View Full Version : adding extra routers with virgin cable
Hi. Just yesterday the guys from virgin came and installed internet tv etc. I believe I must be receiving internet via the fibre optic cable as router is attached to the white box on the wall via a tv cable thing. The speed is painfully slow as i expected, because virgin is known to be very bad where i live (Exeter, studentville).
To compound the issue the wireless network will not reach up to my room. Obviously the main router needs to stay downstairs as it also has the tv connection but i was wondering how easy it would be to put a router in my room ideally to allow a wired connection to my laptop. I have a tv point in my room which is connected to the one downstairs. But im not sure if it has to be wired directly into the little white box on the wall. If it is possible how easy would it be?
I hope ive explianed my self well enough, any help is much appreciated.
The cable is not fiber optic it is copper and the cables used for your modem and tv are the same so it should work.
do I have to find a special router that will work with the copper tv cable?
If you want it in your room you will have to move your modem up there with the router.
Edit: I did not really understand your question at first but im guessing you have a new hub? a modem and a router. It would have to be moved to your room and I don't know if it allows you to bridge or extend with other routers.
By the modem do you mean the black virgin box downstairs that connects to the tv etc? as i said i cant move this as its connected to the tv. I could run an ethernet cable from the "modem" downstairs, but wanted to avoid doing this by connecting a separate router to my tv connection in room.
I think you are talking about your set top box. Your modem will be a small black box probably with virgin media written on it. If you have the hub then its your modem and router.
okay it looks like, the only option is to run an ethernet cable from either the modem or the router (both downstairs, cant be moved) as you cannot add your own routers using the copper tv connection, right?
You can add routers there however will need to be connected to the main router through either Ethernet or bridged via wireless you cannot add modems as 1) It would be a separate connection and 2) virgin only allows one modem per house. The copper line is just a like a phone line for adsl.
okay, just looked at the wireless router, and all that has going into it is the tv cable (same as modem), no ethernet connected to main modem. it does appear that the separate router is connected to the little white box on wall in living room though. this is why i thought i might be able to connest a new router to the tv line in my room...
By main modem you mean set top box? The box to do with your tv? Can you try explaining how everything is wired?
You need a wireless access point and not a router (or a router with the NAT turned off which will just turn it into a WAP). This is connected to the original router via either an ethernet cable or via perhaps homeplugs.
thanks guys all your help is much appreciated.
jayster, Ill try and explain everything but bare with me as my knowledge is poor.
Firtsly I have a 'cisco' virgin media box. this has a scart, hdmi and ethernet out. its connected to a white 'eurobell' box on the wall via what looks like to me to be a tv cable. I presume this is the modem.
Secondly, I have a netgear wireless router also with ethernet out. All this has going into it is a tv cable (same as the modem) It appears that this is also wired into the same 'eurobell' box although I cant track it all the way.
my problem is, neither the modem or rooter can be moved and the signal is not strong enough to reach my bedroom. Rather than traipse a 20mtr ethernet cable through the house i was wondering if it would be possible to put a different router in my bedroom as i have a tv port in there?
The cisco box is your set top box this is for your tv and tv only and has nothing to do with your internet connection. My guess is the netgear wireless router is actually the modem/router which virgin media and now supplying see first image on this page. (http://shop.virginmedia.com/broadband/broadband-extras/wireless-routers.html) As posted before you will need a router set up as an access point which will either have to be set up via ethernet or wireless and since you have a bad signal over wireless to your room already I doubt it would be very feasible to set up another router as an access point over wireless.
This leaves you with two options wire ethernet directly to your room or use home plugs which will allow you to carry ethernet over your power cables in your house. Im not sure if you can connect a router to a router through homeplugs as I have never tried it but I am sure it would work. Also if you don't need the wireless signal in your room and plan to wire everything a switch would be much cheaper and do the same job instead of the second router. Hopefully that helps.
As stated a simple yet very effective solution (especially with gaming as you remove the wireless bit) would be to just have a set of homeplugs or ethernet cable feeding just a simple hub in your room.. you can then plug in as many devices as you want.. If though you need wifi then a router (with the nat turned off) or a WAP is needed
okay cheers guys. I dont need the wireless in my room and really i only need one internet connection in my room. so the simplest option would be the home plugs, that way i dont need to get a new router.
. Also if you don't need the wireless signal in your room and plan to wire everything a switch would be much cheaper and do the same job instead of the second router. Hopefully that helps.
what do you mean by a switch?
A switch is a device which allows you to basically connect multiply ethernet connections together. And they are very cheap compared to buying a router for the same job. I wont link to any sites but your talking around 15 quid for a 5 port gigabit switch. However if you dont mind for gigabit then they about half in price.
... feeding just a simple hub in your room...
He'd want a switch rather than a hub.
Nice one guys, really helpful thanks!
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