I am having a new 1GB fibre line installed in my house in Manchester. All my network equipment including the router, switches, and related gear is located under the stairs.I am happy to do some prep work to make it easier to feed the new cable through for installation. I have a few questions:Is the cable being installed a pure fibre optic cable?Does this fibre optic cable connect directly into the router? Would love to see a few photos of what I should expect in terms of sockets and end points. Can I use my router which is a Ubiquiti UDR 7 which can take fibre connection?I ask because I know Virgin Media used to use a coaxial cable for installations in the past.

Congratulation VM you did all that work setting up a new customer only to have been cancel because of your stupid inability not to do modem mode on your future of fibre broadband.And here is the Ironic for some people that get itADSL please don't make me move to DocsisFibre Docsis don't leave me!

If you are in a Nexfibre area, it will be fibre and a Hub 5X that has no modem mode. If you are in an older VM area, you will get either co-ax or RFoG and a Hub 4 or Hub 5. Both of these have modem mode. In all cases you need to use a Hub, you can’t connect your router directly to the VM network. So, if your postcode can get a 2Gb connection, then that’s a Nexfibre area.

vmguru VM don't support modem mode on the hub 5x. If you use an SFP+ module then you do so at your own risk, the same applies to a UniFi Dream Router 7 or any other 3rd party router.Having said that, google is your friend and according to various posts and blogs a WAS-110 SFP module works with the hub 5x (though for how long who knows?)EDIT - If your new property is Full Fibre then check if you can get giffgaff broadband which uses VMO2's Nextfibre network. Giffgaff uses Amazon's eero 6 router, and although they don't officially support 3rd party routers, modem mode is enabled. There are a number of posts stating customers have used a pfSense router, fired everything up, and put the WAN interface in VLAN911 and reassign the WAN port.https://www.giffgaff.com/broadband

It is not there is a way to not use the hub but really VM are being stupid by not making the hub work as a modem.or you can double NAT

Be very wary of any claims that Hub 5x can be set in modem mode using a hidden URL, VM clearly do not intend its use and now have no plan for that to change.The reality repeatedly reported is Hub 5x modem mode can be enabled, but the service is not stable, meaning likely to be slow to start working, likely to fail within days to less than a week and then take days or longer to reconnect if it ever reconnects.Other options with alternative kit are also stepping into the unknown, those that claim the solution works have also proved exceedingly unlikely to come back to this or any other forum to confirm long term success or to admit what we would expect i.e. their solution has proved equally unstable.

New Fibre install understairs - prep work | Virgin Media Community

14 Replies

Adduxi
Very Insightful Person
21 days ago
If you are in a Nexfibre area, it will be fibre and a Hub 5X that has no modem mode. If you are in an older VM area, you will get either co-ax or RFoG and a Hub 4 or Hub 5. Both of these have modem mode. In all cases you need to use a Hub, you can’t connect your router directly to the VM network.
So, if your postcode can get a 2Gb connection, then that’s a Nexfibre area.
- vmguru
  Tuning in
  19 days ago
  Thanks for the reply, I think this could be a problem as I need to use my own router for VPN's and more advanced features. The Ubiquiti UDR 7 does have a SFP+ port which can take fibre connect up to 10G. I'll have to do some research what workarounds are available.
  
  In the past I have used the virgin media router in modem mode, but this time i will be getting a Hub5X so no modem mode.
vmguru
Tuning in
19 days ago
Just to confirm I can use my UDR 7 with a SFP+ module instead of the virgin media supplied hub 5x router?
- newapollo
  Very Insightful Person
  19 days ago
  vmguru
  VM don't support modem mode on the hub 5x.
  If you use an SFP+ module then you do so at your own risk, the same applies to a UniFi Dream Router 7 or any other 3rd party router.
  Having said that, google is your friend and according to various posts and blogs a WAS-110 SFP module works with the hub 5x (though for how long who knows?)
  EDIT - If your new property is Full Fibre then check if you can get giffgaff broadband which uses VMO2's Nextfibre network. Giffgaff uses Amazon's eero 6 router, and although they don't officially support 3rd party routers, modem mode is enabled. There are a number of posts stating customers have used a pfSense router, fired everything up, and put the WAN interface in VLAN911 and reassign the WAN port.
  https://www.giffgaff.com/broadband
- Anonymous
  19 days ago
  Alas, absolutely not. There is no chance of you using your own router with an SFP. Now the hint that ’newapollo’ below provides it intriguing, this device does indeed replace the Hub 5x and will pass-through to your own router. Odd to see a forum VIP member, openly hinting at a solution that bypasses VM’s equipment and technically would put anyone using one in breech of the T’s and C’s. Or maybe they simply recognise the reality of the situation, and doing their best to help!
- Matthew_ML
  Forum Team
  16 days ago
  Hey vmguru, thank you for reaching out and for your question today.
  
  Did any of the advice help or are you still needing some support?
vmguru
Tuning in
19 days ago
Is the Virgin Media Hub 5x capable of going into modem mode? I want to use my own router. My install is in a few weeks and this is a big problem and maybe have to cancel my order if I cannot use my own router.
- legacy1
  Alessandro Volta
  19 days ago
  It is not there is a way to not use the hub but really VM are being stupid by not making the hub work as a modem.
  or you can double NAT
  - vmguru
    Tuning in
    19 days ago
    WOW This is a massive problem for me if I cannot use my own router then I think I'll have to cancel my order and go with a different provider.
- Client62
  Alessandro Volta
  19 days ago
  Be very wary of any claims that Hub 5x can be set in modem mode using a hidden URL, VM clearly do not intend its use and now have no plan for that to change.
  
  The reality repeatedly reported is Hub 5x modem mode can be enabled, but the service is not stable, meaning likely to be slow to start working, likely to fail within days to less than a week and then take days or longer to reconnect if it ever reconnects.
  
  Other options with alternative kit are also stepping into the unknown, those that claim the solution works have also proved exceedingly unlikely to come back to this or any other forum to confirm long term success or to admit what we would expect i.e. their solution has proved equally unstable.
- legacy1
  Alessandro Volta
  18 days ago
  Congratulation VM you did all that work setting up a new customer only to have been cancel because of your stupid inability not to do modem mode on your future of fibre broadband.
  And here is the Ironic for some people that get it
  ADSL please don't make me move to Docsis
  Fibre Docsis don't leave me!
vmguru
Tuning in
18 days ago
Really disappointed with Virgin Media and the hub 5x cannot use my own router easily. I have just come across this as a workaround.

Replace your ISP XGS PON/ XG PON fibre router/ONT with a SFP+ Module! works with VM Hub 5x, AT&T etc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNN6PWDTxfs&list=LL&index=1
Roger_Gooner
Alessandro Volta
16 days ago
How do you know it's going to be a fibre installation? Gig1 is delivered by coaxial cable as well.