Help w/changing over to fiber internet

[junglechef]

I'm switching both my Truevision cable (satellite dish) service and TOT internet over to AIS Fiber optic.

 

The AIS technicians came to install the fiber optic cable but didn't know how to do it and told me to wire my house myself and he'll run a cable optic to it when I'm done. 

 

They will bring a modem, booster and play box (for tv)

 

I want 3 tvs in different rooms and wifi internet (they say land lines will be available in the future)

 

Could anyone explain the basics of how the set-up works and how it's all hooked-up.

 

Thanks,

JC

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

Moved to IT forum (nothing Chiang Mai specific).

[RichCor]

The AIS technician will bring a fiber optic 'drop line' into your home and connect it to an AIS-firmware branded Fiber Optic Ethernet Router -or- Fiber Optic Ethernet + WiFi Router   ...converting it to the same setup as your previous TOT Internet connection.

 

The AIS PlayBox iptv set top box can connect to the router either over WiFi or (preferred) via Ethernet Cable.

You'll need more AIS PlayBox iptv (or Android set top boxes) for the additional TVs, again connecting then via WiFi or Ethernet Cable.

 

While WiFi is great for that easy and portable connection to your Internet connected devices, direct wired connections are preferred for devices used to view iptv and streamed media content.  Ethernet (or even PowerLine boxes over AC electrical wire cable) usually give you a better buffer-free experience.  

 

 

[Pib]

 

Quote

 

The AIS technicians came to install the fiber optic cable but didn't know how to do it and told me to wire my house myself and he'll run a cable optic to it when I'm done. 

 

Sure they know how to run the fiber optics cable to your residence,  install the fiber optic cable through the wall, and then connect it to the fiber optic router/modem.  Each technician does that multiple times per day.    You must have asked the tech to do some house wiring....like wiring to other rooms or something and he was basically saying he don't do that.   Probably you misunderstood what the tech was trying to tell you.   

 

I have AIS Fibre and the install is just  RickCor explained it above....fiber cable to my house, the fiber is run through a small hole in my house, and just on the inside is where the fiber optics router is placed....from that router you connect via Wifi or ethernet.   Just a typical install regardless of internet service provider....be it AIS, 3BB, etc.

 

Now if you also want a connection in another room, well, you need to use Wifi or run an ethernet connection from the fiber optics router to that other room....running that ethernet connect to another room is "your" responsibility; not the internet service provider.

[Encid]

2 hours ago, Pib said:

Now if you also want a connection in another room, well, you need to use Wifi or run an ethernet connection from the fiber optics router to that other room....running that ethernet connect to another room is "your" responsibility; not the internet service provider.

You don't have to run wires to another room either.

I solved that problem by running a LAN cable from my PON router to a TP-Link AV500 Powerline Edition 300Mbps Wi-Fi Range Extender which plugs directly into the power socket in my computer room.

The AV500 Adapter plugs into the power sockets behind the TV's in my living room and master bedroom which have LAN cables connecting them to Android boxes connected to my TV's.

 

Final result: a "hard-wired" internet connection at fiber speed to my TV's and an extended WiFi range thanks to the TP-Link Extender and Adapters.

[brewsterbudgen]

You don't have to run wires to another room either.
I solved that problem by running a LAN cable from my PON router to a TP-Link AV500 Powerline Edition 300Mbps Wi-Fi Range Extender which plugs directly into the power socket in my computer room.
The AV500 Adapter plugs into the power sockets behind the TV's in my living room and master bedroom which have LAN cables connecting them to Android boxes connected to my TV's.
 
Final result: a "hard-wired" internet connection at fiber speed to my TV's and an extended WiFi range thanks to the TP-Link Extender and Adapters.

Can I pay you to come and do this for me?

[Stocky]

22 hours ago, RichCor said:

 

While WiFi is great for that easy and portable connection to your Internet connected devices, direct wired connections are preferred for devices used to view iptv and streamed media content.  Ethernet (or even PowerLine boxes over AC electrical wire cable) usually give you a better buffer-free experience.  

