My BT Openreach master box is next to the front door. My PC isn't wireless, so connects by ethernet to the Hub, which is in the bedroom upstairs. That hub is connected to the master box downstairs by an ADSL extension cable, which itself is hardwired into the box (because the end of the extension had a filter, so that's cut off and the wires put into the master box). I've upgraded to fibre and am learning that it's a whole installation job, and instead of the ol' phone / internet box, they use a proper modem on the wall... which also has to be plugged into a socket... which doesn't exist near my front door. I'm starting to feel like if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I only upgrade because it was a couple quid for triple the speed, but my current speed and connection isn't bad and cba going completely wireless.
When the engineer did my install he just asked where i wanted it to come in, and wasnt tied to where my existing 'master' socket was. admittedly i did just get it put next to the master socket(s), but that was choice rather than constraint...
I had mine taken in through the back of the house and into the conservatory, where there is a socket and scope to run Ethernet to the rest of the house. Previously the phone line came in through the front door, this was with Vodafone.
The only constraints (that i'm aware of) are access, i.e. where the pole is that the fibre will come from, and whether the engineer has the kit to access the ingress point, i.e. my guy only came with a ladder, not a hoist/cherry picker thingy.
My old place was a coach house, and he happily fitted it where I asked, as long as you have decent access, its not crazy far, they can nail down the cable and its not more than one floor they'll probably do it.
Openreach FTTP N11 SD engineer here! Forget all about your old copper cables, none of it is used or compatible with the new FTTP install. Your new socket, the ONT can go almost anywhere you like within reason. Your only restricted by where we can get ladders up safely and if you want it at the back of a front feeded mid terraced house. It also depends on the type of engineer you get, theirs are 3 types, FTTP engineer (best trained and has the most experience on fibre), Hybrid engineer (copper engineer but has basic fibre skills to do basic installs) and contractor ( works on behalf of OR and is paid per job so is always in a rush) Think practical routes internally or better externally the fibre can be cleated around then drilled through. If you have a end terraced or semi detached there is pretty much nowhere it cant go. Eeer how long ago, i fitted a old coach house in Newark a few months ago. Just seen your from Bristol so probs not you lol.
On our patch there is 4 hoists to cover 350 engineers mate. Ladders are standard. We get a hoist only if we really have too.
THat's pretty poor availability! I wasnt a complaining, just a commentary that if you desire a potentially awkward ingress point it might be worth talking to openreach so the engineer can come prepared!
Thanks for the help everyone. It went pretty fine. Other that the phone not working if it's downstairs because the hub's upstairs and it has to be connected to it. I'm not that smart so thought the phone would be left alone. So now I have to decide whether it's better to get the BT Essential Phone or BT's Digital Voice Adapter. I can't get either until the order's been 'completed', even though it's complete and the free phone / adapter is part of moving over to digital voice. So we can move into a futuristic world of being unable to make calls if a serial killer cuts the power. Like calls to your broadband provider's support. Topsy turvy world we live in I guess.
Just get a wireless dect phone with a few hgandsets and have the receiver next to the hub, then your phones can be any where in the house.
That's upstairs and the phone is downstairs. It'd have to recharge though and I ain't having that **** upstairs! I'll just get the adapter.
You get multiple charging bases. I've got a two-handset system: the main DECT base lives downstairs connected to the master socket, and the secondary base - which is charge-only - lives upstairs in the office. Which, unless I'm mistaken, is exactly what you want - only upside-down, 'cos you want the main base upstairs and the secondary downstairs. Pretty certain this is exactly what I've got. Available in single, twin, trio, and quad packs, with bases for each. Sorted.
I don't need any upstairs, just the one phone downstairs. It's a choice between 2 free Essential phones or the free adapter though apparently, but I read people having problems with the phone's range.
I just realised my phone is a digital one, so I just went in the registration menu, guessed the pin was 0000 and it connected to the WPS on the hub.