Smart Hub 2 - Seeking Assistance with Openreach Modem Setup & Internet Connection by Ethernet Cable

[stemist]

Greetings,

I've recently settled into a new home where, to my surprise, I found an Openreach modem (ONT) installed in the garage. I must admit, I've never had any experience with one of these before, and it's left me a bit bewildered.

Regrettably, despite diligently following the seemingly straightforward instructions, I've been unable to establish a wired internet connection that reaches all the sockets in my house. Additionally, I've been wondering if it's feasible to obtain internet access through the traditional phone line using a microfilter. I did make an attempt, but it appears to be unsuccessful.

It's worth mentioning that all the rooms upstairs have phone line sockets, and my PC is located upstairs (which is the reason I want Internet by cable rather than WiFi). I'm not too keen on the idea of drilling holes for cables at this point. It's also worth noting that the only other Ethernet socket left in the entire house is in the living room, while my PC is upstairs and the Openreach modem is in the garage.

Here's how I initially set up the system: I connected the ONT to my Smart Hub 2 (now an EE brand) using the Ethernet cable provided, plugging it into the WAN socket. Then, I used another supplied Ethernet cable to connect my Smart Hub to the master socket on the wall (I have two sockets below the ONT, one for Ethernet and one for the phone line). Finally, I used an additional Ethernet cable to link my PC to the room's phone line socket through a microfilter (remember, no Ethernet socket upstairs).

Lastly, I've recently upgraded to BT Full Fibre 500.

I'm eager to hear your thoughts on this!

Thank you!

[wkirkman]

Hello,

Obviously, I have not seen your house to know for certain, but from your description, the thing you are doing wrong is that you should not be using the Openreach Master Socket (5C / MK4) at all. Assuming as described that is for FTTC connections only. If you have an Openreach ONT then you have FTTP. So, connect ONT to the WAN port on your Smart Hub (Making sure that your Smart Hub's socket is enabled (EE Smart Hub 2023 would be the same as BT Smart Hub 2 with 4th Ethernet Port being shared as the WAN - there is a software switch to turn it on — can't comment on EE Smart Hub Plus as haven't seen it). Assuming this has been done, you will have internet connection on the Smart Hub, so if you have, you have done that correctly.

BUT… the Smart Hub does not then connect to the Master Socket. 'If' the property was wired up for Ethernet then there should be an Ethernet socket there somewhere (not in the Master Socket) which would then connect to that in the Living Room. If not, then who knows what the Living Room socket is connected to. You would have to find out and then run tests.

Either way, the telephone ports will not be useful as Ethernet Ports because they only carry maximum 4-6 wires (possibly only 2 as only 2 are ever used for internal telephone wire) and Ethernet uses 8 (or at least, has 8 even if it doesn't use as many). UNLESS whoever wired the house did it in such a way that they are convertible over somehow, and you will only know that by opening them up and having a look at the wires.

Microfilters once again useless here as they are for FTTC/VDSL2 not FTTP Full Fibre and certainly not for Ethernet.

In essence, you need to plug the Smart Hub into an Ethernet connection that connects to the rest of the house 'if such exists in your house'. If no one actually cabled for Ethernet, which is, to be fair, the usual, then you would have to do so yourself and anything not next to the Smart Hub would be Wireless.

Stipulate - based on what you have said. There could be things going on that I cannot know which would 'change everything' like someone has somehow done some weird wiring to the back of an Openreach socket and made it into something it isn't — but the likelihood based on what you have said is that that is not the case.

[Devon_Dave]

Assuming you have set up correctly as per the link here https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/fibre-to-the-home--check-your-wiring-and-set-up

I suspect the ethernet socket under the ONT connects to the ethernet socket in the lounge. 

Your method of using a filter into a phone socket in the bedroom will not work. 

If you require an ethernet connection in the bedroom I suggest you look up how Powerline adaptors work. Basically these adapters have the ability to send the data from your hub over the electricity wiring. The adaptors come as a pair so one plugs into an electrical socket in the garage, there is an ethernet socket on it, you plug a cable from that into a spare ethernet socket on the hub 

The second adaptor plugs into a electric socket in your bedroom, you then plug from that to your computer using another ethernet cable (normally supplied with the adaptors) 

Only limitation is there maybe a problem with connectivity of the adapters if the electrical sockets are on different "trips" in your electricity supply board. Basically you need to just connect up and see if it works. 

Mine are on different trips but works OK. 

[iniltous]

As already stated ,  the chances are without significant adjustments the telephone sockets are not going to be useful as Ethernet ( that’s if it possible at all )  , so are probably best left as telephony sockets .

If this is a new build house and FTTP was provided by Openreach as part of the built ( rather than a later addition, after  the property was previously using a copper pair service ) then it’s odd that developers still provide so many relatively useless phone sockets in various rooms , an  Ethernet patch panel /  network would be much more useful these days .

If the builder did provide one Ethernet ‘extension’ socket from the garage to the living room , if you haven’t already , you could locate the router in the living room ( ONT - garage Ethernet socket - living room Ethernet socket - router ) , this may give better WiFi coverage in the bedroom, but if a wired Ethernet socket is essential, then ‘powerline’ type extenders or another wired Ethernet socket from the  wherever you locate the router to the room requiring a wired Ethernet connection will be needed.