Virgin Media Community

[Fletty]

 how can virgin say this OK? We can't even watch something on I player without the ring of doom every 3 mins. Phone up and get told everything fine there end and just reset £85 a month for that level of service..... 

[jbrennand]

Are the speed issues only evident on wifi connections or do you see them at the same times on devices connected on ethernet cables? If you don't know, can you check to help diagnose whether it is just a wifi issue or it could be network connection related?

[Fletty]

I think it's probably WiFi but we have nothing connected to ether net, the router is in the same room as our TV and box and today we tried watching a film on prime and it stopped half way through... Both myself and my son have used all our mobile data this month as the WiFi has been so poor it dosent connect upstairs at all... I'm sick of it - no one listens or cares when you ring virgin media and they fob you off with resetting the router or sending something to the router that works for a few weeks and then stops again. We've stupidly been loyal customers since 1996 but as soon as this bit of my contract ends I'm leaving. I refuse to listen to any false promises they make. 

[jbrennand · Accepted solution]

If it is a wifi only issue, then on a Hub3, try separating the SSID's of the 2.4 and 5 GHz wifi bands by renaming them in the settings and at the same time switch off "channel optimisation" apply and save the settings. All wifi devices will need reconnecting to the best SSID at each location. Also use a wifi scanning App to find the best wifi channels to use (just select and use channels 1,6,11 on 2.4GHz) - this often helps Hub3 users get better wifi performance - but its still no substitute for getting better kit as the Hub is renowned for "variable" wifi performance 🙂

To address the wifi, VM will now supply “wifi Pods” (not “boosters”). Pods are free to “some customers” but most will be charged £5/month and right now they dont have enough supplies to provide them - unless you have a demonstrable wifi issue.

And at that level of investment you would soon pay off that cost by buying a "better" wireless solution that will be yours to own and use forever and which will cure all your wifi woes.

I have done that for the last 20 years nad have never had a single VM related wifi issue and my whole house gets excellent signal

To solve it once and for all (for any ISP) get yourself either a…

Mesh System, (2) Wireless router, (3) Wireless access point (4) A combination of (2) & (3).

[Martin_N]

Hi Fletty,

Thank you for your post and welcome to the community. 

I'm very sorry to hear about the issue with your download speed. 

I have been able to locate your account. 

Have you been able to try the suggestions by jbrennand?

^Martin

[Fletty]

If I'm honest I haven't a clue what any of that means and have had to Google the majority of it and how to do it - in the mean time I have bought a mesh (?) to see how that goes apparently the one I've bought improves the hub 3 100% so fingers crossed I can set it up. 

[jbrennand]

Which Mesh system is it - make/model?

In any case its always best to set it up with the Hub in modem mode following this procedure.
_________________________

Disconnect all cables from your new router (or Mesh first unit) and unplug it.

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.

Then, set up your own router/Mesh with the WAN port set to be in DHCP & Nat mode - it will be in the network settings on the App - it may be pre-set that way anyway. Make sure it’s fully initialised (leave 5 min) and then put in the WAN ethernet cable to the VM hub (any port).

Now power up the VM hub and leave 5' to initialise you should get a connection. Then use the recommended App to connect the 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.

Note that some TP-Link Deco’s systems need to be connected to the internet to set up the DHCP/Nat mode so that “may” need to be done first and then start this sequence again

[Fletty]

A eero mesh wire extender - it was on the amazon treasure truck today for £59.99 which seemed like a bargain. I'm a total technophobe so haven't a clue. Virgin did a few years ago send out WiFi extenders but I found they just knocked everything off and we had to reintroduce them every other day.  I just want to watch something without facing the ring of death every 5 mins...

Thanks for your help by the way 😊

[jbrennand]

Is that the single unit and not a 2 or 3-pack?  Should be fine - you can always add another 1 or 2 if you need them in the far away places 🙂

Is it this one?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/eero-mesh-wi-fi-router-extender/dp/B07WGJ9S9S/

[Fletty]

Yeah it's that one. It arrives tomorrow so I hope it's OK.