True Story - Unbelievable!

[Max787]

I called in a Virgin Media engineer today. I was having trouble converting my router into a cable modem, in view to use a 3rd party wifi router

Two (yes 2!) engineers turned up.

After setting the router to cable modem on the web interface, I noticed the light on the router turned red.

1. One of them said the red light on the modem was perfectly normal (I discovered later I had no internet!!!)

2. The same engineer told me I could not connect the cable modem via ethernet cable to access internet (unbelievable!!!) so i had connect to the wifi router to access the internet!

Clearly this did not work, these fine people left and I was left without internet!!!

[jbrennand]

To connect a 3d party router to the Hub in modem mode, just follow this sequence
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Set up your own router/Mesh unit (in its settings) with the WAN port set to be in DHCP (& Nat) mode, it may be pre-set that way anyway. Then, disconnect all cables from your new router (or Mesh first unit) and switch it off and unplug it. Then, put the VM Hub into modem mode ( https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-hub-modem-mode ) and wait for the base light to turn magenta/purple (on a Hub3 - but not on a Hub4!). Once it’s in modem mode, the VM hub “MUST” then be powered off. Switch your router on and make sure it’s fully initialised (leave 5 min) and then put in the ethernet cable from its WAN port to the VM hub (any port will do).

NOW… power up the VM hub and wait 5-10 minutes for The Hub to initialise and and you should get a connection. Use the recommended App to connect any other Mesh units to the first one. This order only needs to be done the first time you connect the router to the VM hub.

[newapollo]

Hi Max787,

Do you have the hub3?

Put the VM hub into modem mode and make sure the bottom led is magenta (reddish) then turn OFF the hub.

Fully initialise your own router, with the WAN port set to DHCP.

Plug it into the VM hub, it doesn't matter which port, although I've seen others say it should be top one.

Only one port works in router mode so remove any other ethernet cables from the hub3.

Then power on the VM hub and it should work. 

EDIT - John beat me with a more thorough explanation.

[Max787]

The engineer came back and still insisted that red was normal and the hub in cable modem mode does not allow direct internet connection

Another engineer came: totally wrong. Colour should be pink /magenta not red....And yes you can indeed have direct internet connection out of the router in cable modem.....

[Roger_Gooner · Accepted solution]

For clarification: when the hub 3 is in modem mode the LED turns magenta. All four LAN ports are active but once a router's Ethernet cable is plugged into any of them the other three are deactivated.

[Tudor]

The magenta LED on the hub can look like red to some people.

[Max787]

Thanks you ol Gooner!!

[lotharmat]

Having looked at what magenta is - yes I had to google it - I can confirm that my hub 3 in modem mode definitely has a red light - nothing like magenta at all - when putting it back to router mode - it is cream colour - not white..