Router placement and ethernet cable connections

[GMG]

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.

[Doc5907]

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@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.

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@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.

[TimmyBGood]

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@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. 

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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.

[GMG]

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."

[GMG]

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👍

[TimmyBGood]

@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.

[GMG]

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?

[TimmyBGood]

@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.

[Chodley]

Get a decent wifi mesh.

[GMG]

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.

[GMG]

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.

[JimM1]

@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!

[Chodley]

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@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.

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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.

[JimM1]

@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!

[Chodley]

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.