Your master socket is a white plastic box built into your wall, usually in your hallway or near your front door. It’s bigger than a normal phone socket because it’s the point where the external phone line comes into your home.
It's best to connect your router to your master socket. You can also use your master socket to troubleshoot problems with your internet, particularly if it has a test socket inside.
Not all houses have one, but if yours does, it'll look like one of the below:
Non NTE
NTE 5
NTE 5C
FTTC
NTE 2000
NTE 5C MK 4
Openreach can replace or install master sockets for a fee. If you need a new master socket or you want to move or replace your existing one, please contact us to arrange an engineer visit.
There are two types of master socket. The way you connect your phone and broadband depends on which one you have.
Standard master sockets have one port on the front, which means you need a microfilter to connect your phone or router. You'll also need to use microfilters in every other socket you're using in your home.
Pre-filtered master sockets have two ports on the front, which means your line is already split between your phone and broadband connection. You can plug your phone and router straight into a pre-filtered master socket without using any microfilters.
Your test socket is inside your master socket. It lets you bypass the internal wiring in your house and connect directly to the phone line outside, making it the ideal place to test your internal wiring for faults.
Here’s how to connect your router to your test socket:
If your connection improves whilst you're connected to the test socket, then the problem is probably in your home. However, if the problem continues, then there's likely a fault in your local area.
Our experts are here to help, select one of the following contact options:
View your bills, keep tabs on your usage and message our team.
New: See how your connection is performing.
Available everyday
08:00 - 22:00
To help us deal with your query quickly, please confirm the following information when you write to us. We will aim to respond in writing to your query in 10 days.
- Your full name
- Your TalkTalk Phone or mobile number
- Your Signature
TalkTalk Correspondence Dept
PO Box 675
Salford
M5 0NL
All letters will be sent to the primary billing address unless stated otherwise. Please also include the best way to contact you about your query, such as your contact phone number or contact address.
Call us for free on: 0345 172 0088
Make sure you have your account details to hand when you call.
Calls are free from your TalkTalk phone, our customer services team are available 8am-8pm, Technical Support 24/7 every day. If you’re deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired, the Text Relay Service can be used to help you contact us, simply dial 18001 followed by 0345 1720088