Virgin Media X Plume. More info. Founded in 2004, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased Press and hold the WPS/Virgin Media button on the Hub until the lights start blinking. It pulsates during set-up, blinks when it is improving the Wi-Fi signal and once its done it turns solid before turning off completely. Well, that's the theory. If it's pre configured does that mean you cannot change your SSID or password in the future? My friend had 2 pods at home but has since removed one as he needed the socket. The WiFi Pods are part of Virgins rollout of its Intelligent WiFi Plus service, available to Virgin customers with Hub 3 and Hub 4 routers. There is no one-off fee. Jeff Dodds, Chief Operating Officer at Virgin Media, said: Intelligent WiFi Plus is our most advanced and impressive WiFi service to date that will help remove broadband blackspots and bring faster and more reliable speeds throughout the home. (Or subscribe to this Atom Feed. Easy to set up,. how the Plume adaptive WiFi works in their whitepaper, Join Virgin Media and get 50 bill credit, Dual-band, dual-concurrent radio operation. The latest generation of WiFi technology takes advantage of dual band reach for guaranteed speed, coverage and reliability and less WiFi lag. Virgin's Intelligent WiFi Pod is here to wipe Wi-Fi blackspots from existence, Kob began his career at What Hi-Fi?, starting in the dusty stockroom before rising up the ranks to join the editorial and production team as the Buyers Guide editor. So your phone or laptop will seamlessly connect to one network without you having to fiddle around with anything. A Virgin Media Booster can be used for any type of Hub or connection and will boost the signal significantly in under 200 square feet (50m), by picking up signals from far away connections via an antennae thats attached to it. Virgin Media is taking a dual-pronged approach to eliminating dead zones from your home, Virgin Media is giving away an amazing Google freebie to all customers, UK broadband boost: finally, some good news about your internet speeds, The new bundle, dubbed Intelligent WiFi Plus, is free to some customers and 5 a month for others, BT Whole Home Wi-Fi review - Boosting your broadband is now cheaper, Nest Wifi review: Fixes your broadband, saves you buying a Google Home. Required fields are marked *. Virgin WiFi Boosters can help tackle WiFi blackspots and are perfect for places where your existing home network won't reach. A WiFi router enables you to connect wirelessly to the internet from anywhere in your home on any internet-enabled device. Then switch the power on. Virgin Fibre Areas only. HSn0]zmZ`Y+ Rwv9 Experienced in both magazine and , Unbiased and independent advice on what to buy, Virgin Intelligent WiFi Pod price and availability, You should buy the Virgin Intelligent WiFi Pod if. and independent advice on what to buy. Video guide prepared by Luqman Khanhttps://www.luqman.euHere is with how to self install virgin media pod. The big limitation is that both your 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi SSIDs need to have the same name and password. Supercharged. Theres some room for confusion between Virgins Intelligent WiFi and its WiFi Plus service. Can't find the setting on your iPhone? The Virgin Media Connect app is the control unit for your WiFi that helps you get your Virgin Media broadband up and running. If you can set up using a Self-Install pack, but choose to use an engineer for the installation, youll still be charged 30 for this service. x v }GnZVmm-j-^mCOo~G?w}K_g>}Cx{Moxk^E/xs=IOxczG. Step 3: There's only one option here, and it's $5/250MB Daily Mobile Hotspot. Want to update or remove your response? I usually split the names so that I always know which network I'm connected to. The Virgin Intelligent WiFi Pod is a simpler, more integrated option that works with your existing router, building a wireless mesh network. Having had the WiFi Pod plugged in for nearly six weeks, the performance is what the Wi-Fi Doctor ordered. Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. I havent encountered any issues, but then my speakers arent in close proximity to the Pod either. Restart your modem-router combo box. Your WiFi password, network name and other details can be found printed on the underside of the router. Any insight? A couple of devices kept losing connectivity completely. Virgin WiFi Pods | ASMR | Unboxing & Re-Boxing - YouTube Enjoy the sounds and visuals of ASMR unboxing of the Virgin Media WiFi Pods. Sign in to My Virgin Media to check your existing package and upgrade your service today. That makes no sense to me as previously I'd have to set up routers to act as wifi boosters. Disconnect your old Hub (note: the coaxial cable will need to be unscrewed). The domestic airwaves are already saturated with WiFi signals from your neighbours. 