 

Powerline works for me, no way I can get good wifi signal over all 4 floors of the house and I wasn't about to cable everywhere. I've two Powerline networks running, an older TP-Link Nano AV 500 and a newer TP-Link AV1200 Gigabit, they run side by side no problems.

[Encid]

Just now, brewsterbudgen said:

Can I pay you to come and do this for me?

555... it's really simple.

 

I posted a video somewhere on how to set it up and make it work.

I'll try to find it again for you.

[Encid]

Here it is.

This is a slightly different version to mine but the principles are the same.

 

 

[junglechef]

Thanks for the responses.

 

I posted this in my local forum as I'm not a techie so bare with me please.

 

To clarify the technician said he had never set-up two tvs (this was after the AIS shop said they had extra Playboxes incl the pricing etc).

I've heard the fiber optic cable expansion has taxed the staff so they are using sub-contractors who all might not be well versed in the technology 

 

Anyway having my electrician over to look today as my 20 phone calls to AIS Fiber technicians got me nowhere. 

Even the question of what kind of cable to run inside my house (my internet research came up with LAN cable) couldn't be answered. 

 

Does anyone know how if they will connect the Fiber Cable (they left mer 70 mt) they want me to run from the inside of my house to outside? Spliced or some sort of a connecting box perhaps??

 

Also any clue to the possibility of AIS having Land Lines in the future for telephones using the Fiber Optic Cable they are going to run to my house?

Asking as wondering if I should run a telephone line from the router inside my walls too now along with the LAN cable.

 

Cheers, appreciate the advice 

 

 

[junglechef]

Just now, junglechef said:

Thanks for the responses.

 

I originally posted this in my local forum as I'm not a techie so bare with me please.

 

To clarify the technician said he had never set-up two tvs (this was after the AIS shop said they had extra Playboxes incl the pricing etc).

I've heard the fiber optic cable expansion has taxed the staff so they are using sub-contractors who all might not be well versed in the technology 

 

Anyway having my electrician over to look today as my 20 phone calls to AIS Fiber technicians got me nowhere. 

Even the question of what kind of cable to run inside my house (my internet research came up with LAN cable) couldn't be answered. 

 

Does anyone know how if they will connect the Fiber Cable (they left me 70 mt of it) they want me to run from the inside of my house to outside? Spliced or some sort of a connecting box perhaps??

 

Also any clue to the possibility of AIS having Land Lines in the future for telephones using the Fiber Optic Cable they are going to run to my house?

Asking as wondering if I should run a telephone line from the router inside my walls too now along with the LAN cable.

 

Cheers, appreciate the advice 

 

 

 

[Pib]

junglechief,

 

First, of all, I've had AIS Fibre since Jul 16....first the PowerHome 50/10 plan and then I upgraded to the PowerHome 100/10 plan several months ago.  

 

About a month ago I called the AIS Fibre central call number with some curiosity quesitons.  One of the curiosity questions was can I get/buy a second Playbox.   I  said I noticed AIS Online Store sells the Playbox "remote" but not the Playbox.    The rep said no...only one Playbox per fiber line.   I said are you sure...the rep responded with a Yes.   To get another Playbox I would need to open another plan....have another fiber line run to my house.   Assuming the rep was right, maybe that will change in the near future with AIS expanding its IPTV channels like having the HBO/Cinemax channels plus other premium channels that True recently dropped.

 

From your latest post and your 16 Feb I'm still not 100% sure if AIS has installed anything yet in your residence...and so far they have just make a site visit to you residence, you had a bunch of questions/wants/desires regarding installation when they arrived, but when the dust settled they did not hook you up and just left you some 70 meter of fiber optics cable for you to hook up inside your residence if you want them to hook you up to AIS fibre.  Is that correct?  No install as occurred yet?

 

Also, do you live in a standalone house or do you live on a upper floor in a condo-type building as that makes a difference in the type of install AIS would do?    Where you said they left you 70 meters of fiber optics cable makes me think you live on an upper floor of condo-type building.   If that's the case they are "not" going to run fiber optics up to your residence....they would run the fiber optics to the ground floor where they would transition it to a VDSL connection (i.e., via phone/DSL copper line) "if they support your building."      By "if they support your building" I mean they have installed the extra "fiber to VDSL equipement" in a ground floor equipment cabinet to support the various residences in your building. 

