Wireless router causes crackle in phone

[starlinguk]

Hello y'all!

I live in England, and I've just moved. I've connected my (BT) wireless ADSL router to the master socket of the phoneline with a microfilter. The problem is, the phone crackles. Really, really bady. When I phone someone, or someone phones me, they sound very far away and I can't hear them properly.

I've tried the following:

- Asked BT to test the line - fine.
- Connected a known working corded phone to test socket (this is the socket next to the master socket that bypasses all internal phone wiring, you can only find it when you take the face plate off), without the router or microfilter - worked perfecty.
- Did the same with my cordless phone, without router or mf - slight crackle, but people still easy to understand.
- Tested cordless phone without adapter (it's a Philips, it needs an adapter to fit in a British phone socket), without router or mf - again, slight crackle, people still easy to understand.
- Tried three different microfilters.
- Changed modem/router cable.
- Only put phone in microfilter, left router out - slight crackle, etc.
- Put microfilter in test socket, attached phone and router (tried both corded and cordless phone) - horrific crackle again.

So, to summarise: the phones I have work fine, the external wiring is fine and I'm bypassing the internal wiring with the test socket, but something goes wrong when I plug the router in. What, however? This same set-up has worked in 3 other houses!

It's driving me bananas. I'm having to use my mobile to make any calls (thank goodness for free included minutes). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[johnwill]

If the phone has static, you'll have to fix that first! Note that everything BUT the modem gets the filters, are you sure you're not installing things backwards?

If you are hearing any sound quality issues on the phone with or without the modem connected, that's a red flag!

[starlinguk]

The corded phone doesn't have any static whatsoever when it's not plugged in together with the modem. The static on the cordless one is only minimal without the modem, I probably wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't been looking for it.

Everything is plugged in correctly, I even checked online to be sure (I thought I was going nuts, I've managed to install this stuff without problems in my 3 previous houses!).

I've ordered an active microfilter to see if that helps. If it doesn't, it might be that the BT line is split (grrr) or degraded and the modem is trying to compensate.

[johnwill]

This is my RX for DSL/ADSL interior wiring, and it's always worked well.


Purchase a DSL splitter and install it at the telco NID (Network Interface Device). This is the place the telephone lines come into your home wiring, usually either in the basement or outside near the other utilitiy connections. Run a direct line from the DSL port on the splitter directly to the DSL modem. Connect all of the other phone instruments to the telephone output of the DSL splitter. All of the DSL analog side wiring should be CAT3 or better twisted pair from the telco service entrance to the DSL/ADSL modem. You can use one of the twisted pairs in CAT5 cable if you have that on hand.

This is as good as it gets for DSL installations, and will usually solve in-house wiring issues.

Here's a good detailed description of the process: DSL Wiring Upgrade Tutorial