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

EyeCake

I have just moved into a new house with lots of Nest and other smart home devices
I signed for VM 360 and plugged my Apple Airport Extreme device int the back of it and had another Airport Extreme Time Capsule as a repeater upstairs.
It quickly became overloaded and kept cutting out and VM suggesting putting their router box into modem mode and just using my Apple Routers
I have 8 Ethernet ports in 4 rooms in the house and a Zydel Gigabit 8 port switch.
The question is should i plug the Apple Router into the VM Modem and the Switch into that and on to the Ethernet ports.
As you can see I don't know a lot about networking, the electrician installed the Ethernet cackling but didn't know how to set it up so any help gratefully received

beauf

The VMHub3 seems to work much better in bridge mode.

Basically in bridge mode, you plug everything into your own router. The only thing plugged into your VMHub3 will be your router.

Damien360

EyeCake wrote: »

I have just moved into a new house with lots of Nest and other smart home devices
I signed for VM 360 and plugged my Apple Airport Extreme device int the back of it and had another Airport Extreme Time Capsule as a repeater upstairs.
It quickly became overloaded and kept cutting out and VM suggesting putting their router box into modem mode and just using my Apple Routers
I have 8 Ethernet ports in 4 rooms in the house and a Zydel Gigabit 8 port switch.
The question is should i plug the Apple Router into the VM Modem and the Switch into that and on to the Ethernet ports.
As you can see I don't know a lot about networking, the electrician installed the Ethernet cackling but didn't know how to set it up so any help gratefully received

There is a maximum number of devices allowed on the VM360 box (I have one). I will have to dig out exact numbers but it is relatively low. I use that VM as modem only, you have to, and then disabled all routing on that device and used my own router (netgear N7000) to do all the donkey work.

So for your setup, use VM box to connect to internet as modem only. Then set your apple router as router mode only, with a fixed IP, and use its DHCP function to do all the routing.

Damien360

I couldn't get bridge mode to stay live.

How I did it :

Your Hub 3 (VM) is at 192.168.0.1, password on the underside of box. Wireless set to off. DHCP disabled.

My own router set to static IP 192.168.0.2. for internet traffic
The DHCP is set to go from 192.168.1.10

Powerlines for all wired devices and the rest is wireless all routed by the netgear.

There is a risk of double NAT this way instead of bridge mode but PS4, XBOne, and PC gaming work without fuss so I'm happy.

EyeCake

https://flic.kr/p/2c7urFE

Sorry for being so dumb but have read first post and last 10 pages
This is photo of apple router which I have plugged into VM30 set in router mode by VM
Is it the Router address or the IP address I chane to 192.168.1.1

ED E

EyeCake wrote: »

https://flic.kr/p/2c7urFE

Sorry for being so dumb but have read first post and last 10 pages
This is photo of apple router which I have plugged into VM30 set in router mode by VM
Is it the Router address or the IP address I chane to 192.168.1.1

Your hub 3.0 isnt in bridge mode. If it were the first IP would be a Virgin one.

What the second one is set to doesn't matter.

EyeCake

What a job!
After disconnecting myself for several hours by accident and restarting Hub and router about 12 times i eventually got the right setting and all devices working perfectly and getting very good speeds.
Thanks for all the help and to this thread.

Hyzepher

Anyone know why after bridging mu Archer c8 my IPTV is freezing every 10 seconds?

ED E

Last Tuesday VM or their T1 made a change that improved latency to the UK. Changes are not uncommon but normally its only a few hours. This has maintained.

Now if only they would replace the Hub3s it would be a great service. (above is a 3925)

Damo 2k9

So I stumbled across here, have always wanted to beef the internet up in the house, ended up being able to snag a Archer C9 for 40 euro so looking forward to getting stuck in.
Will post before/after results etc, no doubt ill be back with some questions!

Damo 2k9

So Modem Mode is enabled on VM Hub, all other steps followed, and the Archer C9 is setup no problem, both WiFi channels showing and connecting fine etc.