 

Since you said they said they left you 70 meters of fiber optics cable it sounds like you live on a upper floor, maybe they do not support your building (i.e., have the extra fiber-to-VDSL equipment installed on the ground floor), and were basically saying if "you" can get the fiber cable run from your upper story residence through the conduit in the building down to the ground floor then they could do a fiber connection all the way to your residence....they would treat the connection like a single, standalone house.   They would then only need to splice together the fiber you ran down to the ground floor to their incoming fiber....no fiber-to-VDSL equipment/conversion required.   This would also mean you could get one of the plans faster than 75Mb if desired as VDSL pretty much tops out at 75Mb....and even reaching 75Mb can be iffy....but reaching 50Mb no problem.  Also means you would have fiber all the way to your residence....no copper phone/DSL line involved/for the last X-meters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[junglechef]

Your correct they haven't done anything yet besides register me and then cancel my registration (that's a whole another story but basically are saying if I have another ISP the technicians won't call me even though I want to cancel that service, which they are giving me a 50% discount for 3 mtns to do, and go with AIS so it's text book Catch-22)

 

When I registered at the AIS main office here in Chiang Mai they told me the technicians would first come out and tell me what needed to be done, including a quote as my free standing two story house is further from the road then what's included in the free installation as I have a long private driveway.  Originally they said the first 300 mt is free and my driveway is around 500 mt. but when the technicians came they said there is no extra charge.

But when they showed they immediately started running fiber optic cable without even speaking to us. We stopped them as we run all wires under ground near to the house in pvc tubes. 

I believe the 70 mt of fiber optic cable was to run it in the underground tubes which only are in the  portion of my property close to my house.

 

Interesting about only being allowed to have one Playbox, makes sense now what the technicians knew how to do (or didn't know how to do more precisely) even if the staff at the shop told me I could have more. 

[Pib]

OK, this makes more sense now...especially where you say the 70m of fiber cable so "you" could run it underground since that's what you wanted....you wanted it run underground in conduit....but AIS only runs above ground or in existing conduit where it's very easy to push/pull the fiber through....really not harder than installing above ground.   In a way, this is similar to needing to run fiber within the conduit of a high rise condo type building where the customer want fiber all the way to their condo on the X-floor.    AIS, 3BB, True, etc., is "not" going to do that.

 

Where you say "you believe" the 70m of cable they left you was for  the underground run, that just tells me there is not a clear understanding between you and AIS/technicians as to "what you desire for the install" and "what they are willing/can do."    The ol' Thai-English communications gap....the gap that can create all kinds of miscommunication (and possibly getting pissed at the person you trying to talk to....been there, done that too many times myself).

 

When it comes to making special runs within a building or to your house like in underground conduit, you the customer is responsible for arranging/doing that unless maybe the installer decides to pick-up some extra money by doing it as side-work/during their off time and then also doing the very final bit of install (bringing the router, activating the line, you signing acceptance papers) on company time.

 

By the way, a fiber optics cable run can be very, very, very long....up to around 20km long with loss of much power.   Completely different from a copper wire run which has much less range before the power loss become too great and requires amplification/conditioning.     Heck for say a 1 km long fiber run, the power loss would only be around 0.5db....practically nothing.  

 

When they installed my AIS Fibre run it was about a 230m run from their main fiber trunk line on a main soi to my standalone home on a side soi.  All above ground.  During the time of installation, I think AIS policy was after 200m they "may" charge X-amount per additional meter....but I was not changed anything additional.  Fiber optic cable cable is cheap now days.  

 

Also, if you look at the AIS Fibre webpage down in the Term & Condition notes when they talk "installation costs" they use the word "outdoor wiring."   To me that is implying their generic installation pricing which is basically "free" only applies for an installation above ground to your standalone house or to the ground floor of a condo-type building.  And special wiring, like running it through building conduit, underground conduit is handled differently.  Like maybe "not" done...that's up to the customer to get done....or their is different/additional pricing.   I'm sure they are so, so many different  "wiring scenarios"  technicians are faced with, to include maybe someone living in a tree-house or cardboard box. 

