I thought I would report back on my upgrade from T-box to Vodafone TV that occurred today i.e replacement of modems and T box and router. All this on the Vodafone network. Chorus fibre was installed free a few months ago and was useful in comparing the cost of the same services but through Chorus fibre.   

Vodafone rang a few weeks ago to establish what services were to continue. We agreed on Vodafone TV Basic package, Internet Unlimited Data (needed to the Vodafone TV anyway) at 1000/500 and Home Phone) basically a continuation of current but now with a faster internet and no cap. 

The Downer tech was on time and prompt. After establishing it would be difficult to connect the Ultrahub phone connection to the internal phone wiring I opted to just plug my handpiece wireless base station into the Ultrahub near the same position. 

I had installed a long 15m Ethernet patch cable Dynalink from the router position- via under the house - and back up to the TV location so the Vodafone TV box could connect direct by ethernet to the Ultrahub. The desktop PC in a different room was already connected to the router via a similar method and worked perfectly. A NAS is located less than a metre from the router and connected to it. I know I should do a proper network but this works OK for me.

Anyway after some modifications in the grey box outside the house and on the pole the new modem was connected and the Ultrahub connected to the modem. The Desk top PC and Vodafone TV box and NAS were connected to the Ultrahub.

Internet was obtained and the PC and the NAS worked perfectly with no changes needed. Phone and tablet wireless was re-configured and all worked OK.   However the Vodafone TV box could not detect the ethernet cable. 

The technician said I must have damaged the cable installing it under the house. He installed a UX 2190 by the TV box and connected it with an ethernet cable to the TV box. The TV box fired up and everything worked as it should.

After he left I decided to plug in the phone to the phone jack on the Ultrahub but it was not going- just beep beep repeat. A relatively short time on the Vodafone help line and the phone is getting activation Friday.

Now I was keen to get the TV box working on ethernet so I shot down to PB Tech and got a 15m Cat 6 patch cable. The one that didn't work was Cat 6A shielded. I tried the Cat 6 cable before installing under the house and it worked perfectly. 

I removed the Cat 6A from under the house and installed the Cat 6. All worked perfectly so I now have ethernet to the TV box. 

I tried the Cat 6A again just draping the cable across the floors but the TV box would not detect it.

However I could not see any damage so I used the 6A cable as the patch cable between the NAS box and the Ultrahub. It worked perfectly !!!!

So the conclusion would seem to be that the Vodafone TV box ethernet connection does not work with a Cat 6A patch cable for some reason.

Any ideas why?

PS There was another phone call about when the new speed would kick in - in a few days.

PPS The 1st in command is already not happy with the interface with the TV box but that is another story :-)