T-Online - getting a DSL splitter

My head hurts and steam starts coming out of my ears when I try to comprehend the logic of T-Online.

I went in, gave them lots of money, and they handed me paperwork and a DSL Modem. They scheduled a date for the guy to come and activate my phone service (60 Euros) and assured me I'd have my splitter before he arrived. Well he comes and activates my phone but there is no splitter to be had. I go to the T-Punkt store, ask them what the deal is, and they tell me I won't have DSL service for another 2 days anyway (news to me) so it will probably arrive by then. Well that was 8 days ago, and it has been a solid 2 weeks since I put down my money.

WTF?

Their horrendous customer service aside, why can't they just hand me a splitter and wires along with the DSL modem? After all, that wouldn't cost them a cent in post.

and for those of you who use them, how long did it take for your splitter to arrive?

If it doesn't arrive by today I'll be visiting them this weekend.

It took 3 or 4 days for my splitter to arrive. I also got a modem sent at the same time.

When asking for t-online software 4.0 and not 5.0 the cd took over 3 weeks to arrive. (I had since gone to a kiosk and asked for one and was up and running in one day) (and now I know you don't even need the software to get running)

Make sure your name is on the mailbox and the door outside.

If you purchased a modem in the store and they SEND YOU ONE ANYWAY, be sure to send the extra one back within the 2 week deadline, otherwise it is yours forever.

My splitter took about 1 week to arrive. The DSL account username and password also came in the post during that time. Right .. what a waste of money for them to send it by post, on top of the headaches ...

I cancelled T-Online in early February, but kept the DSL connection because I was tired of their BS (only Telekom can provide a DSL connection unless you want to change your phone too ... which is a nightmare ... if you look at other posts on the matter). I had to mail, fax, call them for it to happen. To this date I have not received a confirmation that they closed the account. However, 2 weeks after I mail/faxed/called them to cancel, I wasn't able to dial-in anymore (which seems they got the message). So I registered with Free-net, which was really easy.

What bytes is that T-Online cut me off in mid-february yet they charged me the full month.

Why would you go with T-Online anyway? .. their rates are horrible. Plus I never figured out how to see how much of my quota I had downloaded each month ... I figured how to do that with Freenet in about 10 seconds.

I waited ages for my splitter. Eventually, the one helpful guy at T Online in Mu Frie said something like "Oh, I have a spare one at home", and he gave me his.

Incidentally, T-Online never connected me - I waited for 6 weeks, during which I phoned them numerous times. Eventually, they said they couldn't deliver mail to my address because I need to a "care of" on my mail. I'd told them this on day one, and initially it seemed OK, but in the end the admitted that I "couldn't be a customer". They still billed me of months of service though, which I never got back.

I thought I was clever and make things easy: Take the time to go to the T-Punkt, explain exactly what I want and order everything at once (DSL, T-Online, Software/Hardware).

It took about 3 weeks to get everything. After ordering it all in T-Punkt, nothing happened. I called T-Online, who said they received no order from me… so I ordered it again and it was returned to them b/c they actually put the wrong street name on it (I had spelled it out to them on the phone). I kept receiving mail saying that I already have a T-Online account, and asked if I am really sure I want another one, but I never received the software/password until about 3 weeks later.

Not sure how a company can screw up that badly and often, I hardly know anyone who doesn't hassle w/ them. Then, about 6 months ago I moved – within the same building, into an apartment about 10yds down the corridor. What I had to go through w/ Telekom is just too depressing to talk about…

You see, the problem with all this is that Germans aren't expected to move in 30 years.
ANYthing else makes sparks come out of their ears and they don't understand why someone would want it NOW or why you would have Care Of/ on your address. This stupid system doesn't support free enterprise and what suffers?- customer service.
I'll shut up now.

I got a spare splitter here if anyone wants it.

And I got an extra Modem Teledat 330.

hi kaza i am currently waiting for my splitter but think it may take a few days. do you have a paypal account? If so i would like to do business with u. ive not tried uberweisung etc yet and wouldnt really like to. it takes a few secs to register for paypal account and is free.

