nbn Conduit with Other Ethernet Cables in It?

FoxJump on 06/05/2025 - 23:48
Last edited 07/05/2025 - 10:29 by 1 other user

Gday
We're building a new house with a volume builder, and, sadly, i failed to allow for an external ethernet cable outside the house for a security camera.
I found out the conduit for the NBN is in easy access, and i could push my own ethernet cable through it from the outside of the house, to the garage, myself.

Would the NBN guy be annoyed at this whenever they come around to feed in their own HFC cable through the same conduit?
Would I be better off giving him a cashie to also put in an eth cable into the house, not just their HFC?

has anyone experience/done something like this before?
Thank you

Home & Garden Broadband nbn Network Cable

Comments

  • Hybroid on 07/05/2025 - 00:29
    +18

    It's not difficult. Let NBN do their thing, once it's all working, do your thing.

    • jv on 07/05/2025 - 09:28
      +1

      Tampering with telecommunications equipment is pretty serious…
      It is an offence under the Criminal Code Act.

      • JIMB0 on 07/05/2025 - 10:24
        +5

        Then put it in before any telecommunications equipment is installed in the conduit.

      • surg3on on 08/05/2025 - 08:47
        +5

        I took the plastic cover off my NBN router thingy so I could see the lights were red. take me away officer!

        • jv on 08/05/2025 - 08:51
          -2

          What plastic cover?

        • Twix on 08/05/2025 - 09:30

          You are allowed to take off the nbn fibre NTD box cover.

          You can't go sticking ethernet cables for security cameras down the nbn conduit.

          • tenpercent on 08/05/2025 - 19:09
            +1

            @Twix: It's a conduit, also known as a plastic pipe, not telecom equipment. Simmer down.

            • Twix on 08/05/2025 - 20:10
              -2

              @tenpercent: Actually the nbn P20 telecommunications conduit is only for the nbn lead-in cable and draw rope.

              You need a separate conduit for your ethernet cables.

              • tenpercent on 08/05/2025 - 20:13

                @Twix: It doesn't matter what you call it, it's still only a plastic pipe.

                Need?

                There would only be a **need* for a separate plastic pipe if there was a physical constraint to inserting a second cable.

                • Twix on 08/05/2025 - 21:28

                  @tenpercent: nbn conduit being a plastic pipe is not the point.

                  It's obvious you don't know the difference between the nbn boundary point and customer cabling.

      • Dsiee on 08/05/2025 - 19:07

        This is not tampering with Telecom equipment, it is just sitting you cable next to theirs without any interaction or interference.

        • jv on 09/05/2025 - 01:02

          The conduit is the property of NBN Co.

  • mantra on 07/05/2025 - 02:46

    it should be fine as long as your not moving their equipment in anyway

    maybe this document might give clarity

    probably less useful but i was told

    There are also fines involved with tampering with their equipment, and as far as I'm aware photos are regularly taken during installation/assurance visits to confirm that tampering hasn't occurred.

    • Twix on 07/05/2025 - 10:18
      +7

      nbn conduit is for the fibre or coax cable and draw rope. Don't go sticking ethernet or any other cables down the same nbn conduit.

      • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 11:10
        +1

        there is no draw-rope.
        ok maybe i'll wait and see if i can ask the nbn guy to do it all in one go, so that they do it, rather than me add it and then them go angry at me.

        • Twix on 07/05/2025 - 11:13
          +1

          nbn don't run ethernet. A registered cabler or sparkie can run the ethernet cable through the walls and roof to your security camera.

        • TheFreaK on 08/05/2025 - 14:01
          +2

          When the bloke installed my FTTP he installed the fibre, and I asked if he could pull an ethernet cable through, to which he said he can't, but he left some extra cable and a drawstring in there for me to use to pull it through myself.

          Can't hurt asking

          • FoxJump on 08/05/2025 - 14:13

            @TheFreaK: nice!
            there is hope after all.
            how many meters of cable did he leave?

            i guess, as long as he leaves a friendly draw string then that's good too.

            • TheFreaK on 08/05/2025 - 15:15

              @FoxJump: My conduit wasn't particuarly long so it was only about 4 metres of cable, probably a contributing factor

      • Twix on 08/05/2025 - 12:03
        +2

        @whoever negged my comment… You clearly don't understand where the nbn boundary point ends. You need two separate conduits.

