How to Move internet fibre broadband?

[veedee]

I would like to relocate my fibre broadband from the 1st floor to a room in my loft

There is a grey box outside. Inside of the grey box, two cable are joined together (pic 1)

1. Can anyone explain how the two cables are joined together?

One of the black cable from the grey box comes into my property and this then connects into the optical slot in the white box

2. How does this happen?

Is there some sort of guide online about moving you fibre broadband.

 

[Jackrae]

That equipment doesn't belong to you - it belongs to either BT or Openreach. You need to contact BT and advise them of your requirements. They will get their contractor (Openreach) to come along, do the necessary and send you the bill.

 

[bernardgreen]

Optical fibre splicing

 

[Mottie]

Have you asked your broadband provider?

 

[veedee]

Have you asked your broadband provider?

Yes and they want an extortionate amount of money just to perform a survey.

I will not be paying that.. No disrespect, but with the right know how, these sort of jobs are normal straight forward

 

[veedee]

Optical fibre splicing

Thanks. Can't wait to watch and learn

I'm hoping they cover everything from top to bottom.

 

[opps]

Alternatively, leave the MODEM where it is downstairs and run your own CAT6 cable from the MODEM/router to another router upstairs.

Over the years, I have have moved many old copper cable BT junction boxes for customers (using gel filled crimps). I would not even entertain the idea of messing with fibre optical cables.

Edit- I haven't watched the video, but I would imagine that the cost of the tools you will need will be far, far in excess of the cost of having the junction box moved.

 

[veedee]

Alternatively, leave the MODEM where it is downstairs and run your own CAT6 cable from the MODEM/router to another router upstairs.

That's an idea but it will look messy.

A better job imo is just to run the cable to location of choice Externally.

Over the years, I have have moved many old copper cable BT junction boxes for customers (using gel filled crimps).

Yes, i have moved about 10 copper cable BT junction boxes over the past couple of years. It is easy work.

Never come across fibre broadband wires before, so thought I'd ask my fav forum

I would not even entertain the idea of messing with fibre optical cables.

At the risk of sounding like a dick, but i hate this type of thinking and fear mongering.

We can do more than we give ourselves credit for.

Years ago people on this forum would discourage me from doing electrical work such as installing a new light fitting, extending ring circuit because it was 'too dangerous for a newbie' etc.

I persevered and come to find out, those things are a piece of cake. I am now at a point where i am comfortable doing the vast majority of domestic electrical work.

Like i said, we can do more than we give ourselves credit for. In most cases you just need the necessary knowledge and these things are straight forward...

(Rant over)

 

[opps]

That's an idea but it will look messy.

A better job imo is just to run the cable to location of choice Externally.

Yes, i have moved about 10 copper cable BT junction boxes over the past couple of years. It is easy work.

Never come across fibre broadband wires before, so thought I'd ask my fav forum


At the risk of sounding like a dick, but i hate this type of thinking and fear mongering.

We can do more than we give ourselves credit for.

Years ago people on this forum would discourage me from doing electrical work such as installing a new light fitting, extending ring circuit because it was 'too dangerous for a newbie' etc.

I persevered and come to find out, those things are a piece of cake. I am now at a point where i am comfortable doing the vast majority of domestic electrical work.

Like i said, we can do more than we give ourselves credit for. In most cases you just need the necessary knowledge and these things are straight forward...

(Rant over)

You may well be correct, have you calculated how much the tools and junction box will cost? I see that you can buy ones with terminals on them.

I wasn't intentionally "fear mongering", BT will probably know if you have altered a fibre cable and will hold someone accountable if a problem arises. AFAIK, they have no historical record of where they previously fitted NTE5 boxes/etc.

BTW, I have knowingly done dangerous things in the past because "needs must", things too dangerous to mention here, because, understandably, the mods would delete my post.

You messing about with fibre optic cables isn't life threatening, but you definitely run the risk of them noticing.

Regardless, please let us know how you get on, tnx.

 

[plugwash]

1. Can anyone explain how the two cables are joined together?

fusion splicing.

The various protective layers are stripped off the fiber leaving only the glass core and cladding. The ends of the fiber are cleaved (cut *very* nearly) and then placed in the splicer. The splicer aligns the fiber ends and then uses an electrical arc to weld them together. A protective cover is then slid over the joint and iirc in most cases the cover is then heat shrunk onto the joint.