@drivinwest

Drop me a pm and I will give you the adress of a chap I know who may be able to help you..
G

@ Newbie2004

The splitters are free... The cheapest place to get a Modem is probably where you organised your phone line etc..

G

Hi thanks for that i know splitters are free but they cant give them over the counter. been in to t-punkt again today and hassled them. they said definately tomorrow. they have right address and my name is outside and on my post box. if its not delivered tomorrow gonna scream. also anyone know of somewhere can get another network cable to connect modem to splitter? Ditn receive one with my modem (bought it off ebay) have everything else except this cable and my splitter. if anyone has a spare one please let me know, im desperate for one. dont want telekom to cut off my dsl connection if dont use it. also anyone any idea when dsl connection charge is billed? Its all installed but still have to pay 99€ anyway!

to make this simple:

1. network cable (modem-splitter)
2. Splitter!!!
3. Billing for dsl connection

thanks guys, uve all been wonderful, its just a pity that telekom dont follow in ur footsteps. id appreciate any help, advice and tips, thanks

Just like the phone, your DSL won't get "turned off" even if you don't use it, so long as you continue to pay for it.

If a T-punkt said the splitter was being sent out today, it's unlikley you'll have it tomorrow. It takes around 2 days for Telekom logistics to process it through the system and another 2 days for DSL to ship it. If they say they already sent it, then ask for the package shipping number and call 01802302200 (DHL package tracing) to check on progress. Note you need to be home to receive the splitter - it won't fit in a standard mailbox, and they won't (usually) leave it lying beside. If you're not home they leave you an (orange) card to re-arrange delivery, or to collect it yourself from the nearest post-office (the next day).

The splitter connection is RJ45. Some DSL modems have RJ45 connections, some have RJ11. If you don't have the cable with the modem you need to know which connection it has to get the corrrect cable. RJ45-RJ45 are commonplace (any CAT-5 (NOT "crossover") or ISDN cable will also do), but RJ45-RJ11 are quite rare. The simple difference between RJ45 and RJ11 is that RJ45 plugs are wider. An RJ11 plug will fit in an RJ45 socket (and for a DSL modem also work), but not vice versa.

DSL is billed with your phone line. If this is a new connection you normally get the first bill 4-5 weeks after connection. This is a big one as it includes the cost of phone and DSL initial connection and 2 months rent (one gone by, one in advance) and any calls you've had until then. If you have online billing then you need to keep checking the internet to see if the bill is there. Alternatively you can modify your online billing account to send you a warning, or the whole bill by email to your chosen address.

YL6

ok i think i understand the lead thing, will see tomorrow. i was hoping they had some sort of card system in place, good. Well the records at t-punkt say it should have been delivered last thursday! Of course i was away. they then said since they couldnt order another it must be on its way. they checked today and said definately tomorrow so i dunno. do u have the website for nearest post offices or will it be on the card?

now, online billing for initial connection and phone line rental, didnt know u could do that. i know tiscali can have online billing but how do u set up for the rest? T-punkt said yesterday that dsl connection and phone line connection will be charged in 8 wks time so ill expect it between 4 and 8 wks then. at least its not straight away as i cant afford it til next month (the 99€ part) but can afford the tiscali, presumably that gets debited the minute u sign up and thereafter each month? im guessing that two week rent part is for the phone line? or is it half of the 19.99€ for dsl?

sorry for all the q's.

thanks

I'm starting to lose the plot on this one...

If they tried to deliver the splitter last Thursday they will also have tried to leave a card. If you name was not on the mailbox there was no-where to leave the card...

You ARE registered for online invoicing. Take it from me. You can find out more about this here. You'll be sent a username and password in the mail.

Tiscali usually bill you about 2 weeks after you sign up. Again, they charge you pro-rata for the time you have already used up to that date, plus the next month in advance

I don't understand your "2 week rent part"... you are charged by Telekom from the day they make the connection, irrespective of whether you use it (or are capable of using it). If your Phone was connected on Tuesday then that's when billing starts. If your DSL was connected on Wednesday then that's when that billing starts. You pay 1/31 of the cost of each month for each day of connection up to the first monthly billing point. Telekom take rental in advance, but can't generate the first bill until a few weeks after your connection, so in the first invoice you pay the rental connection costs up to the billing point, plus a full month of advance

YL6

My DSL was activated two weeks ago today and I've been paying for it since (checked online). Alas, I can't use it without a splitter. Been to T-Punkt 3 times now. Absolutely clueless. If not for the fact that a TTer so generously offered me his spare splitter I'd cancel everything with T-Online.

