BT Infinity / Master Socket

Hi,
Last week I had BT Infinity installed, but having done some reading around I'm slightly concerned by the work that was (not) done, and thought I'd post this for some advice.
I used to have an ADSL Nation NTE5 faceplate, from which I had wired a telephone extension. I also had my ADSL router connected via a 5m (or so) RJ11 extension cable, as my master socket is nowhere near a power socket.
While the installer was there, I asked about moving the master socket but he indicated that I'd have to pay BT to have this done (though he actually recommended I look for a local contractor who could do it much cheaper). I've since heard that some rather more helpful installers have done this work as part of the job! Perhaps the fact that mine was the last of the day meant he just wanted to get away early...
In the end, he reused my RJ11 extension cable to connect my BT Openreach modem to the master socket, but I'm concerned that this isn't a good idea and should actually have been done using CAT5e? I asked about running an extension from the master socket to be able to connect the OR modem elsewhere in the house and he indicated that this is possible. Subsequent reading around suggests this isn't possible though, and you can only run telephone extensions from the new faceplate?
Does anyone have any advice? My ideal scenario would be to have the OR modem in our utility room (used to be the garage), and to probably connect the Home Hub via powerline - or CAT5e - from somewhere more central in the house.
Thanks in advance - I'm more of a software guy, so this isn't my area of expertise!
Cheers
Nat
P.S. This all started because I've had a couple of dropped connections since the install, which could only be resolved by power cycling the OR modem.

The engineer should do either of these.
Move the nte5 to where you need it.
Do an nte5/ extension swap.
Run an internal data extension.
Run an external data extension.
If they say you have to have it at the point of entry then they are not being completely honest with you.
Perhaps it was a contractor/ mobile workforce chap and not an openreach engineer.

Similar Messages

New infinity install with a master socket move - w...

As I understand it, Infinity requires a modem plugged in directly to the master socket & a power point adjacent also. This is of no use to me at all & I would like the master socket moved. Now, from what I read here, BT will do this "officially" for £130, or on an infinity install, the openreach engineer *might/should* do it if it is straightforward.
I plan to run cat 5e cable from the master socket location, up a cable run we have in the property to the new location where I want the master socket to be located, leaving both ends unconnected. Then it should be simple enough for the engineer to connect at each end and then carry on working from the new master socket location. Maybe they could even use the second pair in the cat 5e to reconnect the original set of phone sockets we have around the house that are currently connected from the existing master socket.
Could someone advise please...
1. Is cat 5e cable the correct cable to use?
2. Does my plan sound viable? Is it technically correct?
3. Could the second pair in the cat 5e be used in the way I have described? Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the reply & welcome Michael.
Some subsidiary questions then please.
1. Should I run a different sort of cable other than 5e? If so, what would be the correct type?
2. Your very helpful diagram suggests that BT would surface run up to 30m from the Master Socket to the modem. My cable run would be much less than this. Would I be better to run cable myself (in my cable run) to be used as the connection from the master socket to the modem? If so, what sort of cable should it be please & does it need to have a connecting plug on the end of it (where it plugs into the master socket) or will the OpenReach engineer fit this him/herself. I guess if they surface run cable they will be able to attach the plugs on the end of the cable. What sort of connection is it?
Thanks for you time - and for anyone else's who replies.
I should also say I am not bothered if the Master Socket is moved, AS LONG as the modem & router (home hub) are NOT located adjacent to the current position of the Master Socket. I estimate the direct cable run required if I run the cable will be no,more than 15 metres.

BT Infinity - Master and Extension Sockets

Hi all,
Last night I got talked into signing up for BT inifnity + TV which they are due to install within the next few weeks however, i didnt realise that they have to connect the hub to the master socket which is currently located in my kitchen! My existing hub is connected to an extension socket located in the lounge and this is where I want the new hub to be located. I see that they can provide 30m of wiring but I dont want wiring all over my house! Can they make the existing outlet in the lounge the master socket and make the existing master socket the extension? (without any new wiring!). If they cant do it i will have to cancel.
I have tried to contact BT about installation but cant seem to find a number to call.
Thanks

Thanks for that correction. I can understand that some of the households where instattions are undertekn must be a nightmare to work in.
So, provided there are no safety issues, as a rule the OpenReach engineer will install the HH5 in the location of the customer's choice without them having to pay BT £130 for moving the MS?
To repeat, my experience like that of many other BT customers is that the OpenRreach engineers are very helpful and will move the MS subject to the caveat from Helios.
The customer's main problem may be with the management of the order by BT customer services: my order was never closed, locking me out of My Broadband on the My BT Portal and my phone line account Anytime Calls and International Freedom add-ons were removed from My Phone after being charged x2 for them! Two weeks and several calls and chats with customer suppport and this is still the case.
BT Infinity is good though.

