Mikie, given your great level of knowledge about DSL I'll expand this thread to one additional question/subject. Each phone at the customer end has to have a filter, low pass I assume, to pass voice to the phone and block the DSL signal. In the absence of the filter the telephone will load down the DSL signal, making it inoperative. I have installed a in-line pigtail type filer in line with each of the telephones up stairs, and the system works fine. As all of the lines up stairs come from a common twisted pair in the basement, can I install one filter in that line in the basement and take the individual filters out of the lines connecting to each phone? I add, I tried to do this by using a wall mounted filter arrangement provided by the teleco, and it didn't work. This unit is not a pigtail, rather a plate-type unit that fits on top of the "standard" wall outlet that has mounting tabs top and bottom. The plate type unit has an RJ11 marked DSL (which I understand to be the raw local loop, no filter) and another RJ11 on the side marked DSL/HPN which I assumed to be the filtered telephone connection plug. Using this unit with the modem connected to the DSL and the line going upstairs to the DSL/HPN didn't work, it "killed" the DSL signal at the modem.

Here's what happened: Yesterday, I called the phone company bright and early and explained the problem. The guy said "We'll call you right back." And he did, claiming it was fixed. Alas, it was not, and I called him again to let him know it still wasn't working. This time, they tell me "we'll get a guy working on it, and call you back." (I guess the little Brownie that lives in the office wasn't able to figure it out, so they needed "a guy"...) Later that afternoon, I called my ISP and found out that four of their customers in the my area had no service. Four customers doesn't sound like much, but you have to remember the town has about 370 people. It's a rural area, not exactly booming economically (KWIM), so if you have 10% of the people with a computer online, you're doing good. Out of that number (let's round up and say 40), over half half are going to sign on with the phone company because they don't know enough about computers to even look for another option. You could divide the remaining twenty in half again, for wireless service, with the remaining ten divided between satellite and the only other dial up ISP with a local number for this area. So, four is about right. Yes, there are only two companies in the entire world that offer local dial up service to this area. Lots of companies *claim* to offer a local number, and it probably would be if we had service with another phone compnay, but we do not. It is what it is. My ISP tells me that if the routing has changed, it might not be a localnumber anymore, and if they can't fix it to call accounting to see about a refund. I call the phone company back to see if this is going to be permanent, and he said they were "tracking the lines", which I recognize from past experience is a swell technical sounding phrase meant to placify the customer. He asked meexactly what was going on, and I explained that although this had been a local number for over a year, as of yesterday it stopped working. I could dial in using the area code, but the number wasn't supposed to be long distance. He thought that was curious. I didn't think it was curious so much as irritating, still, I realize it's not this guy's fault, so I don't get upset. We continue chatting and he says "You know, I think we have DSL available in your area." (Technically they do, but despite that big fat cable buried right out in front of my home, the actual service stops two miles west. I called about it a month ago and was told that at this time there isn't enough "customer interest" to activate it further east anytime soon.) Bless his heart, not knowing that, he said, "Have you thought about switching to our DSL? We're running a special, only 69.99 a month plus tax plus..." (I'm thinking, Oooo, what a deal! That's only three times what I'm already paying the company that can't even keep a basic land line operational for 60 days in a row. I'm completely underwhelmed.) I politely cut him off saying "Uh, You know, right now is probably NOT the best time to hit me with a sales pitch to upgrade my service for an even *more* expensive plan..." He laughed and said "Yea, I know, but I'm supposed to..." I said "Hey, I understand, it's like, 'would you like fries with that?' We both laughed, and he promised to give us a call when it was fixed. He really *is* very nice, even if he can't help. Later that afternoon, I discovered that my ability to dial in using the area code had also gone pffffft. When I called the number direct, I got a "This number is no longer in service" message. Of course, that's not true, it's working number for everyone but us. When I called using the 1 plus area code, I got the recording that says 'We're sorry. It is not necessary to dial a 1 or the area code for this number. Please hang up and try your call again." With any other company, this might be discouraging, but coming from these guys it's means they're doing *something*, so that's progress. LOL This morning, the 13th, I call and tell the guy what's going on with the line today and he says "We're aware of the problem". (I get the impression the other three customers might have beat me to the punch with the status update.) Then he tells me, "We'll get someone working on it." I'm thinking, excuse me, but wasn't someone supposed to be "working on it" since yesterday? I'm sure there's a three dollar word for this kind of thing, but all I could think of at the time were the four letter ones. Not good. Instead, I tell him thank you, and go outside. The deal is that my DH works on a pipeline, and they've been laid off for most of the winter. They just started a job this week, but the budget is a bit pinched for me to run out and order a more expensive internet service even if it were available. We're talking dialup or nothing. I just walked around in the yard admiring the crocus and quince and was telling God about it. I mean, he already knows, but it makes *me* feel better to have someone to listen to me rant. ;^) So, I make my rounds inspecting the yard, finish my whine about the internet and said "and Bless my phone company". Now, that is the *first* time I have ever said that. Usually, if I think of them at all, my thoughts immedietly go over to the Dark Side. But there you go; here I was getting all warm and fuzzy over a utility company. I guess all the fresh air and sunshine went to my head. On a whim, I came in, sat down at the desk, tried to connect again, and voil Here I am. Which means the line is *still* local. Looks like God really was listening. That, and someone just had that coffee maker plugged into the wrong outlet afterall...

weedy: Mmph. I didn't even think of just slapping some carpet over the top. That's not all that bad an idea. Hmm. glenn: Chestnut seems unlikely for the Pacific Northwest. The rest of the house is trimmed out in a fairly modest fashion, and was built in 1925, so I'm assuming it would be a local wood. The boards near the splintery one, which have grain more perpendicular to the surface of the floor, have held up extremely well to 80+ years of use. I only guessed at what kind of wood it is in case that makes a difference.

I wear muck boots for field work and I definitely recommend high boots. If it's REALLY mucky, it will suck your boots off your feet! Some people use gore tex boots, but I like the rubber ones myself. I have to replace mine every couple of years, but they're cheap enough-and I use mine for rough terrain hiking in all kinds of weather. Mine are the ones linked from Tractor Supply. I'd bring some kind of walking stick-it will make all the difference. I just wear cotton blend socks with my boots and I put foot powder in them and stuff them with newspapers between wearing. Never wear them with shorts-you can get all kinds of scratches, bug bites, snakes, etc-so even if it's humid as all get out, wear jeans! A field vest is always a great option, you can carry all your supplies (especially bug spray, kleenex, etc). A fishing vest works just as well. I'm too tired to think of the company many field staff use to buy gear but when I think of it I'll let you know.