Noob question about a "splitter" and the cons of getting it taken out

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Noob question about a "splitter" and the cons of getting it taken out

Tim1234

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#214369 8-May-2017 19:41

Hey guys, I apologise if this is in the wrong category, I am a noob here.

A couple of years ago we had some tech guy put a splitter into the phone jack in the office, which as I understand then rendered all the other phone jacks in the house unable to be used for internet connection (this is what the Telecom guy told me). I think this was done so that wireless and cable could both be used. My personal preference is not to use wireless at all (hope this can be respected and focus maintained on the question), so what I want to do is take out the splitter so that (hopefully) I can then use the other phone jacks for internet connection.

I am wondering what cons there are to this besides not being able to use wireless again (which is fine with me). It has been so long since I altered the internet set up I am wondering if taking out the splitter will have any bearing in regards to using phone and internet at the same time? As I say, I am a techie noob, hoping you supreme tech gurus can drop some knowledge about this. It would be most appreciated. Might save me running an unsightly 20m phone line around the house every night.

Also, who would do the work? Chorus or an electrician?

DarkShadow

1647 posts

Uber Geek

#1778010 8-May-2017 19:50

Everyone here agrees a wired ethernet connection is better than wifi, no one will talk you out of using a cable if you want to use a cable, don't worry.

What you have installed is called a master filter. A master splitter improves the quality of your connection. It also makes a single jack in your house the master jack that can connect to DSL, and other jacks that can connect to phone.

If you take the splitter out your connection will get worse than before. This does make every jack in your house eligible for DSL and phone. However you will now need to supply a plug in filter on ever jackpoint.

It can be done, you just need to know the consequences (read: you will have slower internet). Instead of removing the master filter, why not move the master jack to where you usually use the internet? The cables inside your house are your property. You can hire a data technician yourself, or you can get your ISP to send a Chorus tech along. Either way you'll have to pay for it yourself.

Also, don't use a long phone cable and moving the modem. If you want to go down this route, you should leave the modem in place and use a long etherent cable to connect your computer instead. Reason being long phone cables degrades the signal while long ethernet cable won't.

nickb800

2718 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1778036 8-May-2017 19:58

You've got half of the story right - installing a splitter means that your DSL router can only work in the office outlet. The benefit of this is higher speed and more stable connection, as you don't get reflections of your DSL signal bouncing off the additional phone jacks. This is regardless of whether your internet is distributed within your house by cable or wireless. The technician may have chosen the office as a good central location for distributing wifi.

I'd definitely recommend retaining the splitter and a single DSL outlet. If you want to move the router, then it's more of a question of which phone outlet would you like to plug the router into, rather than livening all of the phone outlets in the house.

Someone might chime in with a recommended data guy in your area, rather than a sparky or Chorus technician, which aren't favoured around here for this kind of job due to competency and price respectively. Another option could be to run a network cable from your office to where your computer is, and leave the router in the office. This may be a cheaper option depending on how easy it is to run cables around your house

RunningMan

8955 posts

Uber Geek

#1778038 8-May-2017 19:59

Having multiple (even unused) outlets has a very detrimental effect on the frequencies used by ADSL / VDSL internet connections. The splitter bypasses this to give the best possible connection.

Can you describe what you are trying to achieve? Is it moving the modem to a more suitable location, or is the ability to plug move it as you wish?

EDIT: This seems to be exactly the same question you asked 4 years ago - did you get that sorted, or is this still the same issue for you?

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=49&TopicId=119410

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1778041 8-May-2017 20:00

Sure, taking the splitter out will allow you to plug your modem into any phone jack depending on how the wires are reconnected by whoever removes it. But keep in mind that the ADSL and VDSL signal types don't support more than 1 modem connected per phone line.

Please say exactly what you want to achieve - Do you want to permanently relocate the modem into a different room of your house, and only use just 1 device connected with wires?

Do you want to use multiple devices at the same time in different rooms all connected via wires?

Don't worry, Most people on this forum prefer that you connect your devices with wires instead of wireless whenever possible. (I am 1 of them as well).