New HDB BTO Flat - How do you connect your Home Fiber Network

[Mach3.2]

probably is fine.

 

[1a2a3a]

probably is fine.

Gum Xia….

 

[xiaofan]

@xiaofan hi, think I asked about this some time ago. The original plan was to put router at “x”. But due to Reno restriction, looks like I’m left with the option of putting at “o”. Will still be using the vlan method and the router is still the ax11000 pro. I don’t suppose it will matter much right? Will still be able to cover the entire house?

The VLAN method will still work. However, since it is not located in a central location, it is a bit to difficult to predict the coverage. The main concern is probably certain area of the main bedroom and the main bathroom. The other area of concern is to the right area of F (between F and aircon Ledge). That is probably not an important area.

You can always go ahead to see how it goes. Since you have LAN ports in the rooms, you can always adding a mesh node in the main bedroom if needed.

 

[Zephyr777]

hi guys, may i seek consultation here. will be completing reno soon and will be signing up for home broadband. quite new to these networking stuffs and read up abit but yet unsure.

at the moment probably looking at the SH's wifi6 5Gbps plan. this is the layout to my unit. its a new bto so the lan cables are laid already and fiber point inside db box.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q70/924/ATTYUh.jpg

- my objective is quite simple, is that to have a wired connection to my PC @ the living room. Do i simply connect an ethernet cable out of D1 to a 2.5gbps compatible network card on my PC? the TV is also here but i guess it can go fine with WIFI alone?

- what do i have to do inside the DB box? i read up that ONR has to be connected to another router and this router is located within the db box. Is there a requirement on this router's LAN output to be >1GBPS? Is there something i need to look out for during purchase?

- As for the 2nd port of the router, i connect an ethernet cable to D3 @ the DB box. Then i have to purchase a new router located at D3 to extend the wifi signal?

- For the 3rd port of the router, likely i have to do the same as above with another router purchase for MBR D4?


so with this 5gbps SH plan, i would have to purchase 2-3 routers separately?

 

[xiaofan]

hi guys, may i seek consultation here. will be completing reno soon and will be signing up for home broadband. quite new to these networking stuffs and read up abit but yet unsure.

at the moment probably looking at the SH's wifi6 5Gbps plan. this is the layout to my unit. its a new bto so the lan cables are laid already and fiber point inside db box.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q70/924/ATTYUh.jpg

- my objective is quite simple, is that to have a wired connection to my PC @ the living room. Do i simply connect an ethernet cable out of D1 to a 2.5gbps compatible network card on my PC? the TV is also here but i guess it can go fine with WIFI alone?

- what do i have to do inside the DB box? i read up that ONR has to be connected to another router and this router is located within the db box. Is there a requirement on this router's LAN output to be >1GBPS? Is there something i need to look out for during purchase?

- As for the 2nd port of the router, i connect an ethernet cable to D3 @ the DB box. Then i have to purchase a new router located at D3 to extend the wifi signal?

- For the 3rd port of the router, likely i have to do the same as above with another router purchase for MBR D4?

so with this 5gbps SH plan, i would have to purchase 2-3 routers separately?

Starhub 5Gbps plan comes with the Nokia all-in-one ONR, 1x 10G LAN port and 3x 1G LAN ports, WiFi 6 AX6000 rated.

As for how many extra wireless mesh node needed, it may depend on how bad your DB box blocks WiFi. You may have to play with the placement of the mesh nodes. Starhub recommends using Nokia Beacon 2 as the mesh nodes and they are pretty cheap from Carousell (say around S$40).

If the DB box does not block WiFi badly, you may only need one mesh node in Bedroom 2 (or main bedroom D4 position).

If the DB box blocks WiFi badly, then you may need two mesh nodes (say D3 and D4).

FTP -- Nokia ONR as main router in DB box
Nokia ONR 10G LAN port -- PC with 2.5G LAN port
Nokia ONR 1G LAN port -- Nokia Beacon 2 in D3 (living room)
Nokia ONR 1G LAN port -- Nokia Beacon 2 in D4 (min bedroom)

If your DB box blocks WiFi badly, one suggestion in this forum is to drill a hole and then put the Nokia ONR outside of the DB box.

