Full Fibre 2 Router Connection

[shibs_uk]

Hi all,

We have signed up to Full Fibre 2 Broadband. Our activation is set for tomorrow. We have received our WiFi Hub. This came with a microfilter and instructions to plug this into a master phone socket. We subsequently received an email with instructions to plug the hub into the ONT box via Port 1. I'm not really a technical person so don't know which advice to follow?

Our ONT is located in a hallway cupboard and we want to be able to connect our Hub via an ethernet cable to our freeview box as our wifi signal can be pretty rubbish at going through our heavy fire doors and solid masonry walls, so locating the Hub in our hallway isn't a great option for us.

I've included a picture of our ONT set up - the builders (our flat was newly built about 4 years ago) left an ethernet cable plugged into Port 1.

Is this where our WiFi hub needs to be located and is it the only place we can have it?

[Ripshod]

You can run a lan cable from the ONT to anywhere in the house you want to place your router. They don't even need to be close to each other within reason (100 metres is just about the limit with cat5e iirc).

That's an old skool connection BTW, they may even run a fresh fibre and place a new ONT anywhere you ask if you keep them primed with tea and biscuits (it cost me one 1 tea and 3 jaffa cakes) 

[Jayach]

You will definitely be using the ONT, not a telephone socket.

Is this the first time using the ONT?

When you say the builders left an ethernet cable plugged into Port 1, where does the other end of that go?

[Cynric]

@Jayach I downloaded the image and zoomed-in to look at the grey Cat5, and I think it's just looped and going nowhere. I think I can see the other end of it just below the open white flap. 

[shibs_uk]

Thanks @Jayach 

Yes, this is the first time using this box, we initially set up TV/Broadband with Virgin so this box and the regular phone line has never been used in this flat.

The grey cable was plugged into Port 1 and the other end was dangling free and not connected to anything.

[shibs_uk]

 @Jayach I take it that the Port 1 is where I should be connecting the Hub to via an ethernet cable?

Thank you to everyone who has been so kind to respond! It's really very much appreciated.

[Jayach]

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@shibs_uk wrote:

 @Jayach I take it that the Port 1 is where I should be connecting the Hub to via an ethernet cable?

I would definitely think so, that is a very early ONT, the modern ones have far fewer connections.

Perhaps, as @Ripshod suggests, you may get a new one.

[shibs_uk]

Thanks @Ripshod. We won't be moving the ONT anywhere as we will only be here for another 6 months maybe so definitley not worth the hassle of that. Running a cable may be a possibility, we'll see what the WiFi coverage is like once we have connection tomorrow (hopefully!).

[Cynric]

@shibs_uk The Vodafone hub can be anywhere you wish assuming that you can route a cable to the ONT and that the distance is less than 100m.  Your situation looks like this could be tricky, so here as some ideas that come to mind and other fourm members will chip-in too I'd expect.

- you can get flat (ribbon) ethernet cable so you may well be able to hide it under carpets and sneak it under doors without resorting to drilling holes everywhere

- you could leave the router in the hall and get WiFi extender devices to get coverage throughout the house

- you could get a WiFi bridge (this effectively is a router in reverse) 

- you could get PowerLine devices (some people on here don't like PowerLine, but I do) to extend the network over the house electrical wiring and with your house being so new you should get a good connection to the Freeview box like that too

- you could drill holes in the walls (sorry, I'm trying to work my way through all the possible solutions, including the less desirable ones).

OK, I'm going to stop here and see what you think and what else is suggested by others.

[shibs_uk]

Hi @Cynric 

Thanks for the suggestions!

The cable option is possible but definitely not desireable as it will be very visible (no carpets etc and having to sneak it under doors etc). I don't want to have to drill holes in the walls as we are only staying here for another 6 months or so. I will look at the WiFi extender devices or powerline devices, I had previously looked at these to improve my WiFi signal to my home office but ended up hard wiring it instead so I think I know what to look out for. It's interesting to hear your experience on the powerline devices as I didn't really know if these would work or not. I don't even know what a WiFi Bridge is so I will Google that and thanks for improving my (limited) knowledge!