topic Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections in Broadband

Router placement and ethernet cable connections

GMG — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 17:32:16 GMT

A new router location (from upstairs to downstairs) has caused a drop in broadband coverage throughout my house. The site change was prompted by my ”upgrade” to fibre optic and the engineer – on the 6th August - stating he could not put the router in the same place (upstairs) for whatever technical reasons I didn’t grasp. I now find my internal wireless security cameras upstairs now only function intermittently and stutter all the time. My wired products upstairs (Printer, desktop and external CCTV cameras) which were directly attached to the router by RJ45 ethernet cable are no longer functioning being non-wireless they relied on an ethernet cable connection and a new powerline I have tried is just not doing it. I am considering requesting a return to my old system as the Sky sales guy promised the earth and at the moment it’s not living up to expectations. Before I try to contact Sky directly any advice from anyone would be much appreciated. Many thanks.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

Doc5907 — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 17:42:33 GMT

@GMG wrote:
A new router location (from upstairs to downstairs) has caused a drop in broadband coverage throughout my house. The site change was prompted by my ”upgrade” to fibre optic and the engineer – on the 6th August - stating he could not put the router in the same place (upstairs) for whatever technical reasons I didn’t grasp. I now find my internal wireless security cameras upstairs now only function intermittently and stutter all the time. My wired products upstairs (Printer, desktop and external CCTV cameras) which were directly attached to the router by RJ45 ethernet cable are no longer functioning being non-wireless they relied on an ethernet cable connection and a new powerline I have tried is just not doing it. I am considering requesting a return to my old system as the Sky sales guy promised the earth and at the moment it’s not living up to expectations. Before I try to contact Sky directly any advice from anyone would be much appreciated. Many thanks.

@GMG when i switched to fibre i moved my router 22m, through two rooms to original location although, being on one floor, it was easier in my case.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

TimmyBGood — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 18:11:22 GMT

@GMG wrote:

I am considering requesting a return to my old system as the Sky sales guy promised the earth and at the moment it’s not living up to expectations.

Unfortunately ISPs simply cannot order a wholesale copper connection once full fibre is in place at an address, so reversion from FTTP to FTTC just isn't possible: this is because the ultimate aim of the national optical cable rollout is to render metallic bearer circuits (a Victorian communication technology) finally obsolete.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

GMG — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 18:20:06 GMT

Does this not have any bearing then. An extract from Skys set up email to me:

"If you decide that you no longer wish to keep this offer, you need to let us know any time within 31 days from when the offer is applied ("cooling off period"). If you do this we can normally put you back in the same position you were before you accepted this offer, however, if we're unable to put you on the same products and services as you were previously (for example because that product or service is no longer available) we can put you on an equivalent product instead."

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

GMG — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 18:22:36 GMT

Thanks Doc. I could manage that but unfortunately 120-year-old house. Running cable through floorboards, lathe and plaster and ceiling and from one side of the house to the other: If it was just running a long cable under the carpet then no problem for me. Many thanks for your thoughts though👍

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

TimmyBGood — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 20:21:51 GMT

@GMG

There is no 'equivalent product' once the copper circuit ceases: it's antique technology which needs to end, and is being intentionally withdrawn by the national monopoly supplier.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

GMG — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:33:02 GMT

Yes, I know this Timmy. But these are Sky’s words not mine. So what do you think they will propose then when I contact them and reject this fibre setup as not fit for purpose as there is little or no wireless upstairs. I can of course give them a chance to sort the problem and If they can’t sort all the issues it's created then I intend to cancel within the cooling-off period which I can do with or without providing a reason. And as I was out of contract before they made and I took up the fibre offer, I will go back to a non-contracted situation. Would you agree?

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

TimmyBGood — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:42:37 GMT

@GMG

You can certainly cancel with Sky: my point is that no communication provider can order a service over your legacy 'phone' circuit.

Going forward the only CP still using copper with be Virgin on their coaxial cable network: all the altnets are laying optical infrastructure.

Technically the 'product' an ISP is offering is bandwidth, not the underlying technology.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

Chodley — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:56:17 GMT

Get a decent wifi mesh.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

GMG — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 22:21:26 GMT

No intention to completely cease dealing with Sky only to get a workable system in place. And of course, they did say they would “normally put you back in the same position you were before you accepted this offer, however, if we're unable to put you on the same products and services as you were previously (for example because that product or service is no longer available) we can put you on an equivalent product instead”.

So let’s just see what they propose. I’m very happy sticking with fibre as long as I have most of the flexibility of the old copper system; it does seem to be delicate stuff this fibre cable. Maybe they can just put the router back upstairs. I’m not sure why the engineer was adamant that it was a no-go area.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

GMG — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 22:29:01 GMT

Hi Chodley, Everything was fine before fibre installation and wi-fi was consistently good in all rooms why should I now have to invest in wifi mesh after an "upgrade". Doesn't help my non-wifi equipment either.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

JimM1 — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 23:04:32 GMT

@GMG How is the Fibre cable delivered to the property, i did the same pole fed, straight same was as the copper cable, ONT is mounted in the dormer roof space, i ran power and Ethernet cable from my Router position, binned the MJ Quin contractor not a clue, OR came installed 21 day's later they had no issue's with the location, cable run or anything, done dusted 1hr install!

