So, the infinity engineer is coming on Tuesday. Any advice?

Hello,

I ordered infinity 2 weeks or so ago with an install date of July 24th.

I've waited patiently for this time to come and have now received the reminder to say the engineer will be round with a few tips on what to expect.

Any thing else I should consider?

I want the master socket changed if poss to a secondary socket on the 3rd floor, as that is where the main computer is. (ground floor is a bank, 2nd and 3rd floors are residential)

I asked on the BT community forums. Some said it will be possible, others said it will depend on the engineer.

Any insider information I should/could ask for? Line stats?

I'll be running off the BT modem into a RT-N56U

Thanks,

dizzi


My exchange - http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/SDPLGT

My adsl check: http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r633/dizzibits/0...

My face on Tuesday morning when the bell goes: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__lf-F8sEB-Y/S_P8RwvL0xI/AA...

Edited by deleted (Sun 22-Jul-12 19:49:49)

Polegate, that's not far from where I am, Eastbourne. Well, tea/coffee and biscuits are generally useful, the engineer I had when I was setup last month had the drink and the biscuits on the plate.

Additionally if you have a special faceplate, such as ADSLNation's XTE-2005, be certain the engineer doesn't take it away with him/her without you noticing. The day before the engineer turned up to setup my Infinity I removed the mentioned faceplate above and used a microfilter, he then unplugged the microfilter and installed the new faceplate.

Offer the engineer tea/coffee and biscuits and I'm sure they will do the changes to the socket that you mention, if it's not too difficult and is possible to do so.

Edited by Ixel (Sun 22-Jul-12 20:58:23)

Tip for you... its not a BT Infinity engineer as they don't exist

It's an Openreach FTTC engineer

If you don't require the existing master socket, then this should be real easy for the engineer. They can just bypass the existing, and make the extension where you require it to be connected the new NTE.

Make sure there is plenty of room in and around where you want it to be. Spare power supplies near by.

Some engineers will ring ahead then go straight to the cab, others will ring, then visit site to make sure all is in order and let them tone your line back to the cab.

Which ISP did you choose, and have you requested a 'Home Wiring Solution' from your ISP ?

... if you have a special faceplate, such as ADSLNation's XTE-2005, be certain the engineer doesn't take it away with him/her without you noticing

The ones who know anything about what they are doing will just leave it there and connect the modem to it. Except where the user wants the master moved of course, as in this case.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

... if you have a special faceplate, such as ADSLNation's XTE-2005, be certain the engineer doesn't take it away with him/her without you noticing

The ones who know anything about what they are doing will just leave it there and connect the modem to it. Except where the user wants the master moved of course, as in this case.

I'm just offering advice based on the fact that I've read on forums that they may, and on some occasions actually have, replace the special faceplate (e.g. ADSLNation) with the VDSL certified one and take the old (special) faceplate with them. Better to be safe than sorry in my view.

In reply to a post by Ixel:

I'm just offering advice based on the fact that I've read on forums that they may, and on some occasions actually have, replace the special faceplate (e.g. ADSLNation) with the VDSL certified one and take the old (special) faceplate with them. Better to be safe than sorry in my view.

In my case he removed my ADSLNation faceplate and gave it to me, shouldn't be a problem if you ask.

Yes, you're right . What I really meant was, as what I said is true, there is no harm in asking the engineer if that would be OK. Saves him having to reconnect any extensions for one thing . Though maybe a good idea if he agrees would be to get him to leave the unused replacement - as a spare. (Needs a normal faceplate as well of course).

In reply to a post by Ixel:

Polegate, that's not far from where I am, Eastbourne. Well, tea/coffee and biscuits are generally useful, the engineer I had when I was setup last month had the drink and the biscuits on the plate.

Additionally if you have a special faceplate, such as ADSLNation's XTE-2005, be certain the engineer doesn't take it away with him/her without you noticing. The day before the engineer turned up to setup my Infinity I removed the mentioned faceplate above and used a microfilter, he then unplugged the microfilter and installed the new faceplate.

Offer the engineer tea/coffee and biscuits and I'm sure they will do the changes to the socket that you mention, if it's not too difficult and is possible to do so.

Will have tea, coffee and biscuits at the ready, no special faceplate - thanks

In reply to a post by Adsl24:

Tip for you... its not a BT Infinity engineer as they don't exist

It's an Openreach FTTC engineer

I'll try to remember that.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

If you don't require the existing master socket, then this should be real easy for the engineer. They can just bypass the existing, and make the extension where you require it to be connected the new NTE.

Make sure there is plenty of room in and around where you want it to be. Spare power supplies near by.

Some engineers will ring ahead then go straight to the cab, others will ring, then visit site to make sure all is in order and let them tone your line back to the cab.

Which ISP did you choose, and have you requested a 'Home Wiring Solution' from your ISP ?

