Renewing contract and maybe moving home phone to fibre...

[#1]

Just a quick update. 

Spoke to Plusnet yesterday and Open Reach will be here next Monday to install FTTP Full Fibre 145, I've been on FTTC for a couple of years.  Plusnet records show I have a Hub 2 router so I was told I won't need a new one.

A very helpful lady at A&A said to call back once the install is complete and she will port my number.  Apparently that should take 4 – 5 days.  I will also get an ATA box from them.

I’ll post when it’s all up and running but it all looks promising. 

Thanks to everyone on here for their help.

[#2]

@PNnewbie 

I believe you can set your A&A up in advance (a few quid for a dummy number). This lets you check you phone works and get the billing with A&A sorted out.

Then when FF is installed you phone, get the number ported and cancel the dummy number.

Remember to use your mobile for calls whenever possible to use any "package" you have with your mobile provider.

Brian

[#3]

bmc

A&A said that porting my number would take 4 to 5 days so probably not worth me doing anything else in the meantime but thanks for the suggestion.  I’ll plug everything in – cordless phone into the ATA and ATA to Hub Two and it will hopefully be OK - I'm sure it will - everyone on here assures me it will!!! 

I have a pay as you go mobile with Vodaphone so sadly no ‘package’ of free or cheap calls.  Maybe when all this is over I may search around for a different mobile deal.

Thanks again.

[#4]

Just had the OpenReach Engineer here this morning connecting me to FTTP.  When he’d finished he checked the speeds on his mobile which he showed me and said that it seemed ok.

I have two desktop Dell PCs in the back room each connected via ethernet cable to a D-Link switch, this in turn is connected to my Hub Two router again obviously via ethernet cable.  My speeds have been ~68 Mbps down and ~15Mbps up for a couple of years (on FTTC).  I also have a Dell 7490 laptop in the front room and it’s also given me virtually identical speeds to the desktops, via it's WiFi.

After going onto FTTP both PCs still show similar speeds - but ~94 Mbps down and ~22 Mbps up.  I’m on Plusnet’s Full Fibre 145 so this is way down on what I was expecting…  When I queried this with the OpenReach Engineer he said it might take a few days to settle down.

Now here is where it gets interesting – I did a speed check with my Dell 7490 laptop and it shows ~149 Mbps down and ~29 Mbps up – the sort of speeds I was expecting.

Couple of things I’ve tried:-

The Hub 2 router has 3 internet ports on the rear, well 4 really but one is marked WAN and has a lead going to the small box the Engineer fitted.  I’ve tried all three ports and get the same results.

I’ve also tried turning the router on and off – nothing changes.

I was hoping this move to FTTP would have been straight forward then I could have phoned A&A to port my landline number, as it is – slight hiccup!

Does it look like a Hub Two problem?

[#5]

I have two desktop Dell PCs in the back room each connected via ethernet cable to a D-Link switch, this in turn is connected to my Hub Two router again obviously via ethernet cable.

After going onto FTTP both PCs still show similar speeds - but ~94 Mbps down and ~22 Mbps up. 

@PNnewbie check that

1) your PCs have gigabit ports

2) your switch has gigabit ports

3) all your cables have all 8 cores

[#6]

@PNnewbie 

Good to hear the FTTP install went smoothly.

Given the Dell is is showing expected speeds everything appears to be in order from that end.

The problem with the PC's in the back room will be related to a connection issue between the Hub2 and the PC's themselves  - have no experience so can't offer advice.

With FTTP up and running you should port your number asap.

Brian

PS I suspect @MisterW  types faster than me as a notification just popped up

[#7]

MisterW – thanks for your advice re the gigabit ports and cables.

I’ve removed the ethernet lead between the Hub Two and the D-Link switch and plugged one of the desktop PCs directly into the Hub Two, so by-passing the switch – and I’m getting the speeds I expected.  It would appear the switch is the problem, it is as old as the hills and ‘followed me home’ when I retired many moons ago – perhaps I should have left it where it was!  

Scavenging in the cupboard I found a no-name WiFi dongle thingy and that allows my second desktop to connect directly to the Hub Two - at surprisingly good speeds so looks as if my speed problems are over!

Bmc – thanks also for your input.  Yes, the FTTP install went very smoothly, probably took a couple of hours. Fibre from the pole to the back of the house and the grey ‘customer access’ box suitably hidden.  The Engineer was an hour and a half early but said he’d come back if I preferred but I obviously said no go ahead.  I suspect he might have been home early this evening! 

I’ll phone A & A tomorrow and get the ball rolling with the porting and getting an ATA box ordered.

Thanks again for the help.

[#8]

@PNnewbie if you need a cheap and cheerful gigabit switch https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-LS1005G-Wallmount-Ethernet-Splitter/dp/B07VWB347G

[#9]

@PNnewbie 

A decent gigabit switch is what you need, personally I might buy Netgear but TP Link are often quite decent and good value.

 I can't quite explain the 22Mb/s up (although for me the Plusnet 145Mb/s product tests at 28.7Mb/s up and 150Mb/s down).

The 94Mb/s down sounds very much like a 100Mb/s switch (not gigabit).

[#10]

@PNnewbie 

In your post #19 about speeds from the PC you said you were getting about 94 down from the PC's in the back room. This would be consistent with either the swiitch or the connection cables only being rated at 100/10 rather than 1000/100. Cat 5 cables are in the former camp while Cat 5e are in the latter.

Brian

[#11]

Just dug the D-Link ethernet switch out from under the bench, it’s a model DES-1005D, marked 10/100 Fast Ethernet so that must have been the problem as a number of you suggested,   For the time being I’ll leave one of the desktops plumbed straight into the router where it works fine and replace the switch and check some of my cables at the same time.

Thanks again for all your help

[#12]

If it was me, I would grab the switch that @MisterW highlighted, under a £10 atm.