If you want to improve your understanding of home networking, I will recommend you to watch the 4 Youtube videos mentioned in the first post of the sticky thread.
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/understanding-the-abcs-of-home-networking.6653421/

 

[Zephyr777]

Starhub 5Gbps plan comes with the Nokia all-in-one ONR, 1x 10G LAN port and 3x 1G LAN ports, WiFi 6 AX6000 rated.

As for how many extra wireless mesh node needed, it may depend on how bad your DB box blocks WiFi. You may have to play with the placement of the mesh nodes. Starhub recommends using Nokia Beacon 2 as the mesh nodes and they are pretty cheap from Carousell (say around S$40).

If the DB box does not block WiFi badly, you may only need one mesh node in Bedroom 2 (or main bedroom D4 position).

If the DB box blocks WiFi badly, then you may need two mesh nodes (say D3 and D4).

FTP -- Nokia ONR as main router in DB box
Nokia ONR 10G LAN port -- PC with 2.5G LAN port
Nokia ONR 1G LAN port -- Nokia Beacon 2 in D3 (living room)
Nokia ONR 1G LAN port -- Nokia Beacon 2 in D4 (min bedroom)

If your DB box blocks WiFi badly, one suggestion in this forum is to drill a hole and then put the Nokia ONR outside of the DB box.

If you want to improve your understanding of home networking, I will recommend you to watch the 4 Youtube videos mentioned in the first post of the sticky thread.
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/understanding-the-abcs-of-home-networking.6653421/

Thanks for the response. So, my setup will look something like that?

I have silly questions still:

1) This 5GBps from SH, how does it split? If i follow above setup, say I am not utilizing bandwith from D3 & D4, does all 5GBps channel to D1 (though it is limited to 2.5 in this case)?
On SH website i see its quoted "the 5Gbps broadband plan guarantees symmetrical upload and download speeds of up to five times faster than a 1Gbps broadband plan,"

2) Essentially this hardware provided by SH is a mesh system? As an average user what's the downside as compared to the router method? 2nos nodes that cost ~100ish doesn't sound like a big deal to have a good coverage within the entire unit.
Then would it be possible to use a good normal router at D3 instead of the Nokia nodes?

3) Also context as an average user, is it better with this ONR as compared to being provided with the ONT where I will need another router separately in the DB box?

4) Related to point 1, if i introduce a switch at D1 should i decide to plug in a lan cable to TV too, i just need to look out for a switch that has at least 1x 2.5GBps output (for PC)? The other port can channel bandwith to the TV.
After all the PC can only take 2.5GBps, so this approach is better right instead of TV relying on Wifi?

 

[xiaofan]

Thanks for the response. So, my setup will look something like that?

I have silly questions still:

1) This 5GBps from SH, how does it split? If i follow above setup, say I am not utilizing bandwith from D3 & D4, does all 5GBps channel to D1 (though it is limited to 2.5 in this case)?
On SH website i see its quoted "the 5Gbps broadband plan guarantees symmetrical upload and download speeds of up to five times faster than a 1Gbps broadband plan,"

2) Essentially this hardware provided by SH is a mesh system? As an average user what's the downside as compared to the router method? 2nos nodes that cost ~100ish doesn't sound like a big deal to have a good coverage within the entire unit.
Then would it be possible to use a good normal router at D3 instead of the Nokia nodes?

3) Also context as an average user, is it better with this ONR as compared to being provided with the ONT where I will need another router separately in the DB box?

4) Related to point 1, if i introduce a switch at D1 should i decide to plug in a lan cable to TV too, i just need to look out for a switch that has at least 1x 2.5GBps output (for PC)? The other port can channel bandwith to the TV.
After all the PC can only take 2.5GBps, so this approach is better right instead of TV relying on Wifi?

