A tip for increased line speed

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Basekid

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#23338 26-Jun-2008 00:00

My parents live in a new suburb with Orcon internet as their internet provider. For at least a year now they have been getting speed of 2.5mbit download maximum, which is very low.

A week ago tho they changed the battery in their answering machine, and internet has suddenly gone up to 8.1mbit (they have a ADLS1 modem, so technically it is the max) and a 0db line attenuation.

So if you have a dissapointing internet speed, changing the battery in your voicemail may help:)

Hope it works!

billgates

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#140618 26-Jun-2008 00:44

I am sorry, but changing a voicemail battery is going to help the phone line in what way? I just dont believe in it. Besides most people nowdays have a digital answering machine. I find it hard to believe that changing the voicemail battery will decrease your line attenuation. Infact a line attenuation of 0db tells me something is seriously wrong with the modem or setup at home.

Do whatever you want to do man.

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xpd

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#140641 26-Jun-2008 08:41

I agree.... its more likely the answering machine was putting out interference on the line and when the unit has had its battery removed, its stopped that interference and the routers been able to connect properly.

For another supposed tested method of increasing data rate slightly if youre quite a way from the exchange, is to plug your router into a 10m phone extension cable... the theory is that the power is ramped up a bit to get the signal to your router.

In my eyes it kind of defeats the purpose...just adding yet another 10m of distance between you and the excahnge :)

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cyril7

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#140646 26-Jun-2008 09:09

Assuming the battery is just the backup battery that keeps the RTC and message SRAM going when the plug pack is removed from the mains then I very much doubt its the reason.

I assume a filter was deployed between the voice mail unit and the line, if so then most interference generated by the voicemail unit would not make it too the line, nor would the voicemail unit be able to impinge some attenuating impedance on the line to effect ADSL.

I am still not convinced, more likely when you changed the battery you also moved the voicemail unit or its power or line cords away from the DSL modems linecords thus reducing the coupling of interefering radiation.

I would check you have filters on all POTs devices, including the voicemail unit, also reduce the length of the DSL modems line cord to a little as possible, flat non twisted line cords are a big issue for DSL. You may want to look at the location and proximity of the voice mail unit, the DSL modem and their associated power and line cords.

Cyril

Basekid

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#140661 26-Jun-2008 10:09

Hm ok. But the only thing that changed resulting in a 4x internet speedup was the changing of the voicemail battery. We haven't moved cables or anything like that. so it would be logical to assume it had something to do with it.

The voicemail now is still in the same place connected in the same way, but we do have the maximum internet speed we can possibly get atm, so wiring is not an issue I think.

I just can't think of anything else that physically changed resultinh in a sudden improvement of our internet after 12 months.

And doesn't 0db mean that the line quality is actually really good? Not that something is wrong with the router?

cyril7

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#140663 26-Jun-2008 10:15

Unless somehow the battery being flat caused the voicemail unit to short the line or as I say caused some internal regulator to produce less radiated rubbish, or the more likely is that unknowingly you have changed the cable layout enough to reduced coupled radiated energy

Cyril

Basekid

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#140664 26-Jun-2008 10:23

So in theory then if I move the voicemail on my desk the linespeed my drop again? The wiring hasn't changed as we haven't unplugged-plugged any cables during the replacement process.

cyril7

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#140665 26-Jun-2008 10:35

Personally I think changing the battery and the speed change were purely unassociated co-incidence, purhaps the only thing in common was a reboot of the modem caused it resync.

Cyril

webwat

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#148724 17-Jul-2008 03:05

cyril7: Personally I think changing the battery and the speed change were purely unassociated co-incidence, purhaps the only thing in common was a reboot of the modem caused it resync.

Cyril

Of course, since you didnt have a filter on the answerphone, the obvious solution was to install a filter. If the machine creates noise when the battery gets low, it shouldnt make any difference because every analogue phone device needs to be filtered, including the Sky TV decoder that you probably missed as well. Putting a filter on that (or unplugging it) could easily fix a similar speed problem unrelated to any replaced batteries somewhere else.

Time to find a new industry!

Adamal

544 posts

Ultimate Geek

#149571 20-Jul-2008 01:40

Another alarm bell is that the connection speed is 8mbit. Thats the theoretical max for ADSL1. To get that sort of speed, you'd need to be living at the exchange!