In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by 2E0VEB:

using the hub5 in modem mode

Don't forget there are two separate units:

* Hub 5 = coax cable areas (DOCSIS) - modem mode

* Hub 5x = nexfibre areas (FTTP) - no official modem mode

The FTTP version supports the 2 Gbps speeds, but does not officially support modem mode and is provided with all speeds. The Hub 5 is for coax cable areas is only supplied on the higher speed if you buy the 300 or 500 services you may still be given the Hub 3.

Ah thanks, that's interesting. We've gone for the gig 1 product on FTTP.

You wouldn't happen to know where i might find some decent documentation for the 5x you mention? We will give it a go as-is but i want to find out out about the local network settings (can we configure DNS to our own server, what subnet options are available etc?).

If it differs from our current setup i could make some changes to my lan in advance so i'm not having to mess about post-install.

Once we have it we'll give it a go and decide whether to give unofficial modem mode a go!

Thanks

In reply to a post by 2E0VEB:

You wouldn't happen to know where i might find some decent documentation for the 5x you mention? We will give it a go as-is but i want to find out out about the local network settings (can we configure DNS to our own server, what subnet options are available etc?).

I'm in a coax DOCSIS area, and have the Hub 3, which was so limited I put it in modem mode about 2 days after install. Have a hunt around this forum, but if you search "nexfibre hub 5x" on your favourite search engine you should find stuff.

Some stuff on Reddit is over a year old:
https://www.reddit.com/r/VirginMedia/comments/1bhdak...

here is one write up
https://d3v0ps.cloud/posts/virgin-media-xgs-pon-inst...

more on the hidden/unofficial modem mode....
https://www.reddit.com/r/VirginMedia/comments/1ah1bo...

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by 2E0VEB:

You wouldn't happen to know where i might find some decent documentation for the 5x you mention? We will give it a go as-is but i want to find out out about the local network settings (can we configure DNS to our own server, what subnet options are available etc?).

I'm in a coax DOCSIS area, and have the Hub 3, which was so limited I put it in modem mode about 2 days after install. Have a hunt around this forum, but if you search "nexfibre hub 5x" on your favourite search engine you should find stuff.

Some stuff on Reddit is over a year old:
https://www.reddit.com/r/VirginMedia/comments/1bhdak...

here is one write up
https://d3v0ps.cloud/posts/virgin-media-xgs-pon-inst...

more on the hidden/unofficial modem mode....
https://www.reddit.com/r/VirginMedia/comments/1ah1bo...

Many thanks, much appreciated.

Yeah i had a good scout around and was surprised not to find any clear documentation for the hub and was concerned at the age of some of the content i did find given likely updates over the period.

Something tells me this is going to be a "wait and see" situation as to whether it works for me from the config options - although i suspect not and will likely follow in your footsteps with modem mode shortly after activation.

Still, should be worth it for the speed uplift!

Aha, yes good old Telewest. I was also with them, prior to ADSL - but they didn't offer data services here at the time (the network was the original/old 1980's analogue based cable back then built on Z80's) - I did have multiple phone lines and modems to their local POP before the BT green frog ADSL came out and I switch to that!

I Also run DNS, AD domain and many linux homelab type applications/containers at home (mostly because I can - and to keep current on stuff) so yeh definitely not your average residential customer!

Ironically when recently changing CityFibre providers, I asked about business options and they said "no, its not a business property address" although the only difference between the business option and residential option was in the support SLA so far as I could see so no big problems. My new ISP does not even supply a router, just instructions on setup - which is great for me!

Typically at work where (we have no option than the "business" option), we don't need nor use the sort of things I need at home but that's just the way it is!

In reply to a post by philg:

Aha, yes good old Telewest. I was also with them, prior to ADSL - but they didn't offer data services here at the time (the network was the original/old 1980's analogue based cable back then built on Z80's) - I did have multiple phone lines and modems to their local POP before the BT green frog ADSL came out and I switch to that!

Yeah that Telewest setup was just slightly before my time, i remember using Lineone back in those days and getting a BT second landline installed at the time. Wasn't cheap with per minute charges for both the call and lineone, on top of the subscription charges! All for a blistering 33.3k.

Do remember the frog very well and getting 512k Blueyonder - had a laptop so it was connecting with a PCMCIA card. God that takes me back!

I Also run DNS, AD domain and many linux homelab type applications/containers at home (mostly because I can - and to keep current on stuff) so yeh definitely not your average residential customer!

Likewise - i took a break from all things IT for a decade and a half and was astonished to learn about containers and home-lab stuff. It's been a steep learning curve but so worthwhile.

Think nothing these days of spinning up a new container or VM and messing about with it til it's doing exactly what i want. Good to know there's at least one more of us around these parts

Ironically when recently changing CityFibre providers, I asked about business options and they said "no, its not a business property address" although the only difference between the business option and residential option was in the support SLA so far as I could see so no big problems. My new ISP does not even supply a router, just instructions on setup - which is great for me!

Typically at work where (we have no option than the "business" option), we don't need nor use the sort of things I need at home but that's just the way it is!

Yep all understood. It's interesting what some ISP's consider a business requirement or vice versa. Must confess, i wouldn't go near VM if we had any other options - i was quite happy with Plus but i know Zen are well renowned (or they were, i've lost track) for more advanced "home" users.

But it is what it is.

Cheers!

One thing you could do as you like to keep things locally is instead of using a VPS for your mail server etc. just use it as a one-to-one VPN, I.e. effectively mapping your VPS IP address to one of your home machines.

Then you don't have to manage software on two machines, or worry about disk space or backups of the VPS, as you can run your mail and irc servers locally, but with the static address from the VPN.

I do this using the quid a month VPS from IONOS, effectively buying a static IP address (that isn't in spam databases as being residential) for my home connection

ALL connections to that address are routed through an ipv6 tunnel to a local machine - the only way I can access the VPN itself is via ipv6

Of course, if you don't have native ipv6, you could just dedicate one ipv4 udp port to not be diverted, and use that port for the tunnel connection.

Edited by jamie_wales (Tue 25-Mar-25 00:49:20)