Internal Wiring when FTTC is installed

Hopefully in a couple of weeks I will be getting FTTC installed. I went for the self install option because I don't have electric sockets close to where my master socket is, so there is a BT installed extension (probably from the 80's) with probably 3 - 5 meters of cable that has had the bell wire disconnected that goes over door frames to another BT Socket close to where there is power probably is about 2 meters away.

Would I be better off getting a face plate installed and using a longer RJ11 broadband type lead, or keeping my extension wiring having the micro-filter on the extension socket.

Also my master socket does not have any sockets on the outside it just has a blank plate instead (does have a test socket inside when I remove the plate). So it should only need one micro filter on the one extension as all other extensions have been disconnected and removed since we bought DECT phones.

It partly depends on your estimated speeds and which product you will be getting - 40/2, 40/10 or 80/20. (That's the Openreach product speeds, not the retail advertised ones, but you can tell which is which). They might show it doesn't matter. Or they may show it is essential to optimise the wiring.

Your estimated speeds are best obtained from this checker. If your phone is currently LLU, (many Sky and TalkTalk ones are), it won't recognise the number. In which case use the Address option. Do not use the Postcode option.

Please copy and paste the estimator result table in full, plus the line above it. Obviously edit out your phone number or address.

According to checker I should get the 80/20 product.

Speed slightly less if it's impacted.

So I guess based on these results I should leave the wiring as is?

Edited by deleted (Fri 27-Nov-15 14:45:58)

No - you should aim to minimise your internal cabling as far as possible and to convert from *DSL to ethernet as close as practicable.

If you can't do that at the master directly, then the onward cabling should be as high quality and short as it is practical to do.

For highest speed & stability, the last thing you want to do is to start off with unnecessary joints and entry points for interference (nothing you can do about the state of the external cabling, but you can about the internal)

My advice is to find out what stats you get at the test socket then compare it with your existing wiring. The stats at the test socket will give you the best possible results and you can compare it with that over your existing wiring.

Of course you will need a temporary power supply (namely an extension lead) to use the test socket. Also, it can't be emphasised enough that it must be the test socket (thereby isolating the extension) as the performance at the master will be badly affected by any unfiltered extension (in my case, I lose 40% of download capacity at the master if I leave my normal unfiltered extension connection as signals are reflected off the end and interfere with the incoming signal).

Save the modem stats (sync speed, attenuation, noise margin etc.) at the test socket.

Then do the same test but from your intended final location but DO disconnect that bell wire at the master. It's doing nothing for you except adversely impacting DSL performance.


Again note the stats. If any speed loss is acceptable compared to the test socket, then leave well alone. If it's too high, then consider replacing the extension wiring with better quality twisted pair stuff. CW1308 standard cable is fine, although some use cat5/6 ethernet cable, although that's really overkill and is rather bulky.

nb. don't do this too many times in a short period or DLM will get upset and change some settings to stabilise the line. It's also very important that you note the stats rather than use speedtest results as there are some DLM settings which can reduce throughput as a tradeoff to higher stability (which will often work their way out of the system). In contrast, the line stats tell the real story.

Thanks all I have just noticed that even though I requested a self install an appointment has still been made for an engineer to visit. Does this if the engineer does visit. He would move the master socket or rewire the extension if needed?