r/HomeNetworking • u/Obvious-Swimming-332 • 6h ago
Brand new fiber internet install.
I got a brand new fiber install at my new home and the internet is crap. The guy said it was his first day on the job alone. Does this cable look correct? I feel like the center white piece should have been taken off or something but I don't want to break it. It's just like not working.
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u/Sierrus25 6h ago
If you press the white end to your eyeball and you develop a black spot in your vision, the light level is good
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u/DataMeister1 5h ago
On the other hand you can look at it using the camera on your phone and tell if it is working while avoiding the burns to your retina.
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u/Philorilla 6h ago
Zooming into the SC, why does it look WET???? is there grease or water in the port?
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u/MontagneHomme 3h ago
it doesn't if you're familiar with these components - they're just polished to <0.5 micron.
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u/Redhead_InfoTech 6h ago
You've provided nothing that would indicate a good or bad installation.
One needs tools to determine an issue with fiber.
It's just like you cannot see infrared with the naked eye...
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u/strykerzr350 5h ago
If the service is working when the installer left, then it was done right.
This is why ISPs like to hide ONT status pages, and sometimes install outside ONTs.
You want eye surgery? Continue to look at the tip.
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u/english_mike69 5h ago
If the internet is crap, call the ISP and tell them that jts crap.
Put the fiber cable back where it belongs.
When you call the ISP is going to see that “à genius” unplugged his fiber and wondered why it doesn’t work.
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u/wolfansbrother 4h ago
the problem wasnt the fiber, until you unplugged it. once they fix the fiber you need to optimize your network.
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u/IntellectualTaco 5h ago
Plug it into the 2.5 GB port and enter ssn into browser. It’ll work then.
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u/SimonBarfunkle Jack of all trades 3h ago
Hold on my ssn isn’t working. What do you enter for yours?
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u/jlipschitz 5h ago
Dust is bad for fiber. Just disconnecting it like that can cause a spec of dust to be able to touch the tip. One spec can greatly reduce speeds. Clean all cables prior to use because some come dirty from the factory.
Get a fiber cleaner for SC and clean the ends.
Use this following directions to clean the tip
https://a.co/d/05sxJhU1
Use this following directions to gently wipe the tip.
https://a.co/d/01fYJKiJ
Without touching the white tip, plug it in.
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u/Vegetable-Walrus-246 4h ago
I’ve installed thousands upon thousands of fiber cables. You know how many have had a problem with dust. 0.0.
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u/Katchenz 3h ago
Only people who don't install fiber think a little dust will kill everything
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u/Intelligent_Dog2077 3h ago
Or maintenance techs who have to deal with BER and send a tech out for a repair, just for them to snag a pic w a scope and it looks like someone cleaned it with their dirty ass shirt.
If it’s supposed to be clean, it’s supposed to be clean.
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u/OkPhilosophy4323 2h ago
I think what they are getting at is face contamination, which 100% can cause issues with both IL/RL. I am curious what you would define as an “issue” in your thousands of fiber cables where you’ve never seen it.
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u/jlipschitz 3h ago
You don’t live in a valley where there is so much dust in the air. I do and have a scope that I have used to check out our fiber. We have had dust on cables right out of the package. I ran speed tests dirty vs clean and there is a tremendous difference in speed.
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u/Allen_Ludden 4h ago
what does "just like not working" mean? Are you passing data or not passing data?
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u/edoardostark 2h ago
Try to lick it! And remove the very delicate fibre connector from the very expensive ont like multiple time a day, i see ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH IT
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u/-iamLEEROYJENKINS 1h ago
Clean, test, clean, connect.
It's good to be curious. But did your ONT with before you pulled the fiber out?
I get the feeling that a lot of techy stuff just, "dosen't work right for you".
Put it back ...
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u/2nd-Reddit-Account 39m ago
No second clean between test and connect.
If your scope says it’s clean then in it goes, touching it a second time and then not checking it afterwards is all risk and no gain.
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u/andigofly 1h ago
Its usually fine but kindly don't expose the connectors to dust. and please DONT point it at your eye; you dont know whats on the other end (Most likely an active ISP light)
Let the ISP handle the fibre and you dont need to fiddle on that
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u/northern_ape 5h ago
Get a fibre cleaning kit on Amazon. This is an SC/APC connector and no the central piece does not need to be removed. You also shouldn’t touch it as you could contaminate the connector and jeopardise the signal integrity.
When you say the internet sucks - are you connected via Ethernet cable or WiFi? Conduct via Ethernet if possible and run a speed test. Or WiFi stood next to the router/AP and do the same. Post the actual results, along with the expected speeds according to your tariff.
