Virgin Media

[guest311]

" login to the admin panel of the Hub3" 

ok, how do I do that, don't forget I'm a luddite  :'(

looks like I need to find an idiots guide .

[Dorsetmike]

Hub 3 access, similar to my Belkin router and probably most other similar devices

https://www.google.co.uk/search?source=hp&ei=mmtYXZOyHcXUsAfXtJWABA&q=hub3&oq=hub3&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l5j0i10l2j0j0i10l2.3652.5185..7849...0.0..0.147.460.3j2......0....1..gws-wiz.......35i39j0i131.Icbkhg4LcfI&ved=0ahUKEwiT55f_5orkAhVFKuwKHVdaBUAQ4dUDCAc&uact=5

A quick Google search can frequently give you an answer quicker than asking a forum

[guest311]

managed to get the hub to do a system check, and although tower unit is about 30 linear feet from the hub, and VM promised 100 metres wi-fi connection, I was told to move it nearer to the hub 

had enough for now, will carry out other suggested testing tomorrow.

ain't it marvelous when you have to sort your problems out yourself, because the firm you are paying are not interested 

[guest311]

this morning, armed with son in law's EliteBook 8440p, I prepared to do battle.

however, before connecting a LAN cable, or changing around the cables feeding the hub, I decided to do a speed test by wi-fi.

used the which speed test.

at the tabe, 8 ft away from the hub, the results were
ping 28ms download 109.4mbps upload 5.9mbps

I then went upstairs next to the tower unit, which was not switched on, and repeated the test, the results were
ping 40ms upload 12.7mbps download 4.1mbps

so it looks like I owe VM an apology, I am getting what I am paying for, but what happened to their 100 metre wi-fi range.

is it possible the thing that does the wi-fi in the hub could be faulty, not sending out a strong enough signal ?

back downstairs I have just run the test again, and results were
26ms / 106.1mbps / 5.9mbps

anyone know where I can get a 30ft LAN cable 

[Skyline2uk]

this morning, armed with son in law's EliteBook 8440p, I prepared to do battle.

however, before connecting a LAN cable, or changing around the cables feeding the hub, I decided to do a speed test by wi-fi.

used the which speed test.

at the tabe, 8 ft away from the hub, the results were
ping 28ms download 109.4mbps upload 5.9mbps

I then went upstairs next to the tower unit, which was not switched on, and repeated the test, the results were
ping 40ms upload 12.7mbps download 4.1mbps

so it looks like I owe VM an apology, I am getting what I am paying for, but what happened to their 100 metre wi-fi range.

is it possible the thing that does the wi-fi in the hub could be faulty, not sending out a strong enough signal ?

back downstairs I have just run the test again, and results were
26ms / 106.1mbps / 5.9mbps

anyone know where I can get a 30ft LAN cable 

May I please ask what your walls are made from? Especially thick stone walls can block WiFi.

Also, there may be interference going on with the WiFi signal. All sorts of things have been found to do this, including fish tank filters.

Does the speed only fall outside the room the router is in?

Skyline2uk

[guest311]

house was built in the 1950s, normal brick cavity walls, and timber joists, no steel girders AFAIK.

just went out into the hall, so one internal wall between laptop and hub, and results were 25ms / 107.5mbps / 5.9mbps

in bedroom above the hub = 25ms / 105.8mbps / 6.0mbps

back up by tower = 27ms / 20.3mbps / 5.5mbps

in the back bedroom = 25ms / 74.3mbps / 5.9mbps

lastly, in the bathroom, so diagonally opposite the hub, and furthest point away in the house = 26ms / 7.0mbps / 5.2mbps

looks almost as though there is a 'wall' down the centre of the house, front to back, that really reduces signal

[guest311]

a mate suggested getting something, that as he explained it, is like a 3 pin plug that you plug into a socket, and cable to the hub, then another that you put in a socket near the tower and cable to the tower.

apparently uses the mains as a LAN cable.

anyone tried one ?

[zwilnik]

a mate suggested getting something, that as he explained it, is like a 3 pin plug that you plug into a socket, and cable to the hub, then another that you put in a socket near the tower and cable to the tower.

apparently uses the mains as a LAN cable.

anyone tried one ?

