Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Thanks for the update.. our Business SH has reduced in how often it drops off the LAN (and only the LAN!) but still does it randomly.

I am off-site most of the time so each time I remotely log into the admin interface of the SH over WAN and reboot it - which solves it.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Quite why they cannot or will not roll back to the previous firmware release is strange. That version appeared to be stable.

I wonder if there had to be an upgrade to allow some other network changes to proceed, and now they can't go back.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Hello everyone,

I’m new at this forum but I’ve been following it since few month back.

We have just installed a 50Mb broadband with 1 Static IP and I’ve been trying to setup our DrayTek Router 2820V using the using the super hub in modem mode, but I failed all the time.

Basically I’ve been told by the Support team that I need to use PPPoE authentications (I’ve got the Username and Password from the SH) over the Wan port 2 on the DrayTek, but it’s not working.

If I put the Router on “automatically get IP” DHCP, I can get some response but with a different IP, NetMask, and GW, and not been able to ping the outside.

Today after 30min waiting on the phone with Virgin, a nice lady told me that, the Modem Mode only works with 5 IP Range.

Please would you be able to shed some light?

cheers

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I think we have learned that in theory modem mode should work, but VM Business won't provide anough information on the tunnel destination address to configure it on a router sitting behind the superhub.

So in reality I'd suggest that the only way to use the business service in modem only mode, with the information we have, is when no static IP addresses are used. As, in effect, it is then the same as a residential service.

if you need to have the public routable IP address on the Draytek, then you need the routed subnet option and can then configure a static public address on the Draytek's WAN port. In this mode the Superhub does not perform NAT.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

As ccarmock says, if you want the DrayTek to do the heavy lifting work, you're best off getting the 5 IP option. We use it on a superhub with 3 routers and it's fine.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Thank you ccarmock and rhyds,
In the end after spending to much time and over the phone with Virgin and trying to figure out how to have the Modem Mode working, I've end up to get 5 new IPs subnet.
now I've got 2 Draytek router working fine with static IP.

Shame it didn't worked as i thought

all the best

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Do you have the instructions to set up another router with the Multiple Static IP setup ?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Drsox: This is how we did it

On the sheet/document that VM give you with your Superhub IP, usable IPs and broadcast address, you should have your usable IPs and subnet mask.

To run two routers from the superhub, simply plug the second router in to one of the superhub's network sockets (we used a fibre link and a separate network switch for our install), and then set the WAN side up as you have done with the first router, but with one of your other usable IPs as the WAN IP (same subnet mask, same default gateway, same DNS) and it should just shift traffic.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Hi drsox

Once you get the 5 IP sebnet, Virgin will release your Network IP, GW and Subnet mask, which in my case it’s 255.255.255.248, and Broadcast IP. Also they will give your Username and Password

This is what I did:

On the Super Hub got on Advance settings => Business Settings => Static IP Subenet. There you add your GW and net mask. Reboot the router.

Then on both routers you simply set a static IP using the rest of the IPs from Virgin, same netmask, but for GW I use the IP of the SH, in my case 192.168.10.1.

Hope this help

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

No PPPoE / IPSec tunnel required with the auth details shown on the Business Hub ?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

The superhub deals with all the PPPoE and IPSec work, your router then simply plugs in to it with the settings as described above by VirginPain.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

No, you will authenticate in the super hub under Cable Network Settings

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I'm glad I came across this thread. Last Friday we had the 50Mb Virgin Media Business service (with single fixed IP) installed and I could not understand why I couldn't get modem mode to function with our existing DrayTek Vigor 2860. Interestingly though I had already emailed Virgin Essentials and received this reply:

I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else online and I'm unable to get it to work, though I could have one of the settings in wrong. I did email them back, but 2 days later haven't had a response yet.

Are Virgin talking nonsense here? I will pay for the 5 IPs if absolutely necessary, but would prefer not to since we don't need them!

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I intend to go to site eventually and try and work out what this PPP l2TP stuff is about.. Can you even PPP and l2tp? Seems like their support department have got very confused over what you are supposed to setup.