ISP is BT. My current set up is fairly clear of clutter, though I need to move 1 item of furniture to get at the phone socket.

The router is in very close proximity to the socket and my computer (all within 2m of each other ) with a couple of spare power sockets.

I'd still like to use the socket that is currently the master, will that be possible?

Also, will I need to have the home hub installed? Or can the modem just go straight into my asus router?

I'd still like to use the socket that is currently the master, will that be possible?

More than likely. Either a data extension kit from the existing, or a little jiggery-pokery with the existing internal wiring.

Also, will I need to have the home hub installed? Or can the modem just go straight into my asus router?

Yes, the engineer will connect it up and demo it as working with that. Just wait till they have gone, then fit your router. At least you will know it is all rocking and rolling, and if it don't work with your kit, you've done something wrong !




I'm very partial to a fig newton myself !

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

I'm very partial to a fig newton myself !

Newton had a thing about apples.

Quite right!

An OR eng took my standard NTE5, w/out my noticing so I couldn't ask him to leave it, and replaced it with a hissy filtered faceplate that needed filtering by a dangler LOL!.

SO I had to ask next OR eng to visit if he had a spare NTE5.

BTW: Both OR engs sent unnecessarily by Orange cuz they couldn't lower my Target NM; only Orange could .

Another question, what cable runs from the socket to the modem? Is it a RJ11?

Currently mine is 10m long and goes around a door frame and into the wireless box II

Anyone for tea and ?

Edited by deleted (Sun 22-Jul-12 22:58:08)

In reply to a post by dizzibits:

Anyone for tea and ?

Yuk. Too fancy for me. Digestives or Hobnobs are good for me and can make my fillings much more comfy .

DrT

In reply to a post by dizzibits:

Another question, what cable runs from the socket to the modem? Is it a RJ11?

Currently mine is 10m long and goes around a door frame and into the wireless box II

It is an RJ11. With a 10m length IMHO you should use twisted pair rather than flat.

Edited by kasg (Mon 23-Jul-12 09:02:38)

In reply to a post by kasg:

In reply to a post by dizzibits:

Another question, what cable runs from the socket to the modem? Is it a RJ11?

Currently mine is 10m long and goes around a door frame and into the wireless box II

It is an RJ11. With a 10m length IMHO you should use twisted pair rather than flat.

I'll second that. I replaced the flat cable that came with the modem with a 7foot Belkin High Speed Modem cable (which is essentially a screened Cat 5 cable with RJ11's) and gained an extra 6 Mbps on the max attainable speed of my line, from 75 Mbps to 81 Mbps.

Sorry to have butted in, but I'm also thinking of getting BT Infinity next. I'm having O2 at the moment and therefore is using O2's rental broadband kit such as their O2 Wireless Box 5 with internal modem & Router. Does BT rent you an appropriate router, capable of working with their VDSL modem and supporting 4 Ethernet ports and wireless G.n ethernet as well?? If that is true, would OR engineer cable this BT router, within reasons of course, to your destined location as well??
Thanks

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Quite right!

An OR eng took my standard NTE5, w/out my noticing so I couldn't ask him to leave it, and replaced it with a hissy filtered faceplate that needed filtering by a dangler LOL!.

SO I had to ask next OR eng to visit if he had a spare NTE5.

BTW: Both OR engs sent unnecessarily by Orange cuz they couldn't lower my Target NM; only Orange could .

Interesting you say that, the new faceplate my engineer installed is presumably faulty as well, in a different way. After several hours of having a stable FTTC connection I suddenly get errors rapidly increase in thousands and the SNR goes very erratic (until I disconnect and reconnect). I solved this by using my old faceplate, the ADSLNation XTE-2005 which appears to work absolutely fine on VDSL2. I haven't bothered asking BT to replace their faceplate, though some would probably suggest that I should. Alternatively I could always buy one, they're very cheap.

In reply to a post by OCdragon:

Sorry to have butted in, but I'm also thinking of getting BT Infinity next. I'm having O2 at the moment and therefore is using O2's rental broadband kit such as their O2 Wireless Box 5 with internal modem & Router. Does BT rent you an appropriate router, capable of working with their VDSL modem and supporting 4 Ethernet ports and wireless G.n ethernet as well?? If that is true, would OR engineer cable this BT router, within reasons of course, to your destined location as well??
Thanks

BT, for residential packages, supply the Home Hub 3 router and BT Openreach customised modem (for VDSL2 connectivity). Business package holders, such as myself, get an identical router with slightly different firmware and a rename to 'Business Hub 3'. Both hubs are capable of wireless B/G/N, have 1x 1000Mbps and 3x 100Mbps LAN ports, and at least for the Business Hub 3 I've not experienced the bug that Home Hub 3 users were getting (presumably fixed?) in regards to sudden slow speeds via LAN.