 

When it comes to having more than one Playbox, all I know is what the one AIS Fibre Call Center rep told me...the rep spoke good English.  I even asked him "are you sure?"....he put me on hold for about a minute as the rep supposedly wanted to ask his supervisor...when the rep came back on line he once again said only "one Playbox per line/plan."   I expect the Playbox MAC code/serial number is married to the system upstream just like how TrueVision settop boxes/subscription cards are married to the system....just like how DOCSIS/cable modems are married to a system....just like how fiber optics routers are married to the system. While I'm AIS could allow more than one Playbox per line, "if what the rep told me is indeed correct" for whatever reason they are not allowing it now....but I bet they will in the future when they expand their IPTV services with premium channels. 

 

Maybe there are people out there on AIS Fibre right now that got "two or more" Playboxes from AIS and they have them running around their  residence....and I'm not talking other Android boxes they may have bought at some store.....I'm talking AIS Playboxes with the AIS Playbox application/software running on it.   If there are such people out there with multiple Playboxes hopefully they will chime in.

 

 

[junglechef]

Having a clear mutual understandings and open communication are exceptions to the rule here for me quite often. 

 

For instance no one has yet to even mention that only one Playbox per account is available as you have suggested. 

 

Why I wrote "I believe" is because when they left I was under the impression that the Fiber Optic Cable would have to be run inside my house to the Modem which I planned to put by the TV a few rooms away from where the cable would come inside. 

 

I expected to run the wires underground myself as I had done with my electric and TOT phone/internet lines and any others wiring , hole digging etc. necessary.  One of the issues was finding out what kind of wires they wanted me to run once inside and any other things that I need to do.

 

I appreciate your feedback, it has been very helpful, but I would like to mention that it's not only Thai-English communication problem as they spoke no English and my Thai isn't very good so I had my wife talk to them. For instance they said they haven't ever hooked-up twoTVs nor knew how too never-the-less have an extra Playbox and pricing for it. I would have expected they would have mentioned that they never had as it's only one box per account (if that's the policy) and  would know how even if they haven't done it. But as I have found before there is a lack of communication between the staff and management and they probably didn't know the policy nor it seemed did the assistant manager at the Chiang Mai headquarters. 

 

The latest is I have been connected with a person at AIS who speaks English fluently thru a friend and is some sort of local fixer and they are looking into it for me. I also have to go to Festival Mall now so I'll pop into AIS and see if they can shed anymore light on the situation. I'll report back if there is anything worth adding.

 

 

 

 

[Pib]

8 hours ago, junglechef said:

Why I wrote "I believe" is because when they left I was under the impression that the Fiber Optic Cable would have to be run inside my house to the Modem which I planned to put by the TV a few rooms away from where the cable would come inside. 

 

I expected to run the wires underground myself as I had done with my electric and TOT phone/internet lines and any others wiring , hole digging etc. necessary.  One of the issues was finding out what kind of wires they wanted me to run once inside and any other things that I need to do.

 

The fiber they run to your house must connect to your router (a.k.a., modem) as it's a fiber optics router.  The router is basically the termination device for the fiber optics cable. 

 

Now in a highrise the fiber is run to a ground floor cabinet/device which converts the internet signal to a VDSL signal and then that VDSL signal can be sent over plain jane phone/DSL copper lines assuming the lines are good enough quality.   Now in some of the new building with the latest wiring, they may have pre-installed fiber in the building, but I expect in Thailand not many such condo buildings exist.   However, they may be pre-wired with TV cabling wiring which some internet providers, like True, can use to provided high speed internet via DOCSIS/cable internet (i.e., internet run over TV cabling).

 

But in your case where the fiber is being run all the way to and inside your home, once the fiber enters the house it will have to continue as fiber optics run to where ever you want the router placed.  But there are limits as to where you will be able to place the router unless running the fiber within the house is relatively easy for the AIS tech (or any internet provider tech).  Otherwise he's  just going to tell you where they will hook up the router or tell you he can not place the router where  you want it unless you have the fiber pre-installed so he can hook into that pre-installed fiber run.

