Please can anyone hekp? I recently bought a number of microfilters(the straight plug in type without lead) but after plugging the landlines in the phones do not ring. All phones ring plugged directly in without microfilters.
Any help appreciated.
itcac

If you are referring to microfilters used with DSL lines, first confirm the microfilters are installed correctly. Contact the manufacturer if need be.

Filters add load to the line. Each device connected to the line has a Ringer Equivalence Number (in the US, comparable metrics in other countries... ). If the total of all the devices' RENs is too high, the connected phones may not ring. See the REN link above for more info.

While microfilters are easy to install, using a splitter immediately after the NID with ADSL is a better option in my opinion for both phone service and DSL performance despite the extra work and wiring.

Resources:
Phone-man's Home Phone Wiring Advice Page - Digital Subscriber Line

Hi Scleros,
Many thanks for your reply, I recently fitted some to a friend's house then tried them in my own using just one phone with nothing else attatched. Today received some different make filters from Ebuyer with the same effect. Ring the phone plugged into master socket phone rings, plug the microfilter then the phone but does not ring.
Thanks once again.
itcac

I wonder if they are Polarity sensitive?
These filters are for Voice, and not Data?

Hi Stratmando,
Well on my friends I changed the A -B in the Master socket which made no difference. At home my phones ring in if a filter with tail on is fitted. Take that out and plug in the type below dialling tone fine but won't ring in, and this is with nuying from two different suppliers.
Extra Value ADSL Splitter/Micro Filter - Ebuyer

Many thanks
itcac

Hi Stratmando,
Sorry should have said voice and data.
itcac

I have seen runs of "bad out of box" products, it's rare but happens.
Right now, Nothing else comes to mind.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by itcac

Ring the phone plugged into master socket phone rings, plug the microfilter then the phone but does not ring.

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If the property has some age, you might trace the wiring from the master socket? Back to the service entrance on the outside of the building and see if any additional devices are present and that the wiring is correct. Here in the states with older properties one can often find a complete mess due to years of changes. It works, but just.

Good point from Scleros, wire a jack directly to outside box, eleminate all connections to inside wiring, then plug in filter and try.

HI Stratmando & Scleros,
Many thanks for your input, Here in the UK we just use 2 & 5 now since ADSL has been rolled out. The BT Engineer called recently and upgraded the Master socket, but the bungalow is only 15 years old anyway. He cut the other 2 wires off as it affects the broadband speed (modulation I think.)
The problem is deffinetly to do with these plug in filter/splitter, the adsl works fine there is a dial tone but the phone simply will not ring, take it out and plug in without the filter and all is well.
I wonder if these are meant for a different Country but being sold here.
I will have to resort to the filters with tails, they simply do not look as tidy.
Once again many thanks for your help.
itcac

If you have a spair pair from Computer location to Main box, I would use the Whole house splitter/filter, this way you won't need any inside which looks like crap.
The pair from your TelCo goes into it. Then 2 pair out, (Voice and Data).

Hi Stratmando,
Many thanks for that will do.
Kind regards
itcac