Fusion splicers are pretty expensive, presumablly because of the high precision required. The signal carrying core of a typical communications fiber is 9 microns in diameter, so for a good splice you are talking sub-micron levels of precision.

There also exist mechanical splices for fiber, but I believe most telcos avoid them due to reliability concerns.

One of the black cable from the grey box comes into my property and this then connects into the optical slot in the white box

2. How does this happen?

BT have tried various approaches, one approach involves a cable with two jackets, a heavier one for outside and a lighter one for inside. The heavy outer jacket runs to the point of entry, then is stripped off for the indoor part of the run. Then a "field fit connector" is used on the end of the fiber.

I think there are also double jacket cables with pre-fitted connectors, though I don't know how the excess jacket is removed on such cables.

BTW on the subject of fiber connectors be aware of the difference between flat polish (PC/UPC) and angle polish (APC) connectors. Trying to intermate a flat polish connector with an angle polish connector may damage the connectors. Angle polish connectors are color coded green.

Is there some sort of guide online about moving you fibre broadband.

Not that i'm aware of.

One of the issues is that many of the products used in fiber work are single use. So while with copper you could disconnect stuff, move it and reconnect it and noone would be the wiser, with fiber you need both the right tools and new materials. You probablly can't easilly source the exact same materials BT use, so any unauthorised modification would likely be obvious to them.

On the other hand going through the "official" route gets very expensive. Large companies tend to have large overheads and while initial provision will often be done relatively cheaply as a "loss leader", with alterations they know they have you over a barrel.

 

[oceansoul]

Been looking at a fiber splicer at work. Upwards of £10k for a decent one (IE not off eBay).

 

[plugwash]

Fiberfox seem to have one for £2500, no idea what it's limitations are compared to the more expensive models though.

 

[Gigagator]

As someone who is an IT professional, with previous employment installing structured data cabling, my advice would be don't even bother with this. Find an alternative way to achieve what you want to achieve as anything will be easier than this.

Fibre cabling of this type is not something that can be done at home as a DIY job. Copper cabling (both phone lines and coax i.e. Virgin Media) are perfectly doable at home but fibre is very specialised in terms of both equipment and kit.

As mentioned, I used to work for a company that did large scale structured data cabling installations and we would outsource fibre work to contractors that were familiar with it because its just not worth "having a crack at it".

That, and the employer didn't want to invest the huge amounts of capital in the equipment needed to polish and splice fibre cables, and the training to go with it.

 

[flameport]

That's an idea but it will look messy.

A better job imo is just to run the cable to location of choice Externally.

External grade Cat6 is available and will be a tiny fraction of the cost of either buying fibre tools, or making a dogs meal of it and having to pay Openreach for repairs after being without broadband for weeks.

 

[SithLordHood]

I would like to relocate my fibre broadband from the 1st floor to a room in my loft

There is a grey box outside. Inside of the grey box, two cable are joined together (pic 1)

1. Can anyone explain how the two cables are joined together?

One of the black cable from the grey box comes into my property and this then connects into the optical slot in the white box

2. How does this happen?

Is there some sort of guide online about moving you fibre broadband.

Use this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08MBCKJPL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It comes with a coupler to connect your existing fibre cable to the extended one.
Unplug the green capped fibre from your Openreach box (hard tug), try it in situ with the coupler and extender cable before moving your kit.
I suffered no speed loss whatsoever, despite the extra 10m length in fibre cable and small signal loss the coupler will give you.

If Openreach ever got shirty about it you could always remove it all and put it back to how it was.
Note: The fibre extension cable is a little delicate so handle with care and do not over bend the radius, it is not suitable for running outdoors, although if you did want to do this there is some outdoor rated fibre cable you can get on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elfcam-Armored-Simplex-Singlemode-Compatible-Black/dp/B08CVTC1PX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TBXCWAQYJF9T&keywords=B08CVTC1PX&qid=1684179104&s=electronics&sprefix=b08cvtc1px%2Celectronics%2C67&sr=1-1

See below for photos of what i did to extend mine, was originally on the wall in the spare bedroom, extended it down to the garage below through the floorboard/ceiling.