Question about new Chorus ONT Model 400

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Question about new Chorus ONT Model 400

geekIT

2422 posts

Uber Geek

#310642 8-Nov-2023 16:09

Finally got fibre installed yesterday.

I haven't asked Spark to do their bit yet, because I first want to get more familiar with the hardware and how it'll patch into my existing network.

The Chorus guys left the installation with two cables connected to the type 400 box.

One is, AFAIK, a regular phone cable. The other is a short network cable, which I assume is connected to the LAN1 port. (I haven't pulled the cover off to check)

Anyone know if this cable is Cat5 or Cat6?

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

Goosey

2839 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3157321 8-Nov-2023 16:28

Does it have any printed info on the patch cable?

SirHumphreyAppleby

2852 posts

Uber Geek

#3157332 8-Nov-2023 16:51

I had one installed a few weeks ago. Came with Cat5E cable, which is what I would expect.

BMarquis

448 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Chorus

Lifetime subscriber

#3157334 8-Nov-2023 17:03

I'm not 100% sure what you mean by "pulling the cover off to check"
If it is a round, white cable it is likely to be the fibre from the ITP (Internal termination point) into the ONT.
Please don't open the ITP, its all fibre in there.

The 4 ethernet ports are labelled as such and if there was an ethernet cable connected to one of them - the other end would be loose/visible and you would see it is an ethernet plug on the other end.

Might be easier if you take a photo and I can help explain what is going on.

RunningMan

8964 posts

Uber Geek

#3157337 8-Nov-2023 17:21

It is probably on the bracket on the wall with the ports facing the back so the OP can't see what is connected where.

https://www.chorus.co.nz/q/model-type-400 has the directions on how to unclip from the bracket to see the ports on the back.

geekIT

2422 posts

Uber Geek

#3157345 8-Nov-2023 17:29

Thanks, guys. Goosey, you were right, it's labeled of course - Cat5e. Duh. I can only plead senile decay.

Thing is, I'm not quite sure how to proceed with my fibre installation. To cut a long story short, the fibre cable doesn't enter the house where I'd preferred it. The ONT is now in the lounge, not in my office on the opposite side of the house, where the modem and several computers are situated. For various reasons, this was my decision, I'm not blaming Chorus - they just did as I asked.

What I need to do now is connect the ONT to the office. Fortunately, when I was more agile, I'd already run a Cat5e cable from the office to the point in the lounge where the ONT is now mounted. The TV is here, along with the Sky box, a Vero (Kodi) media player and a 5x gigabit switch that connects all those items, plus an occasional lounge laptop .

The reason I asked if the ONT cable was Cat5 or Cat6 was that I understood that I should be able to connect it to the existing Cat5 cable and still obtain 900mbps, or close to that. Is that correct?

If so, all I need to work out now is where to put my (Spark) Huawei HG659b modem, which is currently in the office. Or is that modem now insufficient to meet my needs?

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

RunningMan

8964 posts

Uber Geek

#3157355 8-Nov-2023 18:18

1) For your purposes, Cat5 & 6 are the same thing. You're not going to get near the limits of either.

2) Your HG659 router is fine for UFB. You'll need to connect it to your ONT, so suggest moving it to the lounge, using the LAN ports on the HG659 to replace your 5 port switch, then move the switch to the office (if you need than many ports there). The existing lounge-office cable runs between the HG659 & switch (as it probably already does) but with the devices in opposite rooms.

geekIT

2422 posts

Uber Geek

#3157504 9-Nov-2023 09:06

RunningMan: Thanks for the succinct advice.

You appear to have answered another question I was about to ask: So the HG659b can act as a switch. A gigabit switch?

And re switches, I've another 8x gigabit switch in the office.

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

RunningMan

8964 posts

Uber Geek

#3157706 9-Nov-2023 16:07

Yep, the LAN ports on any consumer router are all connected as a switch, just built into the router. The HG659 is basically a modem & router & switch & wifi access point combined into 1 box.