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FTTP installation today.
Andy2
Posts: 11,950 Forum Member
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We've got an engineer here to do our FTTP installation. He clearly wants to do a quick 'in & out' job. He wants to put the new router right by the entry point, so he's insisting that we ditch our Ethernet connections (which won't reach) and connect everything via wifi. I've told him that wifi is no good as it won't reach our TV or xbox reliably. He won't have it, and he's trying to convince us that as we are now on 'superfast cable' our wifi will miraculously improve and reach all over the house!
I've told him that's nonsense and that all our wifi channels are crowded and that's why I need ethernet connections. He told me 'it doesn't work on channels, it's by network name'. Trying to explain that wifi works on radio channels 1 - 13 seems to leave him confused.
I'll let him do it his way and then install the ethernet when he's gone. I honestly think he is clueless.
I've told him that's nonsense and that all our wifi channels are crowded and that's why I need ethernet connections. He told me 'it doesn't work on channels, it's by network name'. Trying to explain that wifi works on radio channels 1 - 13 seems to leave him confused.
I'll let him do it his way and then install the ethernet when he's gone. I honestly think he is clueless.
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Sometimes sales people etc will come out with 'technology talk' in the hope that the customer/potential customer will be clueless and just take what they're saying as correct. If WiFi goes by the network name, why are WiFi names changeable then (if he meant the default)? WiFi uses certain channels that don't interfere with it, from what I've read, so it must use/work on them. I think connecting an ethernet cable after he's gone, if that's what you want, is probably the best thing to do.
Going by that comment sales people's hopes are sometimes correct.
Is that not just for the 2.4GHz Spectrum?
Yup, but it's the same thing on either band. He seemed to have no idea of the way the wifi channels are used, or that they can become congested when the neighbours have 50 wifi devices on all day.
Anyway, it's working on wifi for now, but it's (obviously) no better than it was before I installed ethernet cables. I'll need to get a long-ish cable to finally get the system back as I want it.
Whatever!
I don't know if you are on virgin and I have no idea how Virgin system works, do they have a separate router from what ever the fibre,/ cable goes into?
That's what I think they should do (if they want wired). After measuring the distance first, obviously.
Depends which system you're on - the old (and vastly most common) system uses coaxial cable, and provides broadband, TV, and (previously) phone (via a copper pair) - so if you actually have a fibre direct to your house, it's converted immediately back to coaxial in the 'ONT', which needs power to it. Easy to extend, you just need a suitable length of the correct coaxial cable, and a couple of F connectors. VM 'claim' it's a special coaxial cable, but it has a standard manufacturers number on it - typical satellite coax CT100 cable would work fine.
The new real fibre system uses XGS-PON is entirely passive, and provides neither TV or phone. The fibre comes in from the outside box, and is terminated in a fibre socket inside. You then have a plug-in fibre lead which goes from that socket directly to the fibre socket on the Hub5x. It's not so easy to extend, although you can buy suitable fibre leads, once you confirm you've got the right connectors
Yes, that is what I intend to do, as I said in post 5. What annoyed me is that the installer seemed to be telling me that there was no need to connect our TV (etc) by ethernet as the 'new, faster fibre connection' would miraculously cure our poor wifi (caused by all the channels being in use by neighbours, some of which seem to have megawatt routers). The new cable arrives today so I'll be able to put the new router back where the old one was, enabling me to re-instate the ethernet connections.
He was an idiot - as simple as that - and knows nothing about networking or WiFi
Difference Between 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wireless
Yes indeed, and it is the problems with obstruction (worse at 5 GHz) and strong wifi from our neighbours which is the problem here. No amount of fibre speed will help this.
Strategically placed wifi extenders might help? Depends on the seriousness of the problem of course and your ability to find locations good for you and bad for neighbours' wifi.
Never as good as ethernet of course, luckily I already have a cat 6 cable running in trunking from my VM router to an extender router (an old BT router!) in the area of my TV, old Sky+HD box, old BT box and AV receiver (for internet radio amongst others).
So when i ditch VM later this year when independent full fibre goes live, I'm up and ready to go. Ethernet rules, OK?
Question for techy-types: does the first internal fibre termination box (where the fibre comes in through the outside wall) usually have a standard ethernet socket to take an RJ45 ethernet plug? Or is some kind of adapter needed?
Glad we have normal fibre here and not Virgin, but thanks for the explanation.,
Strange thing to say, as you said a faster broadband system is not going to make Wi-fi any better, even the latest version of Wi-fi can have difficulties in some places. i prefer not to use Wi-fi , while am sure my Tv will work ok with Wi-fi since it is in the same room as the router, I prefer it to be wired.
My only problem was that I had to have two cables running in the same place, one from the ONT which is behind the TV to the router and then back from the router to the TV, so put a bit of trunking down and use Cat 5E, which is thinner and more flexible and more than enough for the job.
Same issue here when I get the ONT installed, 2 ethernet cable runs. My cat 6 is at least thinner than the Virgin coax though. I already have enough cat 5e cable for the 2nd. run which I will use to replace the not-at-all-bendy VM coax in my trunking if/when I dump them. Can't recall why I got the cat 6, I think it was just on offer at a very good price.
Never got cat 6, i have seen it on offer that was a bit cheaper than cat5E, but it is not bendy enough. If I had more time and the energy I would do a better job, but once I paint around it, the trunking will blend into the wall/ceiling.
it is the one running up the stairs i have to sort out, need to try and make space under the door frames for it to go under. I was going to use the duct from this upstairs room that goes downstairs that carry the TV aerial extension thing that is not used, but I can't get an Ethernet cable down there with the plugs on and i don't have the tools to crimp, and I am not sure if I could. It would be tidier.
I like the idea of Wi-Fi, it would be great to have everything wi-fi, but it is just not good enough.
So I've largely wired my home for ethernet everywhere; everything that doesn't move is wired in (even the chromecast ultra). This means that the wifi network is, largely, empty - save for phones and laptops. But the heavy lifting is on ethernet. Including the cables running to the wifi points; I've not used them in extender mode, each one is individually wired in.
It's probably overkill, but it means that for me the network just gets on with its job and I don't notice it - it "just works".
It's usually a different cable for crimping plugs on, the drums of CAT5/6 you buy are intended for connecting to IDC sockets, using an insertion tool similar (but not the same) to that used for connection telephone sockets. The cable is solid core, for crimping plugs on it would normally be stranded so as to be more flexible.
So you run the bare cable, and connect it to a socket at either end, then use a pre-made Ethernet lead between socket and computer/TV etc.
So no issues trying to get a plug through small holes.
WiFi has it's place, but it's simply trying to be an Ethernet cable, and failing badly.
My cat 6 is OK as I'd already had to stick trunking up and around a door frame, due to my concrete/screedy floor, which had to take stupidly un-bendy VM coax. So cat 6 was a breeze in comparison but it'll be 5e in future.
ISP contractors have now finished in my and the next street (cul de sacs) and did work over 2 days at the end of the close but there are no cabinets visible on the surface at all. I'm hoping that they've done a deal to house their gear in Openreach street access chambers, as those connect to each house via 50mm buried trunking and mine still has a BT cable in it (currently unused).