Guide - Getting the most out of your high speed Virgin Media (UPC) 240mb/s service

beauf

ED E wrote: »

Yep, if you configure the new router as an AP like that it just does wireless, no NAT, no firewalling, no DHCP.

Why would you just use it as a AP instead of using DHCP

This is how mine is set up.

http://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2057164321/1#post89360301

I have everything connected to my own tplink router. I was going to upgrade it to a better one, was planning to set it up the same. This will still work?

Benzino

beauf wrote: »

Why would you just use it as a AP instead of using DHCP

This is how mine is set up.

http://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2057164321/1#post89360301

I have everything connected to my own tplink router. I was going to upgrade it to a better one, was planning to set it up the same. This will still work?

I'm not that savvy when it comes to networking setups, but would this suffer from double nat? While I want the better wifi speeds, I also have a few consoles connected which I fear would suffer nat issues.

ED E

I'll summarize a little:

If you're a power user, bridge
If you're not, but want good wifi coverage, setup an AP

With the TC bridging isnt easy/possible, so you DMZ a new router as a "pseudo-bridge", double NAT shouldnt be a problem in this config.

For Plascebo with the questions he's asking a simple AP setup will keep his network as is, allow him to call VM for tech support as needed but give WAY better wifi coverage and speed than he currently has.

DHCP is what gives out IP addresses Plascebo, we let the TC do that job to maintain the current setup, so we dont want the new C2/8/whatever trying to also do it.

Plascebo

ED E wrote: »

I'll summarize a little:

If you're a power user, bridge
If you're not, but want good wifi coverage, setup an AP

With the TC bridging isnt easy/possible, so you DMZ a new router as a "pseudo-bridge", double NAT shouldnt be a problem in this config.

For Plascebo with the questions he's asking a simple AP setup will keep his network as is, allow him to call VM for tech support as needed but give WAY better wifi coverage and speed than he currently has.

DHCP is what gives out IP addresses Plascebo, we let the TC do that job to maintain the current setup, so we dont want the new C2/8/whatever trying to also do it.

ED D, thanks a mil, exactly the kind of answer I needed. Now to find the funds

bk

I've added information to the start of the guide about Virgins new 360Mb/s service as a possible alternative solution to peoples wifi performance issues.

Plascebo

bk wrote: »

I've added information to the start of the guide about Virgins new 360Mb/s service as a possible alternative solution to peoples wifi performance issues.

Hi bk, I joined vm in late Dec, can the tc7200 still be bridged by new customers?
Thanks.

bk

Plascebo wrote: »

Hi bk, I joined vm in late Dec, can the tc7200 still be bridged by new customers?
Thanks.

I believe so yes, with the steps in the guide in the first post.

Plascebo

bk wrote: »

I believe so yes, with the steps in the guide in the first post.

Thanks for the quick response Will keep my eyes on adverts.ie for those who upgraded to 360 and looking to offload their c8's

Dandelion6

k123456 wrote: »

I bought this one [Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 Plus Bluetooth]
about 30 stg

Anywhere I could get this in Dublin? Or something of equal quality?

TheDoc

bk wrote: »

I've added information to the start of the guide about Virgins new 360Mb/s service as a possible alternative solution to peoples wifi performance issues.

Feedback seems to be a mixed back regarding wifi performance. I see some people posting really impressive speeds. I know from my own firsthand, my father who got in the 360mb pack, wifi appears to be only really hitting around 18-25mbps when we test various points around the house.

Didn't do any messing on his router as it was a quick visit.

Another option by the way that I didn't see mentioned in the OP was having the entry point switched. Virgin have continued the UPC service where you can book an engineer to come out and they relocate the point of entry in your home.

When I lived with my parents, got this done for €20 and the technician moved the point from the living room, to my fathers gaming Pc upstairs, where it still is now. Technician was really good with cable management on the side of the house. Left us some cat cable to run ourselves inside through the attic to drop down into my old room and my sisters room.

It's a service still provided and cost's €60. So if there is someone who maybe suffers coverage in a core area in the house, it might be worth (and affordable) to have them relocate the entry point.

