How best to used pre installed CAT5e (14 yrs ago) cables for new Fiber connection

captainZZZ

So around 14 years ago I installed CAT5e cables from a central point in my attic to a number of rooms. This central point is beside a socket in attic, and is maybe 10 -15 m away from each gable end. I am thinking of connecting the fibre cable from the pole directly to my gable wall, then run 10-15m across the attic to the socket and cable ends. Set up router there and connect the existing CAT5e cables to get to the rooms, I suppose these CAT5e cable runs could be 40m long. Would this be a good option for xbox, netflix, now TV?

The other option is to try use/open the existing land line phone duct (2inch pipe) to get to a single room downstairs, set up the router here . Then use the existing CAT5e in this room to connect the router to the point in the attic where all the CAT5e cables end - I suppose use some sort of distribution box then to connect all of the CAT5e wires to all the rooms. I know the router will have WiFi, and I can use extenders for the WiFi to reach all points of the house, but just wondering how to best use the existing CAT5e cables, in particular having a wired connection to the xbox.

Would both of these options outlined above work? Sorry I don't know anything about fiber and would like to have an idea of what I'm doing before I order.

Thanks for any advice

Giblet

Fibre is terminated in your home with a box called an ONT, which then usually links to either a Router or a small Termination Point and then to the Router (eir usually).

This router provides Ethernet ports which will work with CAT5e cabling. So you just need to connect any port of the router to your existing CAT5e, which if correctly wired up, will provide access.

They may be able to use telephone duct, but you should look around your neighbours for any telephone poles (not ESB ones) and see if they black boxes on them, with cable running to any homes, as this is typical also.

Do you have a switch which connects all of the CAT5e already in the attic, or just a bunch of cables? Do they have wall panels or just terminated cables? It should "just work", but I would try get the model of any switches you have, their available link speed, and of course we can provide ideas for routing / extensibility.

If you do not have any switches, let us know what speed Fibre you plan on getting, and how many unique CAT5e cable runs you have. There are options around Power over Ethernet too for any wireless APs you might add too.

CAT5e with short runs (100m or so) can easily provide more than 1gb (I've seen short runs work with 10gb), but it really depends on where these cables are routed to and from.

NotShero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058421992/how-best-to-used-pre-installed-cat5e-14-yrs-ago-cables-for-new-fiber-connection

When you order broadband, a technician visit will be booked for installation. They’ll probably want to use the existing duct if it’s open eir, is it open eir that’s available to you now?

You could ask for it to be installed in the attic but they will probably push to use the duct I’d imagine.

You can then do as you explained in your second option, the fibre will be terminated in a NTU and there will be an ONT installed next to it connected with a fibre patch cable. An Ethernet cable will go from the ONT to the ISP router. You can then connect another Ethernet cable from a LAN port on the ISP router to the port on the wall to the attic.

In the attic, you can get a network switch and connect all Ethernet cables to it and you’ll be good to go -

https://amzn.eu/d/cLX4fbq

Then in your rooms you can get access points (APs) or routers in access point mode or a “mesh system”.

I’d remove the ISP router altogether and get some kind of mesh system that supports Ethernet backhaul. Then you can have the extra nodes around your house connected to the Ethernet points and they’ll have extra ports on them that you can hardwire your Xbox etc. to then also.

https://amzn.eu/d/7aYrOVl

https://amzn.eu/d/3Z4BR8u

https://amzn.eu/d/2lqFBUj

captainZZZ

Thank for replies, just to confirm. Its a house in rural location , the landline went to a cabinet about 2.5km from my house, I presume this cabinet is still used for the fibre too. A new fibre cable was installed directly outside of my house on phone poles, and there is a large black plastic thing ( these are on poles every so often)with the fibre wires wrapped around it - I asked was it fibre when it was installed and told it was, its where the connection for the house will be taken.

Im fairly sure it is open-eir that connects locally, possibly have seen Circet too, think its open eir…I'm happy to use the existing duct, it will look cleaner as no wire connecting to my gable, I presumed they would want to connect to the gable from the pole as it might be quicker/easier than opening up the duct and fishing the wires through.

The current CAT5e setup is a bunch of wire ends just left in attic, nothing else there. All terminated in one area and this is beside an electricity socket, to power something if required. In the rooms each CAT5e has been connected to a white socket/plate that will accept an ethernet cable, so the room end of the cable is ready. The electrician did this for me. I'd estimate the min run of CAT5e wire to a room is 25m and the longest run is about 40m.

