Virgin Media 1Gb FTTH Modem mode not supported

cormacl

Apologies if this has been mentioned. I did search other threads and found no specific reference.

I ordered VM FTTH 1Gb a couple of weeks back having been on the coax service for years. My existing speed on coax was limited 350Mbit

For the new 1Gb system I ordered a UniFi DM Pro and APs to handle all the internal networking and WiFI APs, upgrading from a Nest WiFI mesh which has been acting up for over a year since Google introduced bugs and that product would not be able to reach the 1Gb speeds. I already have the house wired in cat6.

Chap arrived yesterday, fed in the fiber cable from the road and got the new Sagemcom Hub 5 up and running. I wired in the 2.5Gb LAN port from the Hub5 into the WAN port on the DM pro and it all appeared to work, measuring speed near 800mbit. I did notice a smell of double-NAT and went into the VM admin UI and naturally no modem mode option to be seen. Aside from that, there is also instability in the connection with it going offline a lot, several hours sometimes and seeing about 4-8% packet loss on speed tests with cloudflare.

So I called support and they told me that the new FTTH modems are not supporting an IPv4 option like in the past with coax and without that, the router will not offer a modem mode. This alone is likely to push me to walk away during cool off because the double-NAT issues can make it completely unusable. The other stability issues probably are solvable and they have someone checking on that. I ended up re-activating the old coax router which is still working to act as a backup for now.

Now here is the question:

The DM Pro has an SFP port for WAN and I could get a fiber SFP module for it. So has anyone ever wired VM FTTH this way, totally bypassing the router and routing the fiber direct into a compatible router etc. I know this can be done on other services but saw no reference specifically for VM FTTH. The ONT box I have also has no Ethernet port. So there was no copper method for testing this.

And while we're here, if anyone has a similar router directly fibre or ethernet wired with their incoming FTTH (bypassing the provider router entiely), do advise. It may help the escape plan if I have to walk from VM. An acceptable plan B would be for the provider modem to support modem/bridge mode.

Many thanks.

bk

Not really directly answering your questions, but worth noting that both Sky and Vodafone have signed up to make use of Virgins FTTH network. I'd assume they will be using their own modems, so that might be an option for you in a few months once they roll out the service.

darthwilson

I recently upgraded from 360mb to 1GB fibre with Virgin Media. They put in the new router, etc and I am having the same problems where I can't put the router into modem mode. Making my TP link deco system useless. I'm running into pages not properly loading or taking ages, time outs, etc. I've contacted VM and waiting on an answer but looks like I might have to turn off my mesh wifi until the contact is up next year.

cormacl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572702#Comment_121572702

Not going to be the answer you want to hear. But I ended up cancelling the VM 1Gb service in the cooling off period and signed up with Eir. Eir has been perfect since.

The VM fibre connection I got was very bad. I had thought it was double-NAT. But when I connected devices directly to the VM unit and disconnected my UDM, I was still measuring packet loss (~8%). The line would also drop internet service entirely for several minutes or hours and I would have to reboot the router generally to get it back working.

When I called their support over the stability, I was told someone would have to call out and it would take over a week. So I just signed up with Eir that day and informed VM I was cancelling.

Eir gave me an install date of about 11 days later and their engineer called me literally a week before to say he was in the area finishing another job and could do my install there and then. So it was ordered on Friday and installed on Tuesday. It also worked perfectly. I was able to remove the Eir router and cable my UDM WAN direct to the powered ONT Box and use a VLAN ID of 10 and it all just worked.

copacetic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572702#Comment_121572702

Oh no, I have a tp link deco system too, and just got a note in the door that virgin media are installing full fibre. Was very hopeful as we don’t have siro or eir ftth available here, only eir 100MB.

LoGiE

Connect the GPON directly to your UDM Pro and configure the interface. DS-Lite is also supported.

cormacl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121618513#Comment_121618513

It turned out this cannot be done with VM FTTH hub. The ONT function is embedded in the VM hub and to date its not been circumvented by a direct fiber connection to anything.

BLissIRL

For FTTH VF over open Eir

1GB service with IPTV on Arris STB.

For IPTV and trying to replace the sh1tty gigabox on an TP link archer 7 (AC1750) i can get it to work with

SN@vfieftth.ie - user

pass broadband

Vlan 10 (Tick 802.xxxx Tag)

iptv then under Vlan 100 - note the Archer 7 sh1ts the bed trying to process iptv and using full download speeds. (so TP link archer 7 is now only a Mesh AP for wifi in my home ) (When i told the support person this vlan 100 setting worked for iptv, it then stopped working about a day later lol)

So i changed it up a litte,

The gigabox :-

refuses to run under bridge mode.

Upnp is a joke (kids always complaining certain games on pc or console wont connect).

port forwarding drops nat and rules and has only allowance of up to maybe 20 rules.

I tried to explain to the tech support person, that the service is not as advertised the IPTV is barely mpeg2 - 720p - cuts out all the time - looses recordings or doesnt record at all, EPG is never accurate, catach up TV doesnt work, picture quality is piss poor and the supplied hardware is not up to standard - it fails to do any of its advertised features, to go on the parental controls also do not work, I asked if they thought this was a big enough list for comreg and a case for me to cancel under contract......... silence on the line lol.

I decided to try something different and shouldnt have to do this but it works .

plug in a 4 port 1GB switch to the Ont (13 euro on amazon) and from that plug in the **** gigabox router to which i shut off everything (wifi, firewall, nat) - connect sorry excuse for Arris setup box to that giagabox and get TV that way. Then i bought a new TP link AX72 Pro with Wifi 6 (i now get blazing wifi speeds of 1 GB plus) I connect that with PPOE settings and only use it for internet devices - up to 30 devs in my home with kids - never had anymoire issues nor any calls from VF to say Hey your using two routers.

its the PPOE versus how they deliver IPTV over IPOE thats causing the issues - then they tell you they dont support third party bla bla bla - im like but your first party sh1t also doesnt work as described above. Easy out for anyone looking to drop off in contract via comreg.

cormacl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121698843#Comment_121698843

I can imagine the VF support saying.. other than those issues, are you happy with the service :)

It seems then that Eir have the better setup at the moment. The router they provide is working well and has mesh options I know a neighbour used for time without issue. Even under double-NAT it worked for my tests and didn't melt down like the VM or other offerings.

The DIY model is a mere connect your own router to the ONT and use the VLAN 10 tag, no PPPoE credentials are used here. The only loss is the landline which doesn't matter much these days to many.

Then their TV option (which I don't have) is an Apple TV and despite the limits on recording and catchup, it works quite well I'm told with good quality video. And to underline your point on IPTV with VF, given Eir have pushed that downstream to a 3rd party streamer with an app, its probably just the better bet all round.

LoGiE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121620659#Comment_121620659

Thanks @cormacl , got a chance to see an installation at the weekend and you're 100% correct.... It's likely impossible for anyone to use residential Virgin Media fibre with your own kit and avoid double NAT.

• ONT embedded in the VM Router and registered on their network like their Cable Modems.
• No Modem Mode
• Stuck using DS-Lite.

Thats pretty damn awful, and basically means prosumers should avoid VM like the plague.

Superapplestar

So no chance getting VM box out of the way?

cormacl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121893354#Comment_121893354

At this stage, there is no known way to make this happen. The equivalent of the ONT is integrated in the VM box. Ideally if its an issue, you need to part ways with VM.