I'd totally forgotten about this, only dawned on me this morning as I was doing my morning fret of looking at the side of the house, pondering to run cable up out and in, or go with Wifi

bk

TheDoc wrote: »

Feedback seems to be a mixed back regarding wifi performance. I see some people posting really impressive speeds. I know from my own firsthand, my father who got in the 360mb pack, wifi appears to be only really hitting around 18-25mbps when we test various points around the house.

Was that with an 802.11ac client device running on 5GHz band?

or maybe you mean 25 MB per second, which would be 200Mb/s

The reason I ask, most people are reporting speeds of 300Mb/s or more when using 802.11ac on 5Ghz both sides.

When I see a speed like 25mbps I suspect something is wrong in the wireless setup, maybe a crappy old 802.11n client device operating on 2.4Hgz only?

TheDoc

bk wrote: »

Was that with an 802.11ac client device running on 5GHz band?

or maybe you mean 25 MB per second, which would be 200Mb/s

The reason I ask, most people are reporting speeds of 300Mb/s or more when using 802.11ac on 5Ghz both sides.

When I see a speed like 25mbps I suspect something is wrong in the wireless setup, maybe a crappy old 802.11n client device operating on 2.4Hgz only?

No client devices running AC. To be honest I'd have guessed only the latest and great smartphones and tablets come with AC Wifi (if even?)

I know in my house, in my setup, I've nothing AC compatible, so my interest was very much to see if the router was better at dispersing WiFi signal then some of the others that UPC supplied.

Can't say I was overly impressed, although this was obviously only one instance and example.

ED E

AC has been a standard feature for flagship handsets for ~18 months.

iPhone 6 was the first of Apples phones to have it, thats 15 months old.

mass_debater

ED E wrote: »

AC has been a standard feature for flagship handsets for ~18 months.

iPhone 6 was the first of Apples phones to have it, thats 15 months old.

It's also a flagship feature on Android phones

TheDoc

ED E wrote: »

AC has been a standard feature for flagship handsets for ~18 months.

iPhone 6 was the first of Apples phones to have it, thats 15 months old.

Not the sort of house that upgrades to the latest and greatest. I only moved to One plusX few months ago, and that was my first upgrade since Nexus 4 launch.

I've just been cleaning my PC room the last hour, and came across one of these (no idea where it came from)

Linksys WRT610N Dual Band

Just looking up the specs on it now to see if it's any better then maybe the Cisco UPC one I have.

EDIT: The specs sheet I found
http://downloads.linksys.com/downloads/datasheet/1224644756761/WRT610N_DS_V20_NC-WEB,0.pdf


EDIT": I also stumbled across a Linksys wireless N adaptor I used years ago. Plugged that in for the craic to see what the wireless speeds are like with existing Cisco router.



I've two different types of USB port in my PC, always forget which is which. So threw the adaptor into a different port



So better, not as good as my powerplugs, but interesting none the less. Tempted now to put this Linksys router I found in downstairs this evening


My base router is currently set to 20mhz 2.4 GHZ signal. If I try 5GHZ for some reason the GF's IPhone doesn't pick up the signal. Interesting though that the Linksys spec sheet seems to indicate it can broadcast at both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz. I'm tempted to bridge for that alone, considering my phone sees 5Ghz no issues.

Plascebo

I have bought a C7 and hooked it up following the OP's post. However when I am now downloading I get red symbol in the bottom left of utorrent with the message (when I hover the mouse over the symbol) "Not Connectable. A firewall/router is limiting your network traffic. You need to open up a port so others can connect to you".

Any ideas/suggestions, I have already disabled the SPI Firewall on the C7.

Edit: After a few minutes it seems to have corrected itself

After I try apply a Static IP in the C7 as per OP I get the following error:

Error code: 5005
Bad DNS Server IP address, please input another IP address.
for example: 202.96.134.188.

Also, should I untick WAN Blocking in the TC7200?

ED E

Sounds like you're using it as a router not an AP. As above I dont really think you need its routing functions.

Plascebo

ED E wrote: »

Sounds like you're using it as a router not an AP. As above I dont really think you need its routing functions.

Oh, I thought that by following steps 1-11 in the OP it was setting up the C7 as an AP?

