Virgin Media Hub 3.0 - how to configure

littlerock

Virgin Media recently sent me a VM Hub 3.0 to replace our existing VM Superhub. There are set up instructions in the accompanying user guide but it seems to assume that I will be accessing it via wifi.

Our home network consists of a home office with 3 desktop pcs, all directly cabled into the existing VM Superhub via ethernet cable and several mobile devices - laptops, tablets etc, which we connect via wifi. We are running Wndows 7 Pro. We do want to keep our current direct ethernet access for our desktop pcs but I cannot find any reference in the VM user guide to plugging these into the VM Hub 3.0, although there are ports available on the back of the box.

Anyone else running VM 3.0. with directly cabled up pcs into it?

(This is a large rambling old house and there are problems with wifi access throughout so we also use repeaters around the house for the wifi. Even then there are problems - it is not possible to have an electricity smart meter at present for example as there is no wifi signal at the back of the house or in the cellar.

Just to add VM sent me the VM 3.0 box because we have been having wifi problems lately, signal keeps dropping. I have noticed that a new potential network connection has appeared in the list on my laptop - a TP repeater. This is nothing to do with me but there is a large old house just opposite, which has just been extensively renovated including new cabling and I assume new internet access (the previous occupant was 90 and did not have any IT access) .

Is it possible the TP link I can now see on my possible wifi connections, is their repeater and it is interfering with our signal? Our VM superhub is in the front of the upstairs front bedroom which we use as a home office. This is only a short distance from the house oppposite, they are town houses with no front gardens to speak of?)

System

Just plug the cables into it. Everything should work as it did before. At worst it uses a different subnet than your original one and something set with a static IP address may not be accessible or able to see the internet.

However if everything is set to use DHCP, where the router assigns the device its IP address, everything should be hunky dory.

bengalknights

You just simply plug in and off you go

littlerock

can i ask if you are actually running ethernet connections yourselves off a VM 3.0? Only because the VM user guide only referred to wireless access, I logged into my account on the VM Commmunity forum to see if anyone else was using it for their ethernet connections. There were lots of posts from users who said their ethernet connections worked on Superhub 2 but would not work when they installed them onto a VM Hub 3.0 (- see below).

So before trying it out, I thought I would check out here if anyone has actually successfully connected their pc to a VM hub 3.0 using ethernet cables without any issues. I know it should work in theory, I just want the reassurance of hearing from someone who has actually done it, that it works in practice.

Ethernet problems with VM Hub 3.0
some quotes from the VM Community Forum

e.g.

D---: A few days ago I signed up to Virginmedia for broadband and got the new superhub 3.0. I've had the engineer round to set it up and it's now up and running, with wireless connections being fine, however direct connection via ethernet simply isn't working and my computer does not have a wireless adapter. I've checked 3 different ethernet cables, including the one that comes with my hub, checked all 4 ports, made sure my drivers were up to date and done various resets both soft and hard. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

J---: Until recently I had two desktop computers and a 16 port Netgear Switch plugged into the back of my Virgin hub. Everything was working perfectly. Today I got upgraded to a Superhub 3, so I plugged all three components into the back: The two computers are working fine as is the wireless but, in common with everyone else, my Ethernet network is not working.

and many more

RumRat

I have a VM 3 hub and you just plug your ethernet cables into it as you did with the old one.....There is no difference in the way it actually works to your old one. I have three connections into mine.

Not sure why you are checking everywhere before actually trying it
yourself....You aren't going to break anything....

You are lucky you can only see one other WiFi network....I can see six. If you think it may be interfering, you can always change channels on your router. Or, your laptops/tablets may be able to choose between 2.4Ghz and 5.0Ghz wifi if they have the capability for dual band connectivity.

chrisw

Yes, my pc is connected via ethernet. No problems at all.

esuhl

When radio came along, Einstein was supposedly asked to explain how it worked to a society familiar with cable telegraph:

Einstein wrote:

You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles.

Do you understand this?

And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat.

It's similar with computer networks:

Ethernet works the same as wifi... except that you don't need to browse for networks (because there is just the one network you're physically connected to) and you don't need to log in with an SSID/password, or worry about encryption methods, channels, etc.

If your router's wi-fi is working, then it should be a given that Ethernet works... unless there is something seriously wrong with [STRIKE]your cat[/STRIKE] the router.

(If there was, I'd be checking to see if a firmware update for the router would fix the issue.)

littlerock

thanks for all that. I will give it a go. (I can see quite a few other networks on the list but they are BT ones I knew about. The TP one is the top of the list and only appeared recently, since the new owners moved in opposite. My laptop has not left home for months as I travel with my tablet mostly. Our WiFi signal keeps dropping since they moved in and coincides with TP link has appearing in the list.)

olbas_oil

Just before you do... it would be worth running through the configuration of the old router and noting down what is connected, and on what ip, as well as any other changes you have made. Your external ip will change (as virgin re-connect you, and also any internal ip's for your own devices.
I had some issues with the Hub 3, but that was largely because I had done some configuration that I has subsequently forgotten about:

Reserved some IP's done a port forward Added some shortcuts with ip hardcoded Used an external service that was tied down to my ip Changed the password on my Wi-Fi, and forgotten it!

You will also notice that anything that depends on 2 factor authentication will need re-validating. Your bank/email may say 'You have not logged on from here before, please go through extra security'.

datostar

I have a Virgin Hub 3 with an iMac, Virgin V6 TV Box, Apple TV and Seagate NAS Drive all connected via ethernet. Everything just plugged and and started working. Nothing to configure.
You may have a faulty hub. I'd contact Virgin about it.

littlerock

Thanks for the advice everyone will let you know how I get on.