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

Chodley — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:48:49 GMT

@GMG wrote:
Hi Chodley, Everything was fine before fibre installation and wi-fi was consistently good in all rooms why should I now have to invest in wifi mesh after an "upgrade". Doesn't help my non-wifi equipment either.

Ok, well don't then and go back to a connection with 1/10th of the bandwidth, if you are able.

Personally I want my telco providing the bare minimum inside the house, I just want them to get me a connection and I do the rest. I've not used an ISP provided router for decades because they're generally the cheapest they can get away with.

How was your non-wifi equipment ever going to work with a router in a different location? Wiifi mesh nodes can take ethernet connections so actually, it would help with those too.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

JimM1 — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:50:51 GMT

@Chodley The going back is going to be the big No No, especially on a OR supplied connection but you just never know let's see what transpires with it!

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

Chodley — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 08:17:43 GMT

Another cheaper possibility - if you can find any powerline connection that works - is to replace the router at the fibre connection to an ONT (needs a bit of config to tell it how to connect to your particular ISP) and then use ethernet over powerlines to connect that to a router with an ethernet WAN link (not sure if the Sky provided ones use this) closer to your old router's location.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

TimmyBGood — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 08:36:34 GMT

@GMG wrote:

. And of course, they did say they would “normally put you back in the same position you were before you accepted this offer, however, if we're unable to put you on the same products and services as you were previously (for example because that product or service is no longer available) we can put you on an equivalent product instead”.

That's generic wording which I suggest cannot be taken literally in the absence of any 'equivalent product' to the one which has ceased to be available.

Relocation of the ONT might be possible, but typically these are ground floor installations.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

GMG — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 15:47:09 GMT

Many thanks for all the ideas and suggestions everyone has given. There is no wireless upstairs so I will need to get Sky to sort this issue whichever way they choose to do it.

Ideally, I would like the router located back on the first floor to accommodate my non-wireless equipment so I’m hoping that the ONT could be re-positioned on my gable end wall 3 metres directly above where it is now. Incidentally there is a hole already drilled in the wall on the first floor in this position where the original Sky sat cable was fed through many many years ago. Failing that, I’m thinking I could drill a hole in the gable end wall myself adjacent to the current downstairs router position and run an external ethernet cable on the gable end from it up to the old Sky Sat hole and feed this into my bedroom which will be near my non-wireless CCTV DVR. The ONT feeds from a pole in my next-door neighbour’s garden and is mounted on the back external wall of the house. (it could have been located on my gable end at time of install) Cable is then run round the corner to gable end and taken in where the current satellite cable already enters the house . These finish up in an alcove in my downstairs living room so the sky q hub and router are now together with I believe the Sky Q hub already acting as an access point

When the engineer said he was re-locating the router on the ground floor I knew I would lose the direct Ethernet connection but hoped a good powerline would work. It does work but very very poorly. Perhaps If as suggested mesh has an ethernet facility its maybe worth considering this but I don’t know anything much about this system and cost involved.

Any further thoughts from everyone much appreciated.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

JimM1 — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 15:53:44 GMT

@GMG IF you want mesh and you want to do it right then little change out off £600 at least! Any you still may no be happy, moving your hub is by far the best way, but install done now and getting it moved is going to be no mean task!

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

Chodley — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:36:07 GMT

Amazon are doing great deals on Eero 6 at the moment. You can get 2 "routers" as they call them which will work together and have ethernet ports, for £149 at the moment and 2 of those packs would be enough for most homes.

no wifi 6E or 7 support but the old Sky router didn't have that either.

Re: Router placement and ethernet cable connections

GMG — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:09:43 GMT

Thanks for this Chodley. Will need to read up about Mesh . Is this the type of thing I would be looking at https://www.amazon.co.uk/amazon-eero-6/dp/B086PL9KPT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38OJDX1CKSABE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3zYifvvrx4q0i79rBG2sWdoPizXqLirjNx2qEMCK1PR0U8KIaQW-srl3aU1fwASZSjIzRm8J6HAtpg-e0J2KDjX8tya-5uNfi0mInZzUlTw8ZkAAz0nq1ONQRrTaamaWYe7sUQBSLluO0PvhUWKSF651KLD085UnUzv5CClBE5rQQj4RR2fKaGw8-CNTR7tGajtkg9YG5br4JqMtDQexVpYMoxbrXJHKihgGWf0yG04.a3QN4_x87h8lWCOoKfC3wLCuFqP3AOcaMYzSOu6T8TI&dib_tag=se&keywords=eero%2B6%2Brouter&qid=1755103804&sprefix=Eero%2B6%2Caps%2C241&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.a12bb8b2-f685-427b-97d8-8421de4b1945&th=1

In the absence of ethernet upstairs and wi-fi upstairs is very very poor at the moment how would I set these up. Your help much appreciated.