Socket Adapter

I’m getting BT full fibre installed in a week.
I see the installation requires a double power socket.
I currently have a single socket in my hall way that I’m trying to get someone to change into a double. I’m having a hell of a time trying to get someone. I wouldn’t even consider try doing it myself 😬

I have a double socket in my living room just in the doorway I could maybe use as a temporary measure, it is further from main entrance where line would come in and line would have to come in around living room door way.
My question is could I get away with using a double socket adapter in the single power socket. I have one of those two socket front facing adapters. Would openreach be willing to use that till I got a proper double installed ?

Thanks for any advice.

It would be an unduly fussy Openreach installer who would refuse to install in that circumstance.

You say that it will be in your hallway. Is that a choice you made or are you just assuming that the ONT must go where your phone point is now? So if somewhere else would be more convenient, make that choice now. Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I think it can go anywhere in the property with a reasonable route from an accessible outside wall - eg if you live in the middle of a long terrace, it could come in through the front wall but not through the back.

The other thing you could do is put the router somewhere else with a socket and connect with an ethernet cable if only for the theatre of not needing a double socket. And you can revert to putting the router back at the ONT and use your socket adaptor once you see the van drive away.

Thank you very much for the reply.

The hallway would be best as it’s where I have a table for router to sit.
I’m in a top floor flat, openreach have already installed all the cables to all the flats doors. There’s a meter cupboard just outside my front door where they have taken the cables too. So it just needs to come in front door to the hallway. Otherwise it’s a bit longer to go into my living room.

I was under the impression from watching the openreach video the router had to be right next to the ‘box’ they also need a plug for.

I’m concerned they turn up and say oh no we can’t do anything here and I’m left without internet 😬

Appreciate the help as I really don’t know how any of this all works 😵‍💫

Don't worry, the router doesn't need to be right next to the ONT. It can go where you like as long as you can connect it to the ONT with an ethernet cable. If you do want the router in the hallway a mains adaptor will be fine.When mine was installed they were quite happy for me to use an extension lead with 2 outlets.

Those requirements are because they need to prove the connection is working as part of the job, they can't do that unless the ONT and router are powered, but they don't care how they get that power.

In reply to a post by Spud205:

I currently have a single socket in my hall way that I’m trying to get someone to change into a double. I’m having a hell of a time trying to get someone. I wouldn’t even consider try doing it myself 😬

This is quite easy to fit with a reasonable level of competence 😉

https://amzn.eu/d/eqr8B06

Way cheaper at electrical wholsalers. https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/BG822CON.html

Not when you add delivery.

It doesn't have to be a double socket, extension leads are allowed. In my case the ONT and router are powered from the 6 way extension socket which powers my computer system. McQuinn were quite happy to plug the ONT into that, the router already was.

Delivery ... collect it.


And their delivery charge is not different to Amazon's.

The nearest branch of that store is over 30 miles away and Amazon have free delivery for me 🤷🏼‍♂️

I would expect that everyone would research the best price available before buying anything suggested to purchase anyway.

Just buy a very short power extension lead with two sockets on the end and you're sorted

In reply to a post by Spud205:

Thank you very much for the reply.

The hallway would be best as it’s where I have a table for router to sit.
I’m in a top floor flat, openreach have already installed all the cables to all the flats doors. There’s a meter cupboard just outside my front door where they have taken the cables too. So it just needs to come in front door to the hallway. Otherwise it’s a bit longer to go into my living room.

I was under the impression from watching the openreach video the router had to be right next to the ‘box’ they also need a plug for.

I’m concerned they turn up and say oh no we can’t do anything here and I’m left without internet 😬

Appreciate the help as I really don’t know how any of this all works 😵‍💫

As noted, you have several options here for location and powering.

The ‘box’ that Openreach will install is called the ONT - it terminates the fibre that they will bring from outside your flat and converts it into an Ethernet copper-based connection that you can then connect your router too.

Although any videos etc you find typically have the ONT and router co-located together, in reality they don’t have to be as that Ethernet connection from the ONT will happily run up to 100 metres on a copper data cabled connection (Cat 5e cable or better).

Secondly if you do want to co-locate them at the time of install or later then you have several options for powering:
1. Replace the single socket with a single-gang to dual socket faceplate (as noted around £5 to £6 from your local Screwfix or local electrical wholesaler, Amazon etc etc). It’s very simple to fit and you just need a plain screwdriver and turn off the breaker in your consumer unit for the circuit (test the socket outlet to make sure it’s dead). It’s a 10 minute job to undo and replace the faceplate.
2. An extension lead with several sockets on a power-strip. Although not the best, most aesthetically pleasing long term solution, it works - it will definitely be fine on install day anyway.
3. A simple power-strip with several sockets

Finally as you’re in a flat, it’s quite likely that Openreach will use a very thin gauge fibre on the inside of your flat called InvisiLight - this is extremely thin (barely a millimetre in diameter) and is literally glued into placed around skirtings and architraves so as to be almost invisible to see. It also allows you some additional flexibility in terms of where you ideally would want the ONT (and possibly router as noted) to be sited within the flat. So have a think about that too.

Good luck with it all 🤞

In reply to a post by PCJM40:

Just buy a very short power extension lead with two sockets on the end and you're sorted

That's what I'd go for but the four way version just in case the power adapters are to big to fit next to each other. (1m cable - four way extension - available almost everywhere).

I also find that the integrated plug/power converter is more suited to mounting horizontally rather than vertically where there is an inclination to work loose.

In reply to a post by Eeeps:

In reply to a post by PCJM40:

Just buy a very short power extension lead with two sockets on the end and you're sorted

That's what I'd go for but the four way version just in case the power adapters are to big to fit next to each other. (1m cable - four way extension - available almost everywhere).

I also find that the integrated plug/power converter is more suited to mounting horizontally rather than vertically where there is an inclination to work loose.

Totally agree, it doesn't necessarily need to be a long term solution if a proper upgrade of the single socket is the goal but when the clock is ticking to the installation date it will certainly do the job for now

"Cable Free Socket 3-Way in White"
- just plugin no instalation required

£10 from tesco or £2 from Poundland

"https://www.poundland.co.uk/cable-free-socket-3-way-in-white?srsltid=AfmBOooyKktqZqk4B2TqwcmEg0tslEgWdHhzv9BC7KXI-lCl9bRpl91h"

Edited by CheapSkate (Fri 18-Apr-25 14:42:00)