I recently moved two blocks into a house. It's a three-family old house, and I'm on the first floor. Before the move, I called my phone & internet provider, AT&T, and asked them to please switch the phone and internet to the new address. They switched the phone the next day, and then said they would switch the internet in 3 days... but when those 3 days were up, I plugged my DSL modem in (which is a Motorola), and it wasn't connecting. The Power light was green, the Ethernet light was green, and the DSL light was constantly blinking red, sometimes blinking green, but never a solid green. It's been 5 days now since I haven't had DSL (I'm using Dial-up right now), and it's driving me crazy. I've called up AT&T at least 15 times now, only to get a different answer each time. But what I want to know is, could this be a problem with the phone lines in the house? I know it's not anything with the modem, or computer, because it was working fine at the other house I lived in. I've asked AT&T to send a technician out here, but they keep trying to tell me there's nothing wrong. Isn't it possible that due to the house being old, the phone lines may not be that strong? Please help... I'm starting an online college class in 2 weeks, and I really need my DSL up and running! Thanks so much...

Before you do anything plug the modem into the test jack in the NID. You don't need a computer just yet, just a power source. See if the DSL light blinks and turns green and we'll go from there.

I did... and no, it just constantly blinks red.

That's exactly what you should tell AT&T.

The cable comes to mind as a potential problem, so I'd try the modem cable on a phone to see if the phone works. Make sure the telco cable is crossed. Hold the ends side by side with the tabs up or down and the pins and colors SHOULD NOT MATCH.

I'm not sure if the DSL modems are polarity sensitive. Most phones these days are not.

Also make sure VPI and VCI are correct for your new location. I'd agree, it's probably the same, but you never know.

It's also possible that there were two lines in the house and they put DSL on the wrong one. You don't need a dial tone for DSL to work.

I don't "do DSL" but don't you have to plug in an adapter to all of the other phone jacks on the same circuit?

Chuck:
That "adapter" is a filter. It basically allows 0-4000 Hz or so to pass to the phone. This allows ringing and talk battery and voice. My guess of the f range.

Anything above hearing is a DSL signal. Once the modem connects, high pitched sounds will be heard if phones are connected without a filter. They will also interfere with the DSL modem. Filters are limited to 5.

Thus, he should get a lock on the NID test port. This bypasses all internal wiring.

Splitters are a better solution with the half-ringer removed in the NID. This isn't the norm, but is what I installed at home all because the internal wiring is a mix of star and home run using quad cable with about 11 phone/bell locations.