1) 5Gbps is split between LAN clients and wireless clients. It depends on your usage. The router has one 10G LAN port, so power users may want to have one 10G capable PC to be able to consumer full 5Gbps bandwidth. You can do that as well if your PC is able to host a PCIE 10G adapter. If not, just use your 2.5G adapter.

2) The Nokia ONR is capable of forming a mesh with the Nokia Beacon 2. However, you do not need to use the Nokia Beacon 2 at all. You can even disable the WiFi of the main Nokia ONR. In that case

3) In general ONT is better as it gives the user the flexibilities. The Nokia ONR seems to have some stability issues as per the feedbacks in this forum.

4) You can get a 2.5G switch. Usually it will have 4 x 2.5G ports or more.

Now I have a second thoughts -- it is better to avoid Starhub 5Gbps now because of the Nokia ONR stability issues reported by @Henry Ng. Better to wait a bit to see more feedbacks, or wait for Starhub to clear up the Nokia ONR stock.

 

[1a2a3a]

Any idea what’s that circle thing port for? ( beside the LAN)

feels like it’s a coaxial? But nowadays coaxial got what use?

 

[Lexng88]

Any idea what’s that circle thing port for? ( beside the LAN)

feels like it’s a coaxial? But nowadays coaxial got what use?

Can use as Moca2.5 convert to lan speed of 2.5Gbps

 

[1a2a3a]

Can use as Moca2.5 convert to lan speed of 2.5Gbps

Why would hdb build this when scv is no longer in use? (I don’t assume 99% of the population will be using coaxial for moca)

 

[xiaofan]

Why would hdb build this when scv is no longer in use? (I don’t assume 99% of the population will be using coaxial for moca)

New BTO flats do not have such ports, those have the coaxial ports were built before Starhub stopped Cable Online internet service (as well as Cable TV services), which used Cable Modem and Coaxial infrastructure.

FYI: Starhub only stopped the Cable Online services on 30 September 2019.

FYI: older HDB flats only have Coaxial cable infrastructure. Then they have mixed Ethernet (initially RJ11 telephone jack but later change to RJ45 jack) + Coaxial cable infrastructure. Then they have only Ethernet cable infrastructure.

In the future, we may see mixed Ethernet cable plus Fibre infrastructure. Then in the future we may have pure Fibre infrastructure.

 

[1a2a3a]

New BTO flats do not have such ports, those have the coaxial ports were built before Starhub stopped Cable Online internet service (as well as Cable TV services), which used Cable Modem and Coaxial infrastructure.

FYI: Starhub only stopped the Cable Online services on 30 September 2019.

FYI: older HDB flats only have Coaxial cable infrastructure. Then they have mixed Ethernet (initially RJ11 telephone jack but later change to RJ45 jack) + Coaxial cable infrastructure. Then they have only Ethernet cable infrastructure.

In the future, we may see mixed Ethernet cable plus Fibre infrastructure. Then in the future we may have pure Fibre infrastructure.

My that picture above is from my new bto house in 2024. So is that circle thing coaxial?

 

[xiaofan]

My that picture above is from my new bto house in 2024. So is that circle thing coaxial?

Your flat is TOP in 2024 but probably designed quite some years ago (eg: due to delay in constructions because of COVID 19). So you may still see the coaxial cable points.

You may want to post a more clear picture to confirm. You may want to post a picture of your DB box as well.

I do not know the exact year when HDB started to drop Coxial cable infrastrures from new BTO flats. From the forum, they started to have Ethernet infrastructure in 2012/2013/2014 flats (depending on location).

Example with mixed Coaxial able infrasture and Ethernet infrastructure.
https://www.patnotebook.com/bto-networking-singapore/

 

[Mach3.2]

My that picture above is from my new bto house in 2024. So is that circle thing coaxial?

that's weird

my flat collected key in 2018, don't have coaxial cabling.

 

[1a2a3a]

Your flat is TOP in 2024 but probably designed quite some years ago (eg: due to delay in constructions because of COVID 19). So you may still see the coxial cable points.

You may want to post a more clear picture to confirm. You may want to post a picture of your DB box as well.

