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DuckRyder
Premium Member
join:2005-02-04
Newnan, GA

DuckRyder

Premium Member

U-Verse Current Install

Getting U-Verse internet, voice, TV next week. 18MBS is as fast as we can get and it appears the VRAD is about .8 mile at the entrance of the neighborhood. (I cannot find another one)

We tried to get it about 5-6 years ago and they could not get a good enough signal to the house, but they have done a lot of work in the neighborhood and the neighbor has U-Verse I am pretty sure. (we will come off the same post at the road) I also think they replaced the line to the neighbors house. I'm fairly sure there isn't fiber in the box (looks like the same enclosure that has always been there)

I tried to get them to have the tech call a few days out so I could discuss it, but they won't do that.

So with that in mind what can I expect as far as equipment? Currently the Bellsouth DSL modem is upstairs connected to an AirPort Time Capsule which networks a fax/printer and a couple of computers. Any chance I den get the tech to run cat 5 up there?

Also the alarm ties in to the network interface at the back of the garage, the alarm company says "sometimes U-Verse works, sometimes not" but can't provide any tips for moving myself to the "works" side of the fence.

Any tips on what to expect currently? The last time we never got to the U-Verse installer, the Bellsouth tech came the day before (they did not mention that happening this time).

Milwaukee PT
@wdspco.org

Milwaukee PT

Anon

prior to current CWA contract, the premise (wire) tech in SE (old Bell South) would have worked from the NID in only.... now the Wire Tech works from the serving terminal in meaning if drop or NID needs replacing the Uverse tech is responsible not craft outside lineman.

If issue getting sync to terminal a ticket would need to be created for outside line which may delay your install, will not know till day of appointment.

If new drop needed plus install NID, cat5 homerun, branded jack, etc will be a long day.

At 18M internet this is a long loop install, may be single pair 25M profile or bonded 25M... likely same as neighbor. Equipment for RG most likely Arris 589, particularly if bonded.

Set top boxes depends on your market, Motorola or Cisco.

If you had to run a wire up to 2nd floor with little time, how would you do it?
Expect the same, likely rin outside of home, drill through mount jack... if desire something different may be best to run your own cat5 ahead of time and just have tech install the ends.

Be aware any wire runs over 3 total is billable at $55 per run. Depending on tvs, equipment could be a couple hundred dollars for install. Best to order wireless receivers ($49 each, max of two) to reduce both wire cost / and time.

Your experience may vary but want to prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

DuckRyder
Premium Member
join:2005-02-04
Newnan, GA

DuckRyder

Premium Member

said by Milwaukee PT :

If you had to run a wire up to 2nd floor with little time, how would you do it?
Expect the same, likely rin outside of home, drill through mount jack... if desire something different may be best to run your own CAT5e or 6 ahead of time and just have tech install the ends.

It is a 2 story house with a semi detached garage (there is an open walkway with a roof). All of the utilities come in the back of the garage, up the inside of the back wall and through the walkway roof to the house. Getting Cat5e/6 into the attic would be a cakewalk, down into the wall a pain. The upstairs office where the current modem, router and printer are is at the opposite end of the house from the downstairs TV. (only 1 TV) and the phone base station. There is also coax in the attic, it runs from box to a splitter in the attic. The ATT person we spoke to when ordered said they don't usually put equipment in the attic anymore. Coax runs are on walls each end of the house and RG45 is on interior walls. I can definitely get a roll of CAT5e or 6 from the garage to the attic ahead of time if that will help him (or her). I guess if I were doing it and the equipment was capable I would probably put the equipment in the closet off the office and tie into the existing coax for TV's and RG45 for phones. I'd use the time capsule (it has to stay in the network anyway as it its NAS) for the router on the internet and run an ethernet cable from the closet RG down beside the RG45 to the time capsule right where it sits. Assuming I understand the equipment right.

Not sure what they did at the neighbors, they did replace the line to the house and I think it is U-Verse because U-Verse trucks were over there for half a day. But I haven't talked to them. The run from the street to our house has been replaced before, but I don't remember if it was before or after the first attempt at install. For a long time after that the website indicated we could not get U-Verse and has only fairly recently changed to say we could so I'm hoping that means there was some equipment upgrade.

Any ideas for getting the alarm to work? And by work I mean communicate - presently it is tied into the Network box so that it takes over the line if needed. I assume the fax will work normally.
DuckRyder

DuckRyder

Premium Member

Here is what we have:

[att=1]

[att=2]
nrobot80
join:2012-12-05
Union City, GA

1 recommendation

nrobot80 to DuckRyder

Member

to DuckRyder
The best advice for the alarm is to see if the alarm company will upgrade you to a wireless system. Most companies will do it for little or nothing to keep you as customer. If you insist on keeping the old alarm system you best option is to keep pots, that's the guaranteed way it will work. AT&Ts TOS states that they aren't responsible for alarms. If the alarm comany says sometimes it works then it's between you and the alarm company as to getting the alarm connected

DuckRyder
Premium Member
join:2005-02-04
Newnan, GA

1 edit

DuckRyder

Premium Member

said by nrobot80:

The best advice for the alarm is to see if the alarm company will upgrade you to a wireless system. Most companies will do it for little or nothing to keep you as customer. If you insist on keeping the old alarm system you best option is to keep pots, that's the guaranteed way it will work. AT&Ts TOS states that they aren't responsible for alarms. If the alarm comany says sometimes it works then it's between you and the alarm company as to getting the alarm connected

They will upgrade it if I go back on contract, I can do that, but I'd rather not. It is clearly technically possible to get it working within the installation because the alarm company says that customers have them working. The ATT person we ordered from said it shouldn't be an issue - Guess we will just have to see...

