Master Socket Re-Location

Now I know You can pay Open Reach to do this at a cost of about £130 but my question is;
My master scocket is smack in the middle of my kitchen, you can imagine how annoying this is. I already have my open reach modem mounted on the wall of my kitchen and refuse to keep the Homehub there too.
If I wish to have my master socket re-located to my office round the side of my house I need to lift a row of blocks from my driveway and pre-lay the cable. However I don’t want to go to all this trouble and expense just for the Open Reach man to turn up and go Ohhh mate you needed blue cable not grey...
My questions are:
· Is there someone I can contact without going round the houses (excuse the pun) to ask what cable to acquire and whether this is acceptable?
· Shall I use standard phone cable or should I future proof it and lay Cat6?
Thank You For your time.

Thank you both for your sound advice and both are good comments.
I favour the moving of the master socket as if I leave the OR modem where it is I still have to get the CAT5E/6 cable back into the middle of the kitchen.
I have tried power-line adapters for the last leg but found them unreliable.
If I move the whole shooting match I can just drill through the back of the phone socket in the study and the new cable can go from the outside junction box by the front door to the study socket. BT can then upgrade this to a filter socket.
Thanks Lads for your advice, This has inspired me to get off my bum and get it done.

Similar Messages

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

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.

Is it possible to re-locate my master socket for i...

I want to get BT infinity in my home but there are no power sockets near my master socket.
My question is: Will it be possible to re-locate my master phone socket to upstairs near where my current router is and where there is power sockets?

Common misconception.
You do not need power sockets next to your master socket.
They will route a new Cat5 cable from the master socket upto 30metres away. Wherever you want your router is were you need power points.
They can convert an existing extension into the master socket but that will all depend on the quality of the extension.
The BT engineer that fits the extensions are VERY helpful and will suggest the best route for your connection.
On the installation date, just ask, and you will usually get.
If I helped, then consider clicking the star to the left

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.

Another question (master socket)

Sorry for another question, but this is a forum after all .
Tomorrow all being well I should receive my welcome pack and business hub and on Friday I should receive Infinity, however I need something answered before the installation begins on Friday.
When I moved in my master socket, well, it had no faceplate on the bottom half (just a test socket basically) so I got myself one of those ADSLNation faceplate things which fit to the bottom half of the master socket and work as a filter. My question is:
- Should I remove the ADSLNation faceplate, use a standard micro-filter instead and explain to the engineer (if he queries it) that when I moved in there was no faceplate on the lower half of the master socket?
... or ...
- Should I leave it as it is with the ADSLNation faceplate on the front (screws don't properly fit either so I didn't bother with screws for that)?
Just concerned that if I appear to have used the ADSLNation (in other words not official BT faceplate) instead of an official BT one then the engineer might make a fuss or something?
Many thanks.

I see. Thanks for the clarification everyone.
I'll either take it off before Friday morning and use a normal micro-filter, so that it has no opportunity to go missing with the engineer, or if I decide to leave it there I'll make sure the engineer doesn't take it with him (as it doesn't belong to him after all, since I purchased that from ADSLNation and may at some point in the future need it again, e.g. if I moved years later to a location where Infinity isn't currently supported).

DO I need to connect to my Master Socket?

In short, my question is ... does my home hub have to be connected to the master phone socket?
I am looking to take on BT phone, broadband and TV package but my master socket is in my kitchen. The house is 10 years old and from that master socket the builder installed other BT phone points throughout the house. Can I have the home hub connected to my livingroom socket which is obviously not the master socket but a "spur" from the master socket?
I don't fancy having the hub in my kitchen.
Thanks.

You can have the master socket moved - so Openreach engineer will do some "messing about" with your cabling and make a different socket your master.
Or you can have a data cable run from the existing master socket to a more suitable location - this is a handy option if you're unsure of the quality of your internal wiring.

Re: Master Socket and Lightning - who pays?

