Ethernet to BT cable connection

[Tango9]

Hello,

I'm trying to extend my broadband coverage. Is it possible to connect a RJ45 port from the back of my router with CAT 6 cable and then connect that in turn to the old BT Cable ( 4 wire - White Orange Black Green ) and then connect it back to CAT 6 Cable at the other end ?  This existing cable already connects my garage and is there so would save running anadditional cable.

If it is possible what connectors do I need ?

Thank you 

[Paul608085]

@Tango9 

You could do that, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Using just 2 pairs, (ie 4 wires), in a cable will restrict the maximum speed to 10 Mbits/sec, (I think?).

Certainly no point in using CAT6 at each end - your speed, like any transmission link will be restricted by its weakest link.

[licquorice]

I'm a bit confused as to what it is exactly you are proposing. The BT cable you describe is an external cable feeding your line.

[Paul608085]

@licquorice 

I'm guessing that @Tango9  has an existing telephone extension cable running from their master socket to the garage that they are proposing to re-purpose?

Though the presence of a black wire seems odd? It is 40 years since I did my BT apprenticeship, and the original colours, before white/blue, white/orange etc), were:

Blue, orange, green, brown, slate, (not grey!!). 😉

Maybe this is an old pre-made extension that they were planning to cut the connectors off the ends of and re-make?

[licquorice]

Yeah, that is the internal colour scheme.

External cable is pair 1 or/wh next pairs are red/grey and the last pair green/black.

Hence 2 pair u/g is or wh gn black

PS it's nearly 60 years since I did my apprenticeship 😃😃

[Tango9]

Hi Paul,

We originally had 2 phone lines and 2 broadband providers for our property. The cable came from the BT Post into our garage where the first  line terminated, with broadband. The cable then continued, overhead, from the garage to our house (approx 15m) away. This then terminated with our second broadband provider. The house broadband was terminated a few months ago, which means there is now a redundant cable between the garage and the house - which contains the White/Orange/Black and Green wires. We have been using a WiFi mesh system (eero) to enhance the wifi signal making it more usable in the house.  Its fine 95% of the time, but does occasionally drop out. 

All I was wondering was, is it possible to take an Ethernet cable from the back of the router, in the garage and then connect it onto the redundant BT phone line, to bring a wired connection across to the house. I would then need to connect it back to an Ethernet cable (I've got plenty of Cat6 cable spare, so might as well use that) before I connect it to the required appliance, namely SKY box.  

Surely, if the existing cable, garage to house, was good enough to run its own broadband service up until recently, then it must be suitable to running a wired connection from the back of the router in the garage across to the house. Or does it not work like that ?

Yes, it would have been easier to have kept the broadband supplier to the house and part with the supplier to the garage broadband, but due to timings, cost and contracts the reverse has happened. 

Any help / advise is appreciated 

[Paul608085]

@Tango9 

"Surely, if the existing cable, garage to house, was good enough to run its own broadband service up until recently, then it must be suitable to running a wired connection from the back of the router in the garage across to the house. Or does it not work like that ?"

Basically, no it doesn't.

You are comparing two different types of signal.

It sounds like the cable used to carry an ADSL or VDSL, (Fibre to the Cabinet), signal which was the input to a router. You now want to use that same cable to carry an ethernet signal - the output of a router.

As I said before, it probably will work - just not very well.

If you have "plenty of Cat6 cable spare", why don't you run a new cable from the router garage to the house, using the old cable as a support, (cable ties?).

Is the CAT6 cable you have external grade?

[Crimliar]

I've seen this discussed in another place and I think the best they ever managed was an unreliable 10Mbps connection!

[WSH]

Suffice it to say, ethernet is usually 1000 Mb/s today.  ADSL/VDSL is only 24 – 75 Mb/s.  Why?  Well, one of the reasons is the cable used…go figure.

[Paul608085]

@Crimliar 

"the best they ever managed was an unreliable 10Mbps connection!"

Yes, as I said in the second post in this thread, 10Mbps is all that a 4 wire connection can manage.

6 wires are needed for 100Mbps, and all 8 for 1000Mbps.