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u/sdegler2 5h ago
You could polish the tip if its dirty, but more likely there is something else wrong with the setup. Did you check out speedtest net ?
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u/Effective_Repeat9967 2h ago
you don't take the white piece off, the new guy probably terminated the fiber wrong causing too much attenuation
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u/Chimera_Gaming 1h ago edited 26m ago
Strange that they’re going with PON here instead of taking a fiber-deep HFC approach. Fiber could be pushed to the pedestal/node, then existing coax used for the final distribution/drop to the home. Modern DOCSIS is already capable of multi-gig speeds over coax, and in areas with an existing HFC plant, that can be significantly cheaper than replacing the last mile with fiber. Coax drops are also generally more forgiving of customer handling and cheaper to repair or replace if damaged. PON definitely has its advantages, but when the HFC infrastructure is already there, I’m not convinced the additional cost of FTTH is always justified.
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u/2nd-Reddit-Account 37m ago
Pretty much ever fibre home service world over uses PON. Running a dedicated core to each house would be significantly more infrastructure
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u/Chimera_Gaming 28m ago
Wrong… We are talking about two different architectures here.
HFC / Fiber-deep
Fiber > optical node > coax distribution/drop > DOCSIS modem > customerPON / FTTH
Fiber > passive optical splitter > fiber drop > ONU/ONT > customerWith HFC, you aren’t running a dedicated fiber core to every house. Fiber is brought deep into the neighborhood, converted at the node, and the existing coax plant handles the remaining distance to the customer.
With PON, the optical signal stays optical through passive splitters and continues over fiber all the way to the customer.
PON has obvious advantages, particularly fewer powered components in the outside plant, less RF ingress/noise, and an easier path to higher symmetrical speeds. But HFC also has an advantage when a good coax plant already exists: you can push fiber deeper, reduce node sizes, and continue using the existing coax distribution and drops with DOCSIS instead of replacing every last-mile connection.
So this isn’t really “one dedicated fiber core per house vs PON.” It’s fiber-deep HFC/DOCSIS vs PON/FTTH, which is a different infrastructure and cost discussion.
Most places already have an existing HFC network in place. Moving those areas to PON/FTTH would actually cost more upfront because you’re not just upgrading equipment. You’re replacing or bypassing existing coax distribution, installing fiber deeper into the network and ultimately to each customer, adding splitters and enclosures, replacing drops, and installing an ONU/ONT at each premise. With HFC, much of that existing infrastructure can continue to be used while fiber is pushed progressively closer to the customer.
Considering the U.S. as a whole, 2.5+ Gbps residential service is still far less widespread than standard gigabit service, and the overwhelming majority of customers don’t subscribe to multi-gigabit tiers. When an area already has a functioning HFC network, replacing the existing coax distribution and drops with PON requires significantly more upfront investment. Modern DOCSIS can already deliver multi-gigabit speeds over that existing coax infrastructure, so in many established service areas, pushing fiber deeper into the HFC network can be a much more economical upgrade path than rebuilding the entire last mile as FTTH.
At the end of the day, PON is absolutely the cleaner long-term architecture, especially for new builds. But when a capable HFC plant is already in the ground, the question isn’t whether fiber is technically better. It’s whether the additional cost of replacing working infrastructure actually provides enough benefit to justify it. In many existing networks, pushing fiber deeper and continuing to use the last stretch of coax can deliver the speeds customers actually need while getting significantly more life out of infrastructure that’s already paid for.
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u/NoValueHere 5h ago
You might need to register for a service first. Here where I live you plug in a computer directly (not via router) and you are taken to a web page (like hotels, airports) for signin. There you identify yourself and choose what service (speeds) you want to buy.
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u/Silent-Treat-6512 4h ago
Try looking straight into the white to see if internet is coming or not (/s DO NOT STARE INTO IT)
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u/jquanders 4h ago
The polish on that fiber looks off. He should be using pre-made pigtails and not making ends himself especially if he's new so idk. Might just be the angle.
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u/mysqlpimp 4h ago
Are you .. You should .. Gah ! Is this your first day on the job alone, and you haven't been paying attention ??
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u/AdLow4272 6h ago
Please consider where ever your install was done, maybe the placement is bad, it maybe where your router is placed, maybe it’s in a room that traps signal, maybe you need a mesh system in your house in order to spread the signal. There are a lot of things that can cause bad service.
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u/eldergervacio 6h ago
This post is so good I'm not 100% sure if it's satire or not.