...I didn't know I was responsible for BT carrying out repairs to it's own equipment. A lightning storm blew over our area. Engineer came and replaced a component inside the master socket. A surge arrester I presume. Said he had spent all day repairing patch panels damaged by the storm. Then I got a bill for £100. Ive raised a complaint.
Ive phoned 4 times and still not had a resolution. The engineer notes say that my equipment was faulty and that my equipment had caused a power surge. Both claims are false. Also, apparently a Mr Morgan was informed of the charges. That's nice, but there's no one with that name at our address. I believe a mistake had been made. Can anyone help?

This page has some guidance about charges.
http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/12439/c/
If it was one of the new SSFP faceplates, then that is located after the test socket, so the customer would be liable for its replacement cost.
It looks like this
There are electronic components in this unit, which are easily damaged by surges.
There are some useful help pages here, for BT Broadband customers only, on my personal website.
BT Broadband customers - help with broadband, WiFi, networking, e-mail and phones.

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.

No master socket

Hi
My house was built in the early 1970s and as far as I can tell has no master socket. The line comes into the loft from a pole, attaches to a small plastic box below the eves and a white cable is threaded into the loft through the brickwork. It then disappears through the loft insulation and somehome finds its way into two normal sockets within the house with no sign of a standard BT master socket.
Is this normal for the age of property and does anyone know how its resolved? I don't really need one right now but need to make wiring changes for a new socket and need to know where their bit ends and the internal wiring starts.
Any suggestions?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

That sounds logical to me. All I really know is that BT like to have their master socket located as their external cable enters the property. Essentially, on their cable. If it is not then they can pass any problem onto you.
From what you have explained there does not seem any reason why it cannot be done. The only problem you may have is BT like to install only their master socket by only their technicians. This is the way it has become since BT sold off OpenReach. If it has been installed by them then they take responsibility for the fault. If it has been installed by someone else, then it is your responsibility.
The next thing that I will expect is BT will try to charge you for a new telephone installation. To be fair this is not BT but OpenReach that will charge this. I believe it is approaching around £200 to have this done.
If it is an old socket, it would be to BT's advantage to change the socket. However, they will probably be reluctant to do that unless their is a fault as they have to pay OpenReach to do it.Then if you report a fult then they will only replace the socket in its present location.
If the moderator is reading this he or she may be able to suggest something or pass you on the the correct people.
I am sorry about the doom and gloom but this is the way BT has become and what I am telling you is based on experience people I know have had.

Extra master socket ?

I upgraded to Infinity 2 last month.
My master socket was the old style without the removal front cover so I had originally used one of the 'doubl plugs' to connect to it and bring out the connection to a junction box which I then distributed around the house to sockets in every room.
When I got ADSL I removed all the unnecessary extra wiring and used a normal socket in my sitting room to connect to the router. I did tests and the difference in speed between connecting the router direct to the master socket and using WiFi was minimal and preferred the convenience of having it located near where the PC was normally.
A contractor did the Infinity 2 upgrade, I explained my wiring and suggested putting the master socket in the sitting room on the end of my wiring so the router would be near the PC and YouView box.
He fitted the new style master socket in the sitting room by desk as suggested but left the old master socket in circuit and claimed it would not affect the speed.
It was only after he left I realised that this meant I still had the horrible double adaptor in circuit so it was not hardwired all the way and the double adaptor is falling apart anyway.
I am wondering about just removing the old master socket and putting in another terminal block to connect the incoming pair to my internal wiring to the proper master socket.
Just kicking my self that I did not insist the contractor did a proper job!
MB

Can't see why your suggestion would not work. Just try it - if it doesn't work put it back as it was.
Mistakes and embarrasing goofs in e-mails are only discovered when you've sent them!

Will the engineer move my master socket while inst...

