The Joshua Tree

We currently have BT Infinity, the master socket and the openworld modem are on the wall in the downstairs hall.

I'll be needing 2 hard wired ethernet connections upstairs, we really only need wifi downstairs.

What's the best option out of the following, or a different alternative what you can suggest ?

1. Run a Cat 6 cable from the BT Homehub, take it up the corner of the hall (to be hidden by corner trunking) into floorboard area above the ceiling. Then run the Cat6 cable down the landing under the floorboards and into the room where it needs to go. Because of the way the joists run i'd have to drill a small hole in each joist to feed the bare Cat6 cable through then terminate it after.

2. Get BT to move the master socket and Openworld modem upstairs, i think it's around £170, i'm not sure on the exact cost.

What would be the best plan of attack ?

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

where does the BT cable enter the property ? is there a small junction box where it enters ?

The Joshua Tree

I can't see an obvious junction box anywhere outside, it will come in at the front of the house somewhere, finding exactly where isn't obvious.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Can't you use some of those things that make your mains ring-main into an ethernet ring? TDM?

SouthWalesSam

iTrader: (1)

Try using one of these Powerline kits from TP-Link.

http://www.ebuyer.com/610624-tp-link...tl-wpa4220tkit

It connects to your router and uses your electricity ring mains to provide hardwired CAT5 sockets (as well as WiFi on some kits) to any room in a property that is wired to the same mains fusebox.

I use these round the house and we get good wired and wireless internet access everywhere.

Sam

streakybacon

+1, just stick to a recognised brand, will work well.

hodgy0_2

I have not tried the power extenders - I assume they work OK, if you have compatible wiring

personally I would hardwire with CAT6 cabling

I have a bit throughout my house - to extend wireless throughout the whole house (I have two "zones" - front and rear)

and also to provide network ports in some areas

in fact due to some reconfiguring the house I need to create a new wired connection into a new office for me

I do have the correct tooling though - which helps

The Joshua Tree

Thanks SouthWalesSam, those TP-Link powerline kits are some food for thought.

Upto now i'm favouring running the Cat6 cable under the floorboards, i'm not in a mad rush so i'll weigh up all the options.

I found out where the BT cable comes in now it's daylight, it basically comes from the main BT line that's in the sky via those large pillar posts, it drops in just above where we had the old front door which is now above where we had a small front extension built.

BuRR

I have home plugs, and even though the house is less than 15 years old the wiring is noisy - so there's loads of collision, and therefore a slow throughput.

If you can be arsed, then there's no question about it. CAT6 will give you full-duplex comms, as well as much, much faster throughput - although you're then restricted to whichever physical route you take...

Neil XR

iTrader: (1)

i am running a bt homehub 5 from a slave socket in living room on bt infinity as master socket is in kitchen

no issues and full speed

paul98typer

Its easy enough to just move the main line yourself, get some external phone or cat5 cable and just crimp the wires together. see if you can collar a friendly openreach guy and borrow an external joint housing or if not just put into any waterproof closure.
only 2 wires are used up to the main socket, just connect them to the first pair in the new cable and then reconnect them in the main socket when you have moved it.

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

Easy enough maybe, but a definite no-no in practice, as it will be a breach of the T&Cs of his contract with BT, who own the line.

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

most openreach engineers dont even know what day it is, so how will they know the main socket has been moved ?
Ive moved dozens inc my own, which they had to come out to recently to install fibre, nothing was said about the socket or its location.

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

I'm sure someone (who worked at BT) once told me that they did keep a record of where master sockets are. That aside though, the OP might not feel technically confident enough to do this himself without completely botching the job, or might just not want the hassle of doing it. It's his choice though if he wants to give it a go, obviously.

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

maybe in the 80s, or you were just wrong . .
imagine keeping records for the millions of homes lol lol lol lol lol lol
also why is the first thing an engineer ask is "where is the master socket" if they already had the information on record.

The Joshua Tree

What happens if you get the same engineer back that fitted it in the first place and he remembers where he fitted it ? He'll report you for doing it then BT will charge you a ridiculous amount to put it back, they could even take you to court for tampering with their equipment.

I'll give that approach a miss, i could probably do it but i'll stick to doing it where their won't be any come backs. Cheers anyway.

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Another vote for TPLink extenders

Use them to go from my router to my "comms cupboard" which has a bundle of non-WiFi devices.

Also used in my mother's house where the walls are 2ft thick between router and where she has her PC. Wiring is ancient and it still works absolutely fine. I've bunged a WiFi access point on as well so can get WiFi both sides of the house.

Simple, cheap and effective.

