In case you have been with Virgin Media for just a few years, you’ll probably have one of many older Virgin Media Hubs. I just lately upgraded to Virgin Gig1 after 2.5 years, and I used to be on the older Hub 3 and subsequently wanted the brand new Virgin Media Hub 5.
The brand new Virgin Media Hub 5 is a major improve and options Wi-Fi 6 and a 2.5GbE port permitting you to get sooner than gigabit speeds in your house. This Hub is the most recent router for anybody utilizing the maid Virgin Media community, which is predicated on DOCSIS 3.1 know-how.
Virgin even have a more moderen product known as the Hub 5x which is designed for patrons on their new XGS-PON powered Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband community.
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Virgin Media Hub 5x vs 5 vs 4 vs 3 In contrast
Virgin Media Hub 5x Makes use of Fibre, Not Coax
You received’t see the Virgin Media Hub 5x marketed a lot, and it’s because it makes use of the most recent fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) based mostly on XGS-PON. Because of this the cable going into the Hub received’t be the coaxial cable used on the older hubs however utilizing a fibre cable.
Hub 5x vs Hub 5 – XGS-PON vs DOCSIS 3.1
Round 14.3 million out of Virgin Media’s 16 million clients are presently nonetheless reached through their older HFC community utilizing DOCSIS 3.1 know-how. They then have over 1,000,000 clients utilizing “full-fibre” (FTTP) based mostly on the older Radio Frequency over Glass (RFoG) strategy to make sure compatibility.
For the HFC areas, Virgin has deliberate to improve the community to the most recent 10Gbps XGS-PON powered FTTP know-how which they plan to have rolled out by 2028. Apparently, this improve will price £100 per dwelling.
The brand new XGS-PON community will permit Virgin to extend speeds to 10Gbps, however you received’t see that for a few years. They’re presently trailing 2Gbps.
One massive benefit of XGS-PON is that it ought to permit symmetrical connections, so in idea, it is possible for you to to get gigabit to your add and obtain. At the moment, my Virgin Gig1 is gigabit obtain, however simply 100Mbps add.
Whether or not Virgin presents symmetrical speeds is one other query, however it’s best to see a giant enchancment.
Key Variations with Hub 5x and Hub 5 – No modem mode
The Virgin Media Hub 5x is essentially the identical as the present Hub 5, besides that it makes use of the brand new XGS-PON FTTP connection.
As a result of this has the potential to deal with a lot increased speeds than the Hub 5, it then has a 10GbE port.
As a result of that is such a brand new router, a number of the in style options of the Virgin Media Hubs are usually not accessible but.
The massive concern persons are having with the Hub 5x is that it’s presently not potential to place it in modem mode. That is when the connection will get handed by way of to your personal router and avoids double NAT.
Some key particulars to maintain in my thoughts with the Hub 5X
- The 5x Hub is completely different from the 5 hub.
- The 5x Hub is related through optical cable, not coaxial.
- The brand new routers presently don’t have a router mode (in the mean time).
- Not all help group members are conscious of this data when offering help.
- Wi-Fi extender pods are presently unavailable (in the mean time), probably because of the router mode concern.
- 5x Hub is just not appropriate with the Virgin Join App
I’m a UK tech blogger and have been within the trade for over 10 years now, working Mighty Gadget and its sister websites and contributing to different websites across the internet. I’m obsessed with all tech, together with cellular, wearables, and residential automation. I’m additionally a health fanatic, so I cowl as a lot health tech as potential.
