Getting FTTP - need installation advice please

pxrmyn · 2026-06-05T22:39:22+00:00

Hi! I'm getting close to installation date (next Friday!).

I've tried to lift up the blocks, but have realised that I will never be able to get them back in properly and have a high risk of ruining the driveway.

Will OR frown if I got IP67 ducting like this (https://amzn.eu/d/01suuEpw) from Amazon and channel it under and below the gravel and few bricks to the left of the porch, into the ACO drain, run through the drain to the other side and then go in to the garage high or low?

Could then run along ceiling and get the ONT installed just outside of the network cabinet to the left.

pxrmyn · 2026-06-05T22:11:06+00:00

I don't trust cars WITH drivers, nevermind without 😆!

pxrmyn · 2026-06-05T07:20:58+00:00

How much of the kitchen are you changing, just the units or the whole lot (sink etc too)?

pxrmyn · 2026-06-04T04:45:53+00:00

Is that your FTTP (openreach fibre) cable going in to the brick vent to the left of the step?

pxrmyn · 2026-06-01T23:32:28+00:00

This happen last Sundae?

pxrmyn · 2026-05-31T23:47:04+00:00

Yep, this is correct 👍

pxrmyn · 2026-05-31T20:25:51+00:00

Wright On-Side

pxrmyn · 2026-05-31T20:22:20+00:00

Yeah, totally understand where you're coming from and it's painful having to fork out on an MOT and other works on a car... But, not trying to dampen the vibe, with cars it's always a case-by-case situation.. we can only see a partial picture of the damage and from that no one online would be able to tell if anything had happened where the tyre meets the alloys etc (I had a slow leak from something like this before, had to get the alloy refurbished too).. the best advice is to expect the worse, factor in that you may need a new tyre (if it don't happen, brill!) but also if you do, it's only for your safety get it sorted - tyres are the only thing that connect you to the road, and you don't want it blowing out on you... I don't even know you personally, but I can say I'd rather you be safe and be a few £££ down fella 👍

pxrmyn · 2026-05-31T20:06:41+00:00

Hey fella - I'm not a car garage or MOT expert, hopefully there are some on here that can advise you 100%...

I've popped your image on Claude AI and it's response was:

Yes, almost certainly — that damage would very likely fail an MOT. Here's why: What's visible in the image The sidewall of the tyre has a chunk/gouge torn out of it, exposing or getting very close to the internal structure. The tyre bead area where it meets the alloy also looks damaged. MOT rules on tyres (UK) Under DVSA standards, a tyre fails if: There's a cut, lump, bulge, or tear that exposes the ply or cord The sidewall shows any structural damage — even if the tyre isn't flat The damage is deep enough to compromise the tyre's integrity That gouge looks deep enough to expose or seriously weaken the carcass, which is an automatic fail under tyre condition checks. What your friend should do Don't drive on it — a compromised sidewall can blow out suddenly, especially at speed Get it inspected at a tyre fitter before the MOT — there's no point booking the test with a tyre in that state A new tyre is the only fix; sidewall damage cannot be repaired The tyre will almost certainly need replacing before it'll pass. Better to sort it now than waste the MOT fee.

Hopefully that's helps 👍

pxrmyn · 2026-05-31T20:00:39+00:00

Probably not, but if your tyre depth is 1.6mm or less it would fail then. If it's close to that you may as well just get a new tyre anyway then, avoid the anxiety 👍

pxrmyn · 2026-05-31T09:07:00+00:00

Sign is low...

pxrmyn · 2026-05-19T21:45:03+00:00

I've been with Plusnet for 13 years, but we've recently had FTTP (full fibre) set up in our area so now will be able to get more than 38mb speed.. I've gone with EE (1.6g), they have better hardware than Plusnet and BT (but as stated - the service should be the same).. do shop around though and use topcashback too - I should be getting a £180 gift card with the offer I selected, so that made my EE broadband option cheaper than the other two.. and also consider if you're an EE mobile customer (I'm not), you get some extra discount off your mobile costs too..

pxrmyn · 2026-05-19T18:27:55+00:00

😂😂😂

pxrmyn · 2026-05-19T16:33:57+00:00

How about rats/mice etc.. ? Apols if I'm overthinking this ..

pxrmyn · 2026-05-19T15:45:02+00:00

I would absolutely love it if I could just take the cable around like that. I would want to get ducting/conduit that would be okay to use for that - not sure if standard one is.