Yup use them a fair bit. They come in different speeds (nowadays 1gbps is pretty common and I'm sure I've seen 2gbps ones now, but that would be overkill probably). They rely on your house wiring being good and all on the same box.
If you have a normal UK house that's up to code then they're pretty effective and straightforward. Just plug one in to the mains near the router (ideally directly into a wall socket but they can work on extension leads sometimes) and connect it with an ethernet lead. Then put another in whichever room you want to connect to and run an ethernet lead from it to an ethernet hub or direct to your computer.
You can use more of them to spread the ethernet love around the house. Basically treat each pair like an invisible ethernet extension lead.

If your house has been extended to the point where you have 2 fuse boxes it gets more tricky. The previous house I lived in was like that and they weren't able to communicate across to the extension because it was simply on a different mains circuit. I'm also finding that the wiring in Spanish houses isn't exactly ideal for them either. They work, but there's obviously a bit of signal loss because they're running at lower speed.

[zwilnik]

As far as WiFi advertised range is concerned, I've found that tends to be based on you living outdoors and not having any walls or floors.
I also use a mesh WiFi system, which works on the basis of having multiple WiFi nodes spread around the house. The idea is they mesh together with their own specific WiFi channel so that they work as repeaters and extend the range. Unfortunately, they don't do it particularly well. They don't extend the range much more than my old system of having Apple Airport Express base stations linked over (power link) ethernet connections and they're unreliable and buggy. Also they *only* work with their WiFi mesh, you can't feed each node from ethernet to get better signal.
The interface for them is also pretty abysmal and you can't pick which node you want a device to connect to (sometimes your mission critical fast device will connect at 5Ghz to the node sat nearby, other times it'll connect at 2.4ghz to the one on the opposite side of the house :/ ). This may be because I made the mistake of buying the Linksys Velop system before realising that Belkin had bought them out. So I don't know if the other ones are any better.

[themadhippy]

So I don't know if the other ones are any better.

if youve got the money then ubiquiti is the only answer.

[MJKERR]

If you have an iPhone, download the Virgin Connect App
This can check the signal strength as you walk around, and can also suggest if WiFi repeaters are required

You might also want to check which channel the Hub3 is transmitting on, and if there are any other networks also on the same channel
If there are, same again login to the Hub3 disable Automated Channel and select one

Finally, the Hub3 by default transmits openly (you will see this as Virgin Media network)
You can also disable this so that the router is only serving you and any devices you want to connect to
Related to that, change the network name to something you recognise

[Skyline2uk]

You might also want to check which channel the Hub3 is transmitting on, and if there are any other networks also on the same channel
If there are, same again login to the Hub3 disable Automated Channel and select one

This is the exact advice I read in the same article which explained how things like fish tanks can interfere with WiFi Signals. I would also suggest to give it a go, just make sure you note down all the details for new devices etc

Skyline2uk

[guest311]

just spent the last 25 minutes on the phone to VM, I think in Mumbai, they are so sorry to hear of my problem and can provide a booster for £3 per month .........

this is presumably to POSSIBLY give me the service I am already paying for, or probably not.

no offer of an engineer, no explanation of whey, when I was promised 100m wi-fi, it has a problem reaching even 30 ft.

also, basic impression was NAAFI 

but.......

did get a complaint / case number 

so tomorrow it's on the phone to ofcom, as you don't seem able to speak to any at Virgin who is any help.

where is that Scottish [falling down] water 

[themadhippy]

can provide a booster for £3 per month

2 words,the second ones off.For 2 months "rental " you can buy 20 meters of network cable, 10 months and youve got  a tp power link.

[guest311]

that's what my neighbour said.

he's got the cable, the ends, and will help me install it ......

but why should we ?

I pay VM  for a service, outlined before I signed up, to provide a certain product.

they aren't providing it
they aren't interested in doing anything to provide it
they want me to pay them to leave because they are not providing the expected service
or
they expect me to pay them to provide additional equipment to possibly enable me to get what I was promised in the first place.

so, as the saying goes ....
bring it on.