New build - wide house needing good coverage

[Burmey]

We are just in the process of buying a new build. 

They’ve told us where they are going to position the router and where they intend to put the boosters.  They are intending for the Router to go in a cupboard downstairs in The hall and boosters upstairs in cupboards, one each side of the house. 

The house has proper walls downstairs, not just partition. We will have speeds of about 70 Mb into the house.

They will run cat six around various points in the house also. 

Where should the router be positioned? We’ve Always been under the impression it needs to be out in the open so the signal for the Wi-Fi can bounce around easily unrestricted by walls as much as possible.I’ve Always been under the impression it needs to be out in the open so the signal for the Wi-Fi can bounce around easily unrestricted by walls as much as possible. Booster discs the same.

I have a second conundrum in that there is obviously no fine into the property at present as the house is new. There will be a period of crossover between my current house and the new house (they are just around the corner from one another). My current contract with BT has a phone number attached to it and doesn’t expire until the end of 2023.

There will be a period of crossover between my current house and the new house (they are just around the corner from one another). My current contract with BT has a phone number attached to it and doesn’t expire until the end of 2023.

The builder wants us to put Wi-Fi/broadband into the property at the end of June to test out systems he’s putting into the house.  How on earth can this be done? I want to keep this contract going at my current property until we move which won’t be till September because it has our phone number (added complication is it’s moving to digital voice but the new house isn’t) and husband works from home and therefore needs a continuous reliable internet service. I also have a very good package with a Smart hub 2, three discs and dedicated help halo 2. Suggestions please as to how this can be managed?

Thanks in advance 

[gg30340]

I would suggest that it is entirely up to the builder to work out a way to test the system. He is installing the system just in the same way as he is installing the electric and gas. Did he ask you to get the gas and electric connected so that he can check that it works.

Without seeing the plans of how the system is be installed and where the Cat 6 cables are being run from and to it is difficult to give advice however if the cables are being run from the same cupboard as where they are placing the router that would be reasonable because the cables will need to be plugged into the router or a termination box of some sort.

It is not clear what the "boosters" are so it is not possible to give advice about their location but if it is a system similar to the discs you have at present they may work in a cupboard but it would be better if they were "out in the open" especially if the router in the cupboard is not able to give a good wireless signal.

No doubt other forum members will be able to give their advice on this issue.

[rbz5416]

What you want in a large property is a mesh system, where all devices talk to each other like your BT discs. In this configuration the location of the router becomes largely irrelevant, as you just add mesh repeaters wherever they are required. The router effectively just becoming a "modem". These needn't be ugly black discs like the BT ones so no real need to hide them away in cupboards, unless that's what you want. Some can also be powered over ethernet (PoE) so don't need mains power/ac adapters either. I would suggest that you need to liaise with your builder about the options & exactly how they're implemented. You may be better off seeking the advice of a local networking company rather than relying on whatever "Bob" intends to throw together. Maybe Google "mesh network" to get an idea of physical appearance & costs, as both vary significantly. A business style repeater/access point can sit unobtrusively on a wall or ceiling rather like a smoke alarm, with no cables showing.

Internet isn't necessary to test the infrastructure, anyone competent can do so without. Again a reason to engage a networking specialist. But if the builder wants Internet to test he can buy a 4G router & SIM card for testing purposes  just plug his infrastructure into that. You can then schedule a move of service with BT for when you want to move in.

If you're only getting 70Mb in the new property then that suggests it won't be FTTP, unless you've chosen a low speed? As for smooth transfer of phone number, that may be a case of cross your fingers & hope for the best judging by some of the posts in here! It may be as well for you to buy the 4G router, not only to test with but as insurance against it all going wrong on transfer day.

[Burmey]

Thanks you. I’m intending on taking my BT whole home Wi-Fi disc system and contract with me once we actually physically move. That’s a mesh system isn’t it? I’m getting myself so confused with all with all of this.

we’ve chosen the highest broadband we can physically get . No FTTP sadly. 

[rbz5416]

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@Burmeywrote:

Thanks you. I’m intending on taking my BT whole home Wi-Fi disc system and contract with me once we actually physically move. That’s a mesh system isn’t it?

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Yes, that's mesh & if you're happy with that set up then you don't need any "boosters", you just add more discs if necessary. But you'd be passing up on the opportunity for a much neater & aesthetically pleasing solution. Either way it still makes sense to have ethernet wired to every room in a new build as the cost should be minimal.