Extending fibre to move ONT

HI,

Had my FTTP install yesterday. Understandably they wouldn't install in the loft which would have been my preferred location.

Was wondering if it's practical for me to extend the cable myself using some sort of extension?

Is it possible for me to buy an extra ONT somewhere? That would mean I can duplicate the setup, with a view to being able to just disconnect the extension cable and plug in the original cable to the ONT they installed should there ever be any issues (that way if it still happens they can't blame my extension).

Does this sound possible?

Andy

You cannot use your own ONT with Openreach because they need to be registered to the OLT, but I have had success extending the fibre using a passive coupler and patch cable.

https://amzn.eu/eBJ8ePu
https://amzn.eu/gp6vVvM

The fibre needs protection, so you’ll want to install it in some kind of cable duct and avoid harsh bends.

If you’re going to be running a cable anyway, isn’t it easier to leave the ONT where it is and run a length of Cat5e cable to your desired location instead?

....hmmm just extend the Ethernet cable? You've got 100m of cable distance to play with on Ethernet.

You can extend the SM fibre as said, but there are some (minor) risks of contamination if you haven't got a way of properly cleaning the fibre ferules - and its a bit frowned upon by the provider - as its technically within their service boundary. If you do go down that route courtesy of fleabay or amazoooon, ensure the ends are SC/APC (green) so you don't fudge up the mating faces.

You can't just buy another or just plonk in another ONT. They are singly registered to/authorised on to the network by serial number.

Edit: sorry about the spelling/grammar its champagne o'clock at ours. Happy New Year nearly (hick)

Edited by Pheasant (Sat 31-Dec-22 19:41:47)

In reply to a post by adhawkins:

Was wondering if it's practical for me to extend the cable myself using some sort of extension?

Certainly, though probably easier to run twisted pair to your router in the loft.

In reply to a post by adhawkins:

Is it possible for me to buy an extra ONT somewhere? That would mean I can duplicate the setup, with a view to being able to just disconnect the extension cable and plug in the original cable to the ONT they installed should there ever be any issues (that way if it still happens they can't blame my extension).

Certainly, but if things break may as well go up to the loft and retrieve the ONT.

In reply to a post by adhawkins:

Does this sound possible?

Andy

Yes, but seems to make more sense to leave ONT where it is and run copper to upstairs. No need for a second ONT, no need to mess with fibre extension, same result.

In reply to a post by troublegum:

If you’re going to be running a cable anyway, isn’t it easier to leave the ONT where it is and run a length of Cat5e cable to your desired location instead?

This is what I told my sister-in-law to do, as they have networked the house and where the router is now since they had FTTP it is bit inconvenient. So they will take an Ethernet cable from the ONT, up the trunking in the wall, upstairs, through the loft and back into one of the bedrooms.

This is what I plan to do if FTTP ever comes my way. At the moment I have the modem downstairs next to the master socket and have run cat5e through the house up to my studio room where my Asus router is. Works well.

Had you ensured decent access, boarding and lighting - ithere would not normally be an issue.

Mine comes in through the eaves, runs through one loft, then through a 300mm wall into a second loft where both CSP and ONT are located.

In reply to a post by Banger:

This is what I plan to do if FTTP ever comes my way. At the moment I have the modem downstairs next to the master socket and have run cat5e through the house up to my studio room where my Asus router is. Works well.

It would take a bit of working out if I had Fibre, if I can stick an Ethernet cable down the trunking that the TV coax goes down then that will make it easier, but I would still have to think how to do things.

As others have indicated; the only way to provide a hardwired access point slmewhere else is to leave the ONT where it is and to run an ethernet cable/s to a new position/s of your choice.

Some years ago we wired most of our house with Cat6A Ethernet Cable, (we used Cat6A instead of Cat5e because it allows for potential increases in internet speed and it provided much better screening.

Wiring the house for ethernet can be a bit of a pain so there is no point using just the basic Cat5e cable when better is available.

We wired the Cat6A cables to RJ45 wall sockets located near to the four TV points in the four rooms with TVs and we used 1GB Netgear Unmanaged Ethernet Switches near to these TV points to provide more ethernet ports for the Sky Boxes, Xboxes, etc. in these areas.

Fitting ethernet cable is definely worthwhile since even the best Wifi is never 100% and doing it in a way that allows for the future expanion is sensible.

Regards,
Fido

Thanks for all the responses.

I've already got a means of getting the CAT5 up to the loft. However, the UPS is up there, so having the ONT on the UPS as well might be useful. Also, the cable terminates in a teenager's bedroom (that room was the computer room before he turned up!) so I thought moving it all out would be safer too.

I did ask them to install in the loft, both to the ISP before install, and to the installers when they arrived. Both received a flat 'no', without even looking up there. The loft is boarded down the centre and has light up there (although it's not brilliant) and has a fixed ladder for access. It would have been a lot simpler cable run for them (just straight up the front of the house, then routed through the loft), but they wouldn't even consider it.

If the ONT is registered with the provider (i.e. I can't just plonk my own in) then it's probably just as easy to leave it as-is.

Thanks.

Andy

You could use Power Over Ethernet (POE) to power the ONT from the loft UPS.

In reply to a post by skandia2:

You could use Power Over Ethernet (POE) to power the ONT from the loft UPS.

That's an interesting idea. So the ethernet port on the ONT will receive power via POE?

I think I have a PoE injector I could use to provide power, that might be worth a try.

Andy

You'd have to use a PoE splitter at the other end to break the power back out - the ONT ethernet port doesn't support PoE. But it would allow you to power it from your central UPS.

The ONT will need an external POE splitter.
Maybe one like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Splitter-Compliant-Surveill...
These typically need a 48V PSU at the Inject end.

The ONT won’t need 48v though so you’d need a regulator to step down the voltage to 12v.

I used this so my ONT was powered from a UPS in another location.
Works well and the power output connector is the perfect size for the ONT and can be set to 12V

TP-Link Injector
TP-Link POE Splitter

Maybe missing something here - but if you want to move the ONT surely you will need more fibre optic cable which I am assuming is more expensive than Cat6.

And if you have the skill/knowledge to relocate an ONT then it will be far simpler to just lay Cat6 cable to the desired location ? And that would have exactly the same end result at a lot less cost ?

Yes, you're missing the answer gave this morning that covered this - See here