Wifi pods

[davidtrickett]

I have a VM Hub4. I recently changed my package and am now getting 250Mb download(verified).

However I have for a long time been getting a very poor signal in rooms other than the one in which the hub is located. For example signal strength right by the hub is -40dBm, whereas a couple of rooms away it is only -87dBm. At this level connectivity is extremely sporadic and is virtually unusable. I should add that this is a timber and brick Victorian flat which should not impede WIFI  signals very much. 

When I was negotiating the new package(since I was threatening to cancel I seemed to be talking to an English speaker in the UK) I mentioned this, and he told me that the solution was probably to obtain and install one or more Pods.

So when the new package was up and running I tried to call and order one. 

Both calls were the usual VM quality - a bad line, lots of background noise and rapid fire heavily accented mispronounced "English". Scam call centres in the same area have better communication skills.

The first call was on 14th Feb. It took a considerable time to convince him that the problem was not a slow download speed at the hub, but he eventually agreed to arrange for one to be sent out, saying that could take up to 14 days.

Unsurprisingly by 13th March nothing had turned up, so I called again.

This time the individual I spoke to insisted that I install and run "Samknows". Telling her the results she told me that the reason a pod had not been sent out was that the speed was over 30Mbs. This was news to me. She eventually told me that she would refer it up and someone would come back to me.

Of course I have heard nothing since.

If someone from VM reads this can s/he please tell me what is going on?

[jbrennand]

See this whilst waiting for VM to get here

See the post from “newapollo” in this thread for a guide to scanning and ordering Pods….

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Impossible-to-request-a-POD-via-VM-Connect/...

[FlockWallpaper]

As you obviously suspect, nobody will ever, ever get back to you.

Even if you do manage to get through to VM and get a ‘pod’ sent out, unless you are on a Volt package or on a gigabit speed tier. Otherwise they will cost you an additional £8 per month on top of what you are already paying, that’s almost £100 each year and they are never yours, when or if you leave VM they will expect them back.

Now if you are in a position to get them for free, and it isn’t too much of a hassle getting them, then they are worth a try, otherwise for what it will cost you for a year or so, it is possible to purchase a third-party meshed wifi solution that would be yours to own and can be re-used with any other provider in the future.

[davidtrickett]

Thanks for this. I do have long and bitter experience with VM!

I have been told that I am entitled to get these for free, so that should be ok(unless this is just another pack of lies from VM)

[Zach_R]

Hi @davidtrickett,

Thank you for your post and welcome back to our community forums. We're here to help.

I'm very sorry to hear that you're having some trouble with your Wi-Fi signal in certain areas of the home. It's correct that the problem and speeds would need to be assessed before we can determine if a Pod would be beneficial to alleviating the problem.

I've taken a look over things on our systems and I'm unable to detect any faults currently, though this doesn't necessarily mean that you're not experiencing a problem.

Would you mind just clarifying for me what the outcome of the tests/scans are in the areas of the home when you use the Connect App? Your speeds to the router are important of course, but we need to know what's happening in those affected rooms.

Thanks,
 

[davidtrickett]

Hi Zach

Thanks for coming back to me - it is refreshing actually to get a comprehensible response from VM!

Firstly the Connect app does not work. It just tells me that it can't find the hub, although everything else indicates that I am connected, both on the phone and other devices.

A bit of background - the only device I use outside the room in which the hub is located is a streaming radio. Since this is in the bathroom it is of course battery powered.

Download speed is not really an issue, but it regularly cuts out, sometimes for a considerable period.

There are power sockets nearby which should be near enough for a Powerline device - assuming that is what your "pods" are.

I have three WiFi channels - 2.4G, 5G and Guest.

The flat is laid out South-North as follows:

Front room
Bed 1
(4 steps down)
Toilet
Bathroom
Kitchen
Bed 2

Using Samknows I get the following results:

Front room Router 274 Device(phone) 262
Bed 1 similar
Toilet Router 274 Device 108
Bathroom Router 274 Device 19
Kitchen - after around 10 minutes no signal detected. My net meter shows a signal strength of -80dBm for 2.4g - it cant see the 5g at all.

In view of this there seemed little point in trying the back room.

I might add that when WiFi first came in many years ago - for my sins I have been a VM customer since it was Cable London -(not a clue which model hub) I did have some sort of signal in the kitchen, but since the various new hubs have come in there has been no  usable signal at all.

Finally there is another issue which may not be in your area - if that is the case please refer it as appropriate:

As part of my new package I now have your new 360 STB. On one occasion it failed to send any signal to the TV. In the end it came back only after I had disconnected the power and reconnected. I found that it had continued to work recording etc, In view of my restricted mobility this was something of a challenge. I suspect that it has also failed to record scheduled programmes but I cannot yet be sure.

Surely this should not happen with a(supposedly brand new)STB?

[Gareth_L]

Hello davidtrickett.

Thank you very much for your reply.

It really does help having a thorough and comprehensive explanation.

Looking at the above it appears that you have split the bands to 2.4G and 5G.

If we were to order the first pod for you. They will only work if channel optimisation if switched on at the hub.

So basically the Hub will always be working to give the best signal possible for each device connected.

The pods are mains powered and just boost the signal from the hub. They also have an ethernet port underneath if you needed it.

Gareth_L

[davidtrickett]

Hi Gareth.

And it really does help to get a sensible response from someone at VM who seems to know what he is talking about and can speak English - a rare thing for VM!

So can you arrange for one to be sent out please? The only important issue is that I can have a reliable signal in the bathroom - I seldom need connectivity in the kitchen or the back room, and when I do mobile data on my phone is sufficient. I am confident that nearby mains sockets will provide a good signal.

Can you get account and address information from my forum registration or do you want me to give them to you(via PM of course)?

Incidentally I was told that my package entitles me to have this free of charge - can you confirm this please?

Thank you.

David Trickett

[Ashleigh_C]

Hi @davidtrickett 

We would be happy to look into this further with you, we cannot confirm any details of your account publicly. 

Can you first confirm that the two frequencies are no longer split? As Gareth has stated the Pods cannot communicate with the Hub when the two are separate and you would need to keep this together to use the Pod?

[davidtrickett]

Hi Ashleigh

I really cannot understand why this is taking so long. I first asked  for one of these pods on 24th Feb. It is now 27 March and we seem to be no further forward. VM publicity seemed to indicate that this is a simple matter, but this is as usual far from the case.

To answer your specific points:

1. If it is necessary to have the same SSID for both frequencies then this is a simple matter. I can do this within minutes of receiving the pod. I do not intend to do so until then as several devices will need reconnecting which with some can be problematic. Incidentally does this also apply to the Guest channel? Again no real problem if so.

2, I did assume that I would need to supply account etc. details by PM if you cannot see them from my forum registration - please see my last reply.