? upgrade to fibre might compromise existing home network ?

[njb1]

Hi. I've been offered full fibre upgrade from BT for a modest price increase to existing service alongside a digital phone. I currently have Fibre 2 with 60Mb guarantee. Speed fine for what we do except get dropouts in service from time to time. Thing is we have a home network installed at time of renovation so the copper wire comes into the attic where it is connected to a Cat 5e cable which goes across attic (2 bends) and drops into understair cupboard  below loft conversion and into our master socket - possibly 8m run from loft. This is then connected to a home hub which is wired into a 24port Gigabit smc switch off to rest of house if that makes sense.

It seems full fibre will need ONT in loft (I'm hoping they will install fibre at same point entry into eaves off a ladder?) but they then suggest the new router has to be next to the ONT - mine is 8metres away. I wondered if could leave the ONT in the loft and connect to my existing Cat5e to run to home network under stairs as I don't think could easily pull through the fiberoptic cable. What i don't want is to end up ruining or compromising my existing home network..I can't seem to speak to anyone with technical knowhow at BT (you can't phone a openreach as a customer it seems) and my technical knowledge is limited! Help appreciated

[Keith_Beddoe]

@njb1 

If you are getting 60Mbs at the moment, do you really need anything faster? Its only of benefit if you have a large household, with a number of people working from home.

[stevebrass]

No problem with connecting the ONT in the loft via cat5e to the router in its present position.  Possibly the idea of the router needing to be near the ONT is if there is no practical way for the engineer to do otherwise. But you seem to have all the cabling you need.

You will need a power supply for the ONT. The engineer may not be keen to work in the loft.

Another option is to discuss with the engineer on site as it were. The fibre optic can be routed outside your home and then into the property at some convenient point.

[licquorice]

Yes, the ONT and hub can be up to 100 metres apart, it is just an Ethernet connection. You may have difficulty persuading the installer to fit the ONT in the loft however.

[njb1]

Many thanks to all for replies. Reassured they will be able to use existing wiring.

I think the openreach engineer would be OK working in loft as its walk in boarded storage straight off a loft bedroom but appreciate would need to get an electrician for power supply installed upfront.

Was wondering if openreach are generally happy to install the fibre entering at first floor level off a ladder if that's where your copper cable comes in as presumably they have to splice? I'd be stuck if they insisted on taking a cable all way down front of house down to ground level..