Did you know that if your NBN cable needs replacement, it's pretty close to impossible to get that arranged? A Thread on the last week or so of absolute ridiculousness.

So, about a week ago, while I was setting up a bunch of AV stuff, I discovered that the cable that sends the internets from the plug in the wall to the modem had developed... an issue. Specifically, the thing that connects the cable to the cable connector had broken.

How did this happen? Look, I'm not pointing fingers, but the internet plug is *right behind* the couch, and the cable points straight out. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which person's movement of which piece of furniture damaged which piece of cable here.

So, this damage hasn't completely wrecked the internet - the connector and the cable *can* stay together, as long as there's no additional pressure anywhere else. So, I figured I had at least a few days to get a replacement cable sorted, yeah?

So, first bit of research tells me that a sufficiently shielded Coaxial cable will probably do the trick. Well, that's easy, I can get one of those from Bunnings, they have click and collect, don't even have to get out of the car!

That gets sorted in less than a day, even got a little right-angle connector to make sure this doesn't happen again. Just... one problem. The new cable doesn't work. Like, it worked for a few minutes? Then the internet completely flakes out. Right angle connector and not.

Okay, so further research tells me this isn't uncommon, and that a very specific cable grade is used by NBN. So, do some internet sleuthing, and discover problem #1: NOONE sells any less than 100m of this stuff. I need... 1-1.5m.

Okay, so clearly I need to get some help here, so I call @iiNet. I thought I was pretty clear - My cable is damaged, I need a new cable. It's not *urgent*, but I would like it relatively soon, can I buy one from you guys?

Nope. They don't sell it, but they're willing to talk to @NBN_Australia to see if we can get one from them. Ideal! I leave them to it.

Now, it seems that this request got a bit... wobbly inside iiNet's support system, because a few days later I get a message saying that a technician needs to come to my home. I figured that, well, I don't have any better options, I'm happy to get that arranged.

Today the technician comes down, and I advise that yes, this is stupid, but what I actually need is just the cable, you probably didn't need to come into my home on this, the year of our COVID. He looks at the cable, agrees.

He mentions that I've got a weird one, because these cables don't usually break. But! Good news! There's a cable supply store not far from me! They can probably make up a length of that cable for me!

So, I call Middys St Kilda, who note that due to COVID, they're only selling to tradies right now, and even then, they don't sell anything less than 100m (you know, like everyone else). They recommend Cables Plus, another cable stockist.

They don't do NBN cable, but refer me to Radio Parts in West Melbourne, who *also* don't do this, but apparently this query had come up a few times for the person who picked up my call, so decided to take the opportunity to do some research for both us on the phone.

It turns out that the grade of cable NBN uses is, umm, not well serviced for the consumer market, since you have to be NBN certified to make lengths of the stuff, so most people do not have small lengths just hanging around.

But, Radio Parts Guy comes up with a few contractors who might be willing to make up a short length for me, and so now I'm contacting a bunch of them now. Seriously man, it should not be this hard just to buy some replacement coaxial cable!

All the while the dodgy cable, which is getting more and more precarious (and maybe might not be so stable anymore after being touched by the technician and myself this morning?), is still plugged in, still waiting for a goddamn replacement cable from any source.