NBN Box on Side of House - Accessible or behind Gate?

SaberX on 29/11/2016 - 16:42
Last edited 29/11/2016 - 16:46

Hi all,

Just wondering - having built a new house: what is the standard or requirements regarding the NBN box that is on the side of your house next to the power meter box (the PCD boint I think it's labeled on plans). I believe it goes from road to this box, which then feeds into your NBN point to be in your garage. I believe someone said this might be FTTN previously?

Some side gate installers have said it is up to me, and others believe it has to be accessible.

Does anyone know for sure - or can lend some practical advice as to whether gating it off from the public accessible side of the house is a bad idea??

The positives:

NBN box can't be damaged or tampered with - although arguably who does this? Stilll… behind the gate, safer?

THe gate I can put in will be wider 1350mm vs 1100 mm as it can open out more if in front of NBN box. If the NBN box is accessible then gate will have to be 1100 m wide as it's between the NBN box and a Rain Water Pipe. The bigger gate is marginally cheaper ($650 vs $690) too.

Negatives:

Obviously if technicians come out and need the access to the box on outside of house you will have to open the side gate etc.

The counterargument from the fencers were that if they did any work they'd be working on the box in your garage.

I've never had NBN so I don't know from a practical POV where most work is done when technicians are out. Would anyone recommend for or against placing the NBN box behind the side gate?

Thanks in advance!

Also as a side question: I plan to live in the place for a yr or two but without NBN connected. The plan is to rent it out if I ever move out and I have enough mobile internet to not need it during my time (I therefore don't want to connect or pay for NBN internet). Therefore how does NBN connection work for a first time build? Is this something I can easily leave to my first tenants (new building) or must I /should I be the first to pay for connecting the NBN? I believe this can only be done with a NBN ISP anyway right? So if I don't want NBN internet I would assume there is no way to create the NBN ready for a tenant to then come in and choose their provider? Same for phone line? Leave it to the first tenant to have it all connected? How does this thing usually work?

Home & Garden

Comments

  • ProjectZero on 29/11/2016 - 16:49

    I'd check if your area is getting FttP or FttN or neither first. FttN should not have a box attached and IIRC, FttP should have a box installed, but it should be installed inside the house and not on the side, I could be wrong though. If it is neither, i think you will need a modem to connect to the internet.

    • nocure on 29/11/2016 - 16:52

      The Grey box is on the outside usually close to the power box.

      OP: always best to have the gate after the power box for meter reading access.

      • SaberX on 29/11/2016 - 16:58

        @nocure - yeap the gate will have the power box accessible. basically as you walk down the side of house from street side - it will be: power/meter box (which I have key locked with viewing panel for some security so some kid can't flick my switches). Then the NBN box, then a RWP.

        My question pertained regarding putting side gate before NBN box (but after power meter box), or after NBN box (between NBN box and RWP).

    • SaberX on 29/11/2016 - 16:53

      yeah I have a grey box with a conduit leading into the ground on the side of house, next to my power box.

      I assume that if FTTP it has this box, as FTTN has no box on outside wall I must have FTTP?

      Is there a way to also check based on my area in terms of an official source, or must I consult the developer/my land contract on what they put in?

      • nocure on 29/11/2016 - 16:55

        I assume that if FTTP

        Yep, aren't we lucky.

        • SaberX on 29/11/2016 - 16:57

          I'm not clued up - but based on your sarcasm FTTP is significantly crappier than a FTTN system? Which I assume is more expensive and therefore skipped by our government.

        • nocure on 29/11/2016 - 17:04

          @SaberX:

          Nope,other way around, FTTP rules

        • MrMcHairyHead on 29/11/2016 - 17:51
          +1

          @SaberX: FttN is both far worse (completely useless) and far more expensive in the long term, but the Liberals couldn't let a Labor project succeed, so they wasted billions of dollars and years switching to a system that was obsolete years ago. They're deliberately making our internet as bad as possible so that Labor don't look good and so that their Telstra shares go up.

          FttN would be a dealbreaker if I was buying a house. Sadly only a few suburbs have FttP.

        • SaberX on 30/11/2016 - 02:03

          @nocure:

          Oh, that's a first! So if FTTP goes to the box on the side of our house before being routed into the garage, where does FTTN go?

          That said my next door neighbour claimed to be getting some pretty horrid NBN download rates, i forgot what he mentioned, but it was crawling at peak post work times etc, so I didn't know it could get congested that badly?!

    • SaberX on 29/11/2016 - 16:55

      but yes… given if I do have the grey box on the outside, and the box point inside my garage - is this one required to be left accessible to the technicians on the street side?

      or am I better off putting it behind my side gate for safety and the like?

      Or would one recommend against that?

      • nocure on 29/11/2016 - 16:57

        or am I better off putting it behind my side gate for safety and the like?

        I have mine behind the gate, but have to leave the gate unlocked when the meter needs reading (three monthly)

        • SaberX on 29/11/2016 - 16:59

          I think you're mixing up my question which is about gating or not gating the NBN box , with the power meter box?

          The power meter won't be gated off - it will be left on the outside. It's the NBN box that I am wondering if this should be better off gated off or left out in public. A lot of houses had it next to the power box accessible from road, but I was curious as you are able to gate it off and some people have (just not most).

        • nocure on 29/11/2016 - 17:02

          @SaberX:

          Gate it. The only time they will need access will be the initial connection.

        • SaberX on 30/11/2016 - 02:05

          @nocure:

          Not initial connection via the garage box? or will the connection be from the outside meter box into the garage, and then they'll never need access again?

          if there are any maintenance or 'issues' would they goto the garage box then - or the outside wall box? In which case wouldn't gating off be creating more work for you in unlocking it for technicians than if they could just rock up to your house and access and troublshoot it whilst your away?

          The neighbour also mentioned we have the $300 privilege upon first connecting to an ISP as a 'connection fee' to look forward to. Great!

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