New Install Advice

[Sailorman]

Looking for advice on how to set up a new Ignite system with 2 TVs, internet and phone. Currently have a Home Phone box near the electrical panel in the basement connected to the phone lines in the house using several land line phones plugged into jacks. The digital cable line enters the house in the basement and connects to the old cable lines in the house and internet runs to an upstairs bedroom where the modem is located and setup with an Eero Pro modem linked to another Eero Pro on another floor by WIFI.

The Home Phone is connected to an alarm system panel in the basement.  Is it possible to back feed the alarm system using the ignite phone. Would aa Rogers Tech know how to do this.  My preference is to have the modem in the bedroom. 

As noted I’m currently using a bridged Rogers modem and Eero Pro modem.The Eero uses Ethernet connections for PCs in the room.  A second Eero Pro on the main floor is linked by WIFI and performance throughout the house and basement is excellent.  

How best to set up Ignite to retain support for alarm system including priority on phone in alarm state.  Location of the new ignite modem, setting up in bridge and using Eero modems, etc.   

Can Rogers support a bridge install?  

*Added Labels*

[SB28]

I had a similar situation  -- phone modem in basement beside electrical panel and alarm going into a jack, multiple land lines phones into jacks on multiple levels, and wifi modem on main floor.  The rogers tech kept the ignite modem on main floor and connected a phone wire into a nearby jack.  The alarm and other land line phones continue to work, however, a second more experienced tech had to come and help out.  They were opening jacks and doing something to the wires. It took over three hours to get it all installed including 3 tv ignite boxes (phone installation taking quite a while).

[Datalink]

@Sailorman have a look at the following threads which discuss the same situation that you're looking at:

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Ignite-TV/Considering-Ignite-Service-with-a-Complicated-Setup/...

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Home-Phone/Connecting-home-phone-to-Ignite-Router/td-p/461418/...

RJ31X search as indicted in the first thread:

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/forums/searchpage/tab/message?advanced=false&allow_punctuation...

What you're looking at doing can be done, its really a question of which way is the simplest to accomplish.  Read thru the first two threads and have a look at some of the threads in the search.  You should have an idea of what needs to be done after reading a few of those posts.  

Do you know that your home isn't equipped with Cat-5e cabling for ethernet purposes?  Depending on the age of the home, you might have Cat-5e cabling tucked in behind existing wallplates, waiting to be discovered by the home owner and put to use.  If you haven't checked out the cabling behind the wallplates or downstairs at the structured wiring panel, take a look behind one of the wallplates that has a coax and/or telephone jack just to see what else might be there.  As well, have a look in the basement to see if there are additional Cat-5e cables that aren't being used.  The cable jacket will have the cable type printed on it, allowing you to identify what is used in your home.  If, by some chance you have Cat-5e or higher cabling available for ethernet purposes, that greatly simplifies the final installation.  

OK, so, a little homework in the form of a reading assignment and a little cable inspection to boot 🙂  Let us know about the presence or absence of any additional Cat-5e cabling.  

[Pauly]

Here is the simplified answer you have bene waiting for.  The Rogers Ignite technician is not allowed to do a complex installation. All they are trained for is to BRING the new Ignite Internet, Ignite TV, and Ignite Home phone service into your house and to make sure it is working upon completion of the installation.

The TV set top boxes with Ignite are Wireless so they can go in any room in your house and do not need a coaxial cable run any more, If you wish to have hardwired, then simply after the install is over you can run a rj45 cable yourself.

Anything required BEYOND that is not supported, and not allowed.  But that does not mean not possible, it just means ROGERS is not allowed to do your complex setup, YOU on the other hand have the right and ability to wire it the way you want to, including interface it with your home alarm system,   however you have to do it yourself or hire someone else to do it for you.  Can it be done? yes.  I have done a complex install like that myself,

Rogers ignite just uses one modem box and I highly do not recommend installing it in the basement near your hydro.  Remember, this provides all the internet and tv and home phone and wifi signals to your house, its strongly suggested to put it into a central part of your house,  Times have changed we no longer install modems in the basements near the hydro. 

[Sailorman]

I read through the threads as suggested and i guess I’m screwed. The stuff on the alarm install is way beyond my expertise. I live in a 50+ year `old house so not a chance there is Ethernet cable hidden in the walls. There is a cable run outside from the basement that runs the modem upstairs but not sure running a Ethernet cable from the modem upstairs would be workable.  Your description of the Rogers Pro Install sounds like it is not exactly pro. 

Would love some better options. Putting the new modem in the basement solves the alarm connection but I end up with poor internet. Leaving the modem upstairs and bridging to my Eero Pro’s and back feeding my phone into the alarm seems like my best option if I can find a Rogers tech or another company willing to help install. Thoughts? 

[Pauly]

Just because Rogers techs will not support your install request does NOT mean you are out of luck, there are literally thousands of third party network and cable technicians out there who are able to and willing to do this kind of work.   But do not ask Rogers for any recommendations they do not keep track, you should check local listings for certified network technicians who can do work on a residential install, regardless of how old your house is.

I did these kinds of jobs myself in the past as a certified network technician and did not work for any of the big telecom companies like rogers nor bell.  I can easily do this but I am at the age where I am too busy with my family and committed to my job.  Best of luck finding someone

[SB28]

Interesting that many replies say you have to get a third party to get your alarm working.  I made the switch to ignite a few days ago and the rogers techs did all the phone work necessary -- 3 phones connected to wall jacks on 3 levels, plus a printer/fax, plus the alarm in basement.  They were even doing stuff to wall jacks that weren't being used and in some cases didn't know they existed.  

[Sailorman]

Thanks Pauly. I guess my first step is to see what the Roger’’s techs recommend and go from there. If putting the modem in the basement isn’t recommended they’ll have to come up with something else. My priority is to have fast internet throughout the house and to connect the phone to my monitored alarm. My alarm company says there are thousands of ignite customers who have their alarm systems connected and the alarm boxes are usually in the basement. The Alarm company  says they can do the backfeed as a service call if Rogers can’t.  It sounds like some Roger techs are able to do it and some not. I’ll report back how it goes.  In the meantime if anyone has other suggestions feel free to add.  

[Pauly]

The reason why some techs can do these things and others don't is some techs might have better training and  experience from other work, while most other techs this job is simply a paycheck and they are often encouraged by upper management to get in and get out as fast as humanly possible doing only the bare minimum to make it work and try to increase the number of installations booked in a day.

Also you run into the challenges. Some techs DO want to install it as per your request, but the type of cabling in their house might prohibit them from installing it a certain way, the construction and materials the walls are made of also can affect the signal quality so they often suggest where is the best place to locate the modem, as well they do not fish wires so any wiring would have to be run exposed and not cosmetically pleasant to look at.