Additional Virgin Media Hub

[dazzamatazz53]

Hi all, I was wondering if it was possible to acquire an extra virgin media hub to put into my sons bedroom?

He streams videogames on his PC and also plays at a very competitive level, so he usually needs the best connection possible at all times, however wired networks via TP-LINK aren't good, and compared to the speed we get on our Wireless network, it just is too laggy.

In addition, our router is in a very awkward place so we cannot use a direct Ethernet cable from the router through the house to connect to my sons PC.

Is there a way we can acquire an extra hub to put in my sons bedroom so he can have a direct link from the router to his PC, and get the insanely good download/upload speeds?

Regards,

[lotharmat]

Alas you can only have one cable modem per account!

[jbrennand]

Its not practical cost wise and they dont like to do it anyway.

You really should be able to sort this yourself far far easier and cheaply.

Firstly... my lad uses powerline adapters and these work great for gaming. Are the TP-Link units actually powerline adapters or a mesh system or something else? Tell us the model number and why you think they arent working.

You can always run ethernet cabling outside the house if that offers a more practical route from Hub to bedroom and is always the best way.

Finally the most practical solution may be to get a Mesh system - look at the TP-Link Deco M4 or M5 3-packs as examples.

[jpeg1]

If there is a more convenient place for the Hub which would allow an ethernet cable to be run, you could have the Hub moved at a cost of £25.

[gary_dexter]

Powerlines are all well and good if your wiring is up to scratch.

[dazzamatazz53]

Hi there,

They are powerline adapters - we recently tried upgrading them to a different TP-LINK powerline adapter, but they are just not compatible at all, they seem to make our internet worse, if anything, so we went back to the ones we have been using.

We use the AV500 TP-LINK powerline adapters.

[jbrennand]

Does the bedroom circuit go through the same consumer unit/fuse box as the one the Hub is plugged into? I ask because if the bedroom is in an extension, attic conversion, etc - the electrician will usually put the new circuit on its own CU - and so Powerlienes wont work. Unlike our '30's semi where the upstairs and downstairs mains circuits go through one unit and they work just fine.

Also using extension leads for the plugs is not recommended. I would always use Cat6a ethernet cable from the units too as these have better shielding from crosstalk at the connectors and electrical interference. You may have some electrical "noise" on your circuits that would need an electrician to interrogate and diagnose if they are affecting your connectivity negatively.

Those AV500's  are pretty basic adapters and don't even have GB ports - so speeds will be attenuated even more that usual. I would be looking at more upmarket ones like....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Passthrough-Configuration-TL-WPA8631P-KIT/dp/B08LW5VPPV/

But that said... the cost is getting into Mesh price range...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deco-M4-Seamless-Coverage-Replacement/dp/B07NH1J543/

[Tudor]

Going back to the original subject an additional VM box, if you paid for it, would need a thick coax cable installed for it. I therefore do not see the problem of installing an Ethernet cable which is half the thickness even if it’s external grade. The cable is easy to hide.

[dazzamatazz53]

Hi John

Thanks for getting back to me - I purchased these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07G37DJ8R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And it just made the internet even slower, my download was throttled to less than 1mbp/s and same with upload.

[jbrennand]

Then something else must be wrong on the connection - or at £29.99 they have poundland performance 😉

When you say...

"it just made the internet even slower, my download was throttled to less than 1mbp/s and same with upload"

...do you mean that was just on devices connected through the Powerlines or also on devices directly connected to the Hub on ethernet or connected on the Hub's wifi ?

Also... you haven't answered my Q re the electrical circuitry to help diagnose whether that is where the issue lays?

What do you think of the M4 system - or is it out of price range ?