Virgin Media - Want to extend WIFI

steviebuk

So I'm a tech but thought I'd double check here as I've never actually had cable before and not had Virgin before. Been stuck on slow old ADSL for years.

Normally I provide my own router with any ISP I go with. Unfortunately I've found this can't be done with Virgin. You're forced into using their Hub 3 box which I don't like. I want more control but then that's another issue I'll deal with later.

As the WIFI in the Hub 3 is crap I want to extend it. If I get this TP-Link AP does anyone have experience with it connected to a Virgin Hub 3? I don't really like TP-Link but this is cheap and has the external aerials that I want.

I also don't want to do powerline networking as I know you loose signal over the line. At least with the AP I can hook directly into the Virgin Hub 3 with ethernet so the AP should suffer no speed lose.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-WA901ND-Wireless-Access-Point/dp/B013HCO332/ref=sr_1_19?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1530464459&sr=1-19&keywords=network+router+with+wifi

esuhl

If you have your own router from before, just use that as a switch and wireless access point.


You'll need to give it a fixed IP address and disable DHCP. Then reserve the same IP address for that router on the Virgin router too.

John_Gray

Virgin Media Hub 3.0 mode configuration

If lower solid rectangular light is WHITE

• Hub 3.0 is in router mode
• admin GUI accessed at 192.168.0.1
• all four ethernet ports are active

If lower solid rectangular light is MAGENTA

• Hub 3.0 is in modem mode
• admin GUI accessed at 192.168.100.1
• any ethernet port can be used to connect to the customer router
• BUT that 'turns off' all the remaining three ports

RumRat

Yes, you are not forced to use the SH3 as a router, just set it to modem mode (Log into router and tick box for 'Enable Modem Mode'.
Connect your chosen router to it and your are done.
I personally don't have a problem with SH3, but I did with SH2 and ran an independent router via modem mode and it worked flawlessly.

fenlander_uk

I use a SH3 with a Netgear router and for one difficult location a powerline connecter - supplied free by Virgin when they upgraded my hub and Tivo. No problems with any of it. The powerline always connects immediately and has never lost connection.

TPLink are cheap and basic. If you want to improve on what VM provide, you'll need to look more up-market.

steviebuk

fenlander_uk wrote: »

I use a SH3 with a Netgear router and for one difficult location a powerline connecter - supplied free by Virgin when they upgraded my hub and Tivo. No problems with any of it. The powerline always connects immediately and has never lost connection.

TPLink are cheap and basic. If you want to improve on what VM provide, you'll need to look more up-market.

Yep I know TPLink are cheap and basic. It's just a temp fix until I can sort out moving my Draytek router in