| For a reliable broadband service, you must have correctly fitted microfilters.
These modest devices stop the voice service on your telephone and your
broadband signal from interfering with each other. If this happens your
broadband connection may not work, or you may hear high-pitched noises
when you make phone calls.
Fitting microfilters is straightforward, but can get more difficult if
you have a more complicated arrangement of telephone equipment and line
extensions. Things like Sky TV's telephone connection, fax machines and
burglar alarms can all cause problems. This guide will tell you everything
you need to know to make sure you have your microfilters attached correctly.
Key terms
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Microfilter (also known as a filter or splitter)
It looks like a telephone adapter/line splitter (a device that lets
you connect two telephones to one line). A microfilter is different
because it filters out signals that might cause problems. There are
two sockets on a microfilter, one for your broadband hardware, and
one for an optional telephone device. |
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Telephone master socket
This is the box into which your telephone line arrives from outside.
You might have several telephone sockets in your home or office, but
this is the one from which all other sockets are extended. |
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Telephone extension
These can be built in, and may look just like your master socket,
or you might use a "loose wire" extension. Extensions can
give you more options for the placement of your broadband connected
computer, but can cause problems if they are of poor quality, or damaged.
Faulty extensions are a common cause of broadband faults. The first
thing you should do if you suffer a connection problem is test your
service from your master socket. |
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Connecting direct to the master socket
This is the ideal layout, with less potential for problems. If you experience
problems with your broadband connection, you need to test your service
with this layout to confirm the problem isn't down to a bad extension
cable, or interference from another connected telephone device. In case
there is a problem with your telephone handset, you should disconnect
it from your microfilter duing testing.
If you still find you have problems, make sure that you test an alternative
microfilter. Broadband hardware is usually supplied with a spare microfilter.
Note that it is possible to connect your broadband hardware to the phone
point without the use of a microfilter IF you have the appropriate modem
cable (a telephone cable from an old dial-up modem will often work). Make
sure that there are no other telephone devices plugged in on the same
line, or extensions.
Connecting using an extension
Many people need their broadband service carried to a different room
in the house from the one containing the telephone master socket. Unless
you are using wireless equipment this is done using a telephone extension
of some type. It is vital that a microfilter
is placed on all extension points on which telephone devices are attached.
Connecting with a complicated layout
If you have a complicated arrangement of telephone equipment and extensions
on your line, it becomes increasingly important that you test your broadband
service from the master socket, with all other devices disconnected. You
can then re-connect each device in sequence to see which device is causing
the problem.
Attaching more than 4 telephone devices (phones, fax machines etc) to
a telephone line is likely to cause problems as each device reduces the
signal strength and increases noise.
Connecting it wrongly
You should never have your broadband equipment attached to a telephone
extension that is itself attached to another microfilter. This is because
the broadband signal will be mostly blocked, and is unlikely to work at
all.
Related links
General
Broadband Setup Guide
Telephone
services that don't work with broadband
Broadband
Troubleshooting
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