DSL Filter Question?

[DougY]

Ive been having internet connection problems lately, and I think Ive narrowed it down to my DSL Filter. AT&T Tech Support thinks the filter may be the problem, so I took it out of line. With it offline, my connection has been consistent all day, no disconnects. My question is, how many of you use DSL Filters between the wall jack and the computer? Should I replace it, or just not use one?

 

[AuroraProject]

The filter is actually for the phone, the modem prefers an unfiltered line. The filter is designed to keep unwanted noise out of your home telephone system, the one at the modem is a combo splitter/filter. So you will be better off connecting the modem straight to the wall.

 

[gr8tfly]

I'm assuming by "computer" you mean the DSL modem, which then connects to your computer.

I wouldn't imagine you would have a connection at all. The filter is meant to be installed inline for phones. It's a low-pass filter (re: audio frequencies), so the DSL portion of the signal is greatly attenuated.

 

[Spike88]

Perhaps its wording in your question...

For my home system, vision:
- Main line comes into my home and terminates onto a demarc point (entry panel).
- Demarc point splits into 2 different sub panels.
- One panel (call it phone panel) is wired to every phone jack in my home.
- The other panel (call it DSL panel) is only wired to my DSL Jack.
- Between my entry panel and Panel 1 (phone panel), I have a DSL filter (hard wired in). Thus, every phone in my home has a filter (instead of a filter at every phone jack or wall outlet jack).
- Between my entry panel and Panel 2 (DSL/computer line), its a direct wire connection.
Thus, NO filter on the computer (DSL modem) line.

For more details of DSL filter (on the phone line only), surf:
http://support.hubris.net/knowledge_base/013.html

As stated within the above URL, "Do not place a DSL filter on the phone cord that connects from the wall outlet to the back of your DSL modem! If you put a filter on this line, your DSL will not work because the filter strips out the DSL signal your modem needs to connect to the Internet".

Hope this helps...

.

 

[DougY]

Thanks much!

I'm assuming by "computer" you mean the DSL modem, which then connects to your computer.

I wouldn't imagine you would have a connection at all. The filter is meant to be installed inline for phones. It's a low-pass filter (re: audio frequencies), so the DSL portion of the signal is greatly attenuated.

Thanks very much to all of you who responded. This forum is a great source of information, I appreciate your help!

 

[mellofello]

Former telco technician here.

As was stated before please do not place a filter before your modem. These filters are strictly designed to filter out the noise caused by the circuitry of other equipment on the line.

If you want to be sure to have the clearest signal on your line, then have a technician install a DSL Splitter in your NID (phone box on side of house). This will split the signal before it comes in, and give a dedicated data line directly t your modem. The added benefit is that you will no longer need filters on your phones since the signal is split at the box.

In my experience 80% of DSL trouble was caused by bad wiring in the home, or customer error(plugging filters into modems, or using no filter etc).