BT Infinity 2 and Master Socket.

Hello all. We ordered our BT infinity 2 and telephone line and they said the engineer will be coming on the 13th to set things up. After looking through the installation of BT infinity I found out that it has to be connected to a master socket. This is my problem.
My master socket is located right next to my main door and there is an extention socket in my bedroom. Can I have the master socket moved during installation ? Having a bt hub where you keep your shoes looks odd. Will the engineer relocate the master socket or change the extention socket into a a master socket or I shouldn't be expecting anything ?

Reading through some of the posts, a lot of the installation depends on whether you get a decent engineer, luckily I did.
My master socket was in a downstairs room and my study / office is in the room right above it. I explained to the engineer what I wanted / needed. He was a bit hesitant as he said it meant him having to drill through an external wall, No it won't as I already have a hole that talkes an extension from the master to the study, right easy he says he could convert the extension to the master and make the old master socket the extension. Great, cup of tea and a few hob nobs later job done.
If the engineer can not do what mine did he should fit a 30m extension lead to the master socket and you can plug the hoem hub to this, my understanding is that the extension cable is pinned to skirting or wall they will not lay kit under carpet.
Good luck
Sholtie

Re-wire to Master Socket as part of Infinity insta...

The 15m cable from the point from where the BT cable enters my property to the Master Socket is at least 11 years old and follows an inconvenient and unsightly route.
Would BT/Openreach alter the point of entry (by about 2m) and replace & re-route the internal cable as part of my forthcoming BT Infinity installation, or am I hoping for too much? I don't want the Master Socket relocated, just the cabling to it.
Solved!
Go to Solution.

hi no they will normally only use another socket as a master or install up to a 30metre data cable any other rewiring would be chargeable
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Distance between Master Socket and Modem for Infin...

Hi, I wish to move my infinity modem and wireless router to another room which is about 20 feet from the master socket.
Will that cabling distance be ok please? Thx

Its rj11 not rj45 as its a modem connection rather than a network
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Fitting Master Socket on Deactivated Line - Infini...

Hi all, Just a quick question...
I'm about to order BT Infinity and get it put onto the second line going into my house and would just like to know if it is OK for me to fit a new BT NTE5 master socket to this line myself?
The previous socket on the line (ADSL V10) was found on the floor and the wires inside snapped away from the terminals. This line is under no agreement with BT (We deactivated it when we moved in). Plus I don't really want to pay £130 for an engineer as I am capable of doing this bit of prep-work myself working for a company that deals with telephone recording and telephone systems.
Josh

My understanding is that they are just going to update the faceplate of the master socket so the OpenReach NTE5 I have bought should be fine.
I went through the order process for Infinity 2 and there is no charge for re-activating the line so long as it is not damaged...Which it won't be by the time I order BT Infinity. =)
Josh

BT Infinity and My 3 Master Sockets!?!

Hi All,
I've had Infinity 1 for around 6 months now, but I've never come close to achieving my quoted speed of 38mbps (highest I've got is 28-29 mbps)
I'm a little concerned that this may be because of the (what seems to me) unusual wiring arrangements I inherited from the previous owners - basically, I seem to have three master sockets. I've attempted to draw a diagram of the setup:
The orange and black lines represent the A and B lines from the cabinent and connecting to each of the master sockets. The dotted line is just meant to show that this wire goes through the wall and inside the house to the master in the living room. Inside the grey box, all the cables are crimped together using jelly crimps.
The master in the living room is the new style fibre openreach box with the bt socket and rj11 socket. The other two sockets are NTE5 master sockets. All three sockets have a dial tone!
So my questions are:
1. Do I geniunely have three masters, and is this right (i.e. a perfectly ok installation or a botched job?!?)
2. Is this going to affect the speed of my Infinity connection
3. Can I disconnect the two additional master sockets (or does this break the law and I need an Openreach engineer to do it?)
Cheers,
Matt

I agree with Horner_J. A couple of extra comments ....
If not then they are wired the way you show, which is wrong. This should have been spotted and corrected at install.
Unfortunately, it is very common for the installers not to notice such incorrect wiring. In my case, I explicitly asked whether it would be an issue and was told that is would not. My speed soon dropped from 50 at install time to around 12 (and briefly to 3). When the issue was rectified, it raised to around 70 (eventually, DLM took around 3 weeks to allow it).
and using one of the extensions should make your internet drop.
I don't agree with that. It may well be that using one of the extensions will cause lots of noise and eventually give you much lower speeds, but it may well not make it drop. It didn't in my case.
If not then you need BT to do it.
Or to accidently cut the bad extension wires just after they come out of the junction box.