I still have my homeplugs and telephone plugged into the TC7200 with no issues.

Plascebo

Plascebo wrote: »

After I try apply a Static IP in the C7 as per OP I get the following error:

Error code: 5005
Bad DNS Server IP address, please input another IP address.
for example: 202.96.134.188.

Also, should I untick WAN Blocking in the TC7200?

Re-read the thread and followed BK's advise on page 2, changing the primary and secondary DNS. Saved the settings this time, thanks BK

Should I un-tick "WAN Blocking" in the TC7200's settings?

Also, has anyone who has a TC7200 with latest software tried bridging, seems very complicated, with mixed methods/reviews?

Cyrus

just a quick thank you on this, my woeful horizon box speeds of 35-40 mb wireless on 240mb bb are now over 160mb just adding a tp link router, what a POS the horizon box is!

Plascebo

Cyrus wrote: »

just a quick thank you on this, my woeful horizon box speeds of 35-40 mb wireless on 240mb bb are now over 160mb just adding a tp link router, what a POS the horizon box is!

Hi Cyrus, did you make the TP Link an access point or bridge it?

Cyrus

Plascebo wrote: »

Hi Cyrus, did you make the TP Link an access point or bridge it?

just an access point i think i followed the guide in the OP but didnt get into any of the trickier stuff

Roland27

Hi lads, looking for some advice on possibly getting a new WiFi router. I have my Cisco EPC3925 with 240Mb in the main house, but I have a new external office building outside (approx 25 ft away) which I'll have 2 computers in and need high speeds... so am I better off getting a new router (Archer C8) and using WiFi or would I just be better off getting a new UPC/Virgin installation point installed by a technician?

I will require high speeds uploading/downloading for work in the office, so I am better off sticking with ethernet as opposed to this type of WiFi?

ItHurtsWhenIP

Roland27 wrote: »

Hi lads, looking for some advice on possibly getting a new WiFi router. I have my Cisco EPC3925 with 240Mb in the main house, but I have a new external office building outside (approx 25 ft away) which I'll have 2 computers in and need high speeds... so am I better off getting a new router (Archer C8) and using WiFi or would I just be better off getting a new UPC/Virgin installation point installed by a technician?

I will require high speeds uploading/downloading for work in the office, so I am better off sticking with ethernet as opposed to this type of WiFi?

If you can, I'd suggest you run Cat5e/Cat6 cable from your Cisco out to the external office and connect it to a 4 port gigabit switch, or an Archer C8 (if you want wi-fi in the office, but the C8 may be overkill in this scenario). That way you continue to get the full speeds.

loup

Just connected to the new 240Mb/s service. Best speed I get is 129 Mbp/s would this be about right? This is connecting directly into the modem with CAT5 cable.

Plascebo

loup wrote: »

Just connected to the new 240Mb/s service. Best speed I get is 129 Mbp/s would this be about right? This is connecting directly into the modem with CAT5 cable.

I think you have to use either cat5e or 6 cable to get the best results.

mass_debater

loup wrote: »

Just connected to the new 240Mb/s service. Best speed I get is 129 Mbp/s would this be about right? This is connecting directly into the modem with CAT5 cable.

What are you testing with?

loup

Sorry it was CAT5e cable I was testing with Sony VAIO laptop about 2 yrs old, the modem is supplied by UPC as UBee EVW3226. Laptop is running Windows 10.

Actually prob realise with 100Mbps network card that is as good as i get...

PTH2009

my pc was bought before wifi became available so i had to buy a TP link wifi dongle.

My wifi comes from the downstairs virgin horizon box but it can be very slow. My wifi connection to my playstation 4 is very slow and often breaks down.

any tips, wud buying a wifi router help ???

Irish Gunner

Hi

Ok upgraded to the Virgin 360 modem and installed it. Have no issue getting onto wifi via laptop and old S4. However I have a one plus one and wifi connects and then drops. Posted over on Android forum and others to try to find a fix no joy

just wondering if there are any settings on the modem I could change to see if its something there I can to ensure not a modem issue but phone

Also anything else I could change to enhance speed etc

cheers