New house build. Going from Spark wireless to Fibre

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › New house build. Going from Spark wireless to Fibre

Rincey

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#295893 2-May-2022 19:15

Hi, we are building, and we are about 80 days out from completion according to the schedule (plasterers are in at the moment). We are currently on Spark wireless, and will move to fibre when we move into the house, and I'm about 99% sure I'm going to stick with Spark.

Got a couple of questions re process -

1) at what point do I ring Spark and say "hey I want fibre"? Power's not connected yet (all the internal wiring is done, but it's not connected to the mains switchboard. Also, sparky to return after painters to do front of wall fit-out. I did get the sparky to run fibre internally from where the fibre comes to outside to my office where I'll want the ONT located. I didn't want the Chorus tech doing it, because we building a passive house and no way I'm letting a Chorus tech drill a hole in my airtight house!)

(I'm happy to pay for two ISPs for a month or two should timings overlap between wireless off and fibre on - assuming my account can handle that, or will they create a brand new account for me?)

2) I have a Mikrotek router from my old cable days, which I would like to re-use, and I understand Spark supports BYOD. I see great guides here on GZ for the Mikrotek routers. But if there is a problem on install day, will they point at my BYOD before troubleshooting it further? Also, if I have it right, I have to pony up some $$$ for a Spark-supplied device? (Another reason to go with BYOD). And I guess I can configure that up as much as I can beforehand.

Linux

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#2909485 2-May-2022 19:21

I take Fibre is already at the gate?

Jiriteach

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#2909488 2-May-2022 19:31

You have a few options but once the electricians are about done and the comms box is sorted and the site is safe - you will likely still be a few weeks out.
Request an install from Chorus - https://www.chorus.co.nz/request-install.

Enter your address and fill in the details - select existing property and the Chorus will book you in for an install. Depending on where you are building this still could be a few weeks away.
This is an install to the network and once done - when you are ready you can sign up with any ISP. Means you can get the physical aspects of fibre installed ahead a time and just connect with the ISP when ready which is typically a day or so as opposed to a wait for the physical install.

-- opinions expressed by me are solely my own. ie - personal

Rincey

43 posts

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#2909498 2-May-2022 20:42

Linux: I take Fibre is already at the gate?

Fibre is laid all the way to just outside the house - with a good 2-3m surplus

Rincey

43 posts

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#2909501 2-May-2022 20:44

Jiriteach:

You have a few options but once the electricians are about done and the comms box is sorted and the site is safe - you will likely still be a few weeks out.
Request an install from Chorus - https://www.chorus.co.nz/request-install.

Enter your address and fill in the details - select existing property and the Chorus will book you in for an install. Depending on where you are building this still could be a few weeks away.
This is an install to the network and once done - when you are ready you can sign up with any ISP. Means you can get the physical aspects of fibre installed ahead a time and just connect with the ISP when ready which is typically a day or so as opposed to a wait for the physical install.

Interesting - so I can do this myself? I don't need to order it through my ISP?

That sounds like the way to do it. We get hooked to the network, and then just as we are about to move in: boom, sign me up! :)

Jiriteach

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#2909517 2-May-2022 21:44

Rincey:

Jiriteach:

You have a few options but once the electricians are about done and the comms box is sorted and the site is safe - you will likely still be a few weeks out.
Request an install from Chorus - https://www.chorus.co.nz/request-install.

Enter your address and fill in the details - select existing property and the Chorus will book you in for an install. Depending on where you are building this still could be a few weeks away.
This is an install to the network and once done - when you are ready you can sign up with any ISP. Means you can get the physical aspects of fibre installed ahead a time and just connect with the ISP when ready which is typically a day or so as opposed to a wait for the physical install.

Interesting - so I can do this myself? I don't need to order it through my ISP?=

That sounds like the way to do it. We get hooked to the network, and then just as we are about to move in: boom, sign me up! :)

Yes you can. It allows you to connect fibre in advance in preparation to enable it via an ISP when ready.

