Like many "legacy" DSL users I'm apparently being forced into Uverse. I'm very familiar with DSL and have been a happy AT&T/Bellsouth DSL subscriber for quite a long time. With the upcoming changes I've been busy reading the threads for an idea of how Uverse works...unfortunately I've got some complications and questions that I haven't seen mentioned.
My situation isn't unique I'm sure, but it isn't typical. Here's the scenario: at this address we have essentially two buildings. Technically it's one structure but in reality it's one two floor single family house with an "inlaw's" residence tied to it by a breeze-way (small single floor cottage-like). I live in one house and my retired father is in the other.
The utilities and the NID are between the two buildings but attached to the main building. Each building has it's own landline number but they're tied to one account (we have only two wire pairs going to the NID). One building has the second pair swapped inside the house so it becomes the primary so the phone jacks all work on the second line (to simplify things).
We've always kept two different DSL accounts to separate the expenses and to just keep the networks isolated from each other (if one of us is hogging the network uploading pictures for hours it doesn't prevent the other from video chatting, etc) - but it also simplifies the entire networking situation between the two buildings. Most of the devices in one house are on a network with CAT5 cable running to a gigabit switch and then to a router (multiple computers, NAS, bluray running Netflix and video from the network, etc) with a couple of laptops and smartphone on wifi. The other building's desktop PC is next to it's modem/router and uses CAT5 with a wii system (usually only for Netflix) and laptop on another floor on wifi.
I have satellite TV and don't want Uverse TV, I also want to keep a wet loop landline to the house.
With all that, any thoughts on how I can plan for a uverse installation with these variables? Here are some ideas and questions I'm pondering before I call AT&T:
* The simplest solution would be to continue with two separate accounts and networks like we've always had. Can Uverse be set up that way on two separate pairs (assuming we don't have to have bonded pairs to get it to work in the first place)?
* Along those lines, I've read about situations where people absolutely had to have a CAT5 homerun from the NID to the RG AND where people simply plugged into a wall jack with a DSL-splitter. I realize it really depends on the quality of the wiring and the individual situation, but assuming I need a "homerun" does anyone have any clever ideas about where to put the RG? The extreme ends of both houses are quite a distance apart so converting one house to pure wifi is going to only "sort of" work, except perhaps by putting wifi extenders in somewhere?
* A homerun for either house is going to mean burying the CAT5 or running it along the exterior of the house for quite a distance (something I'm really not interested in). There are no basements or crawl-spaces, and the side of the building where the NID is has no accessible attic space.
* After reading about so many different installations I was under the impression converting to uverse meant getting moved from a wet loop to a dry loop with VOIP service, then I read where some installations have DSL splitters with POTS left intact. Is the VOIP setup just an option and not a necessity - or does the customer have the option? We really want to retain live wall jacks with a wet loop/POTS on both pairs but I haven't seen anyone mention that situation in a thread here.
Sorry if I've missed this information in other threads. After two nights of reading I gave up searching for details :) At this point I'm trying to fill in the blanks or decide whether to see of CATV can be brought to the house as another option.
Thanks!
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