1 0 obj Compare this to the speeds in the blackspot sans the WiFi Pod and theyd fall to average upload and download figures of 47Mbps and 58Mbps. Enjoy great WiFi coverage thanks to four built-in antennas that extend and maximise your WiFi coverage around your home. For those who live in high-rise flats, this should be particularly important. Virgin Media customers suffering from less than average speeds around the home can look forward to boosting it with the WiFi Pod. If so the Pod can be replaced at no extra cost. A light should flash quickly. Similarly, I couldn't find a way to access the BLE functionality. When you activate the hotspot feature, it remains live until the end of the following day. 1. That process can start up again if theres a change in the Wi-Fi environment, or if the Virgin Hub has reset itself. Up to 3 WiFi Pods . All rights reserved. Yes. Tap it, then sign in using your Virgin account number and PIN. That's what I'd normally expect to do myself with any other booster. 1 Reply More posts you may like r/VirginMedia Join 6 days ago Virgin is also using the older Wi-Fi 5 technology, rather than Wi-Fi 6, as used on the far more expensive Orbi RBK852. Here youll find all the help you need for Virgin Media related problems and issues. Be sure to position pods in central locations along the . For those who arent subscribed to these pricier bundles, youll need to cough up an extra 5 a month for the improvements. To try again: Plug the additional Booster into a mains socket, in the same room as the Booster that is connected to the Hub. Founded in 2004, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy. Tap Add Set up device New device. Plume Setup. This means your laptop will always be connected to the node with the strongest signal without you even realising anything as changed. For example, Plume boasts that its system continuously learns from your use and performs self optimisations to keep things running smoothly this includes automatically detects the brand and model of your connected devices, ensuring your beloved devices are given capacity to run at full potential. Plume recently launched a new feature, dubbed Sense, that transforms its existing SuperPod hardware into motion sensors to alert you when a potential intruder is moving around the house when all family members are out-and-about. Virgin Fibre Areas only. Terms of guarantee vary by provider. Scanning Virgins Troubleshooting section and there can be issues with Ring doorbells, too. Connect the new Hub to the mains power supply and plug it into the wall. When I plug the pod in halfway between the garden and the hub, this is the speed I get at the bottom of my garden: Finally, plugged into the pod's Ethernet: As a basic WiFi extender, they work. 8p/m extra or included with Gig1 or Volt. Receive expert tips on using phones, computers, smart home gear and more. Hope you didn't use the password for anything sensitive! Video guide prepared by Luqman Khanhttps://www.luqman.euHere is with how to self install virgin media pod. Call: 0345 454 1111 Confusing info about that? Naturally, the speed is limited to whatever the pod can negotiate with the hub. No setup fee is available on all bundles, broadband & phone, and broadband only packages until 2nd April 2023. WiFi Pod Compatability. Virgin Media promises speed gains of up to three times in hard to reach areas thanks to intelligent Wi-Fi extenders. 2. Virgin Medias mighty Hub brings the magic right into your home. There are a number of reasons why the Booster isnt working. Some reading suggests that these pods come pre-configured from Virgin (they configure it to your own SSID's before it's posted out.) That means you will need to manually reconnect things which used the old name. If you can get / afford multiple pods, they should form a mesh network to create a higher throughput backhaul. But there's one feature I've missed: mobile hotspot. ), Preview: Virgin Media's Intelligent WiFi Plus Pods. (And your first time is effectively free, as Virgin is offering a $5 account credit between now and July 16.) Your email address will not be published. If the connect lights flashing red, and the power lights solide white the pairing has failed. Now other devices in the immediate vicinity should be able to connect to your iPhone. This can be done in a desktop browser or in Safari on your iPhone. Think streaming in Ultra HD, grabbing that game update before your mates, and downloading massive files in a flash. You should also note that after your hotspot period has ended, the Personal Hotspot option will disappear from the Cellular menu. I had my old hub 3 plus booster pod and 1 v6 box replaced last weekend, after new hub was installed it took 3 days to appear in connect app, my pod would not connect and after a phonecall we were told we needed a new pod due to compatability issues with the old pod and new hub. Theres an Ethernet socket for a hardwired connection, while visual touches are restricted to a red Virgin logo on the top surface and an almost imperceptible LED