Qustion re : Full-fibre cable routing into house

[#1]

If I upgrade to full fibre (FttP) has anyone got some advice/ideas/suggestions on where they will likely route the new fibre cable from?

I've read the full fibre FAQs re cabling into the house, but there's nothing on where the fibre is routed from ...

We'll need to install two Full Fibre boxes, one inside and the other outside your home. The small box we'll fit in your home is an Openreach box called an ONT (Optical Network Terminal). This box needs to be close to your router and they'll both need to be near a plug socket.

To connect the Full Fibre boxes and cables we'll need to drill through your wall from the outside of your property.

My current situation is this...

• I'm currently on a FttC package and the copper currently comes from a pole to the back of the house; through the loft; outside and down the front of the house where it re-enters by the front door to the phone socket.
• There are green ducts in the pavement at the front of the house, and my neighbour's (Virgin?) fibre comes into the front of their house via the pavement duct.

So my question is this :

• If I sign up to a Full Fibre package would they run the fibre through the green duct to enter at the front? (which is where my Hub/Router is located)
• Or would it have to come in from the back following the same route as the copper?
• I understand there are issues with telecom engineers entering loft spaces, however mine is boarded so this may not be a problem.
• Otherwise this would involve relocating the Hub/Router to the back of the house which is not really an option as I have (fixed) ethernet cabling run from its current location at the front.

[#2]

@geoffers first thing to establish is whether FTTP is available and how it will reach your property

Use the BT wholesale checker https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressFeatureProduct

Assuming it shows as available , then the narrative below the availability matrix will say something like

Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential OH Feed with no anticipated issues.

[#3]

@MisterW  Brilliant, many thanks for that - it confirms FttP is available 👍, but still doesn't really resolve whether the cable will be overhead to the back or ducted to the front.

Is there something else on the report which will help identify this?

[#4]

Read it again @geoffers , "OH feed with no anticipated issues" 

[#5]

@RobPN  Aha 😂 too many abbreviations on the report, so missed the OH=overhead ... thanks  

[#6 · Accepted solution]

@geoffers so it will be served overhead from the existing pole. If the existing cable is to the back of the property , then the installation engineer will likely want to prefer to put the CSP (external grey box) and ONT at the back of the property. There is some flexibility on placement though and you will need to discuss that with the engineer on the install date. If you wish it routed through the loft as previously, then installing ducting and a drawstring will help enormously

[#7]

@geoffers 

Installers tend to work with the customer on the install if possible. As stated, if you can put ducting in place in advance with a draw string for pull through you should be able to get the Fibre cable to the front. I guess open ducting would work as well.

The fibre cable would then be brought down to ground level to the Customer Splice Point (CSP) box before entering the house. The internal Optical Network Adapter (ONT) is installed on the inside of the external wall (usually) and requires power.

Note that the Router is connected via an ethernet cable and can go anywhere you're happy to run said cable so you have options if the ONT has to go at the back of the house.

Brian

[#8]

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@geoffers wrote:

• Otherwise this would involve relocating the Hub/Router to the back of the house which is not really an option as I have (fixed) ethernet cabling run from its current location at the front.

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The Router does not have to be installed next to the ONT. You could install another Ethernet cable from the ONT location site to where you want to place your router. The standard requirement is the same as for your existing LAN, that is, a maximum cable length of 100m for CAT5e or better cable.

[#9]

So I realised that all I've got to do is

• have the FttP fibre coming into the back rather than the front
• move my PN Hub-2 to the back as the active Hub/Router
• swap the PN-Hub-1 to the front connected via the same ethernet, which can then have all the other ethernet cables connected

Sorted  😁

Moderator's note:
Full quote of preceding post removed as per Forum rules.

[#10]

Based on my Full Fibre installation earlier in the year I would add this further advice for anyone facing a fibre install :-

a) The installer will only drill into an outside wall

b) and will only want to drill one hole

I had originally intended to have the installer route the fibre through a new hole in the brick porch then though a second new hole in the brick adjacent to the inner door, so bringing the fibre into the entrance hall in two steps. This was deemed impossible.

So I would suggest you have any additional holes already drilled when the installer arrives.

I ended up with an ok installation but needed a 5 metre  ethernet lead from the ONT to where the router needed to be.

[#11]

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@redulike wrote:

I had originally intended to have the installer route the fibre through a new hole in the brick porch then though a second new hole in the brick adjacent to the inner door, so bringing the fibre into the entrance hall in two steps. This was deemed impossible.

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Your requirement seems more than reasonable.  There must be very large number of properties in this situation were there are two doors into the building, with no power in between them. One hole only drilled, gets you into the porch but does not get you to the essential power socket.

Was it not a 'proper' BTOR engineer (that is one of the subcontractors) or did you get a proper 'jobs-worth'?

Anything is possible, in fact in some cases, essential to reach the first available power source.

I will keep a mental note of this experience for when I move to FTTP - my installation WILL be entering the property 'proper' from the inside of the garage, where the current copper circuit enters.

[#12]

@geoffers 

If you already have ethernet cables running from front to back at the desired locations then you cetainly have the basis for having the install done at the rear.

However, you should give consideration to trying for it at the front. In general, what I'm saying is what's the best place for the ONT with regard to the future.

Not certain if the Hub1 can be used as an ethernet switch - you might need to get an actual one.

Brian

[#13]

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@geoffers wrote:

So I realised that all I've got to do is

• have the FttP fibre coming into the back rather than the front
• move my PN Hub-2 to the back as the active Hub/Router
• swap the PN-Hub-1 to the front connected via the same ethernet, which can then have all the other ethernet cables connected

Hi, Geoffers, where exactly do you need wifi ?

What you have suggested is partially ok but may cause some network issues with the devices you have intended to place where you have suggested!

[#14]

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@bmc wrote:

@geoffers 

Not certain if the Hub1 can be used as an ethernet switch - you might need to get an actual one.

Brian

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I've already got it  configured as an ethernet switch (plus another even older +Net router) - just need to turn off DHCP so it doesn't conflict with the primary hub (and tape over the annoying flashing light showing it's continually trying to connect to ADSL) 😎

[#15]

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@krusty wrote:

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@geoffers wrote:

So I realised that all I've got to do is

• have the FttP fibre coming into the back rather than the front
• move my PN Hub-2 to the back as the active Hub/Router
• swap the PN-Hub-1 to the front connected via the same ethernet, which can then have all the other ethernet cables connected

Hi, Geoffers, where exactly do you need wifi ?

What you have suggested is partially ok but may cause some network issues with the devices you have intended to place where you have suggested!

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I don't need any extra wifi - I've got all the wifi I need 🤣  - what I've got is hard wired ethernet already installed with various network switches feeding multiple devices round the house, and what I've suggested is already in place and working!!! All that is changing is the cable will come in at the back rather than the front, with the existing hub-1/hub-2 just changing places.

I don't see why you think it's going to cause network issues, so long as you disable DHCP on all but the primary Hub (which is what is currently in place and working without issue) 😎