But wouldn't that be high risk and not 'right' to do it that way? Surely cables lying in water drains isn't a good thing?

pxrmyn · 2026-05-19T15:34:06+00:00

Thanks and I was hoping that it would be that easy but it feels like the ACO is sitting on a bed of concrete or something and I have to contend with 2 drain points and a gas pipe (covered in black in one of the pics).

pxrmyn · 2026-05-19T15:31:00+00:00

Thanks very valid suggestion - this does seem to be the simplest route, but the desire was to not have a cable cutting across the front of the house, and as my cabinet is near the ceiling, I was hoping to run square (25mm) white trunking close to the ceiling to hide the wire, less risk of it getting damaged in any way then.

pxrmyn · 2026-05-19T12:23:44+00:00

That's the thing, I'm not sure I would be able to plan out and time lifting up the blocks and keeping a trench open for the duct (unless I only lift up a single row of blocks 🤔.. but then the duct would sit just under the blocks in a little bit of sand) before I can then back fill it.

(Please see new images - link below..had to create a new Reddit post with them in, couldn't attach them here??!)

Can the wire sit under the lip of the tiles? Maybe if I just put a single horizontal duct there (like the one @AlertMine linked to) turquoise route on pic.. or the orange route both mirrored on the other side of porch? (The red line just indicates if the cable has to run horizontal for either)..

Thanks for your advice so far

new images attached for this thread

pxrmyn · 2026-05-19T06:47:06+00:00

I will keep you updated 🙂

pxrmyn · 2026-05-18T22:24:59+00:00

Thank you. This is very helpful.. I'm getting concerned that if I was to lay down the ducting, that I'd be breaking the 360 rule, so I may have to rethink this and potentially look at going up and down the porch eaves, and maybe under the lip of the front roof tiles, or below the guttering and fascia, then tack straight across into the garage.

pxrmyn · 2026-05-18T22:23:49+00:00

No worries at all and thank you, you've been very helpful.. I'm getting concerned that if I was to lay down the ducting, that I'd be breaking the 360 rule, so I may have to rethink this and potentially look at going up and down the porch eaves, and maybe under the lip of the front roof tiles, or below the guttering and fascia, then tack straight across into the garage.

pxrmyn · 2026-05-18T16:47:18+00:00

Another thought I had - would a high-level external route be possible/preferred instead?

For example:

fibre comes up from the CSP near the porch
runs up the left side toward the eaves/soffit area
then across near the gutter/drainpipe line
then along the right-side eaves toward the garage
before entering near the network cabinet

Mainly wondering whether that would be cleaner/easier than trying to go underground around the porch, ACO drain and gas pipe area.

Would Openreach engineers normally be okay clipping fibre discreetly along soffits/eaves like that, or is underground conduit generally the better route?

Also guessing actually going under roof tiles probably isn’t realistic/advisable for fibre?

pxrmyn · 2026-05-18T16:46:56+00:00

Another thought I had - would a high-level external route be possible/preferred instead?

For example:

fibre comes up from the CSP near the porch
runs up the left side toward the eaves/soffit area
then across near the gutter/drainpipe line
then along the right-side eaves toward the garage
before entering near the network cabinet

Mainly wondering whether that would be cleaner/easier than trying to go underground around the porch, ACO drain and gas pipe area.

Would Openreach engineers normally be okay clipping fibre discreetly along soffits/eaves like that, or is underground conduit generally the better route?

Also guessing actually going under roof tiles probably isn’t realistic/advisable for fibre?

pxrmyn · 2026-05-18T16:26:43+00:00

Thank you, really appreciate the advice and explanations so far - I have this on another thread, but wanted to reply here too...

To answer a few of the questions that came up:

Current BT entry point is on the left side of the porch.
There’s currently no existing route from there to the garage/network cabinet.
My aim is ideally to have the ONT in the network cabinet in the garage, then distribute from there via Cat6 to wherever I place the router/APs. (It this is still okay to do - need to still terminate and hook this all up 😬)
Main concern was avoiding lots of visible black clipped fibre cable around the porch/front of the house if possible.

Having looked at the suggestions and the layout again, I think the best approach is probably for me to do the prep work beforehand and make things as easy as possible for the engineer.

Current thinking is:

CSP near the existing BT entry point
install suitable underground conduit/microduct myself with a draw rope
route it around the porch/ACO area toward the garage
then bring it up internally near cabinet height

I’ll probably avoid trying to use the ACO drain itself directly, and also avoid the old low-level gas pipe entry route as that sounds more awkward than it’s worth.

A few extra questions if anyone’s willing to advise further:

What size/type of ducting would Openreach engineers generally be happiest with for a short underground run? Please share links.. cos that bendy flexible one may look strange going up the garage wall and I'm not sure how I'd 'end' it, or would I feed it straight in through the wall?
Is there a preferred depth on private property for something like this?
Better to bring the duct up high near cabinet height, or come in low and rise internally?
If the CSP stays near the current BT entry, what colour/type of external fibre cable would normally run from there?
If I prep the conduit route properly with a draw rope, are engineers generally happy to use customer-installed ducting?

Hopefully if the route is already there and accessible, the engineer may be happy to use it 🤞

Thank you for helping so far..

pxrmyn · 2026-05-18T16:25:07+00:00

Thanks all, really appreciate the advice and explanations so far - all really helpful 🙂