Stop my hub broadcasting "Virgin Media"

[jjo5555]

I think it is absolutely unacceptable that I turn WiFi off on my device (we are a WiFi free house due to sensitive health equipment) and without warning or consent the hub, it seems, continues to broadcast "Virgin Media".

I need the hub to STOP broadcasting.

There is a suggestion that within my Virgin Media account page I will find an option that says:
Opt out of Virgin Media WiFi. Your Hub will no longer be part of the WiFi hotspot network, but you'll still be able to access Virgin Media WiFi hotspots whilst on the move.

However, you seem to have removed this option. Please can someone enable this option for me immediately so that I can get my health equipment working again?

[ALF28]

hotspot-virgin hubs.

At least you were able to get the hot spot switched off by virgin media, but they should not have removed the optout  option in the accounts, I also noticed it had been removed in the new website, thus enforcing the use of the hot spots.

I have my hub 3 in modem mode now, but when I used the hub I did use wifi but always opted out of the hot spot.

I have my own router which can use cable or wifi by choice or both which I have, so I have no hot spot, just secured wifi.

It is easier to use printers on wifi unless printers with ethernet cable  capabilty are used, or print using a usb cable from a computer use bluetooth which is is similar to wifi over a shorter distance.

A Virgin hub hotspot means other known or unknown people can use your houshold  hub as a hotspot for wifi and presume it will be a different IP address to the normal hub IP address?, otherwise the IP integrity and security  coud be compromised if just anyone can use the hub.

However as the electricity is paid for by the account holder, this means the cusomer is paying to broadcast a wifi hot spot for use by others.

I also once had a hidden network and took me ages to get rid of that.

If I uses a wifi analyser, I see 2 virgin media hotspots from other houses at some distance, one is unusual as it is from an old  netgear hub2 router  which should be replaced.

If the hub is running a wifi hotspot the hub is doing more work and that could affect the performance of the hub doing so much work?

Most of my neigbours  are on virgin hubs 2- netgear , 3-arris or 4-arris, not seen the  hub 5 wifi  which is  sagemcom, but BT seem to be using the same manufacturer.

It is interesting that in doctors/hospitals mobile phones are asked not to be used or in some hospitals mobiles do not work, I was not aware wifi from hubs or routers can affect sensitive medical equipment,but presume using ethernet cable systems would be used in that case.

It would be difficult to block wifi signals from other neigbouring sources, although special wall  paint  is available to block wifi signals, but is very expensive and may require earthing of the walls. It is not easy to block wifi from a hub as it is microwaves, and need specaily designed barriers to block this similar to the mesh on a microwave door or  encased in a steel enclosure which could cause overheating or lack of ventialltion.

Virgin should put back in the account page the facility to optout of the hot spot- why has it been removed?

So if I was to switch out of modem mode, I will automatically get a hotspot?, one more good reason to use modem mode with my own router, which is an option that is specific to virgin, I do not think other hubs such as sky etc offer modem mode.

If the wifi is turned off  in the settings page,then this should include the hotspot, as not all customers would want wifi, but prefer ethernet cabling,so it would be logical to have the hotspot as an option to switch on or off in the settings page.

As the virgin hub has a guest wifi network that, is an alternative to use for house guests if the hotspot is turned off.

BT and Sky hubs also have  hotspots which I presume can be turned off. so is normal practice these days.

Once when my broadband failed, I tied to log into a neighbours hotspot with my laptop but it would not accept my virgin login, so what is the point of the hotspot and who would use this?

alf28

[ALF28]

Use of "Virgin media" wifi hotspots

I think to use a virgin media wifi hotspot anyware in the uk you have to be opted in to hotspots.

see

Virgin Media To Turn Home Routers Into Wi-Fi Hotspots (silicon.co.uk)

So that raises a few questions-

If not opted in or in modem mode can you still use a virgin wifi hotspot in the uk as you are not providing a hotspot.

Can this only be done using an app on a mobile phone or can a laptop or tablet connect to a hotspot.

What is the method to connect to a virgin hotspot from a laptop.

Are all virgin hotspots safe and secure  or could there be fake hotspots with a virgin media ssid.

I see a virgin media hotspot in my wifi list on my laptop but has a "weak signal", will it still connect or does it need a closer strong signal, and pehaps that is why hotspots should be switched on, very few seem to have them switched on in my area.

As the option to opt out of hotspots is removed from accounts does that mean all cutomers can use hotspots or will some still be opted out.

