Virgin Fibre Areas only. If you can get / afford multiple pods, they should form a mesh network to create a higher throughput backhaul. Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year. Restart your modem-router combo box. Now, press the sync button on the second Booster for 3 seconds. This will return it to the default factory settings, then follow the steps to try pairing again. Virgin is also using the older Wi-Fi 5 technology, rather than Wi-Fi 6, as used on the far more expensive Orbi RBK852. There are double Ethernet sockets on the Pod. chargers. Virgin Media have provided me with a test unit of their new Intelligent WiFi pods to review. Simply plug it in, turn it on and let it do its #job In the next video, I will explain with what you can do to create a chain of #wifiextender in order to build a #cloud #wifi that your neighbours can benefit from too, if of course you want to help. People are using the web to socialise more, game, hold meetings over Zoom, as well as stream video and music. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. That means you will need to manually reconnect things which used the old name. Virgin media pod is an intelligent #wifi extender that helps #internet reach black spots within your #residential and #commercial property.It is super easy to install. At least 20Mbps download speeds in every room or 100 one-off credit. Plug in the new WiFi Pod halfway between the Hub and where you're experiencing poor WiFi as already mentioned by @Adduxi You should also note that after your hotspot period has ended, the Personal Hotspot option will disappear from the Cellular menu. endstream endobj 4 0 obj Choose a home.. Some reading suggests that these pods come pre-configured from Virgin (they configure it to your own SSID's before it's posted out.) 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. At which point, it may be more cost effective to buy a decent router or your own mesh system. Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. 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. Your WiFi password, network name and other details can be found printed on the underside of the router. Mesh networks were originally developed for enterprise settings like offices, shopping malls but have since gained popularity at home as people invest in more devices and want total coverage throughout the home. They're also meant to come with ad-blocking and speed-testing. With the WiFi Pod plugged in, speeds jump to an average of 69Mbps upload and 75Mbps download. Cheers for your help and apologies if I've got this completely wrong. 2. Theres some room for confusion between Virgins Intelligent WiFi and its WiFi Plus service. There are two Boosters in your pack. Here's how to access it: Step 1: Sign into your Virgin Mobile account. From setting up new or existing Boosters, to fixing any troubleshooting issues, here is your step-by-step guide. This light will also flash quickly. Yes. There are a number of reasons why the Booster isnt working. It's fairly time-consuming process then, but with similar mesh devices costing around 100 to purchase outright, it's reasonable that Virgin only want to supply what's necessary. <>stream When you activate the hotspot feature, it remains live until the end of the following day. Virgin Media customers suffering from less than average speeds around the home can look forward to boosting it with the WiFi Pod. A couple of devices kept losing connectivity completely. Confusing info about that? The sounds of stroking and scratching the cardboard. Required fields are marked *. I'm also not sold on the mesh concept. 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 All of the products on this page are subject to survey, network capacity and a credit check. Wi-Fi connections would become noticeably weaker here. Virgin Media has announced two upgrades designed to boost Wi-Fi signal throughout your home for those struggling with dead zones not reached by their router. According to VM it can take up to 24h for the pod to settle. Virgin send the pods out preconfigured. The apps available to everyone with a Hub 3, 4 or 5. I usually split the names so that I always know which network I'm connected to. You can now unplug the larger Booster and move it to where you need in your home. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. Good luck. Yeahit doesnt. For those who live in high-rise flats, this should be particularly important. On your phone or tablet, open the Google Home app . By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. On the existing Booster, thats already connected to the Hub, hold the Sync button on the side for 3 seconds. The wireless and power lights will start to blink. The Power light will come on and the Connection light will flash amber. Relocate the BoosterMove the Booster to another socket ideally an internal wall and away from interfering devices with a motor like a washing machine. 