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Hub 4 wifi coverage

Neil2021
On our wavelength

So I'm totally new to virgin and i'm getting gig1 installed on the 12th March and I'm just wondering how good the wifi coverage of the hub 4 is, I've watched a few reviews but not much is mentioned about the actual wifi coverage

I live in a 3 storey new build house and with me the wife and 4 kids and the massive amount of wifi devices we have plus all my smart home tech, just wondering how the hub is going to cope with all my devices

I was currently using bt whole home and had 3 discs on each floor, only had one downstairs as the ring doorbell which is outside wasn't really getting a strong signal but this setup has provided really strong wifi around the whole house

So wondering how the hub 4 will cope with saying reaching the top floor on it's own, it's not a massive house or anything but i'm already thinking about will I need wifi boosters or thinking of getting a wifi mesh system, seen a post actually about using the bt whole home wifi with a virgin hub?

So should I already start thinking about getting wifi extenders from virgin after my  install or maybe getting a mesh system like tp link deco or orbi, my site visit engineer said they don't carry the wifi extenders on them anymore so I know I won't get one on my install date

Thank in advance

8 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

Accepted Solutions

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

The "pod" will be free to you - once they get them back in stock !

TBH - I would say in your situation you should be looking for a good quality Mesh sytem - preferably a triband and wifi6 one with one unit by the Hub (in modem mode) and one each on the other floors.


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John
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I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

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SonarUK
Rising star
Don't hope for much regarding the hubs wifi coverage.

Many of us would recommend modem mode with a third party router / mesh system.
https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-hub-modem-mode


ASUS RT-AX86U 5700 Dual Band
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CBCR6BB

ASUS GT-AX11000 Tri Band
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07K2V9SFN

https://twitter.com/SeriousFamily

Gig1 | Hub 5 Modem Mode | Asus RT-AX86U | Asus RT-AC86U

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
It can do as speeds do drop between "hops" between units and is more noticeable on the 1GB service but a tri-band system minimises that.

Or you can connect normal ones by ethernet to provide the backhaul to reduce it. But if you are doing that you may as well just wire in high quality wireless access points - like the Ubiquiti range.

Depend how important maximum speeds are vs convenience IMO.

--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
One of the good features of a Mesh is you can start with one unit and then add a second and a third etc ..... as necessary at a later time. You could also always add an exterior grade wireless access point for better connections to those outside devices.

It does work out a bit more expensive of course

--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
Yes - if you are using modem mode - which is the best way to connect a good Mesh sysem

--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

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@Neil2021 wrote:

Thought so, maybe I'd need 2 then and put one on the second floor for upstairs, sorry if this is a daft question, csn you still use the ethernet ports on the back of the virgin hub when it's in modem mode 


No. Only one will work which needs the mesh connection made to it 


*****
If you think my answer has helped - please provide me with a Kudos rating and mark as Helpful Answer!!
I do not work for Virgin Media - all opinions expressed are of my own and all answers are provided from my own and past experiences.
Office 365, Dynamics CRM and Cloud Computing Jedi

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So usually the mesh disks all connect back to the primary node (and to each other) wirelessly.

However some mesh systems allow you to use Ethernet cables to “backhaul” them back to the primary node.

This prevents any drops in speed that would naturally occur with Wifi and forms a more “stable” connection between the nodes.

See here as an example on how some TP-Link mesh system utilise this: https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/1794/


*****
If you think my answer has helped - please provide me with a Kudos rating and mark as Helpful Answer!!
I do not work for Virgin Media - all opinions expressed are of my own and all answers are provided from my own and past experiences.
Office 365, Dynamics CRM and Cloud Computing Jedi

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

19 REPLIES 19

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

The "pod" will be free to you - once they get them back in stock !

TBH - I would say in your situation you should be looking for a good quality Mesh sytem - preferably a triband and wifi6 one with one unit by the Hub (in modem mode) and one each on the other floors.


--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

SonarUK
Rising star
Don't hope for much regarding the hubs wifi coverage.

Many of us would recommend modem mode with a third party router / mesh system.
https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-hub-modem-mode


ASUS RT-AX86U 5700 Dual Band
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CBCR6BB

ASUS GT-AX11000 Tri Band
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07K2V9SFN

https://twitter.com/SeriousFamily

Gig1 | Hub 5 Modem Mode | Asus RT-AX86U | Asus RT-AC86U

@jbrennand

awesome thank, was thinking of doing this

Neil2021
On our wavelength

@SonarUK

Thank you, I'll start looking for one then

Neil2021
On our wavelength

Looks like this might a good one to go for then

Is it right using a mesh system will reduce your overall speed, watched a video that said using one can take around 100/200mbp/s off your speed on virgin but dunno if there's any truth in that

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
It can do as speeds do drop between "hops" between units and is more noticeable on the 1GB service but a tri-band system minimises that.

Or you can connect normal ones by ethernet to provide the backhaul to reduce it. But if you are doing that you may as well just wire in high quality wireless access points - like the Ubiquiti range.

Depend how important maximum speeds are vs convenience IMO.

--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Thanks, makes sense

I think with this speed even if the whole house is hitting 500mbp/s, I'd be happy with that

With this ASUS mesh system, don't know whether to go with 1 pack (4 bedrooms) or 2 pack (6 bedrooms) we've got 4 but it is a 3 storey house and I need the WIFI to be strong outside aswell for my ring camera and doorbell and it's not that great at the minute using the bt smart hub 2 and wifi discs

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
One of the good features of a Mesh is you can start with one unit and then add a second and a third etc ..... as necessary at a later time. You could also always add an exterior grade wireless access point for better connections to those outside devices.

It does work out a bit more expensive of course

--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.