The only thing is that the speeds are not even reaching 3MB on 2.4, and not even reaching 0.5MB on the 5G channel. (WiFi)

Speeds are around the same on Wired aswell, straight to the laptop and with Cat6 Cable (30-40)

Any ideas??

beauf

Reboot it,

Damo 2k9

beauf wrote: »

Reboot it,

Done so 2-3 times, still no joy unfortunately.

beauf

I would contact VM and see if you have an issue with the line or the box.

Damo 2k9

beauf wrote: »

I would contact VM and see if you have an issue with the line or the box.

Thats what I was thinking, a reset on my line and then if it still persists get a engineer out.

Damo 2k9

Just keeping this updated, incase anyone else has issues.

VM Engineer (:pac:) came to the house, did whatever he was doing and put it down to a bad splitter, told me to check the speed of the wifi on my phone...and it was still at 40MB, blamed my phone compared to his phone etc etc. Dont really think he knew what he was doing.

After a bit of fiddling, the speeds I'm getting are a lot better than previous, some ridiculously fast results on fast.com which he said "Is much better than all the rest, they are all sh!t" and then some more realistic results on speedtest, VM Speedtest etc.

Quickly fired up the Archer C9 and definitely a lot better than last week, had to leg it to work so will get it setup correctly when home, hopefully.

beauf

Often different phones and laptops have different WiFi cards/spec and will get get different speeds. Its not just if they are new, its depends on the feature set of the WiFi card and if it can use all the WiFi functionality of your router.

I have mine in bridge mode and two different WiFi routers connected to it. I have lots of problems with interference and congestion at 2.4 but on the 5ghz its much better but the range is terrible.
often have dropouts not of the WiFi routers, they are solid, but of the VM Hub modem. Usually comes back within a few minutes. Sometimes needs a reboot.

You might also use an App like WiFiman to see if your router is in the best place for coverage. Also which band you should be on. Auto channel hopping doesn't always work that well.

Damo 2k9

beauf wrote: »

Often different phones and laptops have different WiFi cards/spec and will get get different speeds. Its not just if they are new, its depends on the feature set of the WiFi card and if it can use all the WiFi functionality of your router.

I have mine in bridge mode and two different WiFi routers connected to it. I have lots of problems with interference and congestion at 2.4 but on the 5ghz its much better but the range is terrible.
often have dropouts not of the WiFi routers, they are solid, but of the VM Hub modem. Usually comes back within a few minutes. Sometimes needs a reboot.

You might also use an App like WiFiman to see if your router is in the best place for coverage. Also which band you should be on. Auto channel hopping doesn't always work that well.

I completely agree regarding WiFi Cards etc, but surely they cant say 'Its fine on my phone so its fixed' and think its fine. (This was on the VM Hub btw, not the C9)

When you mean bridge mode, is this Router Mode on the Hub 3.0?? I found unbelievable speeds on 5ghz, albeit testing directly beside the router. Will report back later with how I find the coverage.

The channel that I was on earlier, most of my neighbours were on aswell so I will be changing that later on too.

beauf

Also check if you have dead spots in the house. My house has girder in the kitchen which seems to kill a lot of signal, or my neighbours wifi is stronger there and drowns out mine.

I used a powerline adapter to move the WiFi router to a more central location in the house to get better coverage.

Damo 2k9

beauf wrote: »

Also check if you have dead spots in the house. My house has girder in the kitchen which seems to kill a lot of signal, or my neighbours wifi is stronger there and drowns out mine.

I used a powerline adapter to move the WiFi router to a more central location in the house to get better coverage.

I was going to ask you on how you ran ethernet to the router in different locations, surely your going to lose some signal strength running through powerlines? How have you found that?

beauf

Yes but a bad power line & Router combination at 40~80 Mbps is better than WiFi only at 5 Mbps.
If I need a better connection I use another power-line and Ethernet direct to the Computer.

You lose speed on power-lines if they are on different electrical loops or there is interference.
I have a 3rd party laptop supply that stops it working entirely.

