What's the NTL box?

[sabian1982]

Good evening all, firstly hello, secondly here comes the big question (the initial reason for signing up to this forum - although some sections of the forum look rather interesting so you should be seeing a bit more of me!).

I've just bought a house and in that house (in the top bedroom that is to become the office) is a grey plastic box fixed to the wall which has two connectors sticking out the bottom - the box has the NTL logo on it.

When speaking to the original owner he said that the connection was for broadband and consisted of a coaxial cable that ran up to the bedroom. The problem i have is that i have sky broadband which runs directly through the phone line and although wireless i prefer to use a cable.

Obviously not being fully aware of how the box upstairs is wired (or infact if it would be at all possible), would it be possible to rewire or get an adaptor for the box upstairs that would allow me to connect the computer to the internet; i would then of course need to some how make a connection between the router (where i plug it into the phone line) and the start of the coaxial cable.

Is this possible or does the box (and the way NTL broadband works) tend to run directly outside and direct to the exchange?

Applogies if my explanation is a little confusing...

Cheers

[Hom3r]

The boxes connections if I remember correctly, one is for the standard phone, the other is for both TV and Broadband which share the same cable.

[sabian1982]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

The boxes connections if I remember correctly, one is for the standard phone, the other is for both TV and Broadband which share the same cable.

They appear possibly screw/push on ports - i presuming not suitable for connecting to a standard ethernet card...

[MovedGoalPosts]

Simple answer, no you will not be able to use the ntl co-axial cable for your Sky broadband. Sky broadband is ADSL and will be supplied into the house via a standard BT type phone line.

You can wire extensions from the master phone socket, using more standard phone line. At any location where you connect a telephone or your ADSL (not cable) modem, you must use an ADSL filter - a little device that separates the phone and broadband signals. Your ADSL modem connects to the splitter using the supplied lead. Once the signal has passed through the modem it can only be transferred by ethernet, wireless, or possibly "Homeplug" (a system that uses your electrical ring main circuits). Coaxial being only 2 core will not support the signal.

You might be able to adapt the phone wire that was the ntl as an extension, but that's about it.

[sabian1982]

Maybe i should think about moving over to NTL / Virgin Media then as ive just reached my 12 months... either that or see if i can talk them into giving me a free sky+ box

If you want a free Sky+ box, I believe the standard script is to phone up and ask to cancel, and once they transfer you to Retentions, tell 'em you love Sky but you just don't have the time to watch all the stuff you want to watch. They should then offer you the 'perfect solution', for free (or at least, at a reduced price).

I would always recommend cable broadband over ADSL. Generally it's a far more stable technology and is usually faster than the ADSL speed actually available at your address (as opposed to the speed advertised in your area, which is invariably way higher).

I'd have cable broadband again in a flash if I could, but I live off-net these days so I don't have that choice.

[jo.v]

you would need a ntl (now virgin media) cable modem to be able to use that box for your internet connection.

you would be better with a cable connection as the cables are made from fibreglass instead of copper (as the phonlines are), which gives a more clearer signal plus you can get faster speeds....(i'm a VM fan). I love my v+ box and my broadband.

[Matth]

If I had Sky, working at acceptable ADSL speed, I would NOT be considering moving any part of the service to VM - Sky give you a 40GB monthly quota (on the 8Mb), VM give you traffic shaping at 350MB, 700MB or (I think) 3GB a day on the top tier.

On ADSL, Exchange distance may prevent you getting the best of the "up to" speed, while on Virgin cable, Traffic Management, overcommited UBRs and routing screwups may also prevent you reaching full speed.

It's not changed from "NTL: technology MAIMED" as the good old misquote goes. It seems if anything, rather than the painful merger of NTL & Telewest improving things, it's an excuse to stretch resources even more thinly.

Can be OK, buy I'd say they have to be compared against cheaper ADSL's, rather than the premium - and DO look at Be, if you find Sky isn't good enough.