BT Infinity and the Master Socket - will they / wo...

It seems that they won't. Well not unless you pay. Like many others posting on this forum, I was seduced by Infinity, but then confused by the requirements of installation in respect of the utilisation of the master socket and subsequent location of equipment. My house is typical of the problem - master socket downstairs front of house - wanted equipment sited upstairs back of house. Didn't want an extension draped around the place. I needed to know: 1. Can the master socket be moved? 2. If it can be, is this part of the istallation? 3. If it is not part of the standard installation is there a cost associated with it? 4. What is the cost? Sounds straightforward - it wasn't. I won't bore you with the frustrations of BT customer services, these are well documented elsewhere on the forum. Suffice to say, I have decided not to go ahead with my order. Not because of the content of the eventual reply, but because these frustrations. Anyway, I did eventually get a response by using the complaints route - as BT seen unwilling to share this information, I have. Hope it helps. RESPONSE FROM BT COMPLAINTS DEPARTMENT: The power needs to be plugged into the master socket so that the engineer can plug in your new Hub and Openreach fibre modem. If you haven't, no problem. Your engineer can run an Ethernet extension cable (up to 30 metres long) from where you can plug in your Hub and Openreach fibre modem back to your phone master socket. This extension can only go along walls - not under carpets or floors. If this is not suitable we can arrange a shift to be done, to move your master socket to a position of your choice. This would involve a one-off cost of £130.00. So there you have it.

@john46
'the engineer can convert an existing extension into a master for free or run a data extension also free'
Depends on the type of cable really, if its 'phone wire', you know those thin strands of copper coated steel then that would kill the broadband.
Also most peoples extensions are the untwisted 10, 15, 25, etc metres reels you can buy from a supermarket, again not ideal for ADSL Broadband, let alone FTTC.

Is my master socket okay for Infinity?

Hi all, I'm keen to get BT Infinity, but some genius previous house owner has installed a radio above the BT master socket. As you can see from the picture, it partially blocks the top of the socket. There is also a nightmare tangle of an ADSL filter and line splitters, which I'd like to get sorted out before or during the installation.
Do I need to get the master socket moved? Can this be done as part of the installation, or should I arrange for it to be done separately, before ordering Infinity?
Hoping the experts here can offer some advice.
(Click the image to open in a new window for a larger view.)
Thanks in advance.
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Thanks, but what I'm concerned about is the way the radiator obstructs the NTE5 socket. I've been unable to fit an iPlate or XTE front plate because the radiator is in the way, blocking the top half of the NTE5. I've often thought about getting BT to move the master socket a few feet further along, to where it is clear from obstructions, but it seems a lot of money to move it a few feet.
Does Infinity require anything screwed to the NTE5 which would stick out? What about the VDSL iPlate I've seen advertised? Does Infinity still require microfilters, and is there a benefit in having an interstitial plate that filters all voice extensions?
As you can see there are two wired extensions running from the master socket as well as the ADSL modem, so I do need filtered voice extensions.

No dial tone/power to master socket but infinity s...

Monday afternoon we had a phone call on the line to let use know the Sky engineer was on his way to fit a new HD box, we then had a storm hit for around and hour. At 5pm we went to make a call and our cordless phones (fitted to diy extension) had no dial tone. We then went and put the phone base station in to the master socket that has the new infinity faceplate on it. Plugged into the bottom slot and no dial tone We then went out and purchased a £10 corded phone and plugged into the slot on the master socket, no dial tone and no power being supplied to the hand set to operate memory functions/lights etc etc Strange thing is Infinity still works fine.
Called up to log an engineer visit and told that if the fault is found with my wiring it will cost £130 :/ am I right in thinking that everything coming into the house and terminating at the master socket is BT's responsibility ? and the fact that I have had 2 phones hard wired into the master socket as evident that it is the socket or cab thats at fault?
Just want to check this as every email/phone conversation/text message, keeps saying it will cost me £130 if no fault found or with my wiring.
And £130 for a call out is a bit steep if there was no fault ! or is that just me?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Engineer has been and gone ! says it is a problem with the Infinity socket, when he takes it off he can get a dial tone but when he puts the face plate back on we lose the dial tone again. He said he will have to get an Infinity engineer out, could be today but might not, which means Monday or Tuesday
Does not look good after my last BT experience......
http://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Infinity/Customer-Service-DOES-NOT-EXIST/m-p/157427#M3551

Master socket and BT Infinity.....

