Independant home and flat connections

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charlie_niner

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#318596 2-Feb-2025 19:47

I have bought a house with a granny flat. I plan to live in the flat and rent out the house.

But of course the fiber connection terminates in the house, not the flat.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can allow the tenants in the house to have their own connection while I have my own as well? I don't really want to have to provide a connection which we share, or share one that they provide, if possible.

Thanks in advance :)

Behodar

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#3338370 2-Feb-2025 20:03

Competent ISPs can activate an independent service on port 2 of the ONT, but you'll need to run a cable to the flat. This is likely to be cheaper and less hassle than trying to get a second ONT installed.

Wheelbarrow01

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#3338387 2-Feb-2025 21:43

Behodar:

Competent ISPs can activate an independent service on port 2 of the ONT, but you'll need to run a cable to the flat. This is likely to be cheaper and less hassle than trying to get a second ONT installed.

@Benodar is correct - the above is the cheapest and least complicated way of doing it. Let the tenants have Port 1 of the existing ONT, You connect on Port 2, then run a Cat 6 cable from the ONT, through the floor or wall, and out to your granny flat. Ideally underground in a 20mm duct. You then have your own modem/router in the flat. The downside is that if you develop a fault and the tenant is out, you have no way of verifying the optical status on the ONT (or if your cable has just been unplugged, or the power switched off).

Second ONTs are generally installed in the same dwelling as the primary ONT, but can be installed in an auxiliary building such as a sleepout, workshop or office etc. However a self contained flat is considered a separate dwelling and NOT an auxiliary building, so a second ONT install in a granny flat would not be allowed.

If you have two dwellings on one land parcel and want a 100% standalone connection for each dwelling (each with their own fibre cable from the street), firstly you need the LFC to build a second fibre drop-off point at the street, but to do that each dwelling needs a unique address point. Sometimes this can be as simple as erecting a second mailbox and numbering it as say 12A or 2/12, and then registering that address with NZ Post for postal delivery. The kicker here though is that you'd need to pay for the additional network capacity to be built to the boundary (which is up to $1500). This is the technically superior and futureproof method for sure, and most likely they way I would do it I were in the same position.

I hope this helps you weigh up the options. Sing out if you have further questions.

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

OldGeek

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#3338388 2-Feb-2025 21:50

A slight variation on previous suggestions. Assuming you current service is provided on port 1 of the ONT in the house, get it moved to another port (I suggest port 4). Run an ethernet cable on the new port (4) to the granny flat. When your tenants arrange for an internet connection, the default port 1 is available, but so is port 2 and 3, meaning that disruption to your service on port 4 is least likely.

Good luck.

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charlie_niner

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#3341121 10-Feb-2025 15:45

Thanks all for your assistance. Very much appreciated.

nztim

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#3341125 10-Feb-2025 15:58

Wheelbarrow01:

Second ONTs are generally installed in the same dwelling as the primary ONT, but can be installed in an auxiliary building such as a sleepout, workshop or office etc. However a self contained flat is considered a separate dwelling and NOT an auxiliary building, so a second ONT install in a granny flat would not be allowed.

While this is the rule.... LFCs Don't enforce it (at least their installers don't)

I know of sites with 3-4 ONTs in separate flats on a single land parcel

More common now with more copper withdrawal happening

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

raytaylor

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#3344726 20-Feb-2025 06:26

nztim:

Wheelbarrow01:

Second ONTs are generally installed in the same dwelling as the primary ONT, but can be installed in an auxiliary building such as a sleepout, workshop or office etc. However a self contained flat is considered a separate dwelling and NOT an auxiliary building, so a second ONT install in a granny flat would not be allowed.

While this is the rule.... LFCs Don't enforce it (at least their installers don't)

I know of sites with 3-4 ONTs in separate flats on a single land parcel

More common now with more copper withdrawal happening

I have had a similar issue
A separate dwelling on the same land parcel meant they would not install a new ONT and it had to be a secondary ONT at the same SAM / TLC location ID.

So my suggestion would be since your running a new cable to the flat, you should probably just run an opticat cable from the ETP box (or the existing ont) to the new flat, and then order a secondary ONT installation.
Since the cable has already been run, the installer will have no problem putting the secondary ONT where you want it.

This way there is no chance of the tenant unplugging your connection or needing to give notice for access (as per the residential tenancies act or any complications in that regard) if something was to go wrong.

I'd only do the port 2 thing if the ONT is in a communal area and not within a private tenancy area.

Ray Taylor

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Eva888

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#3344790 20-Feb-2025 08:26

@raytaylor Who do you call to run an optical cable and get a secondary ont installed in a flat? Any idea what the cost would be. I have a similar situation where for the time being tenant is using HFC but it’s not ideal for the future.

nztim

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#3344800 20-Feb-2025 08:53

raytaylor:

I have had a similar issue
A separate dwelling on the same land parcel meant they would not install a new ONT and it had to be a secondary ONT at the same SAM / TLC location ID.

Thats exactly how it is here in Kelburn/Aro Valley in Wellington....

