Installing the BT I-Plate on an ADSL master socket

[spike2012]

I removed the face plate from my main BT socket as BT advised to do when reporting poor broadband speeds, and I have no wires attached the the faceplate... they seem to be terminated in translucent caps? Does this seem normal - does it mean I dont have any BT extensions in the house? Also, after following BT advice to plug microfilter directly into socket without the faceplate on, my speed increased from 6 meg to about 9.5 meg instantly. Surely this identifies a faulty faceplate? Thanks 4 advce

[Sunny6602]

do you have to install a i plate on every socket or just the master socket and if i wanted to install this would i have to ask a friend who works for bt

[thinkbroadband]

@Sunny6602 You can only install the I-Plate on a master socket and it has to be a "split" type. See the links for our website which include information on how to identify the master socket if you're unsure. You shouldn't need too much technical knowledge to install it, but if your friend is a BT engineer, it never hurts to ask ;)

[23pissedoff]

thanks that helped alot

[thinkbroadband]

@SmodgeTemptations: If the extension wiring is directly to the back-box, the I-Plate won't work.. and you shouldn't touch the wiring in the back-box as that's BT's territory.. it also means a "faceplate filter" won't work for you either. You would really need to ask BT to look at it.. if you mess something up behind the back box, you could get a large bill :(

[GWH87]

I recently had a problem with my broadband, turned out it was the faceplate but there was no wiring connected into it at all yet my broadband has worked fine all these years. Is this something I should look into or does it really matter?

[GWH87]

@GWH87 Nvm I think I just worked it out. We only have the 1 phone socket in the house. No extensions anywhere.

[thinkbroadband]

@GWH87: If you don't have any extensions, then you wouldn't want to install an I-Plate. I'm not sure if there might be some benefit from filtering, but I think it's unlikely to make much (if any) difference.

[Mature]

Thank you very much mister , nice of you making a video of how to . thanks very much appreciated.

[mordacity85]

Hey when i removed the initial face plate the wiring inside disconnected , i removed it really careuly and only by barely an inch , i guess it was dodgy wiring inside. However now im using the test socket , how do i rewire the internal wiring to the initial face plate ?

[thinkbroadband]

@mordacity85 You will need a 'punch down' tool.. you shouldn't really use a flat-head screwdriver as it could damage the terminal blocks, but it may work in an emergency.. you can buy a plastic disposable one for 50p to £1. A proper metal tool which you can re-use lots will be £5-20. They also often come in /some/ extension kits.

[thinkbroadband]

@mordacity85 I have added a link to the video description which links to an image on our site which has the cable colours/numbers of the terminals. Sorry I can't post the link in the comments section.

[TheHappyPilgrim]

I have my router connected to one of my two extension sockets (and nothing is connected to my master socket) so it appears that this piece of kit is of no use to me......am I right?Also,as I don't use the master socket for any equipment,do I still need a micro filter plugged into it?

[thinkbroadband]

@TheHappyPilgrim You don't need a microfilter in any socket if you don't have anything plugged into it. The I-Plate may help even if your router is plugged into another socket (not master socket), but it only helps if the extension wiring is causing interference in the first place. You can try moving your router to the "test socket" underneath master temporarily for few days and check if it helps. If it does, get an I-Plate & move router back to extension.

[wolfmankurd]

It may take some time for your speed to improve? All it does is dissconnect the bell wires.

[thinkbroadband]

@wolfmankurd Actually it also does some other filtering as well as disconnecting the bell wire, but the reason you need to wait a few days is that you may find the IP Profile set on the line has come down after repeated disconnections as the DSLAM things the line is noisy and the dynamic line management kicks in. The same applies if you cut the bell wire.

[SmodgeTemptations]

@thinkbroadband i took off the face plate and the wiring is not connected to the face its connected to the back box , will the iplate still work ?

