Virgin Media Community

[Shweby]

---

@chenks wrote:

---

@-tony- wrote:

---

@chenks wrote:
you can't use WIFI to test anything as it's too unreliable.
ethernet tests are the only way to test.
is it possible your laptop is faulty? can you use a differnet device on ethernet to test?

---

i dont disagree in principal but the op posts this

The engineer came out yesterday and he got 200mb/s on a wifi connection.

---

which is fine, but on what WIFI device? and how many times was it tested?
and i'd be curious as the why an engineer would do any test via WIFI.

---

Because service/install engineers dont carry laptops to do a wired speed test.

[legacy1]

---

@Shweby wrote:

---

@chenks wrote:

---

@-tony- wrote:

---

@chenks wrote:
you can't use WIFI to test anything as it's too unreliable.
ethernet tests are the only way to test.
is it possible your laptop is faulty? can you use a differnet device on ethernet to test?

---

i dont disagree in principal but the op posts this

The engineer came out yesterday and he got 200mb/s on a wifi connection.

---

which is fine, but on what WIFI device? and how many times was it tested?
and i'd be curious as the why an engineer would do any test via WIFI.

---

Because service/install engineers dont carry laptops to do a wired speed test.

---

Must be given good phones to work for VM to get the speed.

[Shweby]

---

@legacy1 wrote:

---

@Shweby wrote:

---

@chenks wrote:

---

@-tony- wrote:

---

@chenks wrote:
you can't use WIFI to test anything as it's too unreliable.
ethernet tests are the only way to test.
is it possible your laptop is faulty? can you use a differnet device on ethernet to test?

---

i dont disagree in principal but the op posts this

The engineer came out yesterday and he got 200mb/s on a wifi connection.

---

which is fine, but on what WIFI device? and how many times was it tested?
and i'd be curious as the why an engineer would do any test via WIFI.

---

Because service/install engineers dont carry laptops to do a wired speed test.

---

Must be given good phones to work for VM to get the speed.

---

Galaxy note 8. But a 200/350 is possible on most modern smartphones over wifi. The huawei p20 pro is also cappable. Of course this is assuming there are no external factors degrading the wifi signal.

[chenks]

---

@legacy1 wrote:

---

@chenks wrote:

---

@Roger_Gooner wrote:

It's obviously the speed coming out of the hub which matters, and all the hub ports are gigabit.

---

yes but you've got a 10/100 device connected to the gigabit port then all you'll get is max 100Mbps.
so if you're running a speedtest then the testing device needs to support gigabit.

---

We don't have that problem with todays simple routers....having a NAT router with a device with a 100Mb link to the hub does not impact a device with a 1Gb link to the hub for the internet.

---

i never said it would.

[SCA1972 · Accepted solution]

@Thesaint1967 Hopefully all the slightly off topic chatter on this thread hasn't scared you off.

As @jbrennand has said you need to check that your laptop has a gigabit (10/100/1000) Ethernet card.  The speeds you are describing are typical of the speeds we see on here from laptop users that only have a fast Ethernet card (10/100).  Fast Ethernet cards have a theoretical maximum speed of 100Mbps but overheads and other factors bring them down to ~90Mbps and very often even lower in laptops.  If you are unsure of the type of card in your laptop then post which Sony model it is and we can try and look it up for you.

Is the iPad an old iPad 2 (2011-2014) or a newer iPad Air 2 (2014-2017)?  If it is the older model then it will not be able to get anywhere near to 200Mbps, see tests here:

http://wifinigel.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-fast-is-my-ipad-on-wifi.html

If it is the later model then it should be able to do more than 100Mbps as my 1st generation iPad Air can get up to 130Mbps on my 200Mbps connection, but it might not be able to max out the line.

EDIT - Corrected a typo in iPad availability dates.

______________________
Scott

Disclaimer - I don't work for Virgin Media. I'm just another VM user trying to help out.
My setup: V6 TV box, Vivid 200 Optical fibre with Hub 3 in modem mode connected to a Netgear R7000 router. Telewest/VM user since 2001.

[Gary333]

I’ve had two ‘engineers’ test the speed with their Samsung phones, so it certainly happens. 

[chenks]

---

@Gary333 wrote:

I’ve had two ‘engineers’ test the speed with their Samsung phones, so it certainly happens. 

---

this assumes the engineers knows your WIFI password, and does anyone ensure that they delete/remote the saved network from their device once finished?
this is a major security issue if virgin engineers end up with numerous customers WIFI networks saved on their devices.

[Gary333]

They reset the router to the factory settings when testing for speed faults so the password is on the router.

Same story when they replace a router, password is on the router. 

Up to the punter to take security steps, although one of the two did reset the router again before leaving.

[chenks]

---

@Gary333 wrote:

They reset the router to the factory settings when testing for speed faults so the password is on the router.

---

before or after testing?
and saying "it's up to the punter to rest" doesn't wash with me. it's open to abuse by engineers.

you don't get openreach testing their lines using a customers WIFI, they test it using their own kit connected to the line. virgin should be doing the same.

[Gary333]

I don't work for Virgin so I am not fussed whether it washes with you or not. My point was simply not to write people off as not telling the truth. VM's engineers do use their phones to test Wi-Fi speed, this may or not be their process, and may or may not be common. However, I've had two engineers perform this (one on a new line, and once on a speed fault) so it certainly happens.

For all we know the phones are setup with VM software and they connect via this, maybe they just enter the router serial number and enter some other way, who knows. If engineers wanted to mine passwords they could already do this for new customers without you knowing as they already have access to the routers on their van, each of which have multiple stickers with the password on. If you were a mark they could decide to replace your router with a 'known' unit - same risk, so not sure what the scare mongering about mining passwords is all about.

Virgin Media do have some form of handheld device they can plug in to test certain aspects of their system however this is bulky so maybe they prefer to use their VM phones. You can see this equipment on your router when they've had it plugged in. No idea what this equipment is as the MAC address is protected and not a valid number.