I'm planning on hopping onboard with Infinity when my exchange goes live in a few weeks. I live in a new(ish) house, and my master socket is placed in a terrible location half way up the wall in the middle of the hallway. I understand that you need to have the VDSL modem connected to the master socket, but it would be extremely inconvenient to have a modem and router sitting on the floor in the hall. What I would like to know is whether the engineer would wire the master socket through to an extension instead. Possibly an extension upstairs, where my PC and consoles are. My house is wired up with standard good quality CW1308 cabling in the walls, so interference shouldn't really be an issue. I really don't want a 30m extension cable stapled down my walls and around the door frames if there's any way to avoid it.
Here's the master socket (one on the right that was installed as a second line a few years ago):
http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee486/WWB01/Photo0131.jpg
Here's the extension upstairs that I'd like Infinity faceplate installed to:
http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee486/WWB01/Photo0134.jpg

By the look of it, your wiring is in good condition and has the necessary multiple cores.
If it is, the engineer will make the upstairs socket into the Master and the current Master will become an extension. This has been done on quite a few Infinity installations that I have seen and something similar was done to mine. Its an easy option for the engineer so they will normally do it that way rather than opt to run extra wires.
Have choccie biscuits and tea/coffee on offer for the engineer . . . works miracles!

"Master socket or lack of"

Ok trying to trce the phone lines
black drop line comes into the house via a door frame somewhere near the bottom of the door frame on the iside a white cable exits and on the end of this after a pass under the floor the cable ends at what looks like a BT master - single piece like an extension , cap inside and BT trumpeter logo however nothing its connected to it. My partner seems to think there is an old GPO box in the door frame!
there is an extension box on the oter side of the wall from the incoming wire which has a further extension bodged into it and on the end is the BT home hub and Vision box the phone works off the home hub
is it worth getting an eingineer in to sort it out a the master has clearly been stuck on a patched wire and the whole thing has been bodged and patched by previous occupant
Broadband is down to 1.something to a max of 3Kbps as for phone we dont have any hard wired phones to check the line.
are we liable for any charges for getting it sorted or likley to be fined for the messing about with the drop wire?
Sean

seanlyon wrote:
OK further investigation black drop wire goes into the door frame and caught in behind the standard for the door is a small white junction box, from that emerges 2 white wires, one presumably goes to the small single piece master socket, the other goes to what looks like a cheap DIY shed extension box from which comes a further extension under the floors to where the BThub is plugged, As the hub hasnt been attached to a "master" (the extension has no capacitor or anything in it) will this be contributing to the braodband speed drop off and vision not working.
As i said in OP no phones connected to the sockets so cant really test the line with a handset.
whats the best way to configure the set up for best quality
Hi
The socket that you think is the master is it possible for you to plug the Home hub into that? ensure that there is nothing else plugged into the other sockets, goto www.speedtester.bt.com and run a speed test.
I know you say that you do not have a corded phone to test the line but to ensure that you do not have a noisy line which (would cause speed issues) can you not beg/steal or borrow one?
(If I have helped you in any way to say "Thank You" please click on the star next to the message. Thank You)
If I have solved your Issue please click the "Mark as accepted solution" button.

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

Need help identifying my master socket for broadba...

Hi i am awaiting my line to go active for broadband but i just want to make sure the socket i am going to use is my master socket.
I can only find 1 socket in my house and it has a T logo in the bottom corner. This socket is on the bottom of my stairs (annoying place). I have opened it up and it looks like it has a capacitor on it. When i follow my wire coming out of the box it goes down a couple of steps and goes into another small box with a T logo on the front but all this has on it is a screw dot in the middle and another T logo.
So is the socket on stairs the master socket and if so what is this other box is it some sort of wiring centre?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Ahh right so it is my master socket but it must be older than the picture above as mine takes the whole face off and not just the bottom section and it does not have any test point on it.
Would it be recommned to update my socket to a newer one? I ask this as i was looking into iplates to help boost my speed but there not conpatible with my current socket.
And i need to put a extention into my living room is it best to just plug it into my master socket or will i lose speed this way?

Master Socket Re-Location

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