Trying to anticipate any challenges with my parents' VDSL install

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › Trying to anticipate any challenges with my parents' VDSL install

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 327

#196492 2-Jun-2016 09:56

Thanks to the excellent help of a couple of the Spark Geekzoners, my parents are all set for VDSL install next week. They are in their late-70's and not at all technically minded, so I am just trying to work out the most likely scenario when the Chorus tech comes, and put some plans in place for if things don't go smoothly.

They live in a multi-storey dwelling consisting of the original house, built in 1970/71, and an early 80's 2nd storey extension that goes off the back of the house at right-angles. Because of the age of the house, I don't believe they have an outdoors ETP, I think theirs is in the original phone jack, which is at one end of downstairs (the dining room). Their home office and all their computers (where my Dad still works as a contractor at the grand old age of 76) is in the upstairs extension.

My first question - where does the master splitter get installed? Am I correct in thinking it'll go inside the original phone jack if there's no external ETP? How do they run cable off of that?

Secondly - what lengths are Chorus likely to go to in order to get the cabling upstairs? I have an uneasy feeling it might be unreasonbly difficult within the terms of a "standard install" and they'll suggest putting the new modem somewhere on the ground floor. This would present a small problem because Dad has two computers and a printer that are not wireless capable.

Thirdly - if they can't get a cable up to the office, what are my chance of using a spare Pace V5542 Gateway as some kind of wireless bridge/repeater? I would want to be able to both use it to Ethernet connect the office computers and printer, and also as a wireless range extender for the wi-fi capable devices up there, like the Wii my son uses and the Smart TV. The signal between floors has always been a bit weak. Is it possible to repurpose a router to do both of those things simultaneously?

I'm trying to avoid them any extra cost in the event it's not all completely straightforward (hence why I've not mentioned purchasing wireless dongles or dedicated range extenders), and I also need to work out if I should be present when the installation is done.

Sorry if this is going over old ground, but I've scanned quite a few old threads and not been able to fully answer my questions. Thanks in advance for any and all info!

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Nil Einne

469 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 35

#1564183 2-Jun-2016 12:27

Hi, in my case the master splitter was installed under the house near where the phone lines comes out of the ground. A big question is where the cable from the street actually ends. They can't generally reuse other cabling, so if the phone line from the street ends before the first jackpoint even without an ETP, then this will probably be where they put the master splitter. If it does end at the jackpoint as you suggest, they may reuse this, but my impression is depending on the size, access etc they could potentially put it somewhere just before perhaps under the house if this is accessible.

From what I've read, if it is somewhat difficult, you likely won't have much luck getting them to put the DSL accesspoint upstairs. If you can't get a good wireless signal, you may need to install ethernet yourself between the floors.

Sideface

9649 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15598

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1564213 2-Jun-2016 13:08

Nil Einne:

<snip>

From what I've read, if it is somewhat difficult, you likely won't have much luck getting them to put the DSL access point upstairs. If you can't get a good wireless signal, you may need to install ethernet yourself between the floors.

As above.

Ethernet is vastly superior to wireless, specially in a multi-story building.

A second-best alternative would be Ethernet over Power (EoP) as discussed in several GZ threads.

Sideface

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 327

#1564249 2-Jun-2016 13:27

Thanks, yes they have an EoP device for getting signal to the downstairs bedrooms and it works well, so we might be able to repurpose that and turn the old router into a network switch, I believe. My parents are old and not very tech-savvy and won't entertain the cost or hassle of trying to run Cat6 through the house, so I'm trying to work out the best solution available with what they've got. I'll have to go have a poke around in their garden to see if I can work out where the phone line comes in!

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 327

#1564438 2-Jun-2016 18:11

I think I found the ETP. It's on the ceiling of my parents' garage, which is in the basement of the house. The yellowed white wire running to the right is going to the original phone jack for the house. All the others head off to where the beam goes over a block wall that encloses the void under the rest of the house. I am assuming one goes underground (the line in) and the others go to bedrooms at the other end of the house.

Does that seem right?

ETP

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Jase2985

13732 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6205

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1564455 2-Jun-2016 18:32

the black one is likely the line in, but you could pop the top off the housing and get a pic

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 327

#1564567 2-Jun-2016 20:41

Jase2985:
the black one is likely the line in, but you could pop the top off the housing and get a pic

That makes sense, because I looked through the hatch in the garage wall that goes under the house, and there was a black cable going down into the clay in that corner. Looks like the same one. I will see if I can get up there over the weekend to get a pic of the internals.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

Huntakillaz

272 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 38

#1564636 2-Jun-2016 22:25

They could (or you could ask for an) install of ETP outside for you, they did that for my parents 7-8yrs ago when the line was playing up.

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 327

#1564672 3-Jun-2016 00:44

Good to know. I think where it is should be fine - they can run it out of the side wall, up the outside of the house, up through the soffit and that would put it in the crawl space in the level 1 roof right behind the wall where the computers are. If we're going to get cable up there, I think that's the most direct route.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 327

#1567227 7-Jun-2016 16:10

Just to update, the VDSL install was completed today. The Chorus tech did a fantastic job of running the cable up the outside of the house (strapped it to the heat pump ducting so it's neatly tucked away), up through the soffit and through the attic crawl space, popping out of the wall behind the computer desks. Given my parents were marginal for VDSL and were initially told "no" by Spark, and needed a manual prequal to get their order pushed through, they're not doing too bad for speed. They were getting 4Mbps down and 0.7Mbps up on ADSL (bad house wiring). Now they're getting 17/1, which is a big improvement, albeit modest by normal VDSL standards. At least now they're getting a reasonable speed until Fibre finally arrives, and they can more easily make use of the streaming capabilities on their flash new smart TV :o) Hopefully once DLM has done its thing they might eke out a tiny bit more speed.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Sideface

9649 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15598

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1567230 7-Jun-2016 16:17

Result!

Did they get a master filter installed?

Sideface

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 327

#1567235 7-Jun-2016 16:25

Sideface:

Result!

Did they get a master filter installed?

Yes, I am pretty sure they did. There's a brand new black cable running out of the cavity under the house that goes all the way up to the modem. The ETP I took a photo of is untouched, so he must have split the line where it comes out of the ground. It's too spidery and cobwebby under there for me to poke my head in and look ;o)

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.