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. Priority is a service from O2 that current Virgin Media customers aged 16+ can also use. , Your email address will not be published. If the connect lights flashing red, and the power lights solide white the pairing has failed. Up to 3 WiFi Pods if needed. Two additional WiFi Pods can be added for those with bigger homes. The power light (dots) will stay on. Here youll find all the help you need for Virgin Media related problems and issues. 8p/m extra or included with Gig1 or Volt. For purposes of this tutorial, let's keep the focus on that phone-based option, as I think it's the most expedient method. Some of my IoT kit gets really confused by this. If you have a big home, put a pod in every room and you'll have fast WiFi broadcast everywhere. 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.. Theres also the Virgin Connect app (iOS/Android) to check on the health of the home Wi-Fi as well as search for any blackspots. 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. 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. You can use the Virgin Media Connect app to scan your home and smooth out any snags. All rights reserved. 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. To activate it again, you'll pretty much need to repeat the entire process (sign into your account, buy the add-on, and so forth). Video guide prepared by Luqman Khanhttps://www.luqman.euHere is with how to self install virgin media pod. From there, the setup is nice and simple. Take the smaller one first and plug it into a mains socket, next to the Hub. Check the Ethernet cable is securely connected from the main Booster and the Hub. Use a pen tip to press the rest button for 7 seconds on all the Boosters in your home. Follow the on-screen set-up instructions. Tap it, then sign in using your Virgin account number and PIN. If youre experiencing poor WiFi coverage in your house, or office, then a WiFi Booster will help: For those who live in . Sign in to My Virgin Media to check your existing package and upgrade your service today. If you want to boost reliability, its a good upgrade, but if you want much faster speeds, opt for a different mesh system. With support for in-home roaming, devices are pushed to the closest port of Wi-Fi access whether thats the Hub or Pod. But, I'll be honest, I think Virgin are a bit cheeky to charge extra for these. Unlike traditional boosters, which create a separate Wi-Fi network that youll need to join to benefit from the boosted signal, mesh networks seamlessly move your device between the nodes throughout your home. then google it, you'll probably find that it is the same thing. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Supercharged. GEG4Dcb>%!5Up]@K&HZKAl,VlIsjkv]Viu8y($f9wA{)d*!^z'f5-x'tU_ $\s 8:6P~t764tckGUGi?|Z*I.c`\>TBrSrCI ^@l87HQm6zH v:[w] ~As-IBGInY*2^B+-?l@QhVL`.5XroI$#7&Y0|3zQjn *^"smv'=cum:G(Q4yoa!0 H[ The Boosters will then start copying the Hub's details. Avoid direct obstruction to the Booster, such as cupboards or shelves. If youve invested in a bucketload of smart home gadgets from smart lighting, Alexa or Google Assistant-powered smart speakers, connected audio systems like those from Sonos, or security products, like Nest or Ring Doorbells this update should prove particularly useful. Think streaming in Ultra HD, grabbing that game update before your mates, and downloading massive files in a flash. That makes no sense to me as previously I'd have to set up routers to act as wifi boosters. Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. Provide ventilation as the Boosters can get very warm while in use. 1. ), Preview: Virgin Media's Intelligent WiFi Plus Pods. It will be available now to all Ultimate Oomph and Gig1 customers at no extra cost. I can I configure this to work in my home with my Hub 4 or is it a case that this will only work in his house? So, how much of a boost does the WiFi Pod bring? Instead, Virgin Media will send the hardware in the mail. Scanning Virgins Troubleshooting section and there can be issues with Ring doorbells, too. The former is a free update to Hub 3 and 4 routers that automatically sorts out any Wi-Fi kinks. Theyre coded to your router when you order them from Virgin. While Wi-Fi 6 devices are still in the minority, the technology is more future-proofed and adds even faster speeds. Learn more. Virgin Media is home to the UKs fastest widely available broadband. Terms of guarantee vary by provider. Fully locked to the router they are assigned to and they can't be changed on the users end. WiFi Pods wont need to be installed by an engineer. Would changing my Wifi creds to match his fool the Pod into thinking its still in his house? Having had the WiFi Pod plugged in for nearly six weeks, the performance is what the Wi-Fi Doctor ordered. I've been mostly satisfied with Virgin Mobile service on my iPhone 5S , especially the $30-per-month price tag for nearly unlimited everything. Step 3: There's only one option here, and it's $5/250MB Daily Mobile Hotspot. Make sure you choose an internal wall, free from obstructions, such as: cupboards and shelves with lots of ventilation. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. So second hand ones dont work Im afraid. Amazon Eero mesh Wi-Fi review: a true rival to the Google Nest Wi-Fi? "When I plug the pod in halfway between the garden and the hub" guess they're okay as long as you have sockets in the middle of your lawn? Whereas before my top speed was over 500Mbps on WiFi, it has now dropped to about 480Mbps. WiFi guarantee included at no extra cost and up to 3 WiFi pods if needed, . Hard reset router for at least 30 seconds when it loads back up give the pods 24 hours and see if that improves. If I'm next door to the Hub, and on 5GHz WiFi, I get these speeds: Virgin Media's Boosters use G.Hn technology and will only connect with other kit using G.Hn. 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. New pod arrived and looks exactly the same as the old one and since it arrived on Thursday its been plugged in but still a slow flashing white light and the + button in the app to add a pod says I do nit have any to install. any ideas, the hub 3 and old pod worked great so not sure why the new hub/pod won't connect. It is an improvement, but this isnt the fastest wireless mesh system. Virgin WiFi Pods | ASMR | Unboxing & Re-Boxing - YouTube Enjoy the sounds and visuals of ASMR unboxing of the Virgin Media WiFi Pods. I ran each test a few times at the same time of day. It's also quite large - and might block the plug next to it. 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. Port 53 is open on the device - but doesn't seem to respond to anything. 18 month contract. Press and hold the WPS/Virgin Media button on the Hub until the lights start blinking. Some reading suggests that these pods come pre-configured from Virgin (they configure it to your own SSID's before it's posted out.) Plug the larger Booster into a mains socket, in the same room, and switch it on. Pods should be spread evenly around the home, especially in rooms and open spaces where is more common to use Wi-Fi. But it does seem to come with a cost. If it's pre configured does that mean you cannot change your SSID or password in the future? A WiFi router enables you to connect wirelessly to the internet from anywhere in your home on any internet-enabled device. 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. Otherwise set-up is a case of plugging the Pod in and waiting itll automatically see your router settings and network conditions, joining and extending your wireless network wirelessly, creating a mesh network. If so the Pod can be replaced at no extra cost. Move closer to the BoosterTry moving to a different room or closer to the Booster before connecting the device Once paired, the Connection lights will go out on both Boosters. Repeat this for all Boosters in your home: turn the power off, unplug and plug back in. Easy to set up, coverage has been better, wireless range extended and there have been fewer connection drops. Our intelligent Boosters: WiFi and Wired, use your home's internal electrical wiring to help connect your devices to the Hub from any room with a working socket. However, for iPhone owners in particular, it's not immediately clear how to enable the feature. Powered by unlimited lightning-fast broadband, our Hub serves up the WiFi strength you need to scroll, meme and stream. (Learn More), Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive brand new posts by email. They'll stick to a stronger 2.4GHz network rather than the faster 5GHz one. Indeed, if you venture into Settings, you'll notice a complete absence of the Personal Hotspot option. When Ethernet is not available throughout the home, which is the case of most people, our pods will use Wi-Fi to backhaul the network traffic from your devices to your modem. To verify click here. Fastest WiFi guarantee of any major provider x v }GnZVmm-j-^mCOo~G?w}K_g>}Cx{Moxk^E/xs=IOxczG. The big limitation is that both your 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi SSIDs need to have the same name and password. They're useful, but come with some annoying limitations. 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. In practice, tri-band systems are much faster. Youll know when the copying process is done as the wireless light on the larger Booster will stop blinking and go off. Founded in 2004, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased 8p/m extra or included with Gig1 or Volt. 