[thinkbroadband]

@SmodgeTemptations: If you're using BE, then BE would be best placed to help you with suggestions. The I-Plate was developed by BT and will work on non-BT connections as long as you have a compatible master socket, but BT will not want to recommend a solution without being aware of what your problem is.. BE as your ISP should be willing to talk you through that.

[briedis81]

i just got one.Tell you what,its biggest shit ever, its made to slow down your internet!!! before installed it on my bt main socket i tested my speed,its shoes down6272, uploade378, after installing bt accelerator i got result down 4536 uploade 377. Thats shows that bt trying to slow down your internet download speed that people can less download files on their computer. But what about people playing online games??? i cant play anymorer!!! im out of BT, its sucks!!! anyone know better internet?

[atomdragon4]

Sorry to say but i actually left BT broadband because of slow download speeds, i used to get 1.5mb speed for a UP TO 8mb plan. When i moved to BeThere broadband and went on the same download speed plan of UP TO 8mb i started getting 4mb speeds. Just before leaving BT they told me changing ISPs wouldn't benefit internet speeds. Well that was a load of bull... :). So now i'm paying less and getting MORE.

[thinkbroadband]

@atomdragon4 The BT I-Plate is not actually anything to do with BT Broadband and can help you with BE as well, if you have the same problem. BE use LLU which means they use different kit from BT in many places so that could be why you get faster speeds (or congestion or something else).. It's not related to the I-Plate issue though.

[atomdragon4]

@thinkbroadband Yeah i know that. So can I use BT I-Plate when I'm using BeThere Broadband?

[jordancoles]

I don't have multiple phone sockets, but i do have an white cable running from it, will an iplate work for me

[thinkbroadband]

@jordancoles The extension wiring could be ausing interference even if you don't have a socket on the end. Are you sure that's not the cable going from the master socket out of your house though? It could also be an alarm system maybe? You could remove the faceplate and plug in your microfilter into the test socket undernearth (with phone and router plugged into the filter), and see if the speeds improve within a week. If so, an I-plate might help. If not, then it probably wouldn't.

[hostroute]

Best thing to do is to test your speed before installation and then test it seven days later. It can take this length of time for the exchange equipment to adjust to the better line quality and increase the regular speed.

[lackermc]

DIS IT TI ONLY WORK WIF BT BROADBAND

[thinkbroadband]

@lackermc It will work with ADSL based services, whether from BT or otherwise. You should speak to your broadband provider first though.

[lackermc]

DIS IT TI ONLY WORK WIF BT BROADBAND

[MOHAAVIDEO]

Just installed mine today, gone from 3.8 MBPS to 5.6 MBps,

and up to 750 kbps upload, best £5 i've ever spent

[Doubleringer]

white cleats on black cable tch! tch!

[hardcoretam]

Given the choice, do you think the BT iplate with a normal microfilter connected to it, will offer a greater benefit to an SSFP (ADSL specific front plate)

I wonder how good the in built filters are compared to micro filters on ADSL specific front plates

[thinkbroadband]

@hardcoretam The ADSL faceplate filters will generally remove the ADSL signal from the extensions. There are some newer versions which are sold in a few online stored which may have extension wiring that includes ADSL enabled extensions. The best way to test the benefit of an I-Plate is to try and run your router on the "test socket" under your normal faceplace for a few days and see if it improves. This does mean disconnecting extension wiring for a while though.

[Hayo098]

Does this only work for BT connections? As my ISP isn't BT.

[thinkbroadband]

@Hayo098 The I-Plate will work on ADSL connections, not just BT. You will however need a BT-branded master socket (Openreach ones don't benefit from this). Who you pay your phone or Internet bill to doesn't matter though. However please note this ONLY helps if you have telephone extensions and you have problems caused by those extensions. It's not a magical solution for everyone. Talk to your broadband service provider about it.

