Hub 5: Our first ever WiFi 6 broadband router

[Kei_M]

Back in October we announced the launch of the new Hub 5 and we’ll be offering this to customers at no extra cost as part of a phased rollout.

Our next-generation Hub works alongside Virgin Media’s ultrafast broadband network to deliver peak WiFi performance, thanks to WiFi 6.

This latest future-proof WiFi standard, which will work with Virgin Media’s existing DOCSIS 3.1 technology, is designed to power the next-generation of connected devices – including modern smartphones, laptops, tablets and next-gen games consoles.

With this latest technology and even more WiFi antennae than its predecessor, the Hub 5 will be able to support more devices, connecting at the same time, while expanding coverage and stability which improves WiFi performance.

It means the new Hub 5 boasts increased WiFi speeds, lower latency and can help reduce interference from neighbouring hubs and devices.

The Hub 5 has been designed to support multi-gigabit speeds and comes with a 2.5Gbps ethernet port alongside three additional 1Gbps ports.

FAQ

How can I get a Hub 5? / I’m on Gig1 Fibre and need the Hub 5 to maximise my service

We've started to offer the Hub 5 as standard to new Gig1 customers as well as existing customers without a Hub 4 who upgrade to Gig1. Currently there is no other way to get a Hub 5.

Temporarily, due to stock levels at the end of last year and the start of this year. Some Gig1 customers expecting a Hub 5 may have received a Hub 4 instead. We'll be contacting these Gig1 customers to offer them a Hub 5 via email.

What are the specs?

-Broadband – DOCSIS3.1/3.0 Broadcom 3390S

-WiFi:

• 5xAntennae
• 4x4 MiMo 5Ghz Broadcom 6715
• 3x3 MiMo 2.4Ghz Broadcom 6710
• WiFi 6 (802.11ax)

-Ethernet:

• 1x2.5Gbps Broadcom 54991EL
• 3x1Gbps Broadcom 3390S

[Anonymous]

End of 2022 is the time where Hub 5 will be fully launched and given to new and existing customers.

[Giddy]

I got an email from Virgin Media's Web Campaign team last week. They said they'd cancelled my Hub 5 install (!) because I had a Hub 4, wireless pods or needed engineer to install. All three things are lies. 

When I phoned and finally got to speak to someone who could arrange Hub 5 they said I had to have 1 gig package. 

They couldn't organise a [Mod edit: Inappropriate language] up in a brewery. 

[davewillo]

Thing is it's out of date already, granted wifi 6E routers are few and far between at the moment, but by the time the Hub 5 is rolled out, there will be many more 6E routers available. 

[snozski]

Ye I was just looking at wifi6e they should wait for that to become cheap enough seems like a huge move forward

[BruceT]

Think about splitting your routing/modem from your Wifi and put a much better wifi mesh system in place like the ASUS Zenwifi XT12, make a world of difference, gives you more stability and the ability to have more devices on your wireless network and gives you greater control and protection around your wifi.

[davewillo]

Definitely considering it BruceT - I have a couple of wifi 6E compatible devices so waiting for more routers to appear.

There is a 6E version of the XT12 imminent and I'm toying with the idea of getting a single. A 2 pack is horrendously expensive and I don't have any dead spots with my hub 4.

[BruceT]

@davewillo  Agreed They are expensive but they work very well, i have a 2 pack and even my garden now has wifi 🙂

[Alexsherman]

Hi, I have just had gig1 installed yesterday. I am curious as to why I've been given a hub 4 on a new install when the hub 5 is being rolled out.

On a side note how hot should it get as it feel like it's cooking on the top of the hub 4 🤣

Thanks 

[snozski]

Same here Alex. 

Yes it gets hot 🙂

[fraley]

Does anyone who has used the hub 5 have a large house and can say whether it offers an improved WiFi coverage.

I'm fed up with calls from Virgin asking me to pay to upgrade for improved download speeds when our problem is that almost every programme suffers outages because the WiFi from the hub 4 ( plus extenders ) is hopeless. Every sales assistant who rings me doesn't seem to have any grasp of the issue which is coverage as opposed to speed.

We actually had a better wifi when it was Telewest!

[Anonymous]

@fraley Yes I can confirm that Hub 5 has better coverage as I’ve had it before, but it won’t last long a long time as there are still some bugs which need to be addressed. You are better off with a Hub 4 as of now. The best thing would be to wait until a wider launch which will be around end of this year. I understand it’s far away and you are having issues with your service. But to be honest it won’t be worth having a total wipe out of your service with the Hub 5, if you can still get not all but part of your service with Hub 4.

[fraley]

Thank you Kazam.

We are wondering if changing to another broadband provider such as BT or Sky might offer offer superior equipment when it comes to coverage and consistency.

What we are unclear about is whether if one switches provider the new provider uses the existing fibre optic cable installed by Telewest.

[andrewmm]

@fraley

    IMHO        Any provided hub is going to have a problem in a "big" house

    What I see with my parents "big" house, is its older, and has thick walls and walls internal made of heavy brick,

    WiFi , especially the faster / higher frequency ones, just have problems with such walls,

   The "answer" I have seen are,

     to either have wired "hubs" , around the house

     or to set up a MESH network, takes some setting up.

In my experience, the supplied "plug in and hope" extenders just dont work ..

[BruceT]

@andrewmm i totally agree, rather spend effort in splitting your wifi off a provider's device and allow the provider to focus on what they are good at which is routing traffic and leave off loading which is the last segment being wifi to a decent set of devices you own and control.

[theroninhunter]

You get what you pay for, all ISPs give you a free router, it'll be the cheapest pile of junk.

Best to use the SuperHub in modem mode and get your own Wireless AP, I use Ubiquiti 3 x Wifi 6 Pro APs which covers my house completely. 

[BruceT]

@lewis-brooks very nice, Ubiquity is great kit, with very good management and top-class chipsets

[ibra29]

all good thanks..

[Dave6018]

Well I have the 1gig package with the hub4 , just let me say the wifi is terrible from it and another major downside is the ports on it are only 1gig so using another router or   meshg set up would be useless, i am yet to be offered the HUB5   

[snozski]

Dave6018 everyone is in same boat, i only had it installed 6 weeks ago and I asked multiple times for hub 5,  never given.   Could be cause I have phoneline (VOIP) and its buggy on hub 5 from what I read

[Anonymous]

@snozski The phone line works absolutely well with Hub 5 from my personal experience with the hub overall.