BT infinity - Whats involved in the set-up?

[Brewster0101]

In the next couple of weeks a BT engineer is coming to install BT infinity for me - not my choice, BT seem to be moving me onto it for free and no extra cost to my heavily discounted Broadband price

Currently my home hub is a long way from my Telephone point. I have a long modem cable running under alot of carpet and under a door frame - I can not be bothered to pull it up or lay a new cable.

I know there is a new modem to accompany the new Hub, how is the modem connected to the telephone socket?

[dave87]

The engineer is going to install a new faceplate, which splits out the VDSL and normal telephone connections. This is where the modem is connected, and then by ethernet to the homehub. Ideally you'd want to replace the telephone extension wire with an ethernet cable, then you could have your new modem by the phone socket (for the fastest speeds) and the router where your current one is.

[b0redom]

If it's anything like mine, the engineer will turn up, stare vacantly at the 1950s bakelite master socket and say - that's not a phone socket. The Mrs will then phone you up and say.

The engineer can't find the phone socket and you'll have to explain in words of one sylable that yes it is a master socket, just a very old one.

The engineer will then spend the next 4 hours(!) replacing the phone master socket, then running an extension from that socket inexplicably about 30cm left and terminating the VDSL there so that none of your other sockets in the house work, and you have to have all your core routing kit under the TV until you have time to sort it all out at a later date.

[Brewster0101]

My master socket is behind a side board. I don't want any electrical equipment there. So a cable will be run under the carpet to another room where this new modem can sit with the BT Hub.

If I can use the same modem cable that is already under the carpet, then I will.

Speed is not a factor for me , I get 20MB connection already which is fast enough for me, the extra 60mb really is not much interest for me.

I hope the BT engineer isn't a plank - I won't be home, the wife will be in charge - she won't have a clue , she believes magic fairies so all the decorating and wiring in our home.

[b0redom]

Prepare for the same experience as me then.....

[Agent]

Really depends on who you get in terms of how easy they make it. You can make another socket the master socket fairly easily, as long as you have spare pairs in the cable (you should).

The entire process is basically the same as ADSL - new faceplate -> cable to modem -> into router, although some ISPs like SKY are now using modem and router combos. I know BT we're planning to, don't know if they are though.

Keep in mind that FTTC is more sensitive to bad internal wiring than ADSL in my experience. A friend recently gained another 10meg once he dumped the cheap Argos extension.

[Jackther]

If it's like how they installed it here, the OpenReach box will be the modem, then you can plug your Hub into that.
I have my modem in another room, then a Cat6 cable runs from that into my main room, where my router is, hasn't made a blind bit of difference as far as speed goes, due to them finally letting you use a regular cable router.

[Brewster0101]

If it's like how they installed it here, the OpenReach box will be the modem, then you can plug your Hub into that.
I have my modem in another room, then a Cat6 cable runs from that into my main room, where my router is, hasn't made a blind bit of difference as far as speed goes, due to them finally letting you use a regular cable router.

What kind of cable do you have running from the phone socket to the modem and how long?

[Agent]

What kind of cable do you have running from the phone socket to the modem and how long?

It's RJ11.