Thinking of upgrading to fibre

[#1]

Officially only OpenReach are allowed to move your Master socket as it belongs to them up to the point of connection. You are allowed to wire in your own extensions or change the faceplate.

From what you've said about your setup I don't think moving the Master socket would make much difference to your speed - unless you need every last drop you can get. You mentioned you would try a Speed test from the Master socket to see how it looked.

As you do not appear to need a wireless connection it is probable that the PlusNet supplied equipment would be more than suitable for you unless you want bells and whistles from your modem software,

Brian

[#2]

I accept only OpenReach can move the master socket but there a few threads that are written by telephone engineers that talk about "extending" the master socket but still leaving the original master socket in it place. So still keeping the integrity of the BT master socket in place and the interface between me and the wires to the exchange.

You are correct I am not interested wireless. All my equipment is hard wired. So having a master socket in my office would solve a lot of problems if I go fibre.

[#3]

In your situation I still don't think moving the Master socket will make any difference. In effect you're simply talking about a higher speck extension. If your current extension is well wired (good connections) you should have no problem.

The Master socket counts when you have to run tests. If you remove the face plate you'll find the "test" socket. Using this eliminates all internal wiring to help "prove" the incoming line or internal wiring is causing problems.

What you could think about is replacing the master face plate and the extension face plate with filtered ones. I use the following

http://www.adslnation.com/products/xte2005.php

http://www.adslnation.com/products/xtf.php

As I bypass the master (exactly the same as you would do) the extension is wired to the "A" & "B" connections on the master and the extension face plate is filtered. Other products are available.

Brian

[#4]

Hello Brian, Thanks for the info on face plates etc. Just checking my installation yet again and I remembered I had BT install a dedicated fax line in the days when fax was the thing to have. Fax connection to the exchange long gone but the cable still runs from the hall direct to my office terminated at a BT extension face plate.

My thinking now is to use the old fax direct cable with suitable plug to plug into my BT master socket (no phone is used in the master socket) and where I have the extension plate in the office to change to the XTF -687/85 plate .

I have power right by the side of it where the PlusNet modem can plug into the new plate and power.

Simply then wire the modem direct to a router.

Is that too simplistic or have I missed something? Comments appreciated.

John 

[#5]

If you've decided to upgrade to VDSL (FTTC) then it might be simplest to first get your new connection up and running  and then think about any changes you need to make to location, cabling etc.

The PlusNet Hub One is a combined modem / router so in the first instance it is a direct replacement for you current unit. Simply plug in the telephone connection, the power supply and connect your Ethernet cables as required. There are 4 ports on the back of the Hub One. There is a video on setup at https://www.plus.net/help/broadband/router-user-guides/

As I understand your posts, you have a wall mounted (cable hidden) extension in your office - not just a very long extension lead. You're now saying you have a second extension in your office which was a dedicated fax line (essentially two phones lines). While it might be possible to use this second extension the phone wiring might take a bit of sorting. Would it be possible to take the Master socket face plate of (carefully!!!) and take a picture of the wiring. Two phone lines mean two pairs of twisted phone cable may well be connected on the incoming line and then two pairs connected outgoing to your office.

Brian

[#6]

Hello Brian,

I have two separate cables one for the telephone and one for the old fax lineall by itself. When the fax was running It was terminated at the entry point junction box in the communal cupboard where the BT armoured cable came in to feed the lines to the other 7 apartments and then run direct to my office. The cable is dead and I can pull a length up through the wall from the outside cupboard and either put a rj45 plug on the end and then plug into the master socket or probably better still actually wire directly to the back of the socket which would be the phone connection on the front. If that makes sense. Thank you for all help, it is much appreciated.

[#7]

If you are absolutely certain of which line (fax) is yours and there is enough to reach the Master socket then it simplifies the wiring problem. I'll say nothing about the legality of cutting a wire running from the entry point junction box as I don't know the answer!!!

On the Master socket anything attached to the face plate is fair game for you to mess with. If I've read correctly that you only want the one socket then you can disconnect every wire currently connected to the face plate. Then wire in the new pair leading to the old fax socket. Replace the fax socket with a filtered face plate and that should be you sorted (famous last words!!!). When buying the filtered socket you'll need to get a Krone tool to do the connections. There are plenty of videos online on how to wire phone sockets.

Do let us know how you get on.

Brian