Sky Fibre - not in master socket

Hi.

I'm getting Sky Fibre soon, which is now self-install (no separate modem required).

It's recommended that I use the master socket (downstairs), but there isn't a power supply next to it.

If I use a phone socket upstairs, does anyone know roughly how much speed I might lose?

I know it depends on the quality of the wiring and other factors (it's a fairly new house), but even a very rough estimate would be great.

Almost impossible to even guess.

Could be 1kbps or 20Mbps ... you have said it yourself "depends on the quality of the wiring and other factors " especially noise from other devices, or dodgy cabling - there is plenty out there.

If you disconnect the ring wire and your extension is the only one then probably not much difference

... at the master socket ....

Using the service on an extension will produce a 'bridge tap' on the VDSL service. This will be detrimental to the service, simple as that.

Thanks for the replies.

It really doesn't sound optimal.

When I chatted with a live advisor online, I told him there was no power source next to the master socket, and he reassured me that everything would be fine.

At this point, I didn't know about self-install, so assumed the Openreach engineer would overcome any issues.

I will speak to Sky again tomorrow and perhaps they can sort something out.

You could buy a data extension cable and a filtered faceplate like the openreach mk 2 or 3 , BTOR SSFP MK3 and re config the extension wiring , + line box for modem to plug into (assuming internal extension wiring is twisted pair cable and not that [censored] flat stuff)

Edited by tommy45 (Fri 27-Feb-15 00:00:53)

If you are just on standard Sky fibre 40Mbps I doubt it will make a difference.

IE on the 80Mbps product... say in the master you may get 80Mbps, in the extension you may get 60Mbps.

On a 40Mbps product, both extension and master would yield 40Mbps, as both speeds are higher than the 40Mbps anyway.

It's always best to use the master though.

Easy way to find out, try it! If it's slower in the extension it'll recover if you place it back in the master (will take a few days possibly nothing major).

Do you have other knowledge about the OPs line? How do you know the OPs line is capable of getting more than 40Mbps?

The recommendation I have for situations like this is to test it first using the test socket without any extensions connected (that is with the faceplate removed) using a temporary power supply. Now record the line stats, speed etc. (I don't know what diagnostic stats the Sky modem/router provides though). Then reconnect the extensions and perform the same action at the extension socket. If there isn't a substantial deterioration in the important stats (like sync speeds, attenuation, noise margin etc.), then it should be fine. If there is, then it might be worth looking at improving things.

However, before you perform any tests there are some things which you should really do :-

a) if there are any other extension sockets besides the one you intend to use for the modem/router, then I would strongly recommend getting a BT Interstitial faceplate filter or one of the third party VDSL filter faceplates available. Then wire those extensions through the filtered outputs.

b) if there is only one extension, then disconnect the ring wire at the master (connection 3). You will have to use a microfilter at the extension socket if you intend to use a phone there (or one of the third party filtered extension sockets).

Note that (despite what somebody has posted), running a VDSL modem off a single extension socket doesn't create a bridged tap, or at least not a significant one, as the tiny little link to the master socket is too short to make a difference. However, any other extension sockets will create bridged taps (unless filtered). Also, if plugged into the master with even one unfiltered socket attached, then that will constitute a bridged tap, which is why any master socket tests should be performed with all unfiltered extensions disconnected.

The general rule is that the VDSL modem should be the last connection on the line from the cabinet without any unfiltered branches. (Indeed, that's true for any xDSL technology).

Edited by deleted (Fri 27-Feb-15 10:01:00)