The New 5x Hub (different than the standard 5Hub)

[The_Tonner]

Hi everyone, I hope this information can be helpful for others as it took me over a week and more than 20 calls to Virgin support to finally resolve the issue.

After residing at my property for over 10 years, I was thrilled to learn that Virgin Internet was now available in my area. Without hesitation, I signed up for the 1Gig plan as soon as I saw the Virgin engineers working nearby. During the sign-up process, I informed the sales representative about my struggles with weak Wi-Fi signals in certain areas of my house. They assured me that with my chosen plan, I would be eligible for free Wi-Fi booster pods.

After the broadband installation by the engineer, we tested the Wi-Fi signal and, as expected, it didn't reach the areas where I needed it the most. The engineer advised me to contact Virgin support, assuring me that they would send out the booster pods. Unfortunately, despite placing the order for the pods four times over a span of 2.5 weeks, every time I called, I was informed that there were no pod orders associated with my account.

Feeling frustrated, I decided to conduct some further research and attempted to use my own Wi-Fi extenders. To my surprise, I discovered that the 5x hub does not have a router mode, which was an essential feature for my needs.

I contacted Virgin support once again and explained the situation, mentioning that I have the 5x hub. It turns out that the technical teams have not received training on this particular hub yet and are unaware that the pods are not compatible. Each time I ordered the pods, they were automatically canceled by another department.

Here are some key details to keep in mind:
- The 5x hub is different from the 5 hub.
- The 5x hub is connected via optical cable, not coaxial.
- The new routers currently do not have a router mode (at the moment).
- Not all support team members are aware of this information when providing assistance.
- Wi-Fi extender pods are currently unavailable (at the moment), likely due to the router mode issue.
- 5x Hub not compatible with the virgin connect App
- This 5x hub is a trial hub and they are giving customer this without telling them. (Well never told me)

For now, I have placed the router in the middle of one of my rooms to ensure a signal reaches my office. I remain hopeful that Virgin can address this situation, rectify the pod availability, and enable router mode functionality. Unfortunately, switching to the standard 5 hub is not feasible for me since the cables running to my house through BT ducts are optical-only.

I find myself in a rather inconvenient situation, but I'm optimistic that Virgin will resolve these issues soon.

If any Virgin Techs read this please give me a update or a time scale???

[Client62]

VM's WiFi Pods fully locked down Wi-Fi Repeaters i.e. they only work with 1 specific customers (DOCSIS) Hub 3/4/5.

Wi-Fi repeaters bought in retail could perform the exact same function of extending (XGS-PON / PIA) Hub 5x Wi-Fi coverage to more of your property.   If you own the Wi-Fi repeaters you are free to configure and repurpose them as needed for operation with VM and / or any other ISPs Hubs / Wi-Fi Routers.

[The_Tonner]

But cant use a mesh system due to the lock down off the router mode. 

Would you agree VM miss sold Virgin to me based on my original requirements? 

[Tudor · Accepted solution]

1. I am assured by VM that modem mode will eventually be available on the hub5x with a firmware update, but at present VM want to test it out for ‘normal’ users.

2. The pods also require a firmware update to the hub to make them work, but that has nothing whatsoever to do with modem mode.

3. You should have definitely been advised that it was a trial and also given access to the ‘trial’ part of the bulletin board. (Unfortunately I cannot access this trial board, but if I could I may have been able to give a better answer to your concerns.)

You best option is to wait for a member of VM staff to get to your post to assist. 

Do not think of buying a mesh system until modem mode is available, but there are many good WiFi access points that are not mesh and would help with your current WiFi problem.

[The_Tonner]

Thanks Tudor,

Yeah it would have been helpful to know I was a part of a trial before 3 weeks in.
No one also told me there was a trail section of the bulletin which might have saved me the hours of trolling through the web and this forum.

I hope VM can at least give me a indication of time scales. 

I have tried the budget TP links but only getting around 20mbps which is poor considering im paying for 1Gig.   

[VMUser1812]

Technically and legally, yes you were miss-sold a product, you were told it would do xyz, when in fact it wasn’t technically possible. Now it’s not your fault if VM fail to communicate between their various departments or fail to train their agents on what is happening. You probably do have good grounds to require VM to release you from contract without penalty and look elsewhere - not that this will happen without a fight and escalation to the Ombudsman Service, but in extremis....

Now technically, you could get a mesh system and use it with the 5x in router mode, all you need to do is connect the mesh to the Hub, make sure nothing else is connected to the hub, try disabling the WiFi on the hub (not essential, and may not ‘stick’ based on how flaky reports of the Hub 5’s firmware is), but connect everything to your 'mesh-side' of the network.

This will work, only real drawback is the double-NAT issue, probably not a problem unless you are running some kind of server on your network (and even that can be worked around), and make absolutely sure that everything is connected to your mesh system rather than to the hub.

[legacy1]

Well VM you have done it again force router mode that breaks stuff how many people have to complain this time? if you don't like putting 3 extra ports and wifi in the useless hub that will not get used then don't!    

[The_Tonner]

!!!!!Update!!!!!
After posting this yesterday,  I receive an email from VM saying my Yodel have a parcel booked for delivery. 
This must be the Wifi Pod? 
Will it work IDK?
But defiantly strange they VM are sending me something after I post a message about my issues. 

I will give another update when it arrives. 

[CraigT1976]

Why not?

I have 2 SSID's in my house, my Hub 5 one and my Deco Mesh. 

The only reason I didnt turn it into modem mode is that my upstairs TV is a pig to sync with wifi, so it still uses my virgin hub 5. Everything works perfect all over my house, top of my drive to the bottom of my garden. Just make sure only 1 of your devices is giving out DHCP (probably your hub 5x) then put decos into repeater mode and you'll be fine. Deco m4 pack of 3 are £129 for 3 at Argos currently.

[Client62]

Why can the Hub 5x not be used with a Mesh ?

As an example, a Deco X50 Mesh configured in Access Point mode connects to regular ISP Hubs/Routers.

If in the future the Hub 5x gets Modem mode, the Deco X50 Mesh could then be switched to Router mode.