IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Doing gigabit Ethernet over my British phone wires

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

Four key themes that dominate the discussion

# Theme Representative quotes
1 UK broadband is a postcode‑lottery and often overpriced “One peculiar thing from the UK: Internet providers don’t truly offer gigabit internet…” – Quarrel
“Gigabit is so much more expensive (obviously it's gone down a lot). In London 2016…” – user5994461
2 Existing telephone wiring is often Cat 5/6 and can be turned into gigabit Ethernet “If you open the socket you’ll see the cable is Cat 5e…” – anonymousiam
“I just replaced the RJ11 faceplate with an RJ45 and got gigabit all over the house” – retired
3 Pulling new cable in older UK homes is hard and costly “The abundance of solid internal walls…” – maccard
“You can’t pull a cable through a 3‑foot concrete wall without a huge mess” – jasonkester
4 There are many plug‑and‑play alternatives to running new wire “MoCA can give you 1 Gbps over the existing coax” – ninkendo
“Power‑line adapters are cheap but often unreliable” – Latty

These four threads—pricing/availability, repurposing phone lines, the physical difficulty of rewiring, and the range of alternative solutions—capture the bulk of the conversation.

🚀 Project Ideas

Phone2Ethernet Converter Kit

Summary

  • A plug‑and‑play kit that turns existing RJ11 phone sockets into RJ45 Ethernet ports using a single, low‑cost adapter and a quick wiring guide.
  • Solves the pain of missing Ethernet in UK flats, the cost of rewiring, and the confusion over phone cable categories.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience UK renters and homeowners with phone sockets but no Ethernet
Core Feature One‑step adapter that maps 4‑wire phone pairs to 8‑wire RJ45, includes a cable tester and a QR‑coded wiring diagram
Tech Stack Mechanical design, PCB for adapter, simple firmware for LED status, mobile app for scanning QR and troubleshooting
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue‑ready: £29 per kit + optional subscription for firmware updates and support

Notes

  • “I just replaced the faceplate and it worked” – many commenters noted the same frustration.
  • The kit eliminates the need for electricians, making gigabit feasible in 90% of UK homes.
  • The QR guide can auto‑detect Cat5/5e vs older phone cable and suggest the best configuration.

Home Wiring Audit & Upgrade Planner

Summary

  • A service that remotely scans a home’s wiring (phone, coax, existing Ethernet) using a handheld tester, maps the topology, and produces a minimal‑cable‑upgrade plan.
  • Addresses the “I don’t know what’s in my walls” pain point and the high cost of full rewiring.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Renters, landlords, and homeowners who want to upgrade to gigabit
Core Feature Mobile app + cloud dashboard that records continuity tests, identifies usable pairs, and recommends adapters or new runs
Tech Stack Bluetooth Low Energy tester, cloud database, AI‑driven routing suggestions, API to local electricians
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue‑ready: £99 per audit + optional electrician booking fee

Notes

  • “I can’t even tell if the cable is Cat5” – the service answers that instantly.
  • Provides a “future‑proof” plan, so landlords can add Ethernet without costly renovations.
  • Generates a printable wiring diagram that electricians can use, reducing labor time.

Coax‑to‑Ethernet Adapter Marketplace

Summary

  • An online marketplace for high‑performance, plug‑and‑play coax‑to‑Ethernet adapters (MoCA, G.hn, 2.5GbE) with user reviews, price comparison, and local availability.
  • Solves the “I have coax but no good adapters” frustration and the lack of UK‑specific product listings.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience UK homeowners, renters, and small businesses with existing coax
Core Feature Aggregated catalog, price alerts, shipping to UK, and a “build‑your‑own kit” option
Tech Stack E‑commerce platform, API integration with suppliers, recommendation engine
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue‑ready: 10% commission on sales + premium listings for suppliers

Notes

  • “I’ve been using MoCA but it keeps dropping” – the marketplace offers the latest 2.5GbE models with proven stability.
  • Includes a “compatibility checker” that scans the user’s coax type and suggests the best adapter.
  • Encourages local suppliers to list UK‑specific models, filling a market gap.

Broadband Optimizer & Negotiator

Summary

  • A web service that aggregates local ISP offers, compares speeds, prices, contract terms, and automatically generates a negotiation script tailored to the user’s building type and location.
  • Addresses the UK’s “postcode lottery” and the high cost of gigabit plans.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience UK residents, especially in multi‑flat buildings, looking to switch or negotiate better broadband
Core Feature Real‑time price‑speed matrix, contract‑term analyzer, automated email/phone script generator, and a “compare‑with‑neighbors” feature
Tech Stack Web app (React), backend (Node.js), database (PostgreSQL), scraper for ISP data, NLP for script generation
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue‑ready: £19.99/month subscription + affiliate revenue from ISP sign‑ups

Notes

  • “I’m stuck with a 500 Mbps plan that costs £75” – the tool shows cheaper 900 Mbps options and a negotiation script.
  • “Openreach’s GPON is limited” – the service highlights community fibre alternatives and their pricing.
  • The “compare‑with‑neighbors” feature fuels discussion and community pressure on ISPs, a key HN pain point.

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