I do not know the exact year when HDB started to drop Coxial cable infrastrures from new BTO flats. From the forum, they started to have Ethernet infrastructure in 2012/2013/2014 flats (depending on location).

Example with mixed Coaxial able infrasture and Ethernet infrastructure.
https://www.patnotebook.com/bto-networking-singapore/

I ballot in Nov

Your flat is TOP in 2024 but probably designed quite some years ago (eg: due to delay in constructions because of COVID 19). So you may still see the coaxial cable points.

You may want to post a more clear picture to confirm. You may want to post a picture of your DB box as well.

I do not know the exact year when HDB started to drop Coxial cable infrastrures from new BTO flats. From the forum, they started to have Ethernet infrastructure in 2012/2013/2014 flats (depending on location).

Example with mixed Coaxial able infrasture and Ethernet infrastructure.
https://www.patnotebook.com/bto-networking-singapore/

i ballot in Nov 2019, definitely built after that

 

[1a2a3a]

that's weird

my flat collected key in 2018, don't have coaxial cabling.

Do you have that circle thingy?

 

[Mach3.2]

Do you have that circle thingy?

Don't have

 

[xiaofan]

i ballot in Nov 2019, definitely built after that

I see. Maybe you want to post your DB box picture to confirm that your flat indeed has the Coaxial infrastrure.

Starhub announced in 2018 that they would stop providing Cable Online and Cable TV services in June 2019 (but extended to Sept 2019 later). IMDA mentioned the decision to move ADSL and Cable internet services to Fibre infrastructure much earlier. So I would not expect flats built after 2018 (not TOP date) to still have the Coaxial infrasture.

But I can not find in the HDB website or other websites when HDB stopped to provide coaxial infrasture for new BTO flats. Who knows? Maybe yours is one of the last batches...

 

[Mach3.2]

I see. Maybe you want to post your DB box picture to confirm that your flat indeed has the Coaxial infrastrure.

Starhub announced in 2018 that they would stop providing Cable Online and Cable TV services in June 2019 (but extended to Sept 2019 later). IMDA mentioned the decision to move ADSL and Cable internet services to Fibre infrastructure much earlier. So I would not expect flats built after 2018 (not TOP date) to still have the Coaxial infrasture.

But I can not find in the HDB website or other websites when HDB stopped to provide coaxial infrasture for new BTO flats. Who knows? Maybe yours is one of the last batches...

IMDA COPIF documents got specify what kind of connectivity a flat should have. I don't think coaxial is mandated after COPIF 2013.

 

[xiaofan]

IMDA COPIF documents got specify what kind of connectivity a flat should have. I don't think coaxial is mandated after COPIF 2013.

Hmm, I still see Coaxial cable mentioned in COPIF 2013 document.
https://www.imda.gov.sg/-/media/imd...de-of-practice-for-infocomm/04-copif-2013.pdf

7.11 Provision of internal telecommunication wiring

7.11.1 Every residential unit shall be provided, at the minimum, with –

(a) RG6 coaxial cable(s) of a number equal to the total number of living
room(s) and bedroom(s), which shall terminate into a multi-way splitter
(which may be located in the utility room or closet) at one end and into
an F-type TV outlet in each of the living room(s) and bedroom(s) at the
other end. The RG6 coaxial cable(s) shall be provided in accordance
with the requirements set out in chapter 14;

(b) unshielded twisted pair cable(s) (Category 6 or better) complying with
TIA 568-C specifications of a number equal to the number of
bedroom(s), which shall terminate into an RJ45 patch panel (which may
be located in the utility room or closet) at one end and an RJ45 outlet in
each of the bedroom(s) at the other end. The length of each unshielded
twisted pair cable shall not exceed 90m; and

(c) unshielded twisted pair cable(s) (Category 6 or better) complying with
TIA 568-C specifications of a number equal to two times the total
number of living room(s), which shall terminate into an RJ45 patch
panel (which may be located in the utility room or closet) at one end,
and into 2 RJ45 outlets in each of the living room(s) at the other end.
The length of each unshielded twisted pair cable shall not exceed 90m.