticed. Is there an office or natural place that the computer would go, he may have wired one of the phone jacks on that room as the direct line. Cyril

Bung

939 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 100999 20-Dec-2007 11:45
Have you actually got ADSL up and running? Unless the alarm tech has extended the unfiltered line to a jack for your modem it's likely that whatever filter he has connected will be in series with all of your phone jacks and none of them will work for modem access. What was the charge for this "service"?

cyril7

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Reply # 101020 20-Dec-2007 12:57
What was the charge for this "service"? My thoughts exactly, the security industry does not exactly have a good reputation in this area, nor in the way the often deal with mains wiring (illegally that is). Cyril

paulchinnz

172 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 101031 20-Dec-2007 13:59
Bung: Have you actually got ADSL up and running? Unless the alarm tech has extended the unfiltered line to a jack for your modem it's likely that whatever filter he has connected will be in series with all of your phone jacks and none of them will work for modem access. What was the charge for this "service"? $130 for the 'splitter' and installation. Haven't got ADSL running yet; thought should get splitter sorted out first. He has implied (not actually said) that none of the existing phone jacks have been altered so it's for DSL only because he said (not just implied) that microfilters would be needed for any telephones connecting to the phone jacks. There is no new jackpoint (unless he put it in the roof). If that is the case, that ADSL has not been split off the rest of the line, can you still call the splitter that has been installed an ADSL splitter? This may be semantics, but it's also related to my expectations to what should have been installed (I wanted a splitter that would provide an ADSL only line that I could connect to, and save me the trouble of buying a few microfilters, which is what I got when Telecom installed an ADSL splitter for me previously). Thanks for all your thoughts so far.

cyril7

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Reply # 101034 20-Dec-2007 14:23
Paul you have every right to feel p1ssed off, it sounds to me that you have been shortchanged on a service. An acceptable solution is that the inbound cable in the roofspace is intercepted, a MM3200B filter installed, the output of that going to the security panel, the return from the security panel going to all phone points in the house. A single run (or at least electrically so) from the input of the filter to a nominated point for the DSL modem to plug into. For that a fee as charged would be reasonable, any less and I would be reading the riot act. Cyril

dan

459 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 101049 20-Dec-2007 15:02
This is not the first time ive screen Alarm companies call a Filter a Splitter Bascically you paid 130 for a 10$ device and a 5 minute job, im sure if you open your alarm box you see a little black unit hooked into your line. This is not a desirable setup much better to get Telecom to install one at 150$ if you have a monitored alarm and have the seperate jack point for the dsl router.

paulchinnz

172 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 101055 20-Dec-2007 15:46
Thanks for the input fellow GZers ... no that sounds wrong, but you know what I mean! Will let you all know how things go (I can see this saga going on for a few more weeks because it's that time of the year so I don't expect to post again too soon).