-- opinions expressed by me are solely my own. ie - personal

Bung

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#2909518 2-May-2022 22:11

Rincey:
Linux: I take Fibre is already at the gate?

Fibre is laid all the way to just outside the house - with a good 2-3m surplus

Is that Chorus street fibre or the internal fibre your electrician has installed?

gzt

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#2909525 2-May-2022 23:03

Spark modems are free on a 12 month contract. Get the spark modem setup and running right then replace it with yours. Keep the spark in the cupboard for support calls.

Without a contact they'll sell you one cheap, it's an option.

Personally I'd kick things off with Spark a month out in case any horrors arise.

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decibel

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#2909561 3-May-2022 09:27

...(plasterers are in at the moment)...

I hope you have already had the house cabled for ethernet everywhere?

trig42

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#2909570 3-May-2022 09:52

I did get the sparky to run fibre internally from where the fibre comes to outside to my office where I'll want the ONT located. I didn't want the Chorus tech doing it, because we building a passive house and no way I'm letting a Chorus tech drill a hole in my airtight house!)

You say you've had the electrician run fibre internally.

Chorus contractors wont connect to that fibre (I don't think) - they'll want to run their own from the road.

Is that fibre in a duct from the ETP on your house to your office? Can they pull their fibre through from the outside to the office (even if they attach the new fibre to the bit you have had put in the wall)?

cyril7

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#2909574 3-May-2022 10:00

trig42:

I did get the sparky to run fibre internally from where the fibre comes to outside to my office where I'll want the ONT located. I didn't want the Chorus tech doing it, because we building a passive house and no way I'm letting a Chorus tech drill a hole in my airtight house!)

You say you've had the electrician run fibre internally.

Chorus contractors wont connect to that fibre (I don't think) - they'll want to run their own from the road.

Is that fibre in a duct from the ETP on your house to your office? Can they pull their fibre through from the outside to the office (even if they attach the new fibre to the bit you have had put in the wall)?

I suggest the OP actually means the Sparkie has run Opti5e from the office to the ETP location waiting for Chorus to come in from the street to the ETP and connect up.

I presume in the office is also a few ethernet runs to other locations in the house?

Cyril

rogercruse

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#2909576 3-May-2022 10:05

Try to be on site when they come to install your fibre. And ready to answer questions about your preferred location for routers / etc.

quickymart

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#2909598 3-May-2022 11:10

gzt: Spark modems are free on a 12 month contract.

When did that happen? I tried to get a new one a few months ago and they told me they didn't do free modems anymore.

gzt

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#2909629 3-May-2022 13:03

quickymart:
gzt: Spark modems are free on a 12 month contract.
When did that happen? I tried to get a new one a few months ago and they told me they didn't do free modems anymore.

Good point. My comments about free fibre modem with contract is incorrect. Personally I'd buy the offical modem anyway as standby for troubleshooting.

Rincey

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#2909828 3-May-2022 19:16

cyril7:

I suggest the OP actually means the Sparkie has run Opti5e from the office to the ETP location waiting for Chorus to come in from the street to the ETP and connect up.

I presume in the office is also a few ethernet runs to other locations in the house?

Cyril

yup - I think that's right - the sparky said "the chorus tech will be confused, but tell him to look closely - it looks like cat5e/6 but it's got glass running down the middle"

When we bought the bare land it came with fibre to the end of the shared drive. When we put our drive in, we got power and fibre run up the middle. The fibre comes up to the house where we want the ENT. Originally, I was going to ask for the ETP on the other side of the wall, and then run ethernet to my office, to the router and switch. But the sparky said "I can do this instead, and it'll put all the bit you care about in one place"

Which made more sense to me.

shk292

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#2909835 3-May-2022 20:11

gzt:
Good point. My comments about free fibre modem with contract is incorrect. Personally I'd buy the offical modem anyway as standby for troubleshooting.

Or go with Skinny, where they are free. And change to Spark after 12 months if you want