 

This is why Wifi within residence is so popular.....with multiple rooms within a residence and limits as to where and how much time an internet provider will expended in installing an internet connection at your residence a person usually has to make compromises (or spend more money) in setting up internet within their residence.

 

Good luck...and just keep in mind internet providers have their limits on where and how they install.

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2017 by Pib

[wpcoe]

15 hours ago, Pib said:

 

In a way, this is similar to needing to run fiber within the conduit of a high rise condo type building where the customer want fiber all the way to their condo on the X-floor.    AIS, 3BB, True, etc., is "not" going to do that.Playbox application/software running on it.   If there are such people out there with multiple Playboxes hopefully they will chime in.

 

FYI , TMN Cable in Pattaya did run a continuous fibre line from the connection point at the condo building all the way to the wall inside my condo unit.  When I saw them advertising FTTH I was skeptical, but they came with a big reel of fibre line and they said there were no intermediate connections.  They don't currently offer any ultra-high speed packages, so I probably would have accepted a VDSL line, but was pleasantly surprised to have fibre right up to the ONU box in my living room.

 

They installed the fibre line about two weeks before a major renovation on my condo unit began, so the contractor had them run the fibre through a flex conduit which dangled in front of the wall until the reno began, at which time my contractor embedded the conduit into the wall, so it's a nice clean installation.

 

The condo building is about 15 years old so whatever infrastructure there is to support the fibre system probably was installed by TMN, and they said could install for customers all the way up to the top (18th) floor.  I only wish I could get AIS, or even True, to do the same.

[junglechef]

Latest is after asking the direct question of how many Playboxes I can have I was told "one" by the AIS rep in the shop.

 

Of course there was the usual amusement including being told they have been trying to call me to tell me that my house is more then 200 mt from the road, obviously a fact I know but nothing more such as there is a extra charge etc. But the best part is they gave me the number they can't reach me at which I called and is for the Electric Company in BKK, which I have to connection to especially as I live in Chaing Mai. I didn't even ask why they did not try my AIS cell number we have been communicating on already.

 

I did get a call last night in English from a very well spoken Thai technician who is going to do the installation, not sure which of my efforts was responsible for this.

 

I do have a few novice questions.

What does the Fiber Optic Cable that comes to the house plug into or connect to and how?

If I get an Android box, I've heard Kodi is good, will it hook-up to internet by the modem with a LAN line?

Are Android boxes one per TV like AIS Playbox?

 

 

Thanks again for enjoying this adventure with me and all your useful help

JC

 

 

[KittenKong]

26 minutes ago, junglechef said:

What does the Fiber Optic Cable that comes to the house plug into or connect to and how?

 

That cable should go to a small junction box which has a user-pluggable socket on it for the short fibre patch cable that goes to your fibre modem (usually yellow and usually supplied with the modem). The reason for this is that the main fibre cable has to be terminated using a special tool whereas the short patch cable is designed to be plugged and unplugged by the user.

 

Something like this:

 

[junglechef]

Thanks

 

Is the "short fiber patch cable" is a Fiber Optic Cable that runs from this junction box to my modem? 

 

I'm trying to figure out where I should place my Modem, Booster and Playbox supplies by AIS and what wires I'd need to run to each.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, junglechef said:

 

I do have a few novice questions.

What does the Fiber Optic Cable that comes to the house plug into or connect to and how?

If I get an Android box, I've heard Kodi is good, will it hook-up to internet by the modem with a LAN line?

Are Android boxes one per TV like AIS Playbox?

 They will put a terminal box on the wall like shown in KittenKong's post.   This terminal box is really just a convenience thing as the incoming fiber optic cable could have been run all the way to the fiber optical router.  

 

I expect you've been in homes where a small telephone terminal box is mounted on the wall...from there you run a short telephone cable from your phone to that terminal box and then you have a phone line connection.  Same approach with the fiber optics terminal box....runs a fiber optics cable (which AIS provides...pre-made length or a special length made for you) from the fiber optics terminal box to the router.    When I had AIS Fibre installed, that terminal box to router fiber optics cable (will probably be yellow in color) was special made for me upon my request with around 5 extra meters in case I needed to move around the cabinet I set the router one.  Otherwise they would just have used a pre-made cable approx 3 meters in length.

