DSL - T1 Too Close

A DSL and T1 line shouldn't interfere with each other but you can run into problems if either of them is too close to a mains power line.

I've never had any problems with this setup previously unless the actual lines where running over mains lines or against them.

Col

Beware that you are not close to any AC cabling
at or near those outlets. They will not
interfere with each other but can be badly
degraded but AC wiring in close proximity.
Elimination can be as simple as wrapping those
data cables with foil and grounding. This only
needs to be done in those areas identified,
not the whole cable. A smart installation
would have negated those problems.

How close to an AC line is too close?

Both of those lines should be run with cat-5 cable. If they are
not that could cause definate problems in close proximity.

They run DSL and T1 lines into 24 port patch panels all the time.
Look into the jacks and on the connector ends. If you see any
green or corrosion replace the respective part.

Lee

As I recall, the "spec" is 18 inches clearance from AC and ballasts in lighting. I could be off as I haven't seen the actual doc recently. What you're describing sounds to me like crosstalk, though. This happens when the installer untwisted the pairs too much (half inch MAX) or installed them into older patch panels that forced this.

What I have seen a lot of is cheap "Cat5" that doesn't meet the spec. Cat5 should have three twists per inch; I've seen a lot of stuff in old installs have much less (it's really Cat3 but is labeled Cat5). This means you're getting crosstalk along the runs themselves; usually this is alleviated by the time it gets to the end but not always.

Anyhow, there are a lot of things that can affect this. You really have to start at the demarc and follow the runs from there, narrowing down each possible cause of the issue. This can be time consuming, especially if you don't have a really good tester (as in more than just continuity). I use a Fluke OneTouch 10/100 myself but those are pricey, even for an older one like mine that doesn't bother with fiber. Still, they can be invaluable in cases like this.

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