The OR engineer can supply a data extension kit (cable up to 30m), as far as I know this is a LAN cable from the OR modem to the Business/Home Hub 3 router. If I'm wrong please feel free to correct me, as I haven't had a need to request the data extension kit.

Thank you for the info. I have the similar impression after reading the corresponding BT Broadband's Web Site.
I do'nt really want to hijack this post,but has the:

"Business Hub 3 I've not experienced the bug that Home Hub 3 users were getting (presumably fixed?) in regards to sudden slow speeds via LAN"

been fixed yet in BT Home Hub 3?? Presumable by the Home Hub 3's firmware update either by On-line forced update for current users, or by the appropriate firmware updates of NEWER Home Hub 3s prior to issuing to the End-Users like us???

In reply to a post by Ixel:

The OR engineer can supply a data extension kit (cable up to 30m), as far as I know this is a LAN cable from the OR modem to the Business/Home Hub 3 router. If I'm wrong please feel free to correct me, as I haven't had a need to request the data extension kit.

No, it is an extension kit for the connection from the modem to the phone socket.

The bug is supposed to have been fixed in a recent firmware update for Home Hub 3 users.

In reply to a post by dizzibits:

Hello,

I ordered infinity 2 weeks or so ago with an install date of July 24th.

I've waited patiently for this time to come and have now received the reminder to say the engineer will be round with a few tips on what to expect.

Any thing else I should consider?

I want the master socket changed if poss to a secondary socket on the 3rd floor, as that is where the main computer is. (ground floor is a bank, 2nd and 3rd floors are residential)

I asked on the BT community forums. Some said it will be possible, others said it will depend on the engineer.

Any insider information I should/could ask for? Line stats?

I'll be running off the BT modem into a RT-N56U

Every telecommunication engineer that I have meet up with has been more than happy to carry out the scheduled works to my satisfaction and often a step or two beyond. Not all wanted tea and biscuits either! My master socket was relocated to where I wanted it without having to ask for it to be done.

I think that as part of the installation process they should get one PC up and running but whether that "service" extends to making sure your email works, I don't know.

I have to asked why you chose infinity? If FTTC is only available from BT in your case, then fair enough and if you are a pretty undemanding sort of chap then you will be fine. Further up the scale of technical competence and ability you may well find that BT Broadband is a bit of a nightmare particularly if you have your own domain name that you wish to use through their SMTP server.

If you decide to use your own router, which is a good idea, you will find getting hold of the best settings to use in your router quite difficult and of course you loose some mobile benefits. And if you want to hook into Vodafone Sure Signal you may find that you can't get it to work at all.

Off of my line is also connected a fax machine and Red Care with no issues or problems.

Both OR engs sent unnecessarily by Orange cuz they couldn't lower my Target NM; only Orange could

Many OR engineers have access to WOOSH, and are able to reset DLM/SNR parameters, but are only allowed to do this on 'broadband boost' tasks. As yet, Orange don't buy into this system, so are unable to raise boost visits.
Engineers are not supposed to do SNR resets on LLU SFI visits.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

As yet, Orange don't buy into this system, so are unable to raise boost visits.
Engineers are not supposed to do SNR resets on LLU SFI visits.

Whoosh! You have to ask yourself what company in its right mind would waste money sending engineers out for a job they couldn't do, esp. since Orange support is alleged to be now employed by BTw.

The engs who came were ignorant of NMs so wouldn't have known how to a reset even if they had been permitted.

In reply to a post by simon194:

I'll second that. I replaced the flat cable that came with the modem with a 7foot Belkin High Speed Modem cable (which is essentially a screened Cat 5 cable with RJ11's) and gained an extra 6 Mbps on the max attainable speed of my line, from 75 Mbps to 81 Mbps.

Thanks for the tip, bought a Belkin high speed 10m cable

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

Every telecommunication engineer that I have meet up with has been more than happy to carry out the scheduled works to my satisfaction and often a step or two beyond. Not all wanted tea and biscuits either! My master socket was relocated to where I wanted it without having to ask for it to be done.

I think that as part of the installation process they should get one PC up and running but whether that "service" extends to making sure your email works, I don't know.

I have to asked why you chose infinity? If FTTC is only available from BT in your case, then fair enough and if you are a pretty undemanding sort of chap then you will be fine. Further up the scale of technical competence and ability you may well find that BT Broadband is a bit of a nightmare particularly if you have your own domain name that you wish to use through their SMTP server.

If you decide to use your own router, which is a good idea, you will find getting hold of the best settings to use in your router quite difficult and of course you loose some mobile benefits. And if you want to hook into Vodafone Sure Signal you may find that you can't get it to work at all.

Off of my line is also connected a fax machine and Red Care with no issues or problems.

Thanks for commenting

I chose infinity as I wanted unlimited downloads and as talktalk were not convincing and Sky don't do fibre in my area yet, I didn't have lots of choice.
I looked at some others like Zen but a download limit is a deal breaker.

