Virgin Media 2gb Hub 5x - Modem Mode

MackTheMack

VM are rolling out 2gb fibre on Siro but are using Hub 5x which seems to not allow Modem mode.

Has anyone be able to activate Modem mode in order to avoid double NAT?

youcancallmeal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058351208/virgin-media-2gb-hub-5x-modem-mode

Yes you have to ring them(And wait up to 40 mins on hold) and then ask for ipv4 to be enabled.

LoGiE

@youcancallmeal have you done this yourself? I know this was the case with their Coax 1000/50 package but I've heard it's not possible with the hub 5x

NU8

I got them to activate modem mode on the 5x but couldn't get it to work. My router couldn't connect to the internet. I saw on Reddit people suggesting to clone the MAC address of the modem but I haven't tried that yet

youcancallmeal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122333428#Comment_122333428

Yes I had to clone the virgin hub mac address in my tp-Link deco app to get it to work. It's working now a few weeks but it's nowhere near as reliable as when I had Sky Fiber which connected straight from the ONT to my mesh network. Getting disconnects on my mesh network every day, sometimes only momentary and other times I have to reboot the system altogether. The Virgin hub reportedly has firmware issues with EEE(Energy saving) being enabled by default on the 2.5Gbps port. I've been meaning to ring them to ask them to push an update for the firmware remotely but haven't gotten around to it yet.

NU8

Good to know, thank you. I'm using my router as a wireless access point only which works fine although prevents the mesh from working.

I'm not sure if going to modem mode is worth it if it isn't stable. My current solution is fine and I work from home so can't afford instability.

Do you know if you can connect directly to the ONT on Sky when it's not SIRO, it's over Virgins own fibre?

youcancallmeal

I still haven't ruled out some configuration issue with my mesh network but seems unlikely as it was rock solid for a year when I was on Sky Fibre(Siro).

I don't think it's possible to connect your own hardware directly to Virgin's own fibre ONT, there's no Lan port on the ONT like there was on the Sky Fibre ONT, it just has a single fibre connection which goes into Virgin Hub 5x.

NU8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122333805#Comment_122333805

I also got this working with a TP Link router. This is for Virgin's new fibre network, the one they're replacing their coax network with. Working perfectly so far

youcancallmeal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122531736#Comment_122531736

I have mine more stable now. I had to turn off modem mode on the Virgin hub and disable MAC clone on my TP Link router, it was just too unstable. I have a double NAT now though but nothing is connected to the Virgin wifi. Not ideal but stable wifi is the most important thing

Irish Gunner

Sorry for regurgitating but wondering if the new 5x hub can be put into Modem mode? Have FTTP avaialble but turned it down as reading that it cannot be put into Modem mode so sticking with what I got on 500.

Have ASUS router and various Nodes around the house so did not want to risk going down this route. Long term I would like FTTP but Asus mesh and router have better controls so want to stick with that

But to use an annoying office term, "going Forward" can it be done

Irish Gunner

Ok does not seem to be able to put in modem mode other than below

Will not get this modem until it can be put into modem mode

https://fttppro.co.uk/replacing-the-hub-5x-with-a-was-110-sfp-module-on-virgin-medias-xgs-pon-broadband/

mobirl

I have the sagencom F5685L GB modem from virgin media on their fiber to the home service. I presume it's their hub 5. Their support people say they only enable ipv4 mode for business customers and it's not possible to switch their fiber modem to bridge mode. They only provide details for own routers to business customers.

That's different to the 1st time I rang them 2 wks ago when they said it would take 24hours to enable bridge mode.

I'm not sure what happened after the 1st call because I was able to access 192.168.0.1 with the admin details before and disabled the VM WiFi. Now, since I rang support the 1st time and while connected via ethernet cable to port 1 to the sagencom box, I can't access the admin interface but wireshark does detect an endpoint on 192.169.0.1 and no other devices connected to the sagencom box.

Are people on home or business connections while using VM fiber ?

NotShero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123688959#Comment_123688959

Those don't seem like connected events. Even if "IPv4 only mode" was enabled by technical support, it wouldn't stop you being able to access 192.168.0.1 as you have to enable "modem mode" before it becomes a modem.

Technical support seem to not want to enable "IPv4 only mode" for home customers lately as they might possibly be running out of IPv4 addresses and want to preserve them for business customers for a fee.

Virgin coax is being replaced with FTTP for both home and business customers. With their coax service before though only a few people were under CGNAT and DS-Lite, so most people had "modem mode", whereas it's the default now with FTTP for home customers anyway.

There's more information in this thread, removing the Hub 5x with a WAS-110 etc. -

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123476998#Comment_123476998

Boards_Member

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123688959#Comment_123688959

Forget it…not going to work ! Access the GUI from wireless device and press…reset to factory default.

works fine after…

mobirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123689003#Comment_123689003

Thanks all for responding, the steps outlined would mean having to buy new network switches that support the fiber input.

Is there a way to use the unifi vlans to support both the 193.168.0.1 network and my own 192.168.1.x or could I extend my default network while disabling DHCP etc on the VM box?

NotShero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123694713#Comment_123694713

You could get a SFP to Ethernet convertor, which would be cheaper.

You can turn off WiFi, DHCP, uPnP and firewall on the Hub 5x and connect to it but you would still have double NAT and no port forwarding as you’d still be under CGNAT but it is an option still yeah but it could cause issues.

I still don’t get why you are having issues connecting to the Hub 5x GUI. Is the DHCP range in the same subnet? Make sure the IP address of the Hub 5x is 192.168.0.1 and set the DHCP range from 192.168.0.5 - 192.168.0.250.

You might just have to reset the Hub 5x though if you really can’t get to the GUI at all.