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Inside Wiring for AT&T U-Verse

S

seepy83

Platinum Member
I'm in the process of buying my first home, and I'm looking at my options for Cable/Internet. AT&T u-verse is new in the area, and I'm wondering if anyone here knows the requirements for each location (i.e. the router/gateway, each TV Reciever, etc).
Does the AT&T phone demarc terminate at a gateway, and then it's all Coax and/or Cat5/6 from there? If so, which is it - Coax or Cat5?
 
You just run a phone line from the modem to an adapter which then connect into any phone jack in the house, and then a cat5 cable from the modem to your router or computer. As far as what is inside the walls, I am not sure but I assume it is the same that goes to any normal phone line. I am in an apartment so I can't open up a wall to check or anything.

That's all you do for internet/phone. I don't have television through them so I'm not sure about that part.
 
I believe as long as you have a Cat5e/6 plug into every room you want internet in, you will be fine. Have all the rooms wire into one central room and plug into a router and the Modem. As long as you have a coax plug into the wall in all rooms that need tv i believe you will be fine.

For Example:
My Parents in Colorado are setup like this.

Linksys layer 3 Cable Modem/Router and 8 port Switch in a mechanical room (AC units/storage/breaker panels). From there all the cables going out of that switch run to all according rooms with wall plates. Just plug the computers into the cat5 wall plate.
 
If this is new construction, chances are they'll deliver fiber to the prem, otherwise it'll be copper.

If it's fiber, the conversion happens at an "ONT" (like a NID - grey box on the side of your house). From there they can use either coax (HPNA) or Ethernet (Cat5e) to an "RG" (Residential Gateway). The RG then feeds your STBs, provides Wireless/802.11g, and, if you choose their VoIP voice service, this is the termination for your phones. There are two jacks in the RG. IF you do not choose the VoIP, then your POTS service is delivered via fiber, terminating in the ONT. Standard is also two lines, but more can be added.

If your service is delivered on copper, it's mostly the same. The service is VDSL (VDSL2 is "around the corner"), delivered to the RG. from there, everything is the same as delivery on fiber to the ONT.

The first box is usually a DVR, subsequent boxes are just STBs. With "Total Home DVR" all of the STBs can use the DVR for playback. All boxes are HD and have outputs for Composite, S-Video, Component, and HDMI. A typical installation permits "2+2" - 2 HD and 2 SD boxes showing or recording different programming at the same time. While those four are working, another four (maybe eight) can be watching something else via Total Home DVR.

U-Verse can be distributed in the home via either coax (HPNA) or Cat5/5e/6/6a. UTP is the preferred media, though if the installer sees decent coax, he'll try to use that ... I suggest you push for UTP. Some of the differential noise modes that show up on coax are difficult to filter well. These problems are not problems on Cat5/5e/6 (where it's more likely to be "common ode" noise and more easily dealt with.

I have it and like it a lot, I still have but will be giving up, Direct TV... which I've had since their Day One in the Chicago Market. I like DTV a lot too; U-Verse is giving me more features that I use for less money.

FWIW
 
ScottMac is right on, I just ditched Comcast and got Uverse on 12/20
- they showed up on time after a 10 inch snowstorm (902am on a 900am appt) ++
- installed looked over all the wiring before starting anything
- 2 days later another ATT truck came to replace the line from the house to the junction box on the pole (replaced 'flat wire' with 'twisted pair')
 
Thanks for the input. Scott - that's exactly what I needed to know.

The house isn't new construction (was built in 1970), so it will be coming in on copper. I know there's Coax at 2 locations in the house, and nothing is wired for ethernet. I'm trying to decide how much wiring I want to run, and if I can do it on my own or not. I've terminated UTP plenty of times, and I have keystone jacks, a patch panel, punchdown tool, etc. But I've never terminated Coax and don't have the tools for it.

If it will work, then I'll just do Cat5e drops to each location and terminate them myself. But, if i'm rewiring, I should probably consider running bundled cable that includes UTP, Coax, and Fiber.
 
I agree, if you're pulling new stuff, then pull a bunch.

The tech (should) will sweep the UTP (or coax) for compliance before lighting up the system.

Don't forget power for the RG in the closet, a good filtered power source (EMI/RFI/Surge Suppressor or UPS ...) is recommended.

Enjoy!

 
Originally posted by: ScottMac
Don't forget power for the RG in the closet, a good filtered power source (EMI/RFI/Surge Suppressor or UPS ...) is recommended.
Click to expand...

Someone I work with mentioned that their RG shipped with a Belkin UPS...did yours come with one?
 
The UPS is supplied when 1) you have U-Verse voice (VoIP) or 2) you have fiber-to-the-home service, since the POTs service cannot be line powered, as is usual with copper-connected service.

Also note that the UPS will only keep Voice Service alive; regular Internet and TV service is not sustained with the supplied UPS.

I did not get one (you can probably get one by asking). I have a big UPS that I feed my closet with, so I really didn't need one anyway.

 
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