Homehub3000 operates Bell Fibe across Canada.
Homehub3000 operates Bell Fibe across Canada.
Sorry if this isn’t the right spot for your question... I recently got a new FTTH fiber internet service in Canada. The issue I’m facing is that the technician only installed the router/modem at the back of my apartment where the fiber arrives. He explained it wasn’t possible to place it next to my desktop, which I wanted for Ethernet connectivity instead of WiFi. Eventually, I had to accept having it behind the back deck.
My home is in a large mansion-style building divided into apartments. The layout goes from the back hallway with the modem on the wall to the back deck, then down to bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms. There’s about 20-30 meters from where the desktop sits to where the modem is now.
Questions: Is it accurate that the modem can’t be moved to a more convenient spot inside my apartment? This seems confusing. If you need your desktop hardwired to the modem, what happens if you upload large files (several GB) to your website via WiFi using the 50Mbps fiber connection? The cable is thin white and has a small green plug coming out of a wall hole—it connects directly to the Homehub3000 modem. Can I extend this cable with a coupler or hub, or run it further (around 20 meters) to reach my living room? If I split the fiber into Cat6 cables in the living room using a hub, can I still provide strong signals to four devices at once, just like with four separate Ethernet ports? Or will they all share one port and cause conflicts? Also, won’t the four Ethernet ports on the back of the modem be useless if I don’t run four Cat6 cables 20 meters each through different rooms? How can I effectively place those ports in the living room without moving the modem? Thanks!
Pick up a gigabit unmanaged network switch and a Cat5e (or Cat6 if it’s over 100m) Ethernet cable that’s long enough to connect from your modem to your desired location. A 5-port Gbit switch is available for less than $40 on CDN.
Imagine you receive 50Gbps but only have four connections. As you connect devices, the speed drops noticeably. Using bandwidth in isolated ports versus combining them can affect performance—splitting traffic may reduce efficiency and cause more interference or slower speeds overall.
The consumer home router functions as a blend of various components. Typically it includes a modem, router, switch, and wireless access point. A switch merely directs data packets along specific cables without assigning IP addresses or performing routing decisions. The connection speed between any two devices on the same switch remains full-duplex gigabit, even with other traffic present (though slightly reduced in real-world scenarios). Once devices receive IP addresses, data travels directly between them without needing to return through the router. When several devices share a single connection on a switch, that link’s capacity must be divided. Introducing additional switches adds minimal latency—just a few milliseconds—making the difference unnoticeable.
A hub offers a bit more processing power and is suitable for capturing packets. It provides deeper functionality, though it's not necessary for basic needs. You should opt for an unmanaged gigabit switch supporting 10/100/1000 ports. Most budget consumer switches are either 5 or 8 port, with one port dedicated to uplink, expanding your setup to 4 or 7 ports respectively. Brand choice isn't crucial; brands like trendnet, tp-link, and netgear offer solid options in the entry-level range. Consider metal casing for added durability. Installation is straightforward—just connect your uplink to any port and client devices to another, and it should work. You'll also notice many managed switches available, which are pricier and include advanced features like VLANs, link aggregation, failover, and traffic logging that aren't needed for simple setups.
Sorry for the delay.. here is the photo of the cable: But now there's a whole other thing to deal with. My landlord came by to get the Bell equipment he thought was his while we weren't here (we let him). He saw my HH3000, took it off the wall, yanked the fiber cable and snapped it. We finally got it back from him but got stuck with the problem that my fiber cable was broken. Fine, technician came back to fix it, refinished the end of the cable, left it running fine. He wouldn't put the modem in a better place for me either but at least admitted that extending the fiber or running an ethernet cable to the living room would be fine but stated AGAIN about the aesthetics. I just don't get it! That's NONE of your business if I wanna run cable! Can you do it or not, I don't need your interior decorating tips. Anyway, he leaves and about 10 hours later, none of my devices can connect to the modem via WiFi. None of them. They can all see the network, see my SSID, but none can connect. So I call tech support, they run me through a factory reset over the phone. Everything works again. 10-15 hours later, nothing can connect AGAIN. I spoke to Bell again and now they're treating this as a big deal and are sending a senior tech tomorrow. So, the cable is fine, the modem shows no errors whatsoever, my devices see the network, but the modem refuses connection to anything. Seemingly even Bell doesn't know what to do. I'm using a generous neighbour's WiFi. Does anyone have any idea of something I can try? Does this problem sound familiar? I feel like I've tried everything. Anyway.. THAT's the cable I was talking about. What is it and can I extend it myself? The last tech said it had no issues with being bent. Thanks!
Old thread, same queries keep popping up. I’m the "senior Bell Fibre Tech" by all means.
1. Is it really correct that you can’t relocate this modem for easier access in your home? This seems confusing. If you need a wired connection to your desktop for uploading large files, why rely on a 50mbps fiber signal? Of course not—your goal is to keep the setup central for optimal Wi-Fi performance. As a renter, you should have prior approval from the property owner before installing any wiring or fiber. That said, your current Wi-Fi setup isn’t the issue; your HomeHub3000 can handle most 5Gbps connections smoothly, delivering over 200mb/s. Your upload speeds to web servers are also unlikely to overwhelm the network.
2. The thin white fiber cable you have is a standard Ethernet cable with a small green plug. Can I extend it further—say, 20 meters—to reach your living room? Yes, you can splice it using a coupler or hub. However, each connection point loses signal strength. You won’t lose speed until the signal drops below about -12dB. If your signal quality is poor at the property’s main address, running Ethernet directly from the modem to your PC might be more reliable. Plus, copper cables are more robust and last longer than fiber in certain conditions. You can buy a 20-meter Ethernet cable for under $15 at any store.
3. Using a Cat6 cable in the living room with a hub is possible, but you’ll lose signal quality at each joint. Once the strength drops significantly (around -12dB), service will be interrupted. If your home’s lighting is decent at the modem location, Ethernet might be a better choice than shared Wi-Fi. It also avoids potential conflicts from multiple devices sharing a single port. With a gigabit switch, you can reach about 250mbps per device—close to your current Wi-Fi speed.
4. The four Ethernet ports on the back of the modem aren’t necessary if you’re not running four Cat6 cables across your home. You could still use powerline adapters for those ports, or simply rely on Wi-Fi. The hub will manage traffic better than shared ports. If you need more devices connected, consider a quality switch and ensure each gets its own dedicated port.
5. Your concern about the four Ethernet ports is valid. If you can’t run all cables through the modem, using powerline adapters or switching to Wi-Fi for those ports makes sense. The hub will handle the load, but make sure you have a good signal source at the modem and a stable upstream connection (your 50Mbps fiber should handle this).
In short, don’t stress about moving the modem—just evaluate your current setup and upgrade where needed. If you want maximum reliability, Ethernet is worth the investment.
Additionally, you don't possess a 50gbps connection. As of now, the quickest HH3000 link can reach 1.4gbps going down and 170mbps coming up. The Bell Fibre Network, once upgraded with better equipment on both sides, might support up to around 40gbps at most, but it won't be used for that rate to your home. AT&T's future plans for wireless nodes—where they install fiber terminals on poles and use pedestals to link wireless devices to modems via a small dish outside—are expected to arrive long before we reach 10gbps at home.