 

The Playbox is an Android box with AIS apps pre-installed.  You can load additional apps such as Kodi from Google Play, sideload the apps, etc.  Basically load additional apps just like you would on a Android smartphone/tablet.   The Playbox connects to the router via ethernet or Wifi...using an ethernet connection is probably better as Wifi connections in general can be fickle sometimes.

 

 

Edited February 22, 2017 by Pib

[Pib]

junglechef,

   You might want to watch this couple years old YouTube video of an AIS Fibre install.  Now this install is above ground all the way and the tech and customer is not too concerned about appearance....but it definitely shows the basics of an install like how they put connectors on the fiber cable, etc.  And I've included a snapshot from the video showing the terminal box (although mine was smaller/looked a little different), the router (you router may look different as ISPs are always getting different routers), and the interconnecting patch cable between the terminal box and router.  Even shows the Playbox during the video.  With the exception of the Playbox the customer had the equipment hung on the wall to include the router.  

 

And the router shown below (a Huawei router is only does 2.4Ghz so if you are getting a 50Mb or high speed plan, the best Wifi speed you will be able to get with this router is around 45 to 50Mb if close to the router.  But AIs is providing new routers all the time which may include 5Ghz capability also which allows much higher Wifi speeds.  And in my cases AIS also include free a separate 5Ghz router that you can use to plug into the primary router they provide in order to make a 5Ghz band connection allowing higher Wifi speeds.   Just want to mention this as I see so many novice posts where they can get the speed advertised by the plan and their problem is they have a Wifi setup that can't reach the full speed of their plan...but once they make a direct connection between their router and computer via ethernet they get full speed no problem.  So when they complete the install be sure you are getting the plans full speed when hooked up with direct connection between  the router and you computer....also have them set the router Wifi up with "your selected Wifi password"....then see what type of Wifi speed you are getting.  Consider making your Wifi speed as fast as possible as separate personal project which you will need to work on.

 

 

 

 

Video of Install

 

 

Edited February 22, 2017 by Pib

[KittenKong]

1 hour ago, junglechef said:

Is the "short fiber patch cable" is a Fiber Optic Cable that runs from this junction box to my modem?

 

Yes, it's the yellow cable you can see in Pib's photo. It's all really to do with convenience for the end user as mentioned, so that you can easily unplug it if you want to move furniture or the modem. Also the yellow cable is much thicker but more flexible than the supply cable which makes it easier to handle. And if you break the yellow cable you can replace it yourself with one bought in any shop. To repair/replace the thin supply cable requires a special tool and some skill. The fibre part of the supply cable is thinner than a hair and the main bulk of the supply cable is the twin metal support cores which are very stiff. Also it's simpler for technicians to test the line like that as they only need to test to the junction!

 

 

[junglechef]

Couple more questions

 

1. Anyone know if I get an non-AIS box (AIS calls them Playbox, I believe generically called an android box) will it hook-up to internet modem with a LAN line? (like the AIS Playbox does)

 

2. What is an ONU (Optical Network Unit) also known as? 

 

Thanks, JC

[Pib]

Android boxes can connect via ethernet or most by Wifi also. Just double chech the box does Wifi also when buying.

ONU equals geek terminology for the fiber optic router/modem.

[junglechef]

1 minute ago, Pib said:

Android boxes can connect via ethernet or most by Wifi also. Just double chech the box does Wifi also when buying.

ONU equals geek terminology for the fiber optic router/modem.

 

Appreciate it, yes the installer said he would supply an ONU box, not sure why it didn't use the pedestrian terms Router or Modem when talking to a retail customer.

 

Talking about geek terminology I guess you mean LAN when you said ethernet so Ill take that as a yes (we don't have to get into WAN and MAN at this point in my education )

 

Don't know if wifi would work now as the android box will be across the house and a flight up thru cement walls and floors but makes sense to buy one with wifi for future uses.