Want it for Xbox, now TV / netflix x 2 , 4 phones , laptop. So was going to order the upto 500mbs connection for around 35e per month. Not all of these things will be running at once.

There are approx 6 CAT5e cable ends in the attic , each leading to a different room. This were just put in , wasn't anything planned as to how to use them.

Realistically, I just need one wired connection to xbox and the rest can be WiFi although Id like to use the the cables when they are there.

So my plan is :

1. Fibre on pole into existing duct and into a room and terminates in ONT.

2. ONT Connected to router in this room. Xbox directly into this router with short ethernet cable.

3. Back of router Connect the existing room CAT5e cable with a 25m -30m run to attic, to supply an Ethernet network switch in attic.

4. Connect all the remaining ends of the CAT5e cables to this switch and now rooms will have a wired connection. so these CAT5e runs will now be initial 25m from router to attic, plus another 25m - 40m run back to the rooms. so under 100m so should be ok.

5. if a wired ethernet connection isn't being used in a room, I can connect the mesh WiFi to boost the signal if required(lets say the WiFi from the router doesn't reach a room).

6. If for some reason the duct cant be used, pole to gable wall terminate in ONT in Attic, router setup in attic/in hall upstairs and then connect existing CAT54 cables to supply rooms . in this case the xbox would be maybe 35m from router on CAT5e cable so that should still be OK?

Hope that's correct, have it clearer in my head what I can expect now, thanks

dam099

For 5 some of the mesh devices have a LAN out port as well so you dont have to choose, you can have a mesh point and ethernet in the same room (in any event you can always attach another switch to any of the room points and get multiple wired connections).

Giblet

Yep you can just add more switches, you don't need to add up the distances either once you hit a switch, just the distance between switch and your devices, as the switch will act as a repeater. I would look up Power Over Ethernet (POE) for your main switch to provide power at your wall panels, as you can power an AP without using an additional power plug. There are different POE standards (POE, POE+, POE++) for driving more power hungry devices, but a simple switch or AP will take Data + Power over the same Ethernet port making it much tidier.

Giblet

Cheap Switch with POE+ ports + uplink + SFP if you so desire.

https://www.amazon.ie/TP-Link-LS1210GP-10-Port-Transmission-Separation/dp/B0CMXXTQWH

https://www.amazon.ie/TP-Link-Omada-Access-802-3at-Adapter/dp/B0B2X4GM2V/262-1366576-2549244

The AP above doesn't even come with a DC adapter, leveraging the POE+ sockets from that switch.

You can always go more expensive, rack mounted gear etc in the attic but I wouldn't totally cheap out either.

NotShero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724231#Comment_123724231

Yep sounds like a good plan. As @dam099 has said they usually have a LAN port to connect wired devices or you can just add a switch before any wireless access point or mesh node you decide to use in a room. As @Giblet said you just have to worry about the distances between the switches/routers/nodes/APs, it doesn’t all have to be added up.

captainZZZ

Great, thanks all. I have a clearer picture what I can now do , I was worried Id have to make decisions on the day without knowing what the end result would be, but seems relatively simple now. Thanks for point out all the other things like MESH, POE, never knew about that

Is there any way to actually check what fibre speed is available on the line other than finding a neighbour and asking them to do a speed test?

To put things in perspective , anything would probably be better than my current wireless connection to a land mast giving me ping of 40 ms , 21.38 Mb/s download and 3.70 Mb/s upload.

NotShero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724497#Comment_123724497

Yes you will see a big improvement, ping will come down to around 5-15ms and the max speed offered at the moment is 5Gb/s (5,000Mb/s) and can be upgraded in the future easily on the customer side of the network. All ISPs will offer 500Mb/s & 1Gb/s with FTTP.

Eir currently offers 5Gb download / 250Mb upload through open eir. Virgin, eir, Digiweb, Vodafone offer 2Gb / 200Mb through NBI & open eir.

Open eir and NBI contract out the installation work to KN Circet, Actavo, TLI etc.

These websites are handy -

https://www.comreg.ie/broadbandchecker/

https://www.openeir.ie/fibre/broadband-checker

https://nbi.ie/map/