If you have money a mesh Wifi would be best. But expensive. I'm just using a mix of old 100Mbit adaptors and a couple of new 500 ones.,

Damo 2k9

beauf wrote: »

Yes but a bad power line & Router combination at 40~80 Mbps is better than WiFi only at 5 Mbps.
If I need a better connection I use another power-line and Ethernet direct to the Computer.

You lose speed on power-lines if they are on different electrical loops or there is interference.
I have a 3rd party laptop supply that stops it working entirely.

If you have money a mesh Wifi would be best. But expensive. I'm just using a mix of old 100Mbit adaptors and a couple of new 500 ones.,

I am currently using the 100Mbit powerline adaptors myself, and as you said reaching the ~40Mbps on my desktop (upstairs). No money for Mesh unfortunately, although thats the dream!

I will see how I get on with the new router later on and report back, see how the coverage is throughout the house. Coverage has been great with the Hub 3.0, it was just the speeds that werent!

moonboy52

Just had a call from Virgin, telling me a new Modem/Router is on the way.

I had to tell them i would not accept it and that i am happy with the 3925.


It has been rock solid, backed up with SamKnows Data. Solid 240/24 24/7.

Is everyone still happy with their 3925?

ED E

moonboy52 wrote: »

Just had a call from Virgin, telling me a new Modem/Router is on the way.

I had to tell them i would not accept it and that i am happy with the 3925.


It has been rock solid, backed up with SamKnows Data. Solid 240/24 24/7.

Is everyone still happy with their 3925?

Be careful its not delivered anyways, a week to restore the provisioning :mad:

bennyx_o

Recently tried to upgrade to 500mb but was told it wasnt available in my area so upgraded to 360mb and, to my surprise, got to keep my 3925. Thought I have been forced into a new modem. Just need to sort out the speed, only getting 290mb or so DL speed

Vikings

I have a Hub 3.0 modem (VMDG500) and looking to buy a router for primarily better WiFi performance.

Is there anything someone can recommend in the 100-150 range? Or what should I be looking at to improve now and last a while?

Ivefoundgod

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but does anyone know what the speeds are for Virgin Media in Carlow Town? I've got eir fibre but the speed is really poor. Takes forever to download games on steam/PSN/Xbox live even when connecting via ethernet cable. Speedtest generally comes in around 24mbps download, 16mbps upload. I'm currently paying €55 a month for eir and its €69 a month (after 6 months @ €39) to get Virgin media 500mb. I don't mind the extra cost if it will be worthwhile. The only thing i'll miss with eir is the sports channels but I believe BT is moving to Sky as distributor next year in any case which would take a lot of the decent content off eir.

Anyone familiar with the speeds in the area?

ED E

I suspect you're actually getting 40Mb down but the TV package is hammering that down to 24. A downside to IPTV.

If Virgin are offering 500Mb then you'll get exactly what you sign up to, 240 will be 244, 360 will be 366, 500 will be around 510. Their TV doesn't take from the broadband speed. If you game a lot be aware of the PUMA6 bug that will make your latency(ping) spike every 90 seconds. A big issue for twitch shooters etc.

Ivefoundgod

ED E wrote: »

I suspect you're actually getting 40Mb down but the TV package is hammering that down to 24. A downside to IPTV.

If Virgin are offering 500Mb then you'll get exactly what you sign up to, 240 will be 244, 360 will be 366, 500 will be around 510. Their TV doesn't take from the broadband speed. If you game a lot be aware of the PUMA6 bug that will make your latency(ping) spike every 90 seconds. A big issue for twitch shooters etc.

I don’t have their tv package so it’s not that. That’s good to know, thanks. Not much of a shooter fan but do play FIFA and PES on and off, would this bug cause issues there?

skippy123!

Hey guys...

I have VM 500Mb connection at the moment on their white box router... I do have my own Archer C7 and was thinking would it be better to have Virgin media router set up as modem and then use my Archer C7 as actual Wifi router?

I need to connect 4 LAN devices into it + several wifi devices. Will that work?