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. Adaptive Band Steering indicates which frequency range out of 2.4Ghz and 5GHz a device should be on. The Hub 4 is packed with Gig1 Fibre broadband giving you the speed you need to stream, zoom or game to your hearts delight. Then scroll down to Manage Mobile Hotspot and tap it. It lets you run a super intelligent WiFi home scan to smooth out any snags, speed up your connection all around the house, and pause WiFi to any device when you need to perfect for when its the kids bedtime. How to setup or install virgin media pod in your home or office? Sign in to your Spectrum account for the easiest way to view and pay your bill, watch TV, manage your account and more. The Boosters are successfully paired when the lights stop flashing. Upon receiving the parcel, youll only need to plug the node into the mains socket. No setup fee is available on all bundles, broadband & phone, and broadband only packages until 2nd April 2023. The unaffiliated community for Virgin Media subscribers to discuss broadband, TV, phone and mobile services. You can unsubscribe at any time. Pick a category to get started. He gave it to me and said I just plug it in and it works. The weakest area in the house is on the first floor and out towards the rear garden (the Hub is closer to the front of the house). With more people staying indoors, home Wi-Fi has taken a battering. Here are the most common and what to look out for: Use power sockets on internal walls, but dont use extension cables. Its unclear exactly how many of the systems developed by Plume (and available from their own SuperPods system) will be available to those who sign-up for the Virgin Media-branded version of these mesh network gadgets. Similarly, I couldn't find a way to access the BLE functionality. For those who arent subscribed to these pricier bundles, youll need to cough up an extra 5 a month for the improvements. 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. This pod plugs into a power socket and listens for WiFi signals from the hub. 2 0 obj 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. 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. 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. Or, take a look at our installation guide. WhatsApp: 07305327112, Press J to jump to the feed. The Boosters are paired correctly if the connection lights (arrows) and the WiFi light are off. Instead, Virgin should automatically push an update to your phone. Step 3: There's only one option here, and it's $5/250MB Daily Mobile Hotspot. Virgin media pod is an intelligent #wifi extender . So whether it's technical issues, hub problems or you need support, well help you with our complete set of general help guides and answers like our billing and payments help guides. That's what I'd normally expect to do myself with any other booster. . Virgin says the best area for placement is a) out in the open and b) around halfway between the router and the blackspot area, though obviously theres room for adjustment depending on the location of mains sockets. Virgin WiFi Boosters can help tackle WiFi blackspots and are perfect for places where your existing home network won't reach. Press the sync button, on the side of the Booster connected to the Hub, for 3 seconds. All going well, for the majority of the WiFi Pods lifespan you wont see the light in action. Founded in 2004, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy. After the lights have flashed on, connect the Booster to the Hub, using the Ethernet cable provided. Available to Virgin Media customers with the Hub 3 and Hub 4 routers, is the Pod the Wi-Fi saviour youve been looking for? The Virgin Media Connect app is the control unit for your WiFi that helps you get your Virgin Media broadband up and running. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Step 2: Once you're signed in, tap Settings & Preferences. My maximum speed has dropped, but that's a fair sacrifice for vastly improved speeds elsewhere. But those features are unavailable. M250 Fibre Broadband. The Connection light will start to flash very quickly. Virgin Medias mighty Hub brings the magic right into your home. So, the big test! BeakerUK 1 yr. ago Thanks, seems to have done something.. the pod had a double flash and has now stopped. Pretty crappy! The Boosters will then start copying the Hubs details. Plume Setup. Intelligent WiFi chooses the least busy connection for your devices and automatically sorts WiFi issues for you. Virgin Medias shiny new WiFi Pods are powered by mesh network subscription service Plume. Virgin Media has been lagging behind the competition, providing just a single router and optional wireless boosters that run over your homes power lines. You can check our list of the best Wi-Fi extenders for other options in boosting your home Wi-Fi. We expect you to get full satisfaction from our Mobile Deals and Broadband, TV, Landline Packages, and that is why weve worked hard to put together a learning and help space where all of your problems can be resolved quickly and efficiently - today. Basically none. Delivered Tuesdays and Thursdays. Virgin will remotely log in to your SuperHub and forcibly rename your 5GHz network to be the same as your 2.4GHz one. The better it is placed, and the better your broadband deal, the smoother and steadier your internet experience will be. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Yes. As it creates a mesh Wi-Fi network with the router, theres the chance for interference with other mesh systems such as Sonos, although that can be avoided by hooking your Sonos system up to Wi-Fi. Then switch the power on. WiFi and Internet speeds are fickle beasts. But there's one feature I've missed: mobile hotspot. Virgin Media promises speed gains of up to three times in hard to reach areas thanks to intelligent Wi-Fi extenders. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). Its packed with WiFi 6 the latest generation of WiFi technology so more devices than ever can be used at the same time. Any insight? This is the same underlying technology seen in rival products from Google, Amazon, Netgear, and BT. It then rebroadcasts them - using the same name and password. Virgin suggests a manual re-connect if the doorbell wont re-connect on its own. To verify click here. 1 0 obj A few more extra things to note about the WiFi Pod. And the more speed your Hub gets, the more your WiFi can do. Virgin Media Gig1 (average download speed 1130Mbps) vs fastest widely available average download speeds of UK ISPs. Dual 100/1000Base-T Ethernet with autosense WAN or LAN configuration. Comes with four gigabit Ethernet ports you can plug in up to four wired devices at a time. youre eligible for a Hub upgrade if you order or upgrade to one of our Gig1 Fibre broadband packages. Your response will then appear (possibly after moderation) on this page. Then follow the steps to set them up again in our installation guide. 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. Unlike traditional boosters, these new systems allow you to move around the house on a FaceTime call without dropping signal. The dual Ethernet means that they can be wired in directly to your cable modem. Press and hold the WPS/Virgin Media button on the Hub until the lights start blinking. Can't find the setting on your iPhone? A light should flash quickly. But the basic tech works. If its not a technical issue you need help with then were here to support you on any account problems you might have from upgrading your services to finding out what packages we can offer you. Here you'll find all the help you need for Virgin Media related problems and issues. 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. Excludes broadband faults and broadband network outages. Press and hold the WPS button on the larger Booster for about 10 seconds and release it. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. If the program doesn't start automatically, click on the My Computer icon Up to 3 WiFi Pods . Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. they look like plume pods, wouldnt be surprised if someone has reflashed them to a generic firmware. Obviously, if your walls block WiFi, there's a limit to what the pods can do. Easy to set up,. check for an fcc id. It's a hassle, but at least the mobile hotspot function is now available. The Virgin Intelligent WiFi Pod is a simpler, more integrated option that works with your existing router, building a wireless mesh network. After a few seconds the Installation Wizard should appear. Take control of your WiFi with the Virgin Media Connect app - YouTube 0:00 / 2:02 Take control of your WiFi with the Virgin Media Connect app Virgin Media 26.4K subscribers Subscribe 10K. Virgin Ultimate Oomph and Gig1 customers can, however, sign up at no extra cost. O2 sim. If you currently have a Hub 3 or older model (including the Superhub 1A, 2A etc.) You won't be able to connect Powerline adaptors, using HomePlug technology, to your Booster network. They do broadcast the SSID that they were set up with and you can connect to that and use it (if you have the password). Tap to select that option, and then tap Update. View Details & Updates. For me, stability has improved in weaker areas, coverage is better and there have been fewer connection issues. If it doesn't request another pod as you can get up to 3. For verification see virginmedia.com/fast. Plan ahead. Within 2 minutes, hold the Sync button on the additional Booster for 3 seconds. Fastest WiFi guarantee of any major provider Comparing WiFi guarantees of major UK ISPs.