Student flats with 3-4 ONTs all on the same SAM/TLC

The only problem is you need a competent ISP when ordering the connection to activate the correct ONT in the correct flat. and Competent individuals to give the ISP the correct ONT Serial Number when ordering

Alot of RSPs B2B processes can't cope with this.

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

raytaylor

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#3345155 20-Feb-2025 22:59

Eva888:

@raytaylor Who do you call to run an optical cable and get a secondary ont installed in a flat? Any idea what the cost would be. I have a similar situation where for the time being tenant is using HFC but it’s not ideal for the future.

Assuming you are in a Chorus LFC area....

You can buy opticat cable at your local branch of Ideal Electrical. They can sell it by the metre. If you need help to actually run the cable then any electrician will have the skills to do that. The only thing is that the opticat cable needs to be left with at least enough to reach the ground plus a metre at both ends - the ETP / Existing ONT and the new ONT location.

Once that is done, you can call up your ISP and ask them to request chorus performs a secondary ONT installation. Its a fixed fee service.
I am not sure if the major ISPs can handle this - smaller ISPs will find it quite easy to understand.

Once it is in place, you will find it handy to keep two numbers

1) SAM ID this is your location ID for the address.
Every address that chorus can deliver a service to has one. If you are in a new subdivision or have a tricky address, its super easy to find it if the customer knows their SAM ID. Usually not needed.

2) ONT Serial Number
Each ONT under a SAM ID has its own ID serial number. Usually begins with ALCL.
This tells chorus which ONT at the site you want the new circuit delivered to. So it doesnt end up on port 2 in the other building.

From memory I think the fee is $200 for the secondary ONT at a residential address (i cant find it in the price sheet). For third, fourth etc its $1500 each for an infill build as they require extra fibers in the street.
Plus whatever it costs you for your own internal work to pre-run the cables.

Ray Taylor

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Eva888

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#3345191 21-Feb-2025 08:41

Thanks for the explanation @raytaylor. That sounds worth going ahead just for the peace of not sharing. I’m pretty sure we have already got a separate SAM ID for there.

Am in Wellington. So the second optical cable will still connect to my ONT which is inside my house, or, is there a way they can add a splitter to connect it to my ONT cable outside before it comes inside to my ONT. My cable is underground part of the way only, then it climb up the wall on the exterior to my ONT inside. Might have to ask @nztim if this is up his alley because my sparkie won’t have a clue.

raytaylor

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#3346001 23-Feb-2025 16:23

From the road, there are two fibers capable of running an ONT each which arrives at the chorus ETP box on the outside of the house.

From there, two fibers go inside to the existing ONT.

So your new opticat cable can either start from the ETP box and tap into the spare fiber there (best advice) or it can run from the existing ONT inside the house and tap off the spare fiber there.

The incoming second fiber can either be spliced at the ETP to continue inside to the existing ITP/ONT
Chorus will then install the second ont next to the existing one since the spare fiber is already there ready to be used.

However if you have an opticat cable already in place, the second fiber can either be tapped off outside at the ETP, or it can be tapped off at the existing ITP/ONT and then go down the new cable to the new ont location inside the granny flat.
The important thing being that the cable is already in place, within appropriate conduit etc, before they arrive so there is almost no extra work involved for the chorus technician to position the new ONT at the end of the new cable.

Ray Taylor

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raytaylor

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#3346003 23-Feb-2025 16:50

Eva888:

Am in Wellington. So the second optical cable will still connect to my ONT which is inside my house, or, is there a way they can add a splitter to connect it to my ONT cable outside before it comes inside to my ONT. My cable is underground part of the way only, then it climb up the wall on the exterior to my ONT inside. Might have to ask @nztim if this is up his alley because my sparkie won’t have a clue.

One cable contains two fibers.
The splitter effectively is the chorus ETP box on the outside of the house already. If you want to tap into it before it reaches the ETP box, the job will be much more expensive.

The second fiber from the road is already there waiting to be used. Its just sitting inside that box.

Give these instructions to the sparkie...

1) Get an Opticat cable (Ideal Electrical PRY6337647) from the existing ETP enclosure to the new ONT location in the granny flat. Ideal sell the cable by the metre from 300m rolls.

2) The new ont must be next to a power point

3) The cable must be protected using conduit when it is outdoors.

4) Plan for how the chorus tech will get the cable into the ETP box. They can either drill into the top, side or use one of the spare 10mm holes on the bottom. Maybe leave some flexitube, elbows and gland etc as appropriate for the specific situation.
Its usually best if you can use 20mm conduit and not 25/32mm.

5) In the granny flat, the cable can either come up the wall from the floor and the chorus tech can just nail clip it to the gib, or if you run it up inside the wall, cut a hole so it comes out and the chorus tech can install the new ONT over the top of the hole. Alternatively it may come down from the attic or just come through the wall - whatever means necessary to get it from point A to point B.
The hole on the wall shouldnt be any larger than a standard flushbox - this size guide gives you enough to fish/pull the cable out of the wall while also not being too big for the new ONT to cover it.

6) There must be enough opticat at each end to reach the floor or ground plus one metre. The splicing machine sitting on the ground needs one metre of cable to be stripped back to work with. The typical 20cm of TPS sticking out at each end is not enough to work with.

Ray Taylor

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