Technically it is possible to use DSL without a splitter. A splitter is basically just a low pass filter for the telephone and the connection to the dsl modem is just a straight through connection to the phone line.

You can even use the telephone without a splitter, theres just the theoretical possibility that the DSL portion (above 35kHz) will cause interference in the voice channel.

That's true. I suppose as an interim solution you could simply put a 2-pole changeover switch (or move the connections across) on the incoming line - one pole to the phone, one to the modem. Clearly internet use excludes phone use and vice versa, but it gets you going.

I think paralleling modem and phone would mess things up again because of the impedances of each box...

YL6

Interesting... so let me get this straight as I'm new to DSL (cable is pretty much the standard in the US):

-PC to modem is just a plane old ethernet CAT-5 type cable
-modem to wall-jack looks like what? A wall plug on one end and a DSL input on the other?

modem to splitter cable is also just a normal ethernet cable.

wall jack to splitter cable is a normal telephone cable with rj11 on the splitter end, and the other end would be either tae or rj11 depending on your setup.

You can connect the modem directly to the wall jack with a cable that has rj45 at one end, and the matching plug for your wall socket on the other end (tae or rj11 usually)

Heres a pinout chart of the socket on the modem:

RJ 45 pinout

Not always - SOME modems (Acer and older Netgear spring to mind) have RJ11 sockets, so you need an RJ45-RJ11 cable (The DT splitter has an RJ45 outlet)


Not quite - at one end (for German installations - none other is at least, legally permitted) it's a normal "TAE-F" connector with wide wings to prevent additional devices to be connected. The other end is a modified version of the RJ11 with offset locking lug - the input to the splitter.

Not really - the modem connects to the output from the splitter (which might be on the wall, so maybe is a "wall jack"). Ihe cable MUST be RJ45 to whatever your modem has (RJ45 or RJ11). Some modems, especially those from Telekom allow you to wire directly. If you open the splitter you'll see a twin clamp connector labelled "DSL" you can wire directly from this (2-cores) to the modem clamp connector using a bit of old telephone or bell wire.

If you do have a modem with RJ45, then you can use a standard (non-crossover) Ethernet cable with RJ45 on each end, or even an ISDN connecting cable to connect it to the splitter. In this case only pins 4 and 5 are used for the connection.


That's the LAN output (nothing to do with the splitter connection which uses pins 4 and 5 only) and is the standard Ethernet connection cabling for 10BaseT. As they note there a crossover cable should not be used.

YL6

ok this is much more confusing than thought, i have still not received splitter and guess it may have got lost will get order no tomorrow so can call the number u gave me yl6 but dont think will try without splitter. ur message bout bills is confusing, hope can afford it when everything comes thru especially as pay month in advance. phew. getting on ok in munich although official forms r a nightmare. if anyone else has a spare splitter ( im sure this has been asked many times) then please pm me!

thanks all

How to destroy the English language in one easy posting - what do they teach in English schools these days?

YL6

I hope that was meant in jest yl6?

he he

Assuming your posting was, then yes..., otherwise I'd have left out the " "

good im glad, well finally got splitter on the way, nothing from telekom but bought one off ebay.de for 1€. if telekom do eventually arrive with one then will give the one i have to a TTer. I have got my name everywhere and even a sign on post box saying in german to leave it next door in internet cafe. shouldnt be too difficult should it? I really wanna get set up soon. got rj45 cable on the way, thanks for the help yl6, and now a splitter on its way. hopefully will all be sorted within the week.

Youn have an Internet cafe next door?
What's the urgency?


YL6

i know but it costs 2€ an hour, a good rate, but it soon eats up my change.

And she has to be able to talk to her boyfriend every day via video conferencing.

