View Full Version : Question mainly for Virgin Media Staff
HiroofTime
26-05-2007, 17:20
Hi there.
I have had Virgin 10MB for a while now and I've been using an old modem. Its becoming apparent that the old router can't handle it anymore, it keeps freezing and crashing.
What is Virgin Media's policy when it comes to routers. I know a while ago, 10MB users got a free netgear wireless router. What is the current policy. Because I am thinking of killing 2 birds with one stone and jumping to Sky Broadband as they give a free router and its going to work out cheaper all round.
Any advice, specifically from current active Virgin Media Staff please. Thanks.
That was Telewest policy, not Virgin Medias as far as i can remember.
Anywho, you can have mine for £15, or my WRT54Gv5 with DD-WRT for £25 ;)
xspeedyx
26-05-2007, 18:17
Yeah it was only telewest that did that for awhile but you can get a good router for around £30 good luck with ADSL provider check how far you are away from the exchange to see what speed ur most likely to get
Nedkelly
26-05-2007, 18:19
It would be nice if we gave out routers to all 10 meg customers :)
cybernetic_tiger
26-05-2007, 19:16
Another thing for you to swapout like Pace boxes Ned!! We give them out with business connections and they are a pain in the butt.
HiroofTime
26-05-2007, 23:08
Another thing for you to swapout like Pace boxes Ned!! We give them out with business connections and they are a pain in the butt.
Tiger what are the chances of getting a router from Virgin? Even if I pay for it?
cybernetic_tiger
26-05-2007, 23:13
Take a look in the Virgin Media accessory shop?
http://accessories.virginmedia.com/webstore/search.aspx?CatId=16&GroupRelationSelected=340202
Hope that helps,
Euromancer
26-05-2007, 23:14
Tiger what are the chances of getting a router from Virgin? Even if I pay for it?
Why line Virgins pockets? Your better off buying a better featured wireless router from online shops like Dabs, eBuyer, Scan or even Play (if Sky’s router is anything to go by it’s a cut down version of a Netgear). All I would say is make sure it has decent encryption (WEP et al).
I run a ZyXEL router, which has been up for well over 5 years now without a restart. If only ZyXEL made V+ boxes !!!
All I would say is make sure it has decent encryption (WEP et al).
Decent encryption and WEP in the same sentance? I'd like some of what you're smoking please!
WEP is as bad as not running any encryption, it takes all of 30seconds to break these days. WPA is the only real option if you actually want to secure a wireless network.
Euromancer
27-05-2007, 00:15
Decent encryption and WEP in the same sentance? I'd like some of what you're smoking please!
WEP is as bad as not running any encryption, it takes all of 30seconds to break these days. WPA is the only real option if you actually want to secure a wireless network.
The 64 and 128 bit implementations are fine for home use specially with mac filtering (which lets face it is on all but the most basic routers). Why not WPA2? if you are going the WPA route?
The 64 and 128 bit implementations are fine for home use specially with mac filtering (which lets face it is on all but the most basic routers). Why not WPA2? if you are going the WPA route?
..except its a 10 second job to spoof a MAC address on 99.9% of wireless kit, making MAC filtering a complete waste of time for security purposes.
No, they really aren't. Even 128bit WEP with ARP injection you can generate enough traffic (around 80k packets, not the 500k it used to take) to crack the key in seconds 75% of WEP keys fall within 30 seconds, the rest take not all that much longer, there's a 90% success rate within 60seconds.
MAC filtering is entirely pointless as all it takes is a bit of packet sniffing to get a MAC that the router accepts then cloning it is trivial.
While it may stop your typical computer illiterate neighbour from whoring your connection it wont stop anyone with even the slightest bit of knowledge on wireless hacking (or even 5mins of google skills) from getting access.
I'm a big believer in if you're going to secure something then do it properly, otherwise you're just giving yourself a false sense of security. There are tools out that automate the entire WEP cracking process, relying on a broken encryption technique is crazy when you can just select one that isn't trivial to break.
see http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/04/wireless_code_cracking/ for one of the many stories on it.
(And WPA2 is still WPA, it's just enhanced to cover the IEEE 802.11i requirements to use AES instead of TKIP :p)
prawncocktail
27-05-2007, 10:40
there will be an official wireless option after august, i have no further details other than that
on in an hour!
27-05-2007, 11:10
there will be an official wireless option after august, i have no further details other than that
that sounds about right skirby,i received an internal mail a couple of months ago asking if i fancied trialling a wireless option,(although i didnt take it up as i only have the 1 desktop);)
Nedkelly
27-05-2007, 16:59
there will be an official wireless option after august, i have no further details other than that
:tu:
Yes i have seen the memo :tu:
that sounds about right skirby,i received an internal mail a couple of months ago asking if i fancied trialling a wireless option,(although i didnt take it up as i only have the 1 desktop);)
So there going to try it again :erm:
NTLVictim
27-05-2007, 17:37
Decent encryption and WEP in the same sentance? I'd like some of what you're smoking please!
WEP is as bad as not running any encryption, it takes all of 30seconds to break these days. WPA is the only real option if you actually want to secure a wireless network.
Extra 5 secs for wpa..;)
Try googling for "radius server".
Nedkelly
27-05-2007, 17:42
Yes they are going to try it again but i dont know if it will be a modem and wireless product rolled into one .Still waiting for a answer :)
Extra 5 secs for wpa..;)
Try googling for "radius server".
Only if you're using weak keys. It has to be brute forced with a dictionary attack. If you're using a strong key (which you should be) then you're not going to crack WPA-PSK in any reasonable amount of time.