        • Benicio on 08/05/2025 - 17:12
          +1

          downvoting the only person here giving the correct information :/ OzB gonna OzB.

          • tenpercent on 08/05/2025 - 19:11

            @Benicio: Legally correct (maybe?) and correct aren't the same thing.

  • apsilon on 07/05/2025 - 05:26
    -1

    Leave the decision up to the cabler doing the job. They'll likely drill a hole.

    • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 08:03

      how does a hole help?

      • apsilon on 07/05/2025 - 08:13
        +5

        A hole is the thing cable and conduit passes through.

        • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 11:09

          the conduit from garage to outside of the house is one pipe

          Then theres a gap
          and a pipe goes into the ground into the street-ish

          no additional holes needed

  • geekcohen on 07/05/2025 - 05:55
    +2

    Whats the size of the conduit? Might be a bit tight if it's 20mm.

    • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 08:02

      doh

    • eddyah on 08/05/2025 - 07:27
      +1

      Only man that knows. You need a 25mm conduit unless you wanna deal with crimping the head again.

  • JIMB0 on 07/05/2025 - 06:40
    +3

    If it makes their job hard they may get pissed off and report you.

  • pjetson on 07/05/2025 - 08:39
    +2

    I'm a little confused about what you're asking. The NBN cable (fibre or co-ax) comes in from the street, maybe underground or maybe aerial, and goes to the NTD, which seems to be in your garage from your post. An ethernet cable then goes from the NTD to your router, but not usually in a conduit. Is this ethernet cable in the conduit that you're asking about? Two ethernet cables in a 20mm conduit might be a bit tight for you to "push my own ethernet cable through".

    • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 11:07

      house is being built. the conduit is there for the nbn street to house and then house to garage.

      i want to piggy back an ethernet from garage to where the external nbn box
      (the ones on the side of the house) would be, except my eth cable then goes and does other things for me elsewhere.

      • tomfool on 08/05/2025 - 09:14
        +1

        You could say to the nbn guy you want the NTD in the garage, then have a rack witht the NTD and the router in the garage and have the ethernet to house and have switch and AP's in the house. Witth the router int he garage you could run cat cable to wherever you like. Iwoudl think this is likley the intent of the split anyway.

        • MrFrugalSpend on 09/05/2025 - 05:17

          ^^ This - you can add a cabinet/box like this in the garage to keep it all safe and tidy and give you options to put equipment in it: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/192614403052? use code MAYAUTO for $20 off.
          Get a sparky to put power into the NBN cabinet in the garage, plus intercept the conduit, cut into it and run it into (and out of) the cabinet, compliant with the NBN pathway standards - see this: https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbn/documents/residenti….

          You now have a conduit back out of the cabinet to the existing conduit to the house which is now no longer anything to do with the NBN so you can do what you please with it. Draw two ethernet cables through the conduit to the house (plus a thinner phone cable if you want that), one that goes from the NBN box to your modem/router in the house, and one to come back for your security camera. Or you can put the modem in the garage box and a wifi router or repeater in the house. Whatever setup suits you best.

          No you shouldn't run an ethernet cable through the NBN lead in conduit otherwise.

  • Boioioioi on 07/05/2025 - 09:42

    Just do it afterwards no worries

    You probably are not getting HFC in a new build no? I assume it'd be fiber

    • jv on 07/05/2025 - 09:47
      +1

      Just do it afterwards no worries

      Except that it is an offence under the Criminal Code Act.

      • Boioioioi on 07/05/2025 - 10:07

        who cares

        • jv on 07/05/2025 - 10:12

          The person who will get charged when they are caught.

      • JIMB0 on 07/05/2025 - 10:25
        +1

        Only if you're dumb enough to get caught.

        • jv on 07/05/2025 - 10:38
          -2

          It may not be up to you…

    • JimB on 07/05/2025 - 09:50

      I built a new house in an old area with HFC.

      I believe it's still HFC to the house.

      • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 11:06

        yes. i had hfc, i will get hfc again.

        • pjetson on 07/05/2025 - 12:12
          +1

          Then the cable to the NTD will be coax, and most likely you won't be able to fit an ethernet cable in the same conduit.

          • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:16

            @pjetson: okiedokie thank you. sounds like i can either either ask the NBN guy to do it OR pay someone to run another eth OR
            split the poe at the back of the house with a peo switch, and run the extra cable to where i want.

