Faceplate query

[carefree]

Hi All

Just looking for some advice please, i currently live in a flat and for some annoying reason my master socket was installed in a cupboard with no power near by Anyway i am forced to use an extension socket in the living room but cant help feel that the micro filters are not that good. I saw one of these faceplates BT NTE5 vDSL MK2 Filtered Faceplate|Openreach&#8482 Branded and i wondered if i was to fit this on my master socket would it then mean i could only get a broadband signal from just the master socket? or would it just mean i could plug my router into any socket now without a micro filter? I am currenly on ADSL at the mo but have had my fibre cab installed last week so just waiting for it to go live so i can upgrade.

Many thanks guys

[dnpark38]

Is there no way you could plug a mains extension lead into a mains plug and run the extension to the cupboard?
I will leave others to comment on your question of using extension for BB but I would think upgrading to latest faceplate would not make things worse but possibly better.

[carefree]

Thanks for the above much appreciated, would you believe there is not really a good place for an extension lead at all its kinda silly really the way it was designed to be installed in there. There is a power socket on the opposite wall in my hallway but that would mean having a wire running across the middle of the floor which is not really what i would want to be honest

Thanks again

[gymno]

Hi carefree.

In most cases when a router is on an extension, it's the quality / grade of cable that causes issues rather than the microfilters.
They're generally fine as phone lines but often pick up interference on the broadband.

One easy option would be to request an 'assisted installation' at the time of ordering fibre.
For a flat fee (i believe £50) an openreach engineer will visit the property & discuss potential solutions.
Often it's just a case of fitting a data extension kit from the master socket to a more appropriate position for the router, however occasionally relocating the master socket itself is a viable option.
They'll also fit a filtered faceplate & should wire up all your existing extensions.

Initially this is how all fibre installs used to be done before 'self install' became the norm last year.
Although accounts on the forum of how accommodating the engineers can be vary, some do show that drilling through a wall or two hasn't been a problem, whilst others show jobs taking several hours.

Of course, there's nothing particularly difficult regarding the diy route (technically not allowed to move the master socket though) but thought it worth mentioning as the service isn't really advertised.

[carefree]

Hi Gymno

Thanks for the in depth response there thats helped me out for sure. When my fibre cab goes live and god knows how long that will be even though nearly all of my town have been using it for the last 2 years! Think mine must have been the last cab to be done! I might ask the engineer if it could be moved and id like to think they would see its in a pretty silly place and do the job for me

I guess a filtered vdsl faceplate on the master socket would not help me using an extension then as i guess the broadband signal would be filtered at the master socket itself?

Thanks again

[gymno]

The vdsl faceplates give you all the options.

On the front are sockets for both phone & the router.
Any extensions wired to the existing faceplate (which fits on top of the vdsl one) will be filtered, yes.
However there are further unfiltered terminals for hard wiring on the rear if you don't want to use the dsl socket on the front.

Basically, it's the existing extension cable itself which is likely to cause poor broadband performance (especially with fibre) & so there's no way around replacing the master>router section with something more appropriate, whether hard wired or not.
The vdsl faceplate still has all the other advantages though.

[gymno]

I might ask the engineer if it could be moved and id like to think they would see its in a pretty silly place and do the job for me

Hi carefree.
On reflection i feel the need to clarify...

Unfortunately that's the gamble when requesting an assisted install.
To my knowledge there's very little or no opportunity to discuss any of these matters with openreach prior to the visit, at which point the service has already been paid for.

So the best case scenario for anyone is:
Master socket relocated to perfect position & all wiring satisfactorily tidy etc.
So parts + potentially 2hrs+ labour at £50 & no headaches makes sense.

Worst case scenario for anyone is:
Data extension kit fitted in unsatisfactory position as "only viable option".
So parts + potentially 10 minutes labour at £50 makes no sense as DIY would have been better.

If still considering the option when the time comes, i'd recommend discussing 'assisted install' with sky prior to committing.
Before self installations became the norm, there certainly used to be scope for providing them with some basic info on your requirements at the time of ordering.
Hopefully that's still the case.

[rasp54]

Why not run a phone line directly from the the master socket {hard wired} then to a near by power socket and put a standard faceplate and box.

As for signal loss this is down to poor wiring not the extension.

I am running a extension from the master socket downstairs to upstairs which is about ten metres long and getting 17 meg on 18meg on standard broadband.

[bubblegun]

For Gymno:
Assisted install (for Sky) is only an option on ADSL install and isn't available on Fibre. Or I haven't noticed it anyway!

It means an engineer will help you setup your Hub and ONE wired PC.

Fibre is a remote activation product only.
Engineers are only booked where the line has been inactive for ~2 years or more.
It might still be activated remotely if the line is still intact and no problems are detected at the cabinet.

For the OP:
personally, I would run a power cable to the master and setup the router there. Your only other alternative is to run a high quality twisted-pair cable to the point of your extension socket.

[gymno]

For Gymno:
Assisted install (for Sky) is only an option on ADSL install and isn't available on Fibre. Or I haven't noticed it anyway!

It means an engineer will help you setup your Hub and ONE wired PC.

Fibre is a remote activation product only.
Engineers are only booked where the line has been inactive for ~2 years or more.
It might still be activated remotely if the line is still intact and no problems are detected at the cabinet.

Are you sure?

I definitely read a post or two last year, detailing how a sky customers' assisted fibre install went.