Using old Sky router (SR101) on Virgin network?

skylineR · 27 Apr 2020 at 21:54

Hi all,

First of all I'm not a networking guru of any sorts, using Troubleshoot Problems is as far as my networking experience goes so bear with me and pardon if this question has been asked before, couldn't find anything.

I'm with Virgin currently and would like to add a computer in the loft to network (via wireless), I know I could buy a wifi card etc, but since I have an old Sky SR101 router I was thinking is there any way to put it back to work, i.e. connect it wireless to my Virgin network, then connect router with network cable to computer in loft.

I can't seem to be able to do anything with it at the moment - Sky Hub boots up and I'm able to connect to it wirelessly and via cable, I've extracted also username and password through Wireshark, as per some useful YT videos.
What should I do next? Is it even doable?

Not really trying to save here few pennies, I thought it would be good to make some use of it instead of binning it.
Thanks in advance.
Radek

Caged · 27 Apr 2020 at 21:55

It doesn’t have the feature to act as a wireless client, it can’t do what you want.

MissChief · 27 Apr 2020 at 21:59

As above, it can't do what you want.

andy_mk3 · 27 Apr 2020 at 22:01

Yeah it's not going to work unfortunately, there's not even any custom firmware for it to open it up.

Your best options are either a wifi card in the PC, using powerline adapters or running an ethernet cable.

Caged · 27 Apr 2020 at 22:07

If you want to make sure the old router is recycled properly then Sky will take it back off you

https://www.sky.com/help/diagnostics/return-or-recycle-sky-equipment/recycle

skylineR · 28 Apr 2020 at 20:43

Thanks for all replies, much appreciated.

I wasn't going to literally bin it, all other sky equipment was sent back to them, kept the router as I thought it may be useful somehow in future.

Anything worth recommending then to link my loft computer with router downstairs? Doesn't have to be anything ott, it's only going to be used for online gaming, is 5m away from router and there's only plasterboard ceiling between them.
Thanks

andy_mk3 · 28 Apr 2020 at 20:46

skylineR said:
Thanks for all replies, much appreciated.

I wasn't going to literally bin it, all other sky equipment was sent back to them, kept the router as I thought it may be useful somehow in future.

Anything worth recommending then to link my loft computer with router downstairs? Doesn't have to be anything ott, it's only going to be used for online gaming, is 5m away from router and there's only plasterboard ceiling between them.
Thanks

An ethernet cable is going to be the absolute optimal solution.

If that isn't an option then powerline adapters do a reasonable job most of the time, usually better than wifi.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/tp-l...line-starter-kit-tl-pa7017-kit-nw-21y-tp.html

skylineR · 29 Apr 2020 at 15:31

no idea what said:
An ethernet cable is going to be the absolute optimal solution.

If that isn't an option then powerline adapters do a reasonable job most of the time, usually better than wifi.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/tp-l...line-starter-kit-tl-pa7017-kit-nw-21y-tp.html

Thanks, looks interesting, I guess you can add and add to it easily?

For the time being I will be using a Netgear Wifi repeater I had plugged in in garage (extending network into garden), but as it's not being used now I will have it in the loft and plug the computer into it before I make final decision what's best.

Thanks all.