topic Re: Broadband modem location in Broadband & Landline

Broadband modem location

Frinjikagawa — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:35:20 GMT

So I’ve just moved into a new build property and the modem is installed in a downstairs cupboard… which means the router is now also in said cupboard. Problem I have with this is the house has three floors so the further up you go the less speed you go and the majority of our time is spent on 2nd and 3rd floors. There is an ADSL connection next to the modem and one in our living room in the 2nd floor but obviously the cable provided doesn’t fit into this. I was hoping I could plug the modem into the one on the cupboard and then the router into the one in the living room. Is this possible?

Re: Broadband modem location

Mustrum — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:08:46 GMT

@Frinjikagawa the telephone wiring you mention is not suitable for carrying the high speed data between the ONT and your router.

However there is nothing stopping you from instally a LAN/CAT6/7 cable between the ONT and somewhere more central in the property.

You could also consider getting WiFi extenders from EE or a vendor of your choice. https://ee.co.uk/broadband/wifi-products

Re: Broadband modem location

JimM11 — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:50:10 GMT

@Frinjikagawa As you say it is a new build, is there any other wired connections in the same cupboard that go out to network sockets placed around you home in various rooms? NOT the standard telephone connections you can forget those!

Re: Broadband modem location

Frinjikagawa — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:52:11 GMT

I’ve not found any other network sockets anywhere in the house. Just the
modem for open reach and a modem for hyper optic on the same cupboard

Re: Broadband modem location

JimM11 — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:58:34 GMT

@Frinjikagawa Take it you slid the cover up on the single socket and took a look at what the connection behind it was, just in case it is an RJ45 for Ethernet and not a standard phone connection?

Re: Broadband modem location

Frinjikagawa — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:02:56 GMT

I didn’t but looking at it now a Ethernet wouldn’t fit into it. I didn’t realise full fibre was different as last time I seen one of these sockets I plugged my old Vodafone router into it!

Re: Broadband modem location

XRaySpeX — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:09:27 GMT

That's an ordinary BT phone socket. Not suitable to run Ethernet for Full Fibre. I presume the one in the living room is a master socket, possibly with 2 ports.

Re: Broadband modem location

JimM11 — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:19:52 GMT

@Frinjikagawa How old is your new build, some off the newer are completely wired, my sister's is but it is only 2 years old.

Once your picture is cleared will take a look, the sockets if they are interconnected you may be lucky and an Ethernet cable was used between the connection's but will take someone who knows what they are doing to have a look for you.

If not then you are going to have to use the location or get a cable run to where you need it!

Edit:- you need to run a cable or get someone to take a look what the cable is behind that BT styled socket!

Re: Broadband modem location

XRaySpeX — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:15:50 GMT

Don't worry, the images were awaiting approval. I have now done so & they should appear soon.

Re: Broadband modem location

dragonxpress — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 15:07:19 GMT

A lot of new builds now have multimedia panels in the main rooms like the picture below which have access to ethernet connections but failing that you will either need to run your own cabling (lot of faff), use power line extenders or Wi Fi extender/mesh hubs. To be honest, I use a combo - powerline extender to the garage which is 150 metres away from the house which feeds my Ring Spotlight Cam and EV charger which is enough and Wi-Fi extender hubs but wouldn't recommend the EE one SW40J (see my other post - hit and miss when it wants to work but brilliant when it does)

I live in a property which is 1500sq ft over 3 floors. What did work well (before I started messing about with EE routers) was a decent router like Netgear Rax200 (an older model Netgear router) which gave solid 200+mbps connection to my office computer 3 floors up at the back of the house so maybe something like a Asus RT - BE92U Tri Band router would be better - I've just bought one and about to see for myself except the EE Extender has started to work again all of a sudden giving me 625mbps in the said room on the 3rd floor ...

Re: Broadband modem location

bobpullen — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 15:20:03 GMT

What's important is what cable is behind that telephone socket and how the cable is routed.

I also live in a new build with an ONT in the utility cupboard next to the front door. There was a phone socket in my cupboard too and another in my living room. Turns out it was Cat-5e cable behind the socket that ran through to the one in the other room.

I removed the faceplates and replaced them with Ethernet ports, using a punch down tool to terminate the end of the wires behind each socket.

Result is that I can plug the ONT into the socket in the cupboard and then have my router positioned next to the other socket/room with the WAN cable plugged into it.

If you still have the floor plans from the property then you might be able to work out how the 'phone' cables were fixed/routed before the plasterboard went up.

Re: Broadband modem location

Frinjikagawa — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 19:33:30 GMT

The one in the living room is just same a single port.

Re: Broadband modem location

XRaySpeX — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 19:37:42 GMT

Has the living room 1 got a horizontal split in the faceplate?

Re: Broadband modem location

bobpullen — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:16:05 GMT

@Frinjikagawa wrote:
The one in the living room is just same a single port.

So was mine. It was a direct run of Cat-5e cable in the walls though so I replaced the faceplates with Ethernet sockets and job done.

What you want to do is likely possible but it's going to involve somebody having to get their hands dirty/potentially run cables.