Wireless router with Virgin Set-top box?

Andy298 · 10 Apr 2008 at 20:31

Hi guys

I've got a friend who wants me to setup wireless broadband for his mother. Simple enough task, but I'm being told by various people at work that it isn't possible if the user is getting their BB through the set-top box. When I ask them why they say they're not sure? But apparently Virgin do something at their end to force poeple to buy the wireless kit through them if they are using a STB. Not a good enough answer for me I'm affraid and TBH I think it's a load of rubbish! Surely if I use router that is NAT capable it doesn't matter?

Peg · 10 Apr 2008 at 20:35

I used a router and a set top box many moons ago before I had a cable modem. I just had to go through the autoreg stuff after connecting the router. I don't know if it's changed since. That was back in the Cable and Wireless days.

J.B · 10 Apr 2008 at 23:14

Thats odd, I've only seen virgin coming in and being split so you get a modem and a set top box.
Id guess if you can plug it in to a computer through the ethernet port it should plug into a router, dont quote me on that.

Peg · 11 Apr 2008 at 10:55

J.B said:
Thats odd, I've only seen virgin coming in and being split so you get a modem and a set top box.
Id guess if you can plug it in to a computer through the ethernet port it should plug into a router, dont quote me on that.

Back in the day you could get broadband through your set top box. They don't do it anymore because the set top boxes can not cope with the speeds available on broadband so they install a set top box and a seperate cable modem now.

benjo plz. · 11 Apr 2008 at 10:57

yeah, although tbh Pace boxes can barely cope with TV, let alone internet :rolleyes:

.

J.B · 11 Apr 2008 at 12:52

benjo plz. said:
yeah, although tbh Pace boxes can barely cope with TV, let alone internet .

lol, too true. I rang up and asked for a replacement but they said call them next time it goes wrong and they'll run diagnostics, I kicked up a fuss "im a paying customer etc" nothing ever came of it.

Moving out in 2 months to a new house, will just take out a new contract and hope for a better box

Mercutio · 11 Apr 2008 at 15:19

If the connection leaving the modem is (still - telewest customer back in the day) ethernet theres very little they can do about you having whatever wireless kit you wish at the other end.
What you MIGHT have heard is you can't use an ADSL wireless router (common sense), but people + chinese whispers ("a router I bought in the shop didnt work, I called them and they said I had to use a xxxxx one that they sell") can rapidly become "you have to use their's".