Router question

Nickynoo1

Hi,

I currently get my BB connection from my virgin set top box, and have a linksys router.

I have received to day a modem from virgin. When i switch it over will i need to get a different router for wireless?

Also, can anyone tell me why it would be i can currently get a wired or wireless connection via the router, but can not connect direct off the ethernet cable??

Regards
Nickynoo1

matty2767

because the router may have a modem inside it. not all routers do though. just like the modem you have received from virgin may not also be a router.

Nickynoo1

Ni what i meant was, do you need a different type of router with a modem.

Also, can get wired via STB and router, but not direct from STB.

Any ideas?? i just cant see why it wouldnt have worked

Jzpop

You should be able to take Ethernet cable that currently runs from your router to the set top box, and just plug it into the modem.

The answer to your second question depends on the exact make and model of set top box that you have, but I guess it is to do with the way that the Ethernet cable is wired. Generally, routers will accept a straight-through or crossover connection, but a PC network card will expect a straight-through connection.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_crossover_cable for a bit more detail, but don't lose sleep over it - you can expect your modem and router to work together however the connectors are wired.

BexTech

Nickynoo1 wrote: »

Ni what i meant was, do you need a different type of router with a modem.

Also, can get wired via STB and router, but not direct from STB.

Any ideas?? i just cant see why it wouldnt have worked

Could be due as above depending on whether you are using a straight-through cable (patch cable) or a cross-over cable. When connecting PC - PC you use a cross-over cable, when connected device to PC usually a patch cable (straight through).

It could be you have a cross-over cable and routers usually work with either cross-over or the usual straight-through, but direct from the STB it's expecting a patch (straight through) cable.

You won't be able to chop and change between using the STB and the modem, VirginMedia will switch off the access from the STB and then allow access via the cable modem.

If you are xTelewest/Blueyonder VirginMedia then when it is time to switch to the cable modem it's just a case of switching everything off, wire up the modem, router and PC, then switch on modem wait for about 30 seconds, switch on router, wait for about 30 seconds and then switch on the PC, should all sort itself out automatically.

If you are xNTL VirginMedia then you may have to run a script (I forget now, if it is only on first ever run systems to xNTL or even when changing from STB to modem).

Nickynoo1

so there's no diffference with asdl or whatever it is then.

i could accept the cable difference etc. But it used to work and now it dont. I checked with my old pc. took wired connection through router but wont take wired conection direct from stb. Its the same cables as before i bought the router.

Could it be a virgin problem? seems odd that neither pc can get internet access without the router, but they used to.

Nickynoo1

BexTech

Nickynoo1 wrote: »

so there's no diffference with asdl or whatever it is then.

i could accept the cable difference etc. But it used to work and now it dont. I checked with my old pc. took wired connection through router but wont take wired conection direct from stb. Its the same cables as before i bought the router.

Could it be a virgin problem? seems odd that neither pc can get internet access without the router, but they used to.

Nickynoo1

ADSL is broadband via the BT phone line.

You mention a STB, so I take this to mean you have cable broadband (broadband that comes through the same co-ax cable as cable TV).

When you are swaping from direct cable to via router and back, you are switching off the STB and the PC, then switching the STB back on and then the PC when direct wired and then switching STB, router and PC off when going back to using router, switching on the STB waiting for that to kick in (around 30 seconds or so) then power up the router and wait, then power up the PC.

You won't need a new router as the router you have is a cable router and will work fine, as the STB has a built-in cable modem, but is limited on speed and can slow down the STB, switching to a standalone modem will allow you to achieve the faster speeds, and is just a case of instead of using the STB in-built modem use the external modem connected to the router.

Did VirginMedia say when they would end access on the STB and transfer it to the Modem?

Nickynoo1

hi,
thanks, well i was powering down and up again, but after doing it god knows how mant times for about 6 weeks im starting to lose it.

Virgin said it would automatically switch over when i go to the registration page. But as i just tried to connect direct to the modem and it would not get the ip address i couldnt get to registration page. Didnt bother trying to do it via the router as its now getting late, and i'm getting v. frustrated with it. Plus i'm running out of plug sockets!!

Jzpop

OK, I'm getting a bit confused about what the problem is.

You originally said that you have just received a new cable modem, and asked whether you can keep your original configuration (STB -> Router -> PC?), but just swap in your cable modem as a direct substitute for the STB (new setup will be modem -> router -> PC?).

I have done exactly that within the last 4 weeks, with Virgin, and the answer is yes, you can.

The procedure is to power off the modem, router and pc, connect the ethernet that used to go to the back of the stb into the modem, then power on the modem.

Once the modem has finished booting, switch on the router. Once that has finished booting, switch on the pc.

Then open a browser, and go to the Virgin registration page to register your new modem. The address is https://autoreg.autoregister.net

When asked, enter ntl-ct8-cj486 as the password, then enter the details that should have come with the accompanying letter (PIN etc).

On your second question, I am trying to work out why you would want to connect the modem directly to the pc, when you have a working router setup? There are several advantages to having the router in your setup, not least because it adds a hardware firewall capability. If there is another reason why you want to remove the router and connect directly to the modem, help me out a little

Nickynoo1

Hi,
The reason i wanted to connect direct to the modem without the router is because i am getting slow speeds and virgin will not test it with a router, in case router has the problem.

BexTech

Nickynoo1 wrote: »

Hi,
The reason i wanted to connect direct to the modem without the router is because i am getting slow speeds and virgin will not test it with a router, in case router has the problem.

Have you tried swapping the cables you use when trying direct?

Maybe one is a cross-over and the other a patch cable.


But you will still have to do the switch all off and then switch on in order.

If you are xNTL then I believe the auto reg, is when new install or replacement modem, on xTW/BY that is not needed and xNTL should be dropping that too sometime.

Have you asked in the VM newsgroups or if xTW/BY in the blueyonder support newsgroup.

You don't say whether you are xTW/BY or xNTL, but reading it looks like you are xNTL.

virginmedia.users.self-help.networking could be worth asking in.

If you were xTW/BY they have always had support staff in their newsgroups, one of which is: blueyonder.support.access.hi-speed

VM do plan to offer support to xNTL users in time, but at the moment the xTW/BY staff who run the support in the newsgroups don't have access to the xNTL side, for for xNTL there is only the option of phoning in or try the self help group I posted above.

What speed should you be getting? What speed are you getting?