Hi there. Now that my area has got BT Infinity I'm looking to upgrade however the only problem I would have is with the master socket during installation. My master socket is in the hallway by the stairs. I would not want to have the router set up at the bottom of my stairs in the hallway. I do have another phoneline in a bedroom upstairs that my current ADSL connection uses. Is it possible for me to use this phoneline for BT Infinity? Thanks

Yup! the engineer will put the master socket where ever you want
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Relocate Master Socket with Infinity Installation

Hi
Our BT master socket is located in the porch / hall area with no access to power sockets.
When I upgrade to Infinity, I'd like the engineer to relocate the master socket to the living room (with access to power sockets, TV etc.). I'd also like the engineer to re-route the external wiring so that the wire enters the house in the living room.
Seems like a reasonable request to me – but I'm keen not to be charged.
Any advice is welcome. Many thanks

An Openreach engineer may reroute your external wiring but I doubt it if it is a contractor. Moving the master socket inside will normally be carried out no problem by an Openreach engineer but again if you get a contractor he will probably not or be reluctant do it.
Contractors are paid a set fee per install and as a result will not do any more than they have to and want to be in and out as quickly as possible. All you can do is ask at the time or if you want to guarantee that it will be moved, pay for it to be done.

Want to upgrade to Infinity but need master socket...

Our master socket is under the stairs, which will mean that it will soon be at the back of a cupboard so we need it moved so that it is in the living room where our router is. We have had problems for several months now with our Hub 3 constantly dropping the internet connection with BT and am hoping that once socket is moved, upgrading will be a worthwhile option. We have been all round the website and can't find out if/how we can get somebody out to do this.

Hi Katzz,
Thanks for posting. If you want to move the master socket it's called an internal shift which carries a charge of £130. You might want to consider powerline adaptors as an alternative. Let me know what you think.
Cheers
David
BTCare Community Mod
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BT Faster slow - lack of master socket the problem...

My new BT Faster FTTC broadband is not delivering the promised speed, and I hoped someone here might have some knowledgable suggestions.
I was promised a speed of 12-18Mbps down, but it's actually delivering (on first day) just over 8Mbps.
(The promised speed matches that returned by the dslchecker for my number, and the actual speed has been measured using speedtest.net as well as BT Wholesale speedtest).
Wondering if at least part of the problem is that the premises doesn't have a proper master socket. The only live sockets are "extension" sockets. I've plugged into the one of these nearest the small BT junction (?) box just inside the house to try to optimise speed.
I did warn BT that the house didn't have a proper master socket and requested an engineer install for this reason, but they insisted I try a self install of the HH5 and "see how it goes". I wonder if the speed wouldn't be improved to something closer to that promised if there was a master socket installed (an NTE5 or even a SSFP Infinity).
Any advice on how I should proceed and/or whether I should go back to BT to request they install a master socket? Any and all help would be much appreciated!
In case of any help, here are the hub stats from the "Helpdesk" view:
Product name: BT Home Hub
Serial number:
Firmware version: Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.173.1.6 (Type A) Last updated Unknown
Board version: BT Hub 5A
VDSL uptime: 0 days, 03:02:33
Data rate: 1257 / 9395
Maximum data rate: 1257 / 8953
Noise margin: 6.1 / 6.0
Line attenuation: 0.0 / 35.2
Signal attenuation: 0.0 / 27.6
Data sent/received: 39.0 MB / 229.6 MB

Thanks for the reply John. The checkers are still giving me the same results as yesterday, screengrabs now attached:
1. Product name:   BT Home Hub
2. Serial number:   +
3. Firmware version:   Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.204 (Type A) Last updated 28/02/15
4. Board version:   BT Hub 5A
5. DSL uptime:   0 days, 00:33:28
6. Data rate:   1261 / 9260
7. Maximum data rate:   1269 / 9293
8. Noise margin:   6.2 / 6.1
9. Line attenuation:   14.9 / 36.5
10. Signal attenuation:   14.9 / 28.6
11. Data sent/received:   13.4 MB / 188.7 MB

BT Infinity / Master Socket

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