Orange light hub

[Julial]

We have had intermittent connection to Wi-Fi since getting virgin in March but it is particularly bad now. We have done all the things suggested but has not fixed the issue. We believe the hub 3.0 is faulty and would like to request a new one. There are a number of posts on the forum reporting the same issue, our light has never been white always an amber as with many other people having the same problem. Virgin please fix this for us. 

[jbrennand]

Amber is normal for an ageing VM Hub3 as the 1p LED's fade/fail.

Re the wifi issues - firstly - are the issues only evident on wifi connections or do you see them at the same times on devices connected on ethernet cables? If you don't know, can you check to help diagnose whether it is just a wifi issue or it could be network connection/Hub related?

What are the various Hub lights showing/doing when this happens?

Also try this and see if it sorts it... if not report back and we can look at the wifi
___________

Do a Hub “pinhole reset” - first make sure the 2 passwords on the Hub sticker are still there and legible first ! Disconnect any ethernet cables from the Hub (leave the coax connected), and then with the Hub still "switched on" throughout, press pin in firmly with paper clip/SIM tray tool or similar "thin thing" and hold it firmly for at least 60 (a timed sixty) seconds, release the pin, leave for 5’ to stabilise - dont manually switch it off at any time. Passwords will reset to those on the sticker.

[Julial]

I have done the pin reset, light is still amber and will reply tomorrow to see if this has improved things. 

[Julial]

Hi John,

I am still having problems with Wi-Fi dropping after pin reset. Light was flashing green on Wi-Fi symbol light when outage occurs. 

[jbrennand]

And what happened on the ethernet cable connected devices when the wifi connection dropped?

Just out of interest when our new Panasonic Microwave oven is switched on our wifi connections go down whilst ethernet connections remain stable !

You could try this.
__________________

If it is a wifi only issue, then on a Hub3/4/5, you can try separating the SSID's of the 2.4 and 5 GHz wifi bands by renaming them in the settings and at the same time switch off "channel optimisation/Smart wifi” “ apply and save the settings. All wifi devices will need reconnecting to the best SSID at each location. Also use a wifi scanning App to find the best wifi channels to use (just select and use channels 1,6,11 on 2.4GHz) - this often helps Hub users get better wifi performance - but its still no substitute for getting better kit 🙂
To address the wifi issues, VM now supply “wifi Pods” (no longer doing cheap and cheerless “boosters”). However, their Pods are only free to customers on the 1GB, Volt (or old Ultimate Oomph) packages - is that you? If so they are worth trying - they should work for you.

You do have to call in to order the first one (cant do it online the website is borked) - or try the web-chat function (that has worked for some) - or just wait here for a VM person to respond in a day or two and they will sort the first one for you .

If not… you will be charged £5/month (note - BT charge £10/mo for their whole home wifi solution). It’s a simple solution and should work for you. However, you would soon pay off that cost by buying your own wireless solution that will be yours to own and use forever, but it isn’t the simple plug and play option of the Pod(s).

[Ilyas_Y]

Hey there @Julial, thanks for reaching out to us.

I am sorry to hear about the broadband issues you're having recently.
I have had a look on the system and cannot see any issues appearing on my end.

Can I ask if you've tried the above advice given by @jbrennand ?

Let us know and we can go on from there.

Kind regards.

[Julial]

Hi IIyas,

Thank you for responding, yes we have tried pin reset and checked for interference even bought extension cable to move hub into hall but hasn’t made any difference. We have had virgin before and worked like a dream which is the reason we switched back. We knew internet connection is good it is just Wi-Fi that the issues remain. Wi-Fi is dropping out all the time my daughter cannot get a good enough signal to use her tv. We are convinced this issue is to do with a faulty hub please send us a new one and if it makes no difference then we will send it back to you. My husband works from home so needs a quick solution. We had no problems last time we used virgin the only thing that has changed is the hub. 

[jbrennand]

When you say you moved your Hub, what co-ax cable did you use?

The real solution to this issue (if it is wifi only) is not to keep swapping Hubs (they are all not great with wifi) but to use ethernet cable connections wherever possible (running cable is easier than you think) or just put any VM Hub into modem mode and improve your wifi with something like these (or better)...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-C6-Wireless-Supports-Parental/dp/B07L5YRYF4/

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

[Julial]

Hi 

Still major problems with hub 3, we have no Ethernet connections other than Hive and Philips hue. We have no tv box as just want internet and phone service. If I go up stairs and run a speed test first reading was <1mbps then did it again and it was 100mpbs and this is what happens all the time. We have never had issues before and have same kit connected we did before. This is without doubt a failed Hub.  Can someone at Virgin please resolve this issue. 

[Carley_S]

Hi @Julial

Sorry to hear that your still having this ongoing issue. Are you able to remove the coaxial cable you have purchased and installed  and move the router back to how it was set up previously. We would not be able to support if you have used any of your own cabling or 3rd party equipment.

Once you have moved the router back to how it was originally installed by the engineer, can you try a 60 second pin hole reset on the router. This will revert any customisations back to factory settings and full update the router with firmware/software updates. Please do not reboot the router whilst it is completing the pin hole request. 

Please then setup a Broadband Quality Monitor and post a link to your live graph. Give it a while to gather data and then click 'Share Live graph' and paste the 'Direct Link' into the forum. Once we have this extra information we will be able to offer you the further support you need!