More Super Hub switch-over questions

[HenryQ]

I have today received an Email from VM saying my land-line will be switched to VM's fibre network in August. I have already read a number of posts about this from frustrated customers.

Like many, my land-line is downstairs and my Super Hub upstairs. I can't bring the Super Hub downstairs as existing devices upstairs (desk computer, printer) are connected to it by Ethernet cable. Equally, I can't take my land-line upstairs as it goes to voice-mail after six rings and, at my age, I would never reach the phone in time.

So, I will have to book a call for VM to install extra cabling. Who on earth designed this solution? Bizarre.

OK, having got that off my chest, here are three additional questions:

1. How many Ethernet sockets does the new Super Hub have? Mine currently has four, which are all in use. I will need at least five to plug in the land-line as well.

2. Will the instructions that come with the new Super Hub tell me how to open Port 99, which is used by my Ethernet-wired CCTV system?

3. When the new Super Hub is installed, will I have to connect each of my WIFI devices (e.g. laptops) to it by Ethernet cable in order to enter the new Pass Phrase (WPS/WPA) or can I do this via a WIFI connection?  

[John_GS]

Hi @HenryQ 

Thanks for posting and welcome back to the community. Sorry to hear of any issues with the new switchover. Changing to the phone service via cable is a government objective and this has to be completed by 2025, we are choosing to take the change over now to ensure all of our customers have been migrated prior to the current telephone exchange being closed down in 2025. The links below should help explain more;
https://www.virginmedia.com/help/landline/switchover and https://www.futureofvoice.co.uk/

In relation to the questions you've asked as well;

1) The telephone would connect to the telephone port one on the router, not the Ethernet port.

2) We don't support Port 99 but am sure the answer will be on the community 🙂

3) You should be able to connect the devices via Ethernet providing there is an Ethernet port on the device or via WiFi if that is your preference 🙂

Hope that explains it but if any further issues, please let us know.

Best wishes.

[HenryQ]

Thanks for the reply. Regarding Q2., if you don't support Port 99, which ports does the new Super Hub support? I suppose I will have to pay my CCTV provider for a call-out to switch my CCTV system to a different port? But which one?

An unwelcome and uncalled for expense.

[Adri_G]

Hi again HenryQ and thanks for the posts and replies.

Regarding your latest questions about the port we use for the landline, this is a specific port and it's got a grey coloured frame to be distinguishable.- It also says 'telephone por't so you won't miss it!

We'd need to also clarify that your current superhub is incompatible with this service, so to complete the migration for you we'll need to arrange an engineer visit for a) fitting a newer hub, b) ensure all compatible devices connecting on your landline such as alarms are connecting to it, c) any extension sockets you may wish to keep in use are activated and d) the hub is relocated to be able to connect with the phone.

You can find more on our all new hubs and their specs here for more details on how many ethernet ports they have on them etc.

Please, take time to read all the info on this process on our page here, especially regarding the devices you'd need to check for compatibility issues with the manufacturer before we go ahead as we cannot guarantee this will work otherwise.

If you decide to go ahead and accept this change, let us know here and we'll be able to assist with the arrangements.

[HenryQ]

Thanks again for the reply. From what you say, there are only two things involved (for me) with the new Super Hub. Firstly, a VM engineer to run a cable from the new Super Hub (upstairs) to my landline phone (downstairs). Secondly, open up a free port for my CCTV system to use.

I can book a VM call-out by phoning 150, which I will do once the new Super Hub arrives.

But it wold be good to know which ports on the new Super Hub are free (and can be opened), I can then contact my CCTV supplier to check what's involved to move my CCTV connectivity to an available port.

I have an IT background (though not in this specialist area) but can probably handle this with the necessary information.

[Adri_G]

Thanks for the reply back, HenryQ.

Since you've reached out to us on the forum we can fully support you with this and answer all your questions so you don't have to ring us. 🙂

I will send you a PM here soon so we can perform the necessary checks and make all the arrangements.

I can assist with all you've asked, please check the top right-hand side of our page to find a little white envelope.
Click on this and you'll see my message.

[HenryQ]

I look forward to receiving your PM.

Interestingly, I am wondering whether much of the required cabling is already in place (making life simpler for your engineer when he or she calls).. When we first went to cable In the 1990s, I took an additional option for an FM Radio cable streaming service (as radio reception across the airwaves has always been poor around here). The wiring was run from my upstairs router, around to the back of the house and, at the time, through a hole in the wall to get the cable into the sitting room (only a few feet from our land-line telephone as it happens). it was then plugged into my stereo tuner.

VM's FM Radio streaming service has long since been dropped but, as far as I can see, the external cabling is still in place. Can it be re-used by the new Super Hub?

[Daniel_Et]

Hi @HenryQ, thank you for your response.

My colleague has sent you a private message. Have you received it?

Regards,
Daniel

[HenryQ]

I just clicked on the envelope icon (top-right of this page) and there is nothing since a private message I received in 2022. Is that where your colleague's PM was meant to appear?

[VMUser1812]

The existing coax would not be suitable or helpful, but the hole in the wall for it probably is!

Effectively, the VM tech needs to get a (fairly thin) telephone (two pair) cable from where the phone currently is (or at least the wall box it is plugged into), to where the hub is. So suppose they use the same hole, should be possible to push the phone wire through alongside the coax (even remove the redundant coax if necessary), then run it outside the house and up, following the existing coax to the hub, push it through the hole in the wall there, put the correct plug on the end, connect it to the hub and, we’ll job done!

Now, based on some reports on here, you may get a tech sent that simply isn’t qualified, doesn’t understand or simply can’t be bothered to do this and insist that you must move the phone to where the hub is, as that is the only way it can ever work. Which is complete rubbish, in which case you’ll need to stand your ground.

As regarding Port 99 (odd choice of port number really), but the answers above aren’t strictly correct. By ‘we don’t support Port 99’, what they mean is that VM’s customer services can’t help you with setting anything up. But they don’t need to, if you think about it, your system is working perfectly well now on a VM internet connection, so how can they say we don’t support that, if it’s all operational?

It is possible that your system requires Port 99 to be opened for inbound traffic, in that case you might want to log into the existing hub and see how this was done, and just replicate it on the new hub. Otherwise it may just be that Port 99 needs to be opened outbound, which it already is! Often suppliers of CCTV equipment, as they can’t tell up front what type of internet connection their customers will have, just play safe and state that Port xyz needs to be opened. What they mean is that if you have a firewall which blocks all outgoing traffic unless specifically allowed, then you would have to specifically allow this on your firewall. The VM hubs are nowhere near this sophisticated and don’t actually block any outgoing traffic at all.

I suspect you will just be fine, if not you can always post back on here for further advice.