But of course showem, thats why im getting it in my dorm not only cos much cheaper for the amount of time i will be using it but also cos can have private conferencing without everyone hearing what ur saying.

fussy i guess
just the way i am

hi I had the same problem of telekom splitter and decided to buy one of ebay.de but then, sods law, the telekom one came thru the post. so now im flogging this one for the cost of postage thats all, pm me if you're interested, as soon as i have someone interested i shall enquire to find out how much will cost to post i imagine bout 4 Eur. I wud offer for free but I am a student.

let me know, i know how annoying it is waiting for it, i had to wait two wks with everything else working!

thanks

If it helps, I have contacts in the system that can speed things up and give you help with these sorts of issues.

Please though, DO NOT INSTALL the D-T software. It'll only end in tears !!

If you get really stuck, I can come and help. See previous threads under PC Home Doctor Service.

OK- after waiting what felt like forever to recieve the necessary equipment from T-Online, I got the package yesterday...well sort of...

I received the modem in the mail yesterday but no splitter. It seems like the splitter takes another few days to receive and I am becoming impatient- does anyone have a splitter that could sell me, or know where I could get one faster?

Thanks.

Drew

PM'd you with an answer.

Pop round anytime!

The same happened to me...in the period of one week they sent first the modem, then my user name/password with the software, and finally the splitter. I think that the prices of DHL delivering for them should be really cheap.

It works without the splitter anyway.

How can it work without the splitter if I do not have an RJ45 hookup in my apartment? Only the standard telephone jack.

Plug the rj11 end of your telephone cable into the dsl port of the modem..

G

The other end of the cable that you would normally plug into the splitter will plug straight into the modem. Splitter is only needed to filter out the DSL band to prevent it interfering with your phone calls. Sure if you dont have all the cables that could still be a problem.

Thanks.

I have yet to receive a username or password- will I still be able to use without this yet??

Just for the record, I still haven't received my splitter.

Switch to Alice. I got mine within 3 days along with the DSL modem. TOnline sucks!!

@ DW... Patience young man.. Patience!

@DW Heh I have a spare splitter for you that I bought with me to one of my very first TT events, the stark beer fest last year, but never got a chance to hand it over to you. I will get it to you one day!

And I have been waiting about 2 weeks now for my DSL to upgrade from tdsl 2Mbps to 1&1 6Mbps...

@Kza

This thread brings that murky memory back! I'm actually all set as I got one from a departing friend a while back. Thanks though. I'm sure some other poor T-Online customer can make use of it.

I'm tempted to go to T-Punkt and tell them I'm still waiting.

Pity, I had an extra couple as well from moving flats, I would have glady given DW/whoever needed one... I could have a look around if you'd like!

Hehe... and you thought Telekom were bad

Got the splitter from T-Online shop OVER THE COUNTER. So whatever they tell you that they can't, is BS! I just told the guy that I was going out of town for 2 weeks (which was the case). He wanted to charge me a "switch on" (to turn on the telephone supply to my flat) cost of 60 Euro and that "DSL-Bereitstellungspreis" of 99 Euro BS. I said I will reconsider and he quickly worked it in his head and said, all costs waived if I sign up on the spot which was what I wanted to do in the first place so...

Came back 2 weeks later, got all that password/"installation" kit in the mail HOWEVER, that doesn't mean I had an easy time getting online. CD Rom installation hanged many times. Called T-Online and he said "Ja, run the CD Rom". Didn't work. Called T-Online who said, "set up your WLAN router first". Did that, connection still didn't work. Each time I told them that I'm connecting via WLAN router (laptop only has Wireless modem). Finally, when I told them CD Rom flashed "only with German OS" message, they said, "Ah, with WLAN router, no need to install CD Rom!" ARGH! Should connect now, right?! No! Because username consists of "Anschlusskennung" + "Zugehoerige T-Online-Nummer" + "Mitbenutznummer/Suffix" + "@t-online.de"

Wow, sorry you alls had problems, when I went from Tonline modem to DSL, I had no problems, everything was in the mailbox in a couple of days, even had some problems with it, called them, and they were great at helping me out, and even called me back the same day to see if I was okay, and if everything was working right.

Guess Telekom is trying that customer service (at least for me!)

Sorry to say it again, but in simple terms, DO NOT use the T-online software. You just do not need it, and as you see here quite often, it sucks !!!