Plus, a radius server is just a type of authentication server that can be used within WPA (as well as many other things) it's not a replacement for any type of encryption system, it's an aid to them to bring them up to enterprise level security. You'd struggle to find a home user that actually needs a radius server when a strong psk (and not just the name of their firstborn) would be just as effective.
S.O.F.T.
27-05-2007, 19:02
i have a ? to what is this all about
Sun, 27 May 2007 17:31:01 UTC
1st 512K took 8484 ms = 60.3 KB/sec, approx 497 Kbps, 0.49 Mbps
2nd 512K took 8188 ms = 62.5 KB/sec, approx 515 Kbps, 0.5 Mbps
3rd 512K took 8562 ms = 59.8 KB/sec, approx 493 Kbps, 0.48 Mbps
4th 512K took 9172 ms = 55.8 KB/sec, approx 460 Kbps, 0.45 Mbps
Overall Average Speed = approx 491 Kbps, 0.48 Mbps
Sidewinder
28-05-2007, 07:08
non cable BB customers get a free netgear router if they get our 3 for £20 bundle or a free virgin media set top box (freeview tbh), if they dont take that one, they have to pay £40 for the same netgear router sky offer for free
Quote:
Originally Posted by on in an hour! http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33614888-question-mainly-for-virgin-media-staff-post-34314517.html#post34314517)
that sounds about right skirby,i received an internal mail a couple of months ago asking if i fancied trialling a wireless option,(although i didnt take it up as i only have the 1 desktop);)
thats no good, how are we users going to know whats perhaps down the potential road map, get on the trial and tell us LOL what its got, its spec,and expansion potential.
So there going to try it again :erm:
again?, what was the original , an 11b?.
Yes they are going to try it again but i dont know if it will be a modem and wireless product rolled into one .Still waiting for a answer :)
if its assumed they will one day release these as end users options, it would be in their interest to start with 11n MiMo
and internal Docsis2.0 rj45 x4 10/100, internal HD caddy (user installable to keep cost down but easy for advanced users to fit if wanted and usable)etc, perhaps even include Mesh firmware so as to have some room for later expansion, and new software options ontop of these, plus full active end user usable USB2.
hell if its long term rental stock, even a dual radio 11n/mesh'ed mobile WiMax with Docsis3 modem, x4 rj45 10/100/1000 ,internal HD,external sata,USB2/Firewire or any combination that can be cost reduced in a new modem later as the market floats around a standard at that time.
non cable BB customers get a free netgear router if they get our 3 for £20 bundle or a free virgin media set top box (freeview tbh), if they dont take that one, they have to pay £40 for the same netgear router sky offer for free
lol, true VM fashion then, no thought for the long term future expansion, i assume these wireless kit will be as now for end users to rent rather than buy and so whatever VM chose thats it for fixed options/expansion, they mass collect them for general use (so cheapest kit in the shop at the time of rollout), and no chance of simple/easy firmware updates of software to bring in/on line new payed for services to encurage new growth and income.....
all these options i mention are already in SOC form right now (perhaps not in one single chip right now OC) but the basic idea is sound for the long term rental model.....
non of it will appear, unless its a standard on the generic kit they will buy rebadged (and add nothing extra)on the cheap OC, and combined wireless/Docsis2.0 will only get them so far down the road for a few years.
Been on my 4 port Dlink 604 for years, now, with no problems. . .small, cheap, works, and its Xbox Live compatible too (Most arent fully compatible) ..it cost less than 30 quid from www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk ...
again?, what was the original , an 11b?.
One of these. I installed over 200 of them across the North West in 2005 as part of a trial.
http://www.actiontec.com/products/home_networking/54mbps_wireless_router/index.php
The best security for your wireless router is..........................
Unplug the power cable when you have finished ;)
RADIUS Server talk and what not, home users have problems changing the default passwords,never mind anything else lol.
Well they do in my street (wink wink) ;)
One of these. I installed over 200 of them across the North West in 2005 as part of a trial.
http://www.actiontec.com/products/home_networking/54mbps_wireless_router/index.php
:tu:
thanks Bill, i may look up the spec and chipset later ..., its interesting that you installed 200, mostly end users, or was it internal folk ?.
and if so, any idea why they dont put a generic end user sign up for beta program testing in place, (at least it seems they dont), thats seem strange to me, as its probably the most cost effective way of beta testing, plus its all willing users that are expecting troubles and are ready to report it to a real time messageboard along the lines of CF for feedback.
loads of people here could and probably would sign up, put it to them sometime and see what they say ;)
Skyornot
28-05-2007, 13:17
Yeah it was only telewest that did that for awhile but you can get a good router for around £30 good luck with ADSL provider check how far you are away from the exchange to see what speed ur most likely to get
How can you do that? Is there a website that shows where the exchanges are?
I'm almost definitely moving over to SKY (from the terrible VM service) so i just want to check everything out before i commit to a 12 month contract.
How can you do that? Is there a website that shows where the exchanges are?
.
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/search.php
on in an hour!
28-05-2007, 13:43
One of these. I installed over 200 of them across the North West in 2005 as part of a trial.
http://www.actiontec.com/products/home_networking/54mbps_wireless_router/index.php
thats why they never worked then!! :D :D :D
Sidewinder
29-05-2007, 11:56
yah got it right there popper, for the 1st 12 months it is a rent, if they cancel 1st 12 months it does has to be returned :^)
the frimware updates are a little annoying, i have the same router and sometimes it says when i try updating it that i dont have the right patch and all this, sometimes drops out, but other than that its a fairly good router
i've never seen one on the cable side :|, i've only seen the ethernet and USB modems on that side
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