Openreach box in garage - options?

[#1]

So I was previously with Virgin Media in a new build house.  They had their own FTTP connection where the faceplate came in to my living room so the router was conveniently placed for good wifi through the house.

I've now changed over to Plusnet but when I went to connect the new router I eventually discovered it needed to be plugged in to a separate FTTP connection through the Openreach box.

The problem is, the Openreach box is in my garage meaning wifi in the house is very poor, approx 50MB on a 500MB fibre package.

What options could I have from here?  Happy to listen to any options I might have.

[#2]

@daryla76  Welcome to the Community Forum.

You can install a CAT6 Ethernet cable between the BT ONT and the location where you wish to install the Plusnet Hub.

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Broadband to Full Fibre

[#3]

Ok,  this is one option.   Possible issue is having to drill through the garage wall and then the house wall to run that cable.

How about powerline adapters?  The BT ONT ethernet cable plugs into one powerline adapter, then the other powerline adapter plugs in to the router inside the house.  Is this an option do you think?

[#4]

According to these posts, it is possible to use powerline adapters, but I personally would NOT recommend it if you want reliable stable connection.

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-setup-Wi-Fi-network/Powerline-adapter-between-fibre-box-and-home-hu... 

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-setup-Wi-Fi-network/fttp-open-reach-box/m-p/1933562#M161952 

You may discover the speeds over powerline are lower than expected, and latency could be a problem, along with overall reliability of the link.  Electrical appliances could affect the stability of the link.

Just wondering if you ordered Plusnet FTTP, would Openreach have to send an engineer?

In which case you could ask the engineer if it is possible to move the ONT, or install new ethernet cable from existing ONT to new router location?   A Plusnet CS rep may be able to answer this question about engineer visit.

[#5]

So that's some great information thank you very much.

Both the Virgin Media connection and the Openreach connection were installed at around the same time when the house was built 2 years ago.

I have a friend who will loan me some powerline adapters so I can try this first as it's the most convenient solution.  If that doesn't work too well then I would look to run a longer ethernet cable from the BT ONT and drill it through the walls as that seems the only other option.

Would there be any value in purchasing a better wifi router?

[#6]

@daryla76 

Hard wired is always best. It might take a bit of time and effort but it gives you a good stable starting point for any house WiFi.

If you go down that route consider leaving the router in the garage and running ethernet cable to both down and up stairs, then WiFi access points.

If the house is only two years old does it have any internal ethernet wiring. I believe many new house do,

Brian

[#7]

The right answer is definitely running an Ethernet cable from the Openreach fibre modem (ONT) to the Plusnet router, however if this is difficult I would give the powerline adaptors a try.

At the very least they will prove that it is worth getting the Ethernet cable run.

BT have a page explaining the Openreach modem:

Openreach modem (ONT) explained: Ports and models available | BT Help

[#8]

To install an Ethernet cable don’t buy a terminated one that needs a big hole to get the connector through. If you buy some CAT 6 cable this should go through a 5mm hole. If you fit a pattress box with an RJ45 socket each end then you can make a professional job of it. Obviously you need a short patch cable at each end.

[#9]

Definitely yes to a new router.
The Plusnet hub2 shares the same wifi channel for 2.4 and 5ghz devices.
If you have quite a few neighbours with broadband you might encounter congestion which could cause you problems selecting a different channel and I believe the Plusnet router is limited in the WiFi channels it can use.
Another bonus is that new routers support wifi6 and most newer mobile devices and laptops support this which will give you a performance gain.
You don't have to spend silly money on a router, I highly recommend a TP link AX3000 and they are around £120.
Over the years I've previously used Thompson, Netgear and D Link routers and a previous TP Link router for FTTC and it was rock solid so going with another one of theirs was a no brainer for me.

[#10]

Or just try the Hub Two and only spend your money after you have seen how well it performs. You might find that it's perfectly adequate.

However much you spend on WiFi6 routers and/or Mesh systems you will never get real world performance better than cheap Ethernet cabling.