            • Twix on 07/05/2025 - 12:49

              @FoxJump: nbn will not be installing ethernet for you. You might not even see the nbn installer. nbn can send the HFC NTD for self installation.

              • pjetson on 07/05/2025 - 13:48

                @Twix: Sounds to me like the HFC coax hasn't been run in from the street yet, so an installer will need to come out and do the cabling.

                • Twix on 07/05/2025 - 13:58

                  @pjetson: Yeah but being a new build nbn can run the coax cable before moving in.

                  • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 15:43

                    @Twix: It's a knockdown rebuild. NBN removed everything before demolition. Right now it's literally one conduit through house, and one below the dirt to the street.

            • tenpercent on 08/05/2025 - 19:12
              -1

              @FoxJump: Or get a bigger conduit.

  • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 11:42
    Merged from Private Power Pole with Cameras?

    Following up on my ethernet-on-nbn-conduit, whether or not I do that or with another method - the intent was to put two cameras on the private powerpole looking up and down the street.

    Has anyone done this? did anyone get mad?
    My intent is that a bad agent would have parked near the house and walked towards it and so I would have better images than if i only have cameras on the house. You can add all the megapixels you want but a car doesnt have number plates on its side.

    • jugsy on 07/05/2025 - 11:50

      All this is a gamble, your stuff could disappear or be damaged any time and you'd have to swallow it. Having said that, why not put your own poles on your property, then buy reolink camera+solar panel combos?

      • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:00

        cos i already have a private power pole. Why add more poles?
        This is NOT the wooden street pole.
        This is the metal one all new houses have.

        basically, street power pole -> wire -> my pole -> down the pole goes power , under the grass, and into my house.

        i want a camera on my pole

        • geekcohen on 07/05/2025 - 12:04
          +2

          Have you got a photo of this said pole? I've never heard and/or seen of such a solution…….. Usually it is all down underground now or its flown from the pole directly to the house. All depends on the area you are in and what power is available.

          • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:07

            @geekcohen: It's an unremarkable steel pole on every single house. At least in Sydney theyre literally everywhere.

            It replaces the wooden pole > house cable
            by adding a middle layer which the home owner is now responsible/liable for

            • freefall101 on 07/05/2025 - 12:12
              +1

              @FoxJump: Are you sure you’re responsible for that pole and it’s not owned by the power company?

              If you own it, do whatever. If you don’t own it, they’ll ask why you’re messing with their hardware.

              • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:13
                +1

                @freefall101: Yes, mine mine mine.
                i asked the volume builder to not put one because if there isnt a pole then ausgrid is responsible for the wire to the house.

                but if there is a pole, then theyre only responsible to the pole and excluding the pole itself.

                but the builder said, everybody gets a pole

            • geekcohen on 07/05/2025 - 12:13
              +1

              @FoxJump: Okay, never seen them in Melbourne and it sounds very ugly……

              What is the height of the pole? and how are you going to get POE?

              Personally, I don't have a problem with it. I have a PTZ on a 3m on the top of my single-story house that overlooks the entire street/court plus another PTZ that is on a 3m on the back fence facing up a main thoroughfare. Haven't ever had a complaint from neighbours and my immediate next door neighbours are coppers. I've had one neighbour ask me for footage one day in regards to damage from a Garbage Truck, but otherwise had 0 complaints or concerns, if anything, my neighbours love it and appreciate it.

              • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:14

                @geekcohen: Pole is about 3m tall ? idk i havent measured it.
                i have options to poe or solar panel and wifi with sd card

                • geekcohen on 07/05/2025 - 12:17

                  @FoxJump: If you can get it to the top, then it avoids tampering. If it is within a height that people can get to, then it could be tampered with if someone doesn't like it.

                  WiFi with Solar could work well, providing your outdoor WiFi is good enough.

                  • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:19
                    +1

                    @geekcohen: anyoen with a ladder can get to it.
                    Whether they want to get a ladder or not is another story.

                    I can figure out the wifi no problem. And maybe extra batteries for the solar. as i want to record the feed with my nvr (frigate)

          • Caped Baldy on 07/05/2025 - 12:29
            +5

            @geekcohen: Here's an example.

            https://maps.app.goo.gl/t18vdqNauDTWoYAY8

            • geekcohen on 07/05/2025 - 12:42
              +2

              @Caped Baldy: Okay, thats a bit ugly to be out the front of every home.