[mramsey123]

when i install my i plate to get the benafits from it do i need to rig my router to the i plate socket or can i use my secket on the next floor

[thinkbroadband]

@mramsey123 The I-Plate is fitted "in between" the normal faceplate and the main socket. You don't plug anything else into it. You can continue to use your broadband modem wherever you want (and don't forget to use filters still on every extension).

[mramsey123]

my main phone line to the house i opend my face plate and it only has 1 wire connected to it is this normal or should there be more wires connected please let me know

[thinkbroadband]

@mramsey123 Do you mean one "cable" with between 2-4 wires actually in the connectors, or one wire inside one cable? You should have at least two wires or your phone line wouldn't work.. but they would normally be inside one cable. You may have more than two wires (usually you will have more than two). Try running your broadband using the "test socket" which is revealed when you remove the plate; see what happens after a few days.. then get an iplate if things have improved as permanent solution

[morgs2020]

£6 on ebay I went from 2.3Mb to 3.9Mbit on my up to 8mbit connection.

[thinkbroadband]

@morgs2020 Good to hear!

[bobmarleypeople]

I installed my iplate this morning seconds after it arrived. I thought I'd check this video to make sure I did everything right and I realised that my faceplate doesn't have any wires connected to it. Is there something wrong or is it only some faceplates that have wires connected to it?

[thinkbroadband]

@bobmarleypeople If you don't have any wires connected to your faceplace, you won't have any telephone extensions wired into it. The main function of the I-Plate is to filter out interference caused by the ringwire. You might have some extensions which "plug in" like a normal phone. Many DIY extension kits are like that. If so, it should work just the same. However if you have no extensions at all, the I-Plate will be of very limited (if any) benefit.

[cazaj69]

Installed it about 12 days ago. It's done nothing. Nice one!

[thinkbroadband]

The I-Plate only works if your local telephone wiring is causing the problem. It's not a magic solution for everyone. You can test this by leaving your ADSL modem plugged into the socket inside the master socket, which cuts out your extensions.

[MustafaN80]

The bottom half of my faceplate doesn't have the wires connected to it, its got the wires behind another set of screws but wen i pluged in my i plate it reduced the speed of my internet wen i done a speed test.

[thinkbroadband]

If your connection re-syncs it may be at a lower speed. You may need to wait a few days. Do note that the I-Plate helps if you have bad wiriting inside your house. It won't work if you just merely live far from the exchange.

[sbarry92]

The bottom half of my faceplate doesn't have the wires connected to it, its connected behind it, any ideas?

[thinkbroadband]

If there are extension wires connected to the backplate, you should technically get a BT engineer to deal with it. These would usually be alarm systems and such like.

[sbarry92]

Its only the blue and white wire connected to the top (of the back) of the Master socket bit :) when u take of the faceplate its the bit behind it :D

[Xaero787]

Great video, very useful.

[assegigmail]

Excellent. Straightforward, informative and clear.

[AxBattler]

I am going to get a new BT line in my room. Are newly installed master socket still likely to benefit from the i-Plate? If so, do you think that the engineer could fit it for me?

[thinkbroadband]

Are you going to have telephone extensions wired into the master socket? If not, then it won't help. If you are, it could. The engineer may be able to fit it but I would probably suggest you'd be better off seeing how the line performs prior to buying an I-Plate.

[konabikes11]

the cable i need is the one with RJ11 sockets at each end between ADSL filter and back of router modem

[thinkbroadband]

I have extended RJ11 using RJ45 cables and a coupler. If you always get disconnected at a specific time in the middle of the night, the most likely cause is a Sky box which tries to call Sky--Make sure you have a microfilter on every extension including a Sky box

[konabikes11]

the thing is never got dissconected daily when connected to the master socket but had to use an bt extension phone socket in another room due to pc being moved. my ISP has already told me to use the master socket

[konabikes11]

i am wondering if this would help me as my pc is in a room working from a non master socket becase i don't have a RJ11 cable long enough and i get dissconnected same time every night i know the max length is 10M but i only require around 7.5M to connect to my master socket. i was if this would improve the situation a bit further and maybe make up a little bit for the longer cable

[thinkbroadband]

The interference is caused by the telephone cabling in your house, whether or not you're plugged into the master socket. So if you have extensions, especially multiple ones, it might work. Don't confuse the BT-RJ11 cable from the telephone socket to the modem/router and the router-PC cable. The interference is far less likely on the latter.

