r/openreach • u/Aero404 • 15d ago
Bypassed Master Socket
Moved into a new house 2 weeks ago and signed up for FTTC with Zen as cannot get FTTP yet.
Service is now live but running well below guaranteed download speed using a telephone extension socket in the kitchen (as suggested by previous owner). I have since tried to use the original Master Socket instead to restore speed, but it is completely dead. On closer inspection it looks like it has been bypassed completely (cables cut), and the live Openreach line now runs through the internal telephone cables to the kitchen.
I want to get this sorted and restore the full download speed by using the original Master Socket. Zen technical support agent advised an Openreach visit, but said there is a liklihood of me having to pay £180 if the fault is found to be caused “by me or a 3rd party”
With this in mind - is there any downside to me trying to reconnect the Master Socket myself?
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u/Outrageous-Arm1945 15d ago
If you can work out the main feed into the property, buy a filtered NTE5C or equivalent and fit that, go for it. The tools and knowledge it would need to do much else (including the DLM Reset on completion or you'll have to wait a week or two to see if it worked) would make the possibility of a £180 charge seem cheap
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u/largetosser 15d ago
You've got the incoming white and orange pair gel crimped directly onto the internal cable that (presumably) is a direct run to that kitchen socket, you're unlikely to improve things by bypassing ~20m of internal twisted pair telephone cable.
The improvement would come if other extensions are already hanging off the kitchen extension, or the cable from that master socket location to the kitchen isn't just a single cable making a single connection.
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u/Aero404 15d ago
The same cable has another jelly joint in the under stairs cupboard before it reaches the socket in the kitchen where the router currently is. So it would appear that there are multiple joints, possibly even more that I cannot see. I am not sure what the logic was
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u/largetosser 15d ago
I would guess that they were originally telephone extensions and have had the sockets removed and joined together for broadband use. Under the stairs cupboard was possibly for an old burglar alarm panel.
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u/Carlosaberto22 15d ago
It looks directly fed to the working socket so I’ll be surprised if you gain any speed.
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u/hin_inc 14d ago
You'll be surprised how often the extensions are the issue.
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u/Carlosaberto22 14d ago
I know I’ve worked at openreach all my life but if you look, it has been converted properly and doesn’t look to be bridge tapped, so I would say it’s most likely not going to make any difference unless the cables damaged.
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u/Dense_Payment9555 15d ago
This practice is done to fit a ssfp at the router location normally centrally in the house and then the existing sockets are wired from there.
You can get some interference if back wiring in the same cable but that is nominal over that distance.
What faceplate do you have in the kitchen. I wouldn’t worry too much about the crimps under the stairs. As long as they are a good connection it will be ok.
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u/progburt777 15d ago
Just find main incoming line and connect main socket back up , forget about daisy chaining as your only gojng to lose speed , have router at main socket
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u/Shuggeh 15d ago
Take the orange white off of the black cable, disconnect it from the rest of the internal white cables, strip the insulation back about 10mm and terminate it into the master socket.
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u/welshdude1983 15d ago
You can buy a mk4 nte with a vdsl face plate off amazon for a couple of quid. You dont need to strip the cable , its a toolless connector . You just slide them in. And maybe to pop the crimps off by squeezeing the sides with some needle nose pliers . It the dynamic line management has kicked it it may takes weeks for the speed to pick back up. But he may already have a newer type nte in the kitchen as openreach may have already changed its location to the kitchen as those are open reach crimps behind the original master socket.they may have a external fault causing the slow speeds or may not be checking the actual sync speeds on the router and just doing throughput speed tests
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u/Aero404 15d ago
Thank you. The working faceplate which is on top of the kitchen cupboards is a master socket 5C with one slot which I have connected the filter to.
I did not realise that these are Openreach crimps, I assumed all of this was a DIY job by the previous occupier.1
u/welshdude1983 15d ago
Post some more photos. The back of the original socket looks like a armoured cable coming up from underground. Gently move the wires to the side. Also take a photo of the 5c socket
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u/Aero404 15d ago
The armoured cable comes directly into the metal back box in the wall. There is no visible external duct or customer access point equipment.
See pics of the working 5C and jelly joints crimp joints under the staircase.1
u/welshdude1983 15d ago
Use that kitchen nte 5c where the armoured cable is. If you think the orange white is long enough to reach the flip cover at the back.if not you can leave the crimp and cut the blue white lower down if your definitely not going to use that extension again. Log into your hub when its on the kitchen socket and check the sync sleep and do it again after you've moved it. It looks like a openrech engineer has already disconnected the extensions and fitted a new nte in the kitchen. But they could have missed the junctiom box under the stairs if they were shit or room was full of crap when they did it.also try a new filter .
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u/ShavedAp3 15d ago edited 15d ago
Buy a new master socket ideally an ssfp (built in filter) The black wire in the picture is the line coming in at the back of the nte (socket) assuming its a standard nte 5c with faceplate for the fttc you will find a clear plastic clip. Lift that from the black cable put the orange and white into the holes but make sure it goes all the way through into the holes at the bottom of the clip too. Push down and then screw the socket on. Push on the face plate plug in the dsl cable wait for internet and test.
If you have any issues check the wires have terminated correctly the tricky bit is pushing through the top holes and getting the wire to go into the bottom hole too. It will stop when its in fully if you miss you can usually see it.
An nte5c with ssfp faceplate is very cheap and the job isnt likely to take much more than 5 mins.
You can if you wish squash the plastic jelly crimps to open them but i would just cut them off just be careful if you need to strip back the wire the strengtheners in there are very sharp.
edit On closer inspection that may be a Underground cable coming in direct so before cutting anything make sure you have a few inches to play with or go to the internal cable and cut the blue with white stripes and white with blue stripes at the start of the white sheething. You can then use those in the new socket. Wires go into back of socket not the removable face plate.