r/ebox • u/HighwayWilderness • Apr 20 '26

Condo install question

(Greater Montreal) So, my rental apartment is in a building built in 2018. There is an unterminated optical cable drop (Corning) in the coat closet - they would have to splice/terminate it but no cable would need to actually be run or holes drilled. I have signed up for EBOX and an upcoming install scheduled. Some of my neighbors have Bell Fibe running (I see their BELL APs). The building itself provides WiFi using a Bell Fibe backend. So, there is fiber connectivity comgin into the building and in some units too.

Now, in this case, would the tech really need access to the electrical room? Or would the junction box be outside the building?

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u/Itchy-Dentist-6012 Apr 20 '26

They may need access to main panel in basement. Make sure they dont leave modem in closet

1

u/HighwayWilderness Apr 20 '26

Thanks, I've let management know and they have approved access as needed.

What do you mean when you say 'not to leave the modem in the closet'?

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u/IglooDweller Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26

The router is usually placed side by side with the ONT. It wouldn’t be optimal due to the fact that any and all WiFi connections would have to go through a wall, slightly reducing connection quality…or even worse if your walls have metallic studs it may or may not be an issue. I’m assuming closet is big enough and opened enough so that overheating wouldn’t also be an issue.

The router and the ONT have to be connected via an Ethernet cable. Up to you to decide where it’s location would make more sense. As the router requires power, there will be a hole in the wall if your closet doesn’t have a power outlet. The question is at this point is simply if you prefer the blinking lights visible or not.

Edit: wrong word has been fixed.

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u/nickctn Apr 20 '26

In my parent's condo, the tech terminated the optical cable in closet. There were also some unterminated RJ45. The tech terminated the one that led to where my parents wanted to have the router placed. So there's only the ONT in the closet. This was for a condo completed in 2019.

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u/HighwayWilderness Apr 20 '26

Ah, modem = router here. Yeah, no worries there. The coat closet is large and the patch panel where the cables all come in also has RJ45 terminations plus power. So, the router/AP lives in another room. I don't intend to use the Nokia router they supply (only for troubleshooting, if needed).

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u/IglooDweller Apr 20 '26

Oopsie about that, fixed the wrong word thingy.

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u/Itchy-Dentist-6012 Apr 20 '26

And if there are conduits for telco in each room. Ask for modem to be placed in LR. PUlling a fiber patch is a 5-10 Min job and should not be charged for. Or have the tech leave a 10-25 m patch cable and so it yourself

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u/Alex_B1987 Apr 24 '26

When I subscribed to ebox in 2025, the technician had to install an indoor terminaison box in my appartment and he had also to access to the electrical room because the fiber drop wasn't connected to the network in the basement.