Virgin 'Super Hub' not so super...

[simonineaston]

Quick IT-type question for you tech. savvy cyclists!
My broadband supplier is Virgin Media. They sent me the latest vs. of their so called Super Hub ( a rebranded NetGear wifi router).
While the cabled signal to my computers is consistently reliable, the wifi signal is less so. Testing the signal by pinging bbc.com results in a consistent stream of replies via cable, and equally consistent regular no replies via wifi. Rebooting the router helps.
Has anyone got any advice re gathering more evidence before I contact Virgin and indeed any advice about how I ask for their help?

In Out In Out, shake it all about...

Good As Gold...

[RogerThat]

Apparently Virgin still has tens of thousands of Netgear routers out there whose security flaw means they broadcast their OWN password in the first seven seconds of boot up over Wifi. Most hackers know this and once they have it, you're done for. They just wait outside your house, capture the Wi-Fi password, run a bit of software and they're in! Virgin have been rubbish about updating firmware on them, and have simply left it to rot, hoping no one will ever find out (or even notice) they've been completely compromised.

It's for this reason I give virgin a wide berth. Most routers are a bit slower over Wifi than cables but shouldn't be that much, maybe 20%. I've got rid of all my land lines now (all the kids are doing it! ) as I simply don't see the point. I can get a very fast 4G signal where I live which is enough for 99% of the things I want to do online. And it only costs be £20 a month for #totally unlimited data. Get thee behind me Branson!!

Virgin security nightmare (please don't read if of nervous disposition):

https://ramblingrant.co.uk/virgin-media ... rity-flaw/

[simonineaston]

Thanks for the info. Roger. Fortunately, I made a lot of edits, in the manner advised in the article you linked to on the occasion of my first setting it up.
It is scary what can slip past us when we're not looking, eh?

[RogerThat]

No problem. Drive carefully :#! Also slow download speeds over Wifi may not be the problem of the router but if the tablet or laptop connected. Some machines lose signal after only 3 metres from the hub and deteriorate very quickly after that. Google your machine and see what kind of Wifi range/performance it gets in reviews.

[townbikemark]

Not sure how it is right now as I believe Branson sold the name some time ago, but generally anything associated with him was all self publicity and second rate - the businesses themselves were poorly funded - everything done on the short term cheap (which does have its place depending on the circumstances) probably why he couldn't get the lottery. I give anything associated with the brand a wide berth...

[Mark1978]

If it's just the wifi then don't worry. You can buy a wifi access point either to plug in directly to the router (super hub) or go via the likes of power line networking.

We have three access points in our house only one of which is the main router.

[[XAP]Bob]

It's not just VM that have bad security - most soho (small office/home) routers are the same.

Personally I have a Linux PC as a router, direct into the Openreach vdsl modem.

That is beyond most people though. Do you have an android device around - you night just have lots of networks around?

[cjchambers]

I had a similar problem. I used some packet inspection software (Wireshark) and found that as many as 80% of the packets were being dropped. I suspected it was an interference issue, and duly fixed it by logging onto the router's internal settings and changing the channel (Google will help you if you don't know how to do this). There are 14 such channels - 1, 6 and 11 are the most commonly used because they don't overlap with each other. If you live in a crowded area and all of your neighbours are on the same channel, that may be the cause of your problem.

Interference is a big problem generally with WiFi - the problem is that the 2.4GHz band is unregulated so all sorts of things use it or emit within it (cordless phones, wireless doorbells, baby monitors, microwave ovens, CCTV cameras, radio controlled toys, etc). So worth testing out if you have any of those things.

[simonineaston]

That chimes, CJ. I do live in a very closely packed neighbourhood, surrounded by wifi networks - it may be that the situation improves in the short term each time I reboot the router 'cos it assigns me a fresh channel.
I don't think there is anything wrong with the router per se, I think I just have to do more work to get it to behave better, given the crowded environment it is operating in!

[Mark1978]

One advantage of power line networking is that you can have an access point close to where you need it. The one I'm currently using is behind the TV less than 3 metres away. No walls to get through etc.

[Psamathe]

Interference is a big problem generally with WiFi - the problem is that the 2.4GHz band is unregulated so all sorts of things use it or emit within it (cordless phones, wireless doorbells, baby monitors, microwave ovens, CCTV cameras, radio controlled toys, etc). So worth testing out if you have any of those things.

Also, the insulation in your house can make a big difference. The thin alu insulation can have a horrible effect on WiFi, causing very localised black spots (small) so you could be OK and move a few feet and suddenly be in a black spot (basically multipath interference can be a lot worse). Diversity antennae can help, but how much must depend on your access point, systems, etc.

Ian