Using existing Asus router

[Stevenrw]

Hi everyone, 

I’m hoping you can offer some helpful advice to a noob.

 I’m just about to rejoin VM after many years. Having been migrated over from Virgin Mobile to O2 I’ll likely be going for a Volt 267mb product.

There seems conflicting/old information about the router supplied. I assume all new signups will receive a Hub 5. Is that correct?

Next, I currently run an ASUS mesh system and I have a Synology NAS attached so the router is all set up and working fine. I really don’t want reset the router and go through a shedload of setup steps to get it back to how it is currently.

So, and this is the biggie, can you confirm the Hub 5 currently supports Modem Mode. I see various tutorials on how to initialise Modem Mode but some people seem to have problems.

Next, having set the Hub 5 into modem mode is it just a case of connecting the ASUS router via the WAN port and you are away? It seems I don’t need to do any further configuration on the router? If some kind soul has been through this I’d really appreciate a step by step.

Lastly, I’ll be taking the phone service also. When the Hub 5 is in Modem Mode can I still just plug the phone into the Hub5 using the adapter or does the phone need to go into the ASUS router.

A lot of questions I know so I really appreciate your assistance 

[Tudor · Accepted solution]

"I assume all new signups will receive a Hub 5. Is that correct?" Incorrect, yo could be given a Hub3, a Hub4 or a Hub5 for that speed band. It makes no difference if the hub is in modem or router mode for the attached phone to work. Best to run in modem mode, instructions follow: 

How to put a VM hub into modem mode:

1) Access your hub on 192.168.0.1, sign on and put it into modem mode. On the Hub3 the bottom LED will change to magenta, on a Hub4 the LED band will be green, on a Hub5 the LED will be green. Best done from a wired connection.

2) Turn off the hub and disconnect any Ethernet cables

3) Fully initialise your own router or mesh master unit and make sure the WAN port is set to DHCP (for some routers or mesh this may have to be done in router mode before entering modem mode)

4) Connect your router or mesh master unit to the VM hub with an Ethernet cable, Cat5e or Cat6, any higher specification is a waste of money. On a Hub5 use port 4.

5) Turn on the VM hub.

6) You should now be able to access the internet and the hub will now be on 192.168.100.1

Note1: this only needs doing once for each new router or when VM changes your WAN IP address.

Note2: If you have a Hub4 and your own router is NOT 192.168.0.1 then it’s possible that you can still access the VM hub on 192.168.0.1

[Stevenrw]

Hi Tudor,

first off, thanks for taking the time to respond, there’s loads of great info in your response. I really appreciate it.

Just to be clear on a couple of points…

regarding ports, if I get a Hub5 I need to use port 4. That implies that with any other Hub any port will do?

note 2, why would VM change WAN ip address? Is the WAN up static once fixed? 

lastly, I assume just connecting the WAN port on the running router and starting the Hub will just automatically override the current ISPs login credentials so no requirement to initiate the setup Wizard on the ASUS router, it just picks everything up from the hub?

thanks again, I’ll report back once I’m up and running 

[Stevenrw]

Oops, one last question (sorry about this 😉)

"make sure the WAN port is set to DHCP" - is this on the hub or on the ASUS router? On my ASUS the DHCP server is enabled already as I've manually set up static IPs for some of the clients (Synology NAS, Hive etc) but the DHCP server is under LAN not WAN on the ASUS.

[Adduxi]

It just means set the ASUS WAN to DHCP (Automatic IP), so not static or pppoe.  This will pick up the WAN IP from the VM network.   The WAN IP from VM is DHCP, but very "sticky" and could be the same for years.  It may change if VM do any work on the network, e.g. more nodes for more customers etc.

You can use any port on the Hubs, but port 4 on the Hub 5 is 2.5Gb, whereas all the others are 1Gb ports.

[Tudor]

You can use any port, but port4 on the Hub5 is set to 2.5Gb so it’s the best one to use. You will need to change the ASUS settings, the WAN port should be set to DHCP and I think you will find it’s set to PPoE at the moment. VM do not require a logon and password, the use the MAC address of you hub for identification. 

[Stevenrw]

Thanks for the explanation Aduxxi, funnily enough when I went through the settings in the GUI my ASUS router didn’t look to have DHCP as a WAN connection option, but it does have “Automatic Ip” so your response was timely. Thanks again.

[Stevenrw]

Great, thanks again for the clarification. I’ve probably been overthinking this in advance of sign up, but I just wanted to get all my ducks in a row. I’m sure all will be alright on the night thanks to you two taking the time to share your knowledge 

[Stevenrw]

Hi guys and thanks again for your ongoing support,

Next question…

they’ve sent me a Hub3 and during the initial boot up process the light at the bottom goes to green, the Wi-Fi and the green arrows illuminate and the phone icon on the front blinks red whilst it searches for a phone (which is not yet connected).

Then they all go out leaving the light at the bottom amber/yellow.

Is this normal? I’ve rebooted a couple of times and the same happens, Call me old fashioned but why wouldn’t the green lights stay on to show status?

Thanks in advance

Then 

[Adduxi]

I don't use Router mode, but the lights might only function when there is network traffic?  My Hub is out of sight in a cupboard in modem mode, so it's irrelevant.  In modem mode your Hub 3 should be magenta.