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Master Socket 5C

scotcycle — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 16:07:41 GMT

I have a Master Socket 5C. My landline stopped working but broadband was still OK. A BT engineer advised me to remove the faceplate and attach my router and landline to the internal socket. I did this and both worked OK. She suggested I get a new faceplate. I did so (actually had to buy the whole unit) and fitted the new faceplate, plugging my landline into it. But the landline is still dead. Any suggestions as to what to do next?

Re: Master Socket 5C

licquorice — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 16:27:40 GMT

Change the whole socket rather than just the faceplate.

Re: Master Socket 5C

scotcycle — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 18:00:54 GMT

Thanks, Licquorice, I will try that.

Re: Master Socket 5C

scotcycle — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 18:39:55 GMT

I have now replaced the whole Master Socket 5C. The phone is still off with the internet OK. I think I'd better get an engineer as I've no idea what to do next, unless anyone can tell me.

Re: Master Socket 5C

imjolly — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 18:49:05 GMT

Does your phone work when connected to the test socket as it did with previous master?

Re: Master Socket 5C

scotcycle — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 19:11:59 GMT

Hello IM Jolly, how was your sermon this morning? More seriously, the situation is now exactly as it was before. With the faceplate on, only internet, no phone. With the faceplate off, both internet and phone working.

Re: Master Socket 5C

licquorice — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 19:18:29 GMT

Have you got any extension sockets?

Re: Master Socket 5C

scotcycle — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 21:40:26 GMT

Yes, three - installed, I think, when the house was built in 1990.

Re: Master Socket 5C

imjolly — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 21:45:41 GMT

Does your phone work in any of the 3 extensions with master faceplate fitted and without

Re: Master Socket 5C

scotcycle — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 22:07:13 GMT

All three extensions are dead with and without the faceplate. Without the faceplate there isn't a connection between the line in and the extensions. But they're all dead anyway. The phone still works when inseerted into the test socket behind the faceplate. When I installed my new Master Socket 5C this afternoon I was careful to make all the connections exactly the same as I found them.

Re: Master Socket 5C

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 05:43:01 GMT

@scotcycle wrote:

All three extensions are dead with and without the faceplate. Without the faceplate there isn't a connection between the line in and the extensions. But they're all dead anyway. The phone still works when inseerted into the test socket behind the faceplate. When I installed my new Master Socket 5C this afternoon I was careful to make all the connections exactly the same as I found them.

Then you have a short circuit on one of your extensions, and that is looping the line and causing the problem. If you called your home number, it would be busy all the time.

Disconnect the extensions, and the fault will be fixed. That was most likely the problem from the start.

If you need to use the extensions, then you will have to find the fault, possibly a damaged cable.

Re: Master Socket 5C

scotcycle — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 09:51:47 GMT

Keith, thank you for telling me what I feared was the case. How the fault occured, I don't know, as all the extension cables are within the walls, having been installed, I'm fairly sure, when the house was built 30 years ago. I'll have to ponder what to do about it.

Thanks also to Licquorice and IMJolly for offering me sage advice.

Re: Master Socket 5C

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 11:43:51 GMT

@scotcycle wrote:

Keith, thank you for telling me what I feared was the case. How the fault occured, I don't know, as all the extension cables are within the walls, having been installed, I'm fairly sure, when the house was built 30 years ago. I'll have to ponder what to do about it.

Thanks also to Licquorice and IMJolly for offering me sage advice.

They will be connected to the phone terminals on the master socket 5C, so start by removing them, and your phone should then work in the master socket.

You will then have to find the fault in the extensions, or simply leave them disconnected.

Re: Master Socket 5C

scotcycle — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 12:43:01 GMT

Thanks for the advice about disconnecting the internal extensions. I was only using one of them anyway (for the base unit of my answerphone/3 wireless extension system). I have now moved my base unit to the master socket 5C and put one of the wireless extensions where it used to be. Temporarily I have plugged in to the test socket behind the faceplate and all works well. I shall now take out the connection to the extension system so that I can put back the faceplate. I will not try to mend the old extension system. Alls well that ends well, largely thanks to your help.

Re: Master Socket 5C

Onetimesanta — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:11:17 GMT

Good morning,

How lucky was I to find this post !

my landline had been down for months, according to my mother in law , who is the only person to use our landline. She normally FaceTimes tbh.

anyway, I was just about to buy a new c5 to get the front plate, as I could get connection from the inside socket, when I found the thread.

I found an old phone extension socket which had been used as part of an alarm system years ago.

Disconnect both wires…………. Job done. THANK YOU

Re: Master Socket 5C

Devon_Dave — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 20:32:26 GMT

So, are your problems now solved?