light. Step 4: You'll see a confirmation screen noting your start date ("Now") and end date. After a few seconds the Installation Wizard should appear. If you find its blinking consistently and for longer than usual as happened to me on one occasion Id suggest rebooting the main Hub to get them back in sync. Welcome to Virgin Medias help and support page. Other software improvements rolling out to Hub 3 and Hub 4 owners include: Virgin Media has dubbed its new software and WiFi Pod bundle Intelligent WiFi Plus. TV 360, home phone, Volt benefits and WiFi Guarantee not currently available in 2022/23 network expansion areas. From there, the setup is nice and simple. Pretty good! Avoid direct obstruction to the Booster, such as cupboards or shelves. O2 sim. And the more speed your Hub gets, the more your WiFi can do. If it doesn't request another pod as you can get up to 3. If I plug an Ethernet cable directly into the SuperHub, my laptop gets these speeds. The 5GHz barely connects and the 2.4GHz is a bit wobbly. Up to 3 WiFi Pods if needed. Nope. Hub 4 and wifi pod. Press and hold the WPS button on the larger Booster for about 10 seconds and release it. If you want to boost reliability, its a good upgrade, but if you want much faster speeds, opt for a different mesh system. The Connection light will start to flash very quickly. The most pirated show of 2020 probably won't shock you, Some lucky Britons can now upgrade their broadband using a satellite, Stunning Great Escape-inspired electric bike has a top speed of 60mph. Available with M50 broadband or faster. There are double Ethernet sockets on the Pod. If youve a Virgin Media Booster, use the tip of a pen to press the Reset button on the additional Booster, for 7 seconds. Here, Virgin uses dual-band wireless technology (speeds not disclosed), rather than a tri-band design, such as with the Netgear Orbi RBK50, where one wireless channel is dedicated for communication between satellites. To respond on your own website, enter the URL of your response which should contain a link to this post's permalink URL. Yes. Here's how to access it: Step 1: Sign into your Virgin Mobile account. Terms of guarantee vary by provider. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). To verify click here. The Virgin Intelligent WiFi Pod is a solid option for Virgin Media customers with Hub 3 and Hub 4 routers looking to boost Wi-Fi speeds and stability around the house. Sign in to your Spectrum account for the easiest way to view and pay your bill, watch TV, manage your account and more. Repeat this for all Boosters in your home: turn the power off, unplug and plug back in. Plug the larger Booster into a mains socket, in the same room, and switch it on. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. And, because the networks insists on putting all the SSIDs on the same frequency - I've noticed an overall slowdown in my WiFi speeds. then google it, you'll probably find that it is the same thing. One of these improvements takes the form of a software upgrade rolling out to its Virgin Media Hub 3 and Hub 4 hardware, while the other boost is a new product, dubbed WiFi Pods, that plug-in throughout your home to increase the signal. The Hub 4 is packed with Gig1 Fibre broadband giving you the speed you need to stream, zoom or game to your hearts delight. I kinda get why they do this - better to connect to a slow but stable 2.4GHz than a flaky but fast 5GHz - but it is annoying for those of us who rely on segregated names. Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. Despite its inelegant shape, in use the Virgin Intelligent WiFi Pod is elegantly simple. The way it works is simple - the VM supplied SuperHub broadcasts 5GHz and 2.4GHz WiFi. These tweaks are designed to improve in-home coverage in hard to reach areas and is particularly beneficial for those in large households with lots of connected devices, Virgin Media claims. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. Move closer to the BoosterTry moving to a different room or closer to the Booster before connecting the device The Power light will come on and the Connection light will flash amber. The sounds of stroking and scratching the cardboard. Whether our customers are working, streaming, browsing, playing or keeping connected online, the combo of new Hub features and WiFi Pods provides a step-change in connectivity that wont let you down.. Comparing WiFi guarantees of major UK ISPs. Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Thats meant once reliable speeds and coverage arent quite as robust. Turn WiFi on and offIt may sound simple but try turning the WiFi setting off and on again from the device you are using to find a stronger signal. They'll stick to a stronger 2.4GHz network rather than the faster 5GHz one. The aim of these Pods is to extend the reach of Wi-Fi within the home and make speeds more reliable and faster. #diy #virginmedia #wifiextender #uk Luqman Khan Ltd 124 subscribers Subscribe 42 Share 17K views 5 months ago UNITED KINGDOM Contact Us. Connect the coaxial cable to your new Hub and secure it with a spanner (this will be included when you receive your new Hub). I generally help as internet is really not great in our street and different networks are often down and hence at times my neighbours often try to use #internet at my place should they need to do something online.Also in one of the upcoming #videos I will explain with how to sync and best use 3 pods in order to all sync with router all at the same time offering you way #better internet strength.#fyp #diy #virgin #media #5g #4g #wificalling #internetofthings #luqmankhan #luqman #stocktonontees #middlesbrough #teesside #teessideuniversity #northyorkshire #british #uk #weneedbetterinternet Excludes broadband faults and broadband network outages. Plus, if you ever need us, were on live chat from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Got one of our newer WiFi Pods instead? Press and hold the WPS button on the larger Booster for about 10 seconds and release it. Using this app, which is available in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, customers will be able to test the strength of their WiFi signal in each room, manage the number of devices connected to their home network, pause devices handy when the children are up past their bedtime, and access customer support to help resolve any issues. In practice, tri-band systems are much faster. As well as the new hardware to extend your Wi-Fi signal, Virgin Media has started to roll out some new software improvements. Now insert the Virgin Broadband Wireless Set-up CD into your computer's CD drive. Place them no more than one floor or two rooms away. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. So, the big test! They are paired with the Virgin SuperHub. The unaffiliated community for Virgin Media subscribers to discuss broadband, TV, phone and mobile services. Unlike traditional boosters, these new systems allow you to move around the house on a FaceTime call without dropping signal. With the WiFi Pod plugged in, speeds jump to an average of 69Mbps upload and 75Mbps download. The dual Ethernet means that they can be wired in directly to your cable modem. Thankfully, the carrier now offers that capability, as $5 buys you a day's worth of using your handset as a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to five devices. Here you'll find all the help you need for Virgin Media related problems and issues. Our Hub 3 is packed with fast and reliable WiFi for great coverage around the home. Virgin Ultimate Oomph and Gig1 customers can, however, sign up at no extra cost. The Plume powered Virgin WiFi Pod is a hexagonal-shaped device (I am tempted to call it The Hex in reference to Wandavision), and its inelegant shape makes for an awkward fit alongside another plug. It's a hassle, but at least the mobile hotspot function is now available. Make sure you choose an internal wall, free from obstructions, such as: cupboards and shelves with lots of ventilation. If your WiFi Booster is working but slowly, you can check your broadband speed or follow these steps to speed it up again: However, if you have Ethernet in your home, you can connect the pods to the Ethernet jacks in the home and that backhaul traffic will travel over the Ethernet cable. WiFi and Internet speeds are fickle beasts. the combo of new Hub features and Wi-Fi Pods provides a step change in . Nothing too loud, but you probably don't want to place it near where you sit. Fastest WiFi guarantee of any major provider Tap it, then toggle it to on. Easy to set up, coverage has been better, wireless range extended and there have been fewer connection drops. Use a pen tip to press the rest button for 7 seconds on all the Boosters in your home. WiFi Pods wont need to be installed by an engineer. But it does seem to come with a cost. Take the smaller one first and plug it into a mains socket, next to the Hub. If you don't see the Personal Hotspot option in the Cellular menu, you may need to manually update your iPhone's carrier settings. Virgin Medias shiny new WiFi Pods are powered by mesh network subscription service Plume. Virgin Media services are only available in eligible Virgin Media network areas. , Your email address will not be published. Each service has a minimum contract length thats shown in your basket. Some general googling and the FAQ here hasn't explicitly answered my question so here we go. Plan ahead. The pods virgin uses seem to be rebranded plume pods: https://www.plume.com/homepass/shop They're known as wifi mesh systems - most of this sub seems to swear by the tp link deco m5: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071241G3R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_6HDVMMHTW57F2PNBATAQ badservice21 2 yr. ago They're going to be 5 per month for up to 3 pods. When ready to be paired, the Connection light will