              • Caped Baldy on 07/05/2025 - 13:02
                +5

                @geekcohen: Agreed. OP is being an absolute pain by not providing the picture.

                • rumblytangara on 08/05/2025 - 09:24
                  +3

                  @Caped Baldy: Yeah, this was such a waste of reading time - he asks a zillion questions on a forum and talks all around the subject but cannot be arsed to take the five minutes to take and post a photo as requested. Or spend 30 seconds searching for a matching photo already online.

                  You guys have more patience than I do.

              • DoctorCalculon on 07/05/2025 - 20:29
                +1

                @geekcohen: But a damn good place to pole mount lots of security cameras using pole mounting brackets. I would have one 180º and one PTZ.

                They would need to be mounted higher > 2.5M to avoid easy vandalism. However, not too high otherwise you just capture the heads of people rather than their faces.

          • lgacb08 on 07/05/2025 - 22:19

            @geekcohen: Private pole is very common in NSW, given how corrupt the public sector is and how good they are in extorting tax payer to pay more for public infrastructure in the name of public private partnership. It is almost unheard of in vic or more leftist states where there is line in the sand for that.

            • tenpercent on 08/05/2025 - 20:17
              -1

              @lgacb08:

              public private partnership

              It's just modern corporate jargon for fascism.

        • brendanm on 07/05/2025 - 12:07

          This is the metal one all new houses have.

          Citation required.

          • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:11

            @brendanm: somewhere in here maybe
            https://www.ausgrid.com.au/-/media/Documents/Technical-Docum…

            section 3.4 has something about a private pole

            • brendanm on 07/05/2025 - 12:14
              +2

              @FoxJump: Most civilised places have underground power, sounds like it's something specific to the area you're in, not 'all new houses"

              • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:16
                -1

                @brendanm: ok
                all new houses in established areas where there are new houses being built to replace old ones.

              • brad1-8tsi on 07/05/2025 - 12:52

                @brendanm: I knew exactly what the OP was referring to so maybe it's a NSW thing?

                I'm in one of the oldest Sydney suburbs (Eveleigh) and I've noticed that they use new poles in the major renovations of terraces where previous wire runs were a bit dodgy or trees were fouling the wires.

                Quite probably if it's a new build area that was part of the design agreement with the poles & wires provider (Ausgrid, Endeavour and the other mob).

              • resisting the urge on 08/05/2025 - 07:52

                @brendanm: This is Sydney. Where everything is expensive, but at the same time cheap and poorly civilised.

                Power companies and telcos do what they like. They have a massive network of old poles for premises connections across the suburbs. Where capacity needs to be expanded (larger feeds to transformers) they tend to go underground in most streets, for physical protection of the network. Even when the power poles all need replacing in a street where they are doing this, they leave the street poles as they are. It's like they rely on the wind to blow down rotten poles before they need replacement in my area.

                Whatever works out cheapest it seems. They never replace premises connection poles with subterranean feeds unless local or state government are paying, and force new builds to install dedicated private poles where before they had a line going directly to the street pole from each house, hence the OP asking this.

                The other thing they love (that people hate) is placing plastic distribution pillars outside every shop on congested footpaths in inner city areas. The more likely it is for people to trip over them, the more pillars they stick on the footpath. In a civilised city connection points are all under covers in street pits. But hey, Sydney can't build a road without pot-holes, or man-holes or smaller utility covers set significantly below the surface either.

        • jv on 07/05/2025 - 12:29

          Why add more poles?

          To intimidate the Russians.

          • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:45

            @jv: I see what you did there :D

          • MS Paint on 07/05/2025 - 13:58

            @jv: Why are they in such a hurry?

            • jv on 07/05/2025 - 14:09

              @MS Paint: They don't like Stalin still…

    • MS Paint on 07/05/2025 - 12:01
      +7

      bad agent

      Are you a CIA employee? Watch too much TV? Drama queen?

      • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:08

        yes

    • GordonD on 07/05/2025 - 12:09

      Mods: should this thread be amalgamated with the OP's recent other thread as just more about exactly the same matter?

      • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 12:11

        well , it's different.
        I could use wifi cameras with solar panels

    • wannagrababargain on 07/05/2025 - 12:24
      +5

      It's not a private pole. It's a power pole on private property. Similarly it's NBN conduit on private property (else how would they get power or internet into your house). Although it is on your property, the specs and functions of the pole and conduit is governed by the authority (Aus grid, NBN) which are usually very prescriptive. I don't think you can repurpose them for your own use as that is beyond their design prescriptions.

      The delineation point where you can start messing with things is on your side of the power meter , your side of the NTD or your side of the water meter.

      • brad1-8tsi on 07/05/2025 - 12:58

        No, it's a private pole if it has that label on it. My in-laws had one on their property and my previous employer had truckloads of them. They are clearly labelled "private pole" and it is the landholders responsibility to keep them in good order. They are inspected every few years.

        My in-laws were directed by Endeavour Energy to have their timber pole replaced after 25 years. $8k like-for-like about 12 years back. Do it by X date or we disconnect our wires as it is a risk to the grid.

        • wannagrababargain on 07/05/2025 - 13:42
          +2

          You have only illustrated my point further.

          "directed by Endeavour Energy" - yes it may be privately bought, owned and installed but it's function is 100% responsibility of the the grid operator. Endeavour Energy could just as easily and would be within their legal right to direct someone to remove surveillance cameras installed on the pole as they also pose a risk to the grid.

    • jv on 07/05/2025 - 12:27

      did anyone get mad?

      Mrs Jessup did…

    • Protractor on 07/05/2025 - 22:53
      +2

      That's the sort of righteous stuff that happened in SAfrica peak Apartheid. Paranoid much?
      It's unnecessary adversarial infrastructure, ( unless your in the underworld)

    • tenpercent on 08/05/2025 - 19:14

      So you're one of those people… I think it's pretty creepy having CCPTV cameras pointing up and down the street. It also makes your house like a drug dealers den.

      • FoxJump on 08/05/2025 - 22:58

        okay

  • bdl on 07/05/2025 - 15:36

    When I got FTTP installed I asked installer to run two conduits and he did so for free :)

    • FoxJump on 07/05/2025 - 15:41

      how did he install two conduits? where? slab house or piers house?

      • bdl on 07/05/2025 - 17:47

        front garden from boundary to external wall of slab house

    • yoho on 07/05/2025 - 22:55

      Same, I think I paid $50 and they laid down another conduit to near where my letterbox is, pops up alongside the conduit for the HFC external box. They didn't mind.

      See if you can time it for when NBN comes. Still haven't used it, but might be good for a POE camera or smart letterbox

  • lgacb08 on 07/05/2025 - 22:21

    I put in my own conduit before nbn fibre installation because I know nbn won't be bother to properly run it from the bedroom side of the house to the garage. I put in my own cat 6 cable together with the draw string and techie didn't bat an eyelid. He indeed happily used my drawstring to pull fibre through.
    but mine you mine was fttn to fibre upgrade so the new fibre cable was a lot skinnier than your average coax cable, if you have tight bend expect some difficulty having more than coax cable in that conduit.

    • FoxJump on 08/05/2025 - 09:54

      so maybe if i put my ethernet through and add a draw string to make thier life easier. they might be more accepting :)

      what kind of draw string? is that yarn for cooking good enough?

      • Twix on 08/05/2025 - 10:02

        No you need a separate conduit for your ethernet.

        Search for Parramatta rope.

  • ozb1ozb2ozb3 on 08/05/2025 - 09:45

    Its a risk!

    First of all - No MSPaint. So we are all guessing. Likely you may not know for sure yourself where the conduit runs through and whether there are bends through it. Bends only make life exciting during F1 races. Otherwise they are PITA, especially pushing more than one cable through a tight conduit.

    Lets say you get your cable with HFC running successfully - what happens when Fibre eventually rolls out. I know I know NBN is not decommissioning HFC. For now! But are you sure the conduit can support the three together if their plan changes? And if you were wondering "Why won't they pull the HFC cable first and then pull the fibre through it" NOPE That is not how they install new cables. Tech needs to make sure new technology works first, before doing anything about the old infra. And generally they leave stuff in-situ

    At minimum you need to take on the risk of a future tech pulling out your cable when they come out to investigate a service fault or NBN decommissions HFC. How much disruption and cost will that be for you?

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