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

the junction box can be a shorter run for the new socket,
by using this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/25211...s=true&ff13=80




you can add a new master from the junction box where it enters the property, this is typically easier and a shorter run for a new upstairs point, rather then floor boards up etc.

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

That's not right mate, you can do what you like with the kit inside your home, including the master socket and any other sockets, it's the line into the house and the junction boxes on the outside of your house (if you have those) that you are not allowed to tamper with.

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

If you can come up with a credible source saying the master socket isn't BT property, I might go along with yours or anyone else's claim that it's OK to move it. Otherwise ...

hodgy0_2

the "property" argument is an interesting one (Gas and Electricity meters I am pretty sure are not yours to move, even though on your property)

but I believe utilities are treated differently (BT is not classed as a utility - as anyone who has tried to use one for identification has found out)

but in any case I suspect is a red herring

the bottom line is that if you move the master socket and fvck it up, you risk BT charging you if they have to come out and sort it out

I don't now how "****" they are about this sort of thing - but in the cold light of day they would have a case

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

My credible source were two different OR engineers, one did a master socket move for free for me as part of a fibre install (another thing BT say they can't do unless you the customer pays for it) the other was for a fault fix. They both when asked this question, answered with the same info. Now if you were to ring BT customer services (and you actually got through to someone who knew what they were talking about, unlikely) then yes you'd probably get a negative answer

paul98typer

Just to clear things up. The BT or Openreach branded master socket, be it a new style nte5(removable bottom part to access test socket), or a small or large single piece socket this remains the property of BT/Openreach.
Only authorised engineers, Openreach, Kelly's, or other sub contractor are allowed to move or change the socket.

No records are kept at all about the whereabouts of the socket and only if the same guy who installed it came back after you had moved it would anyone know, and tbh he probably doesn't care two hoots that you have moved it....

However if you have caused a fault by moving it then reported it and Openreach comes out to fix it you will get charged, or should do if the engineer is following the correct procedure.

It is a piece of cake to do it though and unless you staple or cleat a pin through the cable there's not much that can go wrong.

There is one other option, did the engineer fit a built in filter face plate? with the dsl plug on top and phone plug on bottom, if so there are two unfiltered connections there that you can use to run a hardwired dsl lead for your modem, just needs connecting onto the 2pins at the socket end then an rj11 or data socket fitting at the other end. you can run this yourself.

paul98typer

The Joshua Tree

Paul, cheers for that. I've taken a couple of pics of our master socket, to run an extension upstairs is it best to use the 2 connections that you put an arrow to or use 5,3 and 2 on the extension plate ? Are you ok to run Cat6 cable as your extension direct from the master socket ?

paul98typer

Use the 2 connections on the main faceplate. you could use 5 and 2 on the extn part but the 2 connections on the faceplate will give you a better connection. cat6 is perfect, just make sure its solid pairs, not braided. Get plenty of slow speed faults on braided wire.
Not anywhere nr Rotherham/Sheffield are you? if so i'll just come and do it for ya, you just gotta supply coffee n biscuits.

The Joshua Tree

Cheers Paul, unfortunately i'm nowhere near Rotherham/Sheffield.

Just a couple of quick questions to do with broadband in general.

1. What's the difference between an unfiltered connection terminal and a filtered connection terminal to run an extension from ?

2. On a Cat6 cable, does it matter which colours you connect to the A and B unfiltered terminals on the master socket ? Also when connecting the RJ45 connector at the other end, do you wire the Cat6 into the RJ45 as per the colour chart diagrams that you can find online, the reason i'm asking is does it have a bearing which colours you need to use for the extension in the master socket in the A and B so that it will be ok at the other end when you terminate the RJ45 ? It will be connecting direct to a pc.

3. Does it have any advantage running an unfiltered extension from the master socket over running a Cat6 cable direct from one of the spare ports on the BT Homehub ?

paul98typer

The 2 connections on the socket are used so you can move the router itself to a different location. If you do not have any extns on the bottom part you could probably get away with just running a normal extn using cat6. Still better from my experience on faults running it from the 2 connections on the faceplate rather than the extn ones. Pr wise ust use a proper pair. Be it white/blue blue/white or white/orange orange/white etc. So long as you use the same pair either end. You would use an rj11 using the middle two pins on it, then relocate modem/hub and plug this new cable into that.

Using the lan ports on the back of the router you would keep router where it is and run the cables to the pc/smart tv etc and plug the rj45 straight into the device.

Whichever route you choose is down to you and how it would look.
A couple of cat6 running from current router to wherever upstairs, or move the router and have shorter run of lan cable but if your going into more than room still gotta think about where the wiring from back of the hub ports is going to go.