EE Full Fibre install - Getting ready / cable length to ONT

[Daviesapn]

HI

I’ve got 500Mbps fibre being installed in a weeks time and want to make sure I am ready for the installation.  Having decent broadband is going to make such a difference to me.

My phone line currently runs into a storage space bang in the middle of our house (where i also have a small rack and router (Ubiquiti Dream Machine). 

I understand Openreach will install a box to the outside of the house (mid terrace) - then run from there to the modem / ONT.

So my question is - how far can that cable be run?  In our house, it would need to be approx 15m at least (at a guess) to get from the external box to the ONT.  The route is underfloor boards and would need running through holes in the ceiling / skirting etc.  Would the engineer be happy to do that?

I’d be happy to run it for them - have ran cables through the same route before myself, but am sure they are on a tight timescale, and only have certain lengths of cable.

Any thoughts or ideas appreciated.

Thanks,

Andrew

[XRaySpeX]

The ONT is fixed to the interior of the wall where the outside box is located. The only short (fibre) cable between the 2 is supplied & fitted by the eng. Beyond that is all yours & you can run & fit any Ethernet cable from the ONT to your router.

[Mustrum]

@Daviesapn   if plied with tea/coffee and choccy biscuits, and trunking/drawcords pre-installed, many Openreach engineers will put the ONT where you want it - within reason. Otherwise, they will take the easiest option for them.

Make sure you know where/how the fibre will get to your property - overhead or underground existing route before the install. Talk to the installer when they arrive to see what they can do, make it as easy as you can. Potentially they could use the old copper wiring to pull through the fibre, as they may do with the outside wiring.  I presume you know about this and that you will no longer have a phone line?

HTH

[Daviesapn]

Thanks for that. 

That’s my problem though. I really don’t want the ONT on the wall in my living room or hall (which are both at the front of the house) with cables dangling out of it. 

I don’t have a good location for it in the living room and would much rather all IT gear was out of view in my rack (On a UPS etc)

I don’t have an Ethernet cable spare in my living room either so would be stuck. 

Any other ideas?  Am surprised - as they recommend installing the router centrally in the house to make best use of the wifi - a lot of people wouldn’t have Ethernet running from the front on their house to the middle. 
Hope this makes sense and thanks again. 

Andrew

[Daviesapn]

Thanks Mustrum!

Will put on my best charm and buy plenty of biscuits!  
I’ve got the route all worked out and have ran cables that way before. It does mean crawling under the floorboards 😱, but I’d be happy to do that bit. 

I assume the cable from the outside box to the ONT is pre- terminated at one end so I imagine there is a limit as to how far the ONT can be. 

The CBT is ready installed on a nearby telegraph pole. Was thinking of preinstalling some drawstrings - so think I will!

Thanks again - appreciate your help

[Daviesapn]

Thanks again for this

just found this - which allows me to extend the cable and reposition the ONT 

Maybe a better option for me?  Just let the engineer do what they need to do then I can move later. 

[Mustrum]

@Daviesapn   I would save that as a last option! 

Having Openreach install the ONT where you prefer it may save you lots of hassle later.

[Daviesapn]

Oh really - are they not reliable?

[Mustrum]

You might get lucky, but a joint is a potential failure point. Plus, you will need to put the ONT back to the original fitted point if you have a fault. If Openreach see you have moved their demarcation point you would likely get charged  

[XRaySpeX]

There's still a box on the interior wall where the fibre comes in. You might be better off having the ONT installed upstairs.