New installation / Ethernet only PC

[licquorice]

The ONT and router can be up to 100metres apart, simply run an Ethernet cable between them.

Entirely up to you of course, but connecting a WinXP device to the internet is really not a good idea.

[sambda]

I think I will temporarily connect the old Upstairs PC to the downstairs router with a long Ethernet cable I have.  I'll go down the stairs, and I probably break my neck (mobility problems).  Then I can think about whether I can put an XP wifi card into the PC, or get a Ethernet-->WiFi bridge, or a pair of PLAs.  The last two shouldn't need drivers, so the XP won't matter.

I might order all 3 of the last options from Amazon, try them all, see which performs best, and return the other 2.

Sadly the room with the PC and where it is "reasonable" for the fibre entry point to be are at opposite corners of the house, both vertically and horizontally.

[sambda]

I would need to get a bloke in to run the Ethernet and I couldn't afford it.

[sambda]

Thanks.

It just annoys me a bit, being on such a tight budget, that the extra costs weren't highlighted,viz:

1) Having to have FTTP- £9.99.

2) Having to have 2 new phones upstairs as you can only plug one phone in downstairs to the router.   £40?

3) Having to get my old PC talking to the new router downstairs, either via a bloke to install Ethernet, or adding WiFi to it somehow, or a WiFi-Ethernet bridge, or a set of PLAs.   Another £40 for the latter options; God knows what for a cabler!   It has been stated that "this is nothing to do with BT".   Of course it is, they're the ones forcing FTTP which needs these changes/expenditure.

Made it all sound so easy when signing up.

[iniltous]

1.I’d suggest the £9.99 is the delivery charge for the router .
2.You don’t need two new phones , your current ones will work , BT supply an DV adapter on request converting a wired phone into a DECT phone .
3.This isn’t anything to do with BT .
As stated on your other thread , there is no imposition here , it was your choice to move to BT Essential.

As stated , OTS are responsible for the messaging between providers for a customer switching provider , supposedly TT should maintain your copper based service until they get an OTS message giving the OK to remove your old service , OTS only send this message once BT message OTS saying your service is working with BT , so strictly speaking the dates are targets and advisory …however that’s what supposed to happen , ultimately TT ‘press the button’ on switching off your ‘old’ service , no one else .

[sambda]

As stated on my other reply, the requirement to move to FTTP was not made clear at purchase time.  This is what's causing the expenditure.   The bloke simply said about sending a new router and booking a day for the changeover.  This tends to imply that it was just a case of swapping routers.   I only found out about the FTTP thing when I got the confirmation email from Openreach which said "Welcome to Full Fibre".  At first I thought they had put me on the wrong package until I phoned them.  God knows what e.g. old ladies are supposed to make of all this!

[iniltous]

If this isn’t what you want , you have sufficient time to cancel and remain as you are , it’s basically a choice , taking a ‘social’ tariff to save money or the ‘inconvenience’ of adjusting to accommodate the new network, only you can decide what’s more important.
BT are no different to TT in that they use Openreach network, it’s Openreach that require FTTP to be used once it’s available ( that’s perfectly understandable ) …for some that don’t have FTTP available, swapping the router will be the only action the customer needs to take….its shows it’s impossible to please everyone though , for every one like you , preferring to stay on copper there are others moaning about not having FTTP available .

[sambda]

Yeah - if you wait when actually actioning a leaving (not just threatening to), Talktalk usually ring you with some ultra-high powered people who seem to be able to do very good deals.   I might be able to get them down to £20 or something, which I would take.

[chrisjp]

"How are they going to wire my Ethernet-only PC into the mix? Will the engineer run Ethernet from the new router to upstairs for me?"

For less than £10 you can buy a small "dongle" that plugs into a USB socket on your computer and will provide WiFi connectivity. Just Google something like "WiFi dongle" and lots of these will come up, with next day delivery. That'll be your simplest solution.
And no, the Openreach technician will not run an ethernet cable from the newly positioned router to your upstairs computer. Openreach's responsibility ends at the ONT or master socket.

[Kimberlin]

@sambda 

As @licquorice  has already pointed out, connecting to the internet anything associated with Windows XP is not a good or particularly safe thing to do. Clearly no one here will know what you use the internet for, but with Windows XP, you definitely shouldn’t be conducting anything financial on the internet because the OS isn’t supported anymore.

Also, as you have already mentioned drivers, it’s unlikely you’ll get any WiFi adapters or dongles to work. You might be lucky, but you’d still be better off even using Windows 10 OS if your computer is able to support it.

Good luck with your install.