An ONT is an Optical Network Terminal. It is typically a small white plastic box (around 180mm by 50mm by 120mm in size) that is mounted on your internal wall. It connects the fibre that has been wired to the outside of your house, to your router.
If you’re getting fibre installed for the first time, it’s important to think about where the ONT is placed because its location can affect your broadband experience. Every home is different so there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
The fibre technician will provide some advice but here are some general tips to consider:
- close to a power socket (the ONT is powered by a 12v adapter)
- centrally located in your home if possible to help optimise WiFi coverage
- close to data-hungry devices like televisions, gaming consoles or servers so that you can connect via ethernet cable if needed.
- close to where you use the internet most often.