I will do a test to see if I can connect to a hotspot.

Test Result- I am "unable to login" and connect to a "virgin media" ssid hotspot using my virgin  login credentials- so are they useless.

If there are so few hotspots in use, then there is not an adequate coverage as a backup method of connecting to the internet or if travelling, the alterative to use free broadband by other companies. I can see it being useful if your house broadband is faulty but a hotspot is available.

Perhaps the cable broadband hotspots are less needed as most people use smart phones now, and the use of 4g/5g mobile will become the method to connect to the internet from anywhere.

How do I know a hotspot is genuine?

alf28

[jjo5555]

---

@ALF28 wrote:

If not opted in or in modem mode can you still use a virgin wifi hotspot in the uk as you are not providing a hotspot.

---

Yes - I am

[mjay2000]

@ALF28, I think I got my hub to stop broadcoasting a VM hotspot through a raised IT ticket from Virgin, it doesn’t show up on mobile devices anymore, but like you said I still see “Hidden Network” when on desktop PCs which is connected to my hub as it disappears when I turn off my hub. May I ask how you got rid of the “Hidden Network” on yours?

[ALF28]

HIDDEN NETWORK- hard to solve this.

It was along time ago and I had a similar issue which was difficult to resolve.

Usually the hidden network is will be a copy (clone) of your  exisiting main ssid, and you can probably log into it with your password.

The hub gets confused and one way is cure it is to ensure each frequency  and also the guest wifi network has a different ssid and different password and the duplicate one has to be given a ssid with suffix-1, rather than being hidden. and the probelm will resolve, I think at one stage I had to pin reset my hub.

The hidden channel will be full strength if it is from your own hub, but often hidden weaker wifi networks may be from other sources such as tivo or another house.

By logging into the hidden wifi network you can bring up settings and rename the hidden network in the settings page which may actually be a guest chanel or main wifi frequency, so activate/rename  the wifi network(s) with a new ssid and set to diplay the ssid (not hidden)

The problems can start when the ssid is not displayed and set to hidden, and could be  the de-ctivated hot spot. I think it is a fault with the hub getting confused.

My hidden network never returned but not fully sure how I fixed  in 2020, just make sure all networks are named and duplicate ssid  can be given a suffix -1.

I had so many problems with hub 3, I now run it in modem mode with my own router and that solved everything.

I do not think the hidden network is easily solved but a hub pin reset may help, but not always. Read the previous posts on this-

Solved: hidden network tivo - Virgin Media Community - 4316462

Solved: hidden network tivo - Page 4 - Virgin Media Community - 4316462

The problem is unusual, and although you can choose to have a hidden network (no ssid set and dispayed), it can cause network identifiation problems.

So even if you are not using all the networks, 2,4g, 5g, and guest 2.4g still give them an ssid, set to diplay always and if not used they can be disabled by ticking disable, but at least the channel is then not hidden. The hub has at least 4 wifi networks and one can become hidden.

Hope that may help, but if not solved, post again and perhaps  a forum member can assist.

It may be easier just to live with the hidden wifi network rather than mess with all the settings?

alf28

[ALF28]

Virgin hotspots- thanks, looks like some customers can connect to these hotspots.

I can not login to my local hotspot, I think the signal strength is too weak ? , just 1 bar, perhaps over 200 feet away in a neighbours house.

I have tried before and they never work for me.

Therfore I have no backup method, as I have not got a smart phone, so if I loose connection for any reason I am without internet and ring 150.

However my virgin broadband 100 mb connection (in modem mode) is good and solid now for a long time, so rarely get any long disconnections, just short ones occassionally that can last a few minutes.

alf28

[mjay2000]

I think it might be the deactivated hotspot because I have the guest Wi-Fi disabled. Thanks for the advice 

[Zoie_P]

Thank you for updating the thread mjay2000,

If you need any further assistance please let us know and we will be here to help

Zoie

[ALF28]

update - Virgin media  hub wifi hotspot

Virgin have now got the hotspot option back on the virgin media account home page- account settings, so it is possible to opt-in or opt-out.of having your virgin hub acting as a hotspot.

I am opted out, but my virgin hub is in modem mode, with no wifi switched on, so my wifi is provided by my own router.

alf28

[Tom_W1]

Hi @ALF28, thanks very much for updating this thread potentially for the benefit of other users.

If anyone here does still require further assistance, please don't hesitate to let us know.

Many thanks