Virgin Media Community

[TonyU1]

We have two V6 boxes paired by wifi to the same Hub 3.0.  YouTube works fine on the box nearest the Hub (wifi download speed 100-200mbs) but is slow to load and often has no sound on the furthest one (download speed 40-50).  Virgin Wifi booster hasn't made any difference.  Short of hard wiring a wifi access point (difficult due to location of the second box) are there are other ideas or recommendations please?  And what sort of wifi speed is it reasonable to expect from our top of the range 500mbs incoming service?  Thanks

[jbrennand · Accepted solution]

You have 3 options for connecting a "distant" V6 to the Hub (remember - the V6 must also have the VM coax network connection for it to work).

1) Ethernet cable connect it to the Hub – always the best solution and not as difficult as you may think initially – good/flat Cat6 cable is relatively cheap and easy to conceal.

2) Improve the wifi signal at the V6 location – there are lots of discussions and opinions/suggestions how to do that on here – the V6 works best connected on the 5GHz band

3) Connect the V6 to the Hub by good quality powerline adapters and short Cat6 cables (assuming your electric circuits connection is ok to support that)

[TonyU1]

Thanks John. Very clear, to the point and helpful. I've checked 'System Info' and 'Diagnostics' on the distant V6 box .... lots of different channel data (865,100 etc) and frequency readings (all 539000 kHz or higher) so I assume it's automatically pairing itself with the 5Ghz band either via the Hub or the nearby Virgin Wifi router?

I notice you're using Airport Extreme which is what I'd been doing for the last 5 years or so, linked with one Airport Express.  They weren't doing the trick though so I disconnected both when I switched to the Virgin booster a couple of weeks ago.  And thoughts?

Thanks again for your suggestions so far.

[jbrennand · Accepted solution]

I have always had the VM Hub's in modem mode and used Apple gear for my routing and wifi. I have the latest (white columnar) Extreme and the latest Airport Expresses - what models are yours?

The Hub's wifi's routing and wifi capabilities can be generously described as "poor to average". I am not convinced their "boosters" rise above that description either but they do work for some people. If you havent renamed the SSID's of the 2 network bands and switched off "channel optimisation", then devices will hop between networks and bands selecting which they think is "best". I personally prefer to do the selection myself and stick to it - it might be worth you trying that on the Hub3 - its easy to do and set back if you dont like it.

How well either system works for you will depend on many factors but the main one is the size of your property, its internal walls layouts and construction (stone ,brick, plasterboard etc), and distance between the wifi units. I have the Extreme in the back room and 1 express in the front room and one on the landing and they are not really that far apart (3-bed semi) - and get good coverage all over the house (V6's all show >90%) - and if it aint broke i'm not going to try and fix it until it is.

When it is broken, as Apple are no longer in the Airport business, I will probably move to a good Mesh system as although their routing abilities are (arguably) nowhere near as good or  "feature laden" as the Extreme - I dont need that any more (kids grown up!) but you can more or less assure good/strong wifi signal across all of a property as you can just add additional units if you have blackspots.

[TonyU1]

Thanks again John .... much appreciated.

My Extreme and Express are pretty old, guessing maybe even 7 or 8 years.  But from memory I had the Hub in router mode and set the Extreme up in bridge mode.  So I've never tried the modem set up you have and will definitely give it a go.  

You say your V6 wifi reading is 90%.  Idiot question, but 90% of what?  And is it something I can find out my end via System Info or Diagnostics?  

Slightly bigger house this end with brick walls and some RSJs in 'knock through' openings which is probably part of the problem.

Thanks.

Tony

[jbrennand · Accepted solution]

The % readout in the Home>Help>Settings>Network>Connection - top right it shows "Signal Strength" - mine up here shows now as... 87% (excellent).

Brick walls can be a problem - mine is Cheshire brick and not the earlier Victorian red brick (or stone). which has a more iron rich constitution. RSJ's if steel or concrete are bad news too. So just moving the units a foot or two and up/down can make a big difference. Also, doors are quite wifi "porus" so I tried to put my Expresses in a direct line of sight to the Extreme through doors - if that makes sense 🙂

With Hub in modem mode my Extreme is set to DHCP & Nat mode and is doing the routing and wifi'ing the Expresses are in "extend a wireless network" mode.

Have a play around and see what works best. If all else fails a New Mesh system will sort you.

[TonyU1]

Thanks John.  

Just checked the signal strength on both boxes and can't believe what they're telling me!  The box closest to the Hub and the one of which YouTube works perfectly is 42% (marginal) and the furthest one with the YouTube problems is 100% (excellent). 

Everything tells me the readings should be the other way round - both because of the YouTub aspect and because of the speedtest readings I've done on my phone app.

No idea what to think or where to go now and Virgin see loathe to give me a tech appointment.

Don't want to give in now though having finally got this far after so long with poor reception.

[jbrennand · Accepted solution]

Mmmm... odd indeed. I do find the V6 wifi to be a bit temperamental. The one up here hadn't been on for a couple of weeks so when I switched it on it came up as "disconnected" and the EPG had only a few days left in it. I truied the usual reconnection procedure but it said it couldn't detect any wifi networks - as I sat there with full signal on the iPhone !

So switched it off for 10' using the rocker switch on the back and fired it up and it connected again just fine - went on "loading" for quite a while though as I guess its updating the EPG. with data for the next few weeks.

Maybe try that and see what happens. Or try the Apple gear again and see if that improves it? VM are unlikely to send a tech out for what is just a wifi issue as that's not "guaranteed" in the service T&C's.

Another reason for taking control of your own wifi environment and never having to rely on them for any help there.

[TonyU1]

Thanks John.  Curiouser and curiouser! And I totally get the bit about Virgin not be interested in or taking responsibility for wifi reception even if it does all start with their router!

One last idiot question if I may please?  If I set the Hub up in modem mode and go back to using the Airport Extreme and Express, presumably the ethernet link to my desktop Mac needs to be via the Extreme rather than the Hub?

And perhaps an idea to see if I can find another cheap Express on eBay now that they're old hat.

[jbrennand · Accepted solution]

Yes once the Hub is in modem mode all other ports on it not connecting to the Extreme, are inactivated. So all connections need to come from the Extreme so just switch the ethernet cable to the Extreme.

Yes I got both mine from eBay for about £20 each - used but A1 condition. I note "new" ones are now going for silly money - cheaper to get a new Mesh system !

Just make sure you get the latest version A1362 (> June 2012 model) and pinhole reset it first.