Can we tell from what in the post (PED?) and Network box (NID?) if a new cable to the road and network box will be needed?

I guess I should try to run some Cat5e/6 for they installer ahead of time...

Edit: Also there are smaller boxes (about double milk crate size) on some corners of the neighborhood. These are on concrete pads and the box sits an inch or two above the pad with a large cable into the bottom. They say "Alpha" on them. I don't think these are part of ATT?

Milwaukee PT

Anon

The 4 pair cat3 drop coming in to NID from terminal is good, would only need replacing if drop is cut/damaged between terminal and NID. The NID should definitely be replaced.

DuckRyder
Premium Member
join:2005-02-04
Newnan, GA

DuckRyder

Premium Member

OK, Thanks for the information so far.

In reading the FAQ and what installation material I can find on the internet the Modem will need a "home run" which is preferably ethernet cable.

I'm assuming to get the phones to work the tech will need to connect the modem to the phone wiring?

I'm also assuming that coax for the set top box would be preferable to wireless for speed and quality reasons?

The printer, NAS and ethernet computers are all in the upstairs office.

There is no power in the closet I was thinking of, the only ready access to power, tel and coax is either the attic or garage wall (I don't know if in a non-temp controlled area is a good idea for the modem?) it seems the simplest way to handle the computers would be to drop an ethernet cable onto the same wall jack as the present tel line and plug it into the present router -in the alternative I suppose the home run could be dropped into the same jack along with a piece of coax then they would all three be there and the coax could be connected in the attic...

So I have a 250 roll of Cat6 (it is southwire brand, I assume it is good quality) I can string from the back wall into the attic space above the upstairs office. It seems that if I do that it will save the installer considerable crawling around (but not all) in the attic. Is that a worth while endeavor? If he were to decide to put the equipment in the garage he could still use the cat 6 to get to the upstairs office?

Is this worthwhile or a waste of our (mine and the installers) time?
muegen
join:2015-02-08
tx

muegen

Member

Honestly, aside from that single run to save time(I love having pre run cat5 when I go to installs), I'd let the installer come up with a game plan with you day of install. I personally try not to use coax (not that It's bad), but sometimes it's the only options.

As technicians, we run into very odd layouts all the time. There's always a solution, but it really needs a walk through with you to find the right one.

Canezoid
End of line
join:2001-02-16
Powder Springs, GA

Canezoid to DuckRyder

Member

to DuckRyder
1. Don't bother w/ advice from frontline sales reps, they don't know squat about network and it's not their job to. Listen to your alarm system company and just see how it goes.

2. Most likely you will be on bonded pair as the service con on bp 2/3 is going to same service wire and is twisted more than normal, it's just a guess but that's the way it looks to me. The other service wire is yours.

3. Correction, BSW to NID is not 4 pair, is 5 pair. NID does not need to be replaced, a little corrosion wash and a paper towel will clean that up nicely once guts are removed. The dead ants inside had a nice home for a while.

4. Wish all peds looked as nice as that one. Just a side note.

Good Luck !

DuckRyder
Premium Member
join:2005-02-04
Newnan, GA

DuckRyder

Premium Member

Thanks,

I will drag the Cat6 up through the wall > walkway roof > into the attic and let the installer go from there.

The extra wire on the customer side is the alarm... they did a crappy job installing it.

I'll stand down and let the guy do his job, I just hope he's having a good day!

I'll be back when it is working to report what we/he did...
muegen
join:2015-02-08
tx

muegen

Member

Honestly, if the customer is cool, things always go smoothly :P

The technician will just tie into the alarm wire that's there the same way it's currently set up. Beyond that would fall to you if the alarm itself is compatible or not.

DuckRyder
Premium Member
join:2005-02-04
Newnan, GA

1 edit

DuckRyder

Premium Member

Cool that is the plan then we will be cool and hope for the best. Thanks for the information.

Purely from a curiosity stand point... What is the light gray box in this picture, part of AT&T or someone else. The large green cabinet is power company transformer obviously, the dark green plastic PED is Charter, the light green plastic PED is the local cable company.

Canezoid
End of line
join:2001-02-16
Powder Springs, GA

Canezoid to DuckRyder

Member

to DuckRyder
power service unit for a cable node/amp would be my guess

DuckRyder
Premium Member
join:2005-02-04
Newnan, GA

DuckRyder

Premium Member

So today was the day. It was a long day but the tech was able to get everything including the alarm working!!!

The Modem is a Arris (Motorola) NVG589
The DVR is a Pace IPH8005

It is on a Bonded pair and is getting slightly over the rated 18K even with the TV on and over both wired and wireless connections. He said we are slightly over 3000 ft from the crossbox.

Two thumbs up so far.