M5 set up with Virgin Superhub 3 in the UK

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M5 set up with Virgin Superhub 3 in the UK

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
M5 set up with Virgin Superhub 3 in the UK
M5 set up with Virgin Superhub 3 in the UK
2020-07-27 09:01:17
Model: Deco M5  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version:

I have an M5 pack of 3 Decos I want to use (still in the box!) . Current set up is a Virgin Media Super Hub 3 (Router), range of Wi-Fi is poor for the house as the router is right at the front and there are dead spots upstairs and to the rear and the garden, which I want to fix.

I also have a powerline link to a current dead spot to connect to a home office – this works well.

I can’t connect through the house with cables, too long to be practical, although it’s just a three bedroom semi so the 3 pack should be fine.

Questions:

  1. Can I set up a new Deco network through the router as is? Will that cause conflicts? Is this the easiest / best option?
  2. Should I leave the router as is, set up a new network and then just turn off the wifi on the Superhub afterwards? (Will I retain the powerline connections in this scenario?)
  3. Should I set the router to modem mode and then set up a new Deco network?
  4. Should I simply use the Deco (x3 units) in AP mode to deal with the dead spots?

If the third option is preferable:

  • Should I set the router to modem mode before I start ?
  • Can I then use the old network name and password for the Deco network so that devices continue to connect to it?
  • Will I lose the powerline link, or will that be retained if I plug into the Deco unit, rather than the superhub?

Otherwise what is the best option overall from this list?

Apologies for a long question - I have little technical knowledge, so basic answers (in simple language!) to the above would be very helpful and much appreciated.

Thanks

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Re:M5 set up with Virgin Superhub 3 in the UK
2020-07-27 16:52:54 - last edited 2020-07-27 16:59:00

@MH52  I suppose the best way to answer your question is to give you an overview of what I've done. At least it will give you one possible way to set this up:

 

First of all this is what I have:

 

  • A: Virgin (fibre) CableTV-Telephone-Broadband (200Mb).
  • B: Virgin SuperHub WiFi Router
  • C: ASUS WiFi Router (x4 Gigabit Network LAN Ports; 1x Gigabit WAN Port)
  • D: Deco M5 (x3 units)

 

Before I bought the Deco this is what I had done:

 

  1. Virgin SuperHub set to "modem mode". In other words I turned off the WiFi and Router capability so that I could use my own superior/powerful WiFi Router (ASUS). In essence this turned my SuperHub into a rather 'expensive' dumb modem which gave full 200Mb via one of its ethernet ports connected to the WAN port of my ASUS Router.
  2. ASUS Router providing WiFi and fixed LAN capability throughout the house.
  3. WiFi Name: "CHERRY"

 

But I couldn't get a signal to the back of my house/upstairs/garden. And I wasn't happy with using a Netgear WiFi Extender which meant having a secondary SSID (or WiFi name) - "CHERRY_EXT1" and so forth. (some will argue that the Extender could also be called "CHERRY" as well, which is true, but this will cause conflicts and issues).

 

Then I bought the Deco and this is what I have now done:

 

4. Followed the instructions and connected the 1st Deco to the ethernet port of the ASUS Router using the TP-LINK Deco smartphone app.

5. Connected a 2nd Deco in my son's room (wirelessly).

6. Connected a 3rd Deco in the guest room, located upstairs at the back overlooking the garden (also wirelessly).

7. The Deco WiFi is called "MANGO". The Deco is configured in "Router" Operating Mode by default.

8. THEN I did the following: I turned off the WiFi on the ASUS Router (no more "CHERRY"). So, with WiFI turned off it's now it's become a rather expensive BUT very powerful LAN Router/Firewall/Switch - which is what I expected and wanted. (I even removed the six antannae from the ASUS).

9. I then changed the Deco's Operating Mode from "Router" to "Access Point". This means the Deco is now just a plain and simple, but expensive, WiFi 'roaming' system. It no longer offers any firewall capability, port forwarding, NAT, QoS, DHCP, etc etc. Again, it's what I expected and wanted.

10. The WiFi in the entire house and garden is "MANGO". With no disconnections, no loss of service and typical speeds between 185Mb and 220Mb download and 20Mb upload.

 

I didn't want to decommission my ASUS Router. Why? Because it's an all powerful Router with advanced features: so it's doing all the hard work because of the 1Gb RAM and Quadcore CPU inside it; hard work such as - firewall, parental controls, NAT'ing/port forwarding, DHCP and fixed IP addresses, QoS and bandwidth limiting per device or application (e.g. NetFlix, Amazon Video), network prioritisation, Intrusion detection/Intrusion prevention, network traffic analyzing, VPN etc etc. I don't care about any of those features in the Deco; it's purpose - for me - is to offer WiFi and nothing else.

 

In your example you don't have an ASUS Router, therefore keep the Virgin SuperHub in Router Mode (not Modem Mode) and turn off the WiFi, thus the only WiFi is coming from your Deco. But also put your Deco into Access Point mode, otherwise you will have two DHCP 'servers' issuing IP addresses and causing conflicts. (The SuperHub will also continue performing as a Firewall etc).

The alternative is: put your Virgin SuperHub into Modem Mode and keep your Deco in Router Mode so that it does EVERYTHING. That's not a compromise: the Deco will happily perform as a firewall, QoS etc etc.

 

As a footnote: My ASUS continues to serve as a switch: connectivity to other switches which physically connected to my TV, Cable box, Network Storage, Bluray player, SONOS speakers etc etc.

 

Virgin Media 200Mb+ SuperHub (Modem Mode) -> ASUS Router (WiFi Off) -> three Deco M5 units (in Access Point operating mode).
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Re:M5 set up with Virgin Superhub 3 in the UK
2020-07-27 17:30:14
Thanks for taking the time for a comprehensive answer and giving me a much better idea of what I could do. I used to have an ASUS router and the Superhub in modem mode, but the model I had would not give me the same speeds over wifi as the hub... no idea why, so I went back to just the superhub. I get good speeds but there are too many dead spots. Thanks again, I can have a play with set ups !
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