flash red. Or, take a look at our installation guide. Is adding yet another broadcast to the mix such a great idea? Once youre all set-up, the Virgin Media WiFi Pods are designed to reduce the impact of neighbouring WiFi networks by automatically changing settings to stop interference. Virgin will supply customers up to three WiFi Pods in total, but each time the customer needs to setup and check coverage before an additional booster will be sent out. Both of these boosts, designed to improve speeds to all devices in your home, will be available free to some customers while others will need to cough-up 60 a year for the privilege. Hard reset router for at least 30 seconds when it loads back up give the pods 24 hours and see if that improves. Comes with four gigabit Ethernet ports you can plug in up to four wired devices at a time. Intelligent WiFi reduces WiFi traffic by automatically finding quiet channels to use. With more people staying indoors, home Wi-Fi has taken a battering. But the basic tech works. People are using the web to socialise more, game, hold meetings over Zoom, as well as stream video and music. 8p/m extra or included with Gig1 or Volt. Plug in the new WiFi Pod halfway between the Hub and where you're experiencing poor WiFi as already mentioned by @Adduxi Dual 100/1000Base-T Ethernet with autosense WAN or LAN configuration. Leveraging the US companys technology, your in-home WiFi coverage is extended through the creation of a cloud-controlled mesh network which constantly adapts and evolves, Virgin Media says. Priority is a service from O2 that current Virgin Media customers aged 16+ can also use. The power light (dots) will stay on. From setting up new or existing Boosters, to fixing any troubleshooting issues, here is your step-by-step guide. In regards to setting up and finding the best spot for your intelligent WiFi Pod, we suggest the following: Make sure to keep the WiFi Pod out in the open. 3 0 obj<>stream Go to our WiFi Pod installation steps. Press and hold the WPS/Virgin Media button on the Hub until the lights start blinking. Adaptive Band Steering indicates which frequency range out of 2.4Ghz and 5GHz a device should be on. This device then transfers those boosted frequencies through an Ethernet cable, back into your home WiFi settings so you can enjoy faster speeds, without buffering issues. Virgin suggests a manual re-connect if the doorbell wont re-connect on its own. For me, stability has improved in weaker areas, coverage is better and there have been fewer connection issues. So second hand ones dont work Im afraid. Virgin will remotely log in to your SuperHub and forcibly rename your 5GHz network to be the same as your 2.4GHz one. Its packed with WiFi 6 the latest generation of WiFi technology so more devices than ever can be used at the same time. All going well, for the majority of the WiFi Pods lifespan you wont see the light in action. After the lights have flashed on, connect the Booster to the Hub, using the Ethernet cable provided. Port 53 is open on the device - but doesn't seem to respond to anything. Now, press the sync button on the second Booster for 3 seconds. Step 2: Once you're signed in, tap Settings & Preferences. Reset your Hub to default settings, start it up and running, connect your pod and leave until it's not pulsating the white light. They work! Indeed, if you venture into Settings, you'll notice a complete absence of the Personal Hotspot option. Some reading suggests that these pods come pre-configured from Virgin (they configure it to your own SSID's before it's posted out.) Choose a home.. You may find that some equipment roams onto the 2.4GHz network because it is marginally stronger and never connects to the faster 5GHz network. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct. Then scroll down to Manage Mobile Hotspot and tap it. So my questions. This promotion means you wont pay the usual setup fee of 35. When you click Finish on the final screen your wireless set-up is complete. Virgin says that managing your new mesh network will be handled using the existing Connect smartphone app. Whereas before my top speed was over 500Mbps on WiFi, it has now dropped to about 480Mbps. Well update this article when we hear about exactly how WiFi Pods compare with the existing Pods available from Plume in the United States. WiFi guarantee included at no extra cost and up to 3 WiFi pods if needed, . The pod can get warm, there is a fan on the back of it which makes a light whirring noise. Pretty crappy! That makes no sense to me as previously I'd have to set up routers to act as wifi boosters. How to setup or install virgin media pod in your home or office? At least 20Mbps download speeds in every room or 100 one-off credit. As part of the Plus service, you get a WiFi Pod for an additional 5/month. Volt M250 Fibre Broadband . View Details & Updates. Read ~6,781 times. At least 20Mbps download speeds in every room or 100 one-off credit.