topic Re: Fibre Router Location in Broadband

Fibre Router Location

PJD+84 — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 15:44:31 GMT

Hi,

We have an engineer visit coming up to connect us to Fibre, 3 weeks time. However, reading through previous posts I have only just found out about the 10 metre rule, something not brought up when I discussed Fibre with an advisor.

A bit of background: our home is an old cottage, with .5 metre stone walls. Although we do have a brick extension on the rear.

My issue is this, if the engineer only works on 10 metre rule from the OpenReach box, at no point do we have no power points close, the nearest one we have to run an extension from is 8 metres away, and I am not running an extension from there.

So, is it feasible to ask them to drill, enter and put the the router in the extension, which is about 21 metres from the OpenReach box. Yes, it is beneficial to me, but also the engineer would a) not have to drill through stone, b) there are a number of power sockets in the extension that can be accessed easily.

Or, due to the issues, do I bin Fibre and stay as I am.

Finally, is there someone, in Sky, I could phone and request this, so the engineer is forewarned.

Cheers.

Re: Fibre Router Location

TimmyBGood — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:13:06 GMT

@PJD+84

I'd say it's not really a rule, but does need to be a consideration.

Openreach actually offers Standard, Premium and Advanced FTTP installation options to their client ISPs, but for some reason the ISPs only ever want to pay for Standard ; )

In theory the length limit on the optical pigtail (which goes between the external CSP and the internal ONT) is set according to which tier has been chosen by the ISP, but in practice installers mostly want an easy life and a rapid job turnover, and so may well be prepared to use a longer pigtail than should strictly be allocated.

@PJD+84 wrote:

Finally, is there someone, in Sky, I could phone and request this, so the engineer is forewarned.

Realistically there's no point in doing so because it doesn't seem that ISPs actually pass on such information.

Re: Fibre Router Location

TimmyBGood — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:13:40 GMT

@PJD+84

However you may want to give consideration to how well (or, more likely, badly) a Sky Hub in the external extension is going to get WiFi into the main building, particularly if signal has to go through those walls...

Re: Fibre Router Location

PJD+84 — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:16:36 GMT

Wi-Fi, currently is only used for devices & phones (when home) and is good, because I have a booster. My PC is connected direct to Router and my Sky Q Box & TV are connected, via Powerline, from my Router, so connections to those are not an issue.

I will have a chat to the engineer when he comes, fingers crossed.

Thank you for your input and answer.