Take the main plate off and plug your router into the "test socket" underneath for a few days. If it helps, the I-Plate might work.

[EUZajecarac]

Hi Andrew.I try the iPlate and didnt work BT is crap.

[thinkbroadband]

The I-Plate will only work for those who have problems caused by wiring in their house. It works very effectively for those. It's not a magic broadband booster for everyone.

[scared5hitless]

Hi Andrew, can you tell me where i can see detailed directions on how to undo the splice from my house alarm to receive my qwest DSL? The alarm is not activated. the phone works. The qwest dsl tech failed to see my old alarm system and didn't even go into the Grey box to see whats going on with customer side/company side. they are charging me over 120.00 to come install a filter into the Grey box ! what can I do to resolve this issue myself ? appreciate your advice greatly. Elida in Arizona

[robjhunt]

The iPlate does not have the same height dimension as the master socket. Therefore although it fits in between the existing frontplate and existing back plate there is a step in the finished combination. This does not show on the video!!

[thinkbroadband]

This is correct .If you have furniture near it, you might find it means it sticks out about 15mm (from memory.. i've not measured it exactly) -seb

[PoshMurder]

I already knew how to install the iPlate, ordered one for myself as my computer desk is located right next to the master socket (lucky me), though I wanted to read other opinions on this.

I have a question, though. If this iPlate does work for me, and cuts out enough interference, would that also imply that I can lower my SNR manually through a DMT tool on my router with less chance of disconnections at a lower percentage?

Thanks in advance.

[PoshMurder]

I would just like to add, my current SNR is set to around 35% and it's stable (no disconnections at all, for months now).

I am roughly 2.191km from my current exchange, on ADSL2+ with a downstream attenuation of 60dB, with the upstream at 37.4dB

[PoshMurder]

Argh, sorry for the spam. SNR set to 15%, not 35 lol.

[thinkbroadband]

If on installing the I-Plate the SNR margin improves i.e. gets higher, or if your connection speed improves and SNR margin remains the same, then you may be able to sacrifice more of the SNR margin to gain even more speed.

The amount that is safe to do so will depend on how much your SNR Margin varies, particularly between daylight and nighttime.

[PoshMurder]

Thanks a bunch, can't wait for it to arrive.

[jacktaylor2115]

Can I still plug my normal house phone into the front of the I-Plate and it will still work normaly.

[thinkbroadband]

@jacktaylor2115 Yes, but you still need a filter on it like before.

[jacktaylor2115]

@thinkbroadband OK thank you mate :)

[youngme1991]

i dont have a split type, will it still fit

[thinkbroadband]

@youngme1991 No it won't. You need a split master socket which is not of the latest "Openreach" type.. There's a link to the tool on our website which will help you identify your socket type in the video description.

[thinkbroadband]

@youngme1991: This will only work on a split master socket.

[tom8fallon8]

did it myself im 14 easy as connection increased by bout 10% something to do with blocking bell wire.

[pattyheno]

will it work ???

[dirtyarris]

if my router isn't plugged into the master socket, would I still see a potential benefit from installing the i-plate on the master socket?

[thinkbroadband]

The I-Plate helps to remove interference caused by telephone extension wiring at the master socket, no matter where your router is plugged in. It's important to note however that it only works *if* you have interference on the line, so it's not an automatic speed/reliability booster for everyone, only those with a problem caused by interference.

[jlbigg]

Thanks, just the advice I needed!! I'm fixed in and ready to go now.

[chichokkk]

Thanks