My field is not I.T, despite studying I.T at college, but I am a passionate gamer.

So when you combine a steam sale and a limited capacity on a games exclusive SSD, it means I sometimes need to download quite large amounts.

Max Payne 3 for instance, is a 30GB download by itself (!).

So the more exclusive, technically competent etc, fibre providers, are a complete no go, as I can't afford to pay through the nose if I want to download 50 or 60GB a month sometimes. It may only be 1 month in 4 that usage goes that high, but it does happen.

I don't have my own domain name. Gaming and my computer is where the real enthusiasm lies. Not that I'm not itching to get fttc and the best speed out my line. What hardcore PC enthusiast wouldn't!

The router I want to use is the Asus RT-N56U, which is what I run now. I assume its better than the BT homehub provided?

You have to ask yourself what company in its right mind would waste money sending engineers out for a job they couldn't do

Answered your own question.

You have to ask yourself what company in its right mind would waste money sending engineers out for a job they couldn't do, esp. since Orange support is alleged to be now employed by BTw.

Engineer is here now, he reckons I'd see 127mb if there was no cap!

In reply to a post by dizzibits:

Engineer is here now, he reckons I'd see 127mb if there was no cap!

So get him to remove his cap. It's too warm for head gear anyway

In reply to a post by dizzibits:

Thanks for the tip, bought a Belkin high speed 10m cable

Oh dear!

You can get cable that will perform just as well for a fraction of the price.

Just finished the install and am now back on the asus router, I am pulling 75mb~ down and 16.5mb up..

Is this likely to change? I am less than 50m from the cabinet.

Cat 6 cable is on modem -> router, same router -> PC.

In reply to a post by MHC:

Oh dear!

You can get cable that will perform just as well for a fraction of the price.

It cost £8 including delivery, so even if I could get something similar for say £5 or £3, I hopefully won't lose sleep.

In reply to a post by dizzibits:

Just finished the install and am now back on the asus router, I am pulling 75mb~ down and 16.5mb up..

Is this likely to change? I am less than 50m from the cabinet.

AT 50m, probably not. You can probably squeeze another 1Mbps or so out of download and upload but it sounds like you're on maximum sync/IP profile (79999/77.43)

If you'd been 300m plus from the cab I'd have said yes, it will almost certainly get slower.

Edited by kasg (Tue 24-Jul-12 13:11:12)

The last 8m Cat5e (2pair) with RJ11/12 connectors cost me about £1.50 ...

I just hate seeing people ripped off by Belkin claims and prices!

As the modem to router is 100Mbps - Cat5e will be more than adequate as well as being more flexible and easier to run and even for Router to PC Cat5e will support 1Gbps.


At 75Mbps, you might get a little more, but that could easily be down to network congestion and also which speedtester you are using!

So did you get the master socket moved? if so, did he use the Data Extension Cable or just fiddle the existing wiring?

Thank you for reminding me to update,

The openreach engineer arrived at 8am and went straight to the cabinet, my phone number got changed 5 minutes later.

Then, around 20 minutes after that, he came in and we discussed the infinity install.
I told him I wanted the master socket relocating to upstairs.
He said that's not possible as the cable going from the master to extension is not good enough for carrying a 80mb service and I might lose speed. He also mentioned that as a computer & desk are by the master socket, it should be fine and I can use wifi for any other terminals. Then he refused tea, coffee, biscuits and ice cold coca cola (it is stifling down here in Sussex!)

Horrified. I again told him how important it is that the modem and router be upstairs. He was perplexed so I insisted he come and see my main computer room.

Once he saw the rig, he understood and we hit it off. He was keen to talk about his pc building, the games he plays and was very accommodating after that.

He told me I'm the first on this cab to get a fibre service and talked about fttp and some general things about being an openreach engineer, to which I listened intently.

He called for a second man to come with big ladders. They ran this cable into the master on the 2nd floor, then the same into a new socket on the 3rd. Both the engineers said I can now run the infinity modem either on the master or the new socket as required.

They showed me some of the tests they perform and also said my down speed could be 127~ , though as I pull 75 now and the checker says 80, I'm not sure if that's accurate?

Here are some pics:

Photo of the cable used into the sockets

Photo of device used to test the line

Master socket

New socket

127Mb/s as in max attainable, currently capped at 80Mb/s.

Yes, he has run in a data extension kit, that being the two pair black 'cat 5' type for exterior use.

The malarky at the start, with the engineer saying it couldn't be done, was just him trying to make life simple for himself, human nature I'm afraid.

Glad you got it as required. Sounds like a nice short D-side.

D side? The band?

What does D side stand for?

Distribution side, the pair from the street cabinet to your house. The line from the exchange to the cabinet is called the 'E-side' (exchange side).