PPPoE makes more sense to me.. l2tp doesn't.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I'm not sure to be honest. On the L2TP settings for WAN2 on the Vigor it asks for Server Address and Gateway IP Address, but I'm not sure what these should be.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

The PPP session is encapsulated in L2TP to get from the CMTS to Virgin's BRAS.

PPPoE to the CMTS, which strips the 'oE' bit and puts the PPP session into its L2TP tunnel to the BRAS.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I had the same problem and ended up to get 5 IPs. i've tried L2TP configuration on our Draytek 2820, but failed.
when i've asked Virgin to give me the GW and and Netmask, they responded that a single static IP comes on its own (not sure if that guy was right). tried to configure same IP for GW and and WAN using a 255.255.255.255 mask but there want not handshaking between the 2 side. also i wasn't so sure about the Server IP on the L2TP config page.
PPPoE works for authentication, but you get a dynamic IP which you cannot ping
with the 5 IP subnet it took me 5 min to setup 2 routers saving lots of time and stress from the Support side. hope this help

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

You don't need this, just PPPoE as drsox says.

L2TP is used but it's not your problem :)

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Thank you. Unfortunately PPPoE doesn't work either (the Vigor reports "No response from server side").

So I guess 5 IPs really is the only way to go?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

PPPoE makes no sense to me, L2TP does. PPPoE makes sense on ADSL where it's (encapsulated) ethernet to the BRAS. VM doesn't give you an ethernet link to the VPN "server", the ethernet is terminated at the local CMTS, the remainder of the path being over VM's standard IP core.

---------- Post added at 16:53 ---------- Previous post was at 16:49 ----------

I suspect you're wrong and the Superhub directly creates the L2TP tunnel itself.


This is because a) if it were PPPoE to the CMTS, then there would be no reason for the Superhub to be issued a public routablle DHCP IP on it's cable interface and b) There are both PPP(non-oE) and L2TP up/down messages in the Superhub's local event log.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Assuming then that L2TP might be the only way to go, can anyone suggest what else needs completing on the attached?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Server address and gateway need to be completed. This is the information VM have never previously given out publicly, hence it being the crucial piece of information everyone else is also missing.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

The LAC is the start point of the L2TP tunnel, not the end. It isn't the static IP end point, that'd be the LNS, and the LAC in this case is the CMTS.

Part of the reason business services were late getting DOCSIS 3 was because VPDN support, as in being a LAC, was either dodgy or non-existent in the early software.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Sorry, got my terminology the wrong way round (just like iSCSI, why can't they just call the blooming things "client" and "server")

Point still stands though: Superhub doesn't need a routable IP address for PPPoE but it does need one for L2TP. Superhub also has L2TP session entries in it's local log, which it would know nothing about if the CMTS was responsible for L2TP. Unless VM have sneakily shoehorned some proprietary remote L2TP tunnel state reporting mechanism into PPPoE...

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I hear what you say about PPPoE not needing a public routable IP address, but it would also work if there was one, and I wonder if it's purely since the VM infrastructure is setup top provide 1 public routable IP address to each device they just implemented that way.

I must admit I thought the tunnel was directly between the Superhub and the equipment within the VM network that provided the fixed IP end point. As qasdfdsaq says the superhub log contains entries relating to L2TP.

However I thought the reason VMB still can't offer fixed IP addresses on the 152 Mb/s service was their equipment has issues with PPP at higher speeds, which implies that it is PPP(oE) from the Superhub.

So a few differing views on how this works....

---------- Post added at 23:19 ---------- Previous post was at 23:15 ----------

here are some recent entries from my VMB superhub network log....


02/04/2015 20:15:48 2436694091 L2tp session up
02/04/2015 20:15:48 2436694086 PPP session up
02/04/2015 20:15:42 2436694090 Starting L2tp session
02/04/2015 20:15:06 2436694078 TOD established

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

That's possible, but it's a waste of IP addresses in a time when many companies are struggling to get enough of them.

Well, PPPoL2TP is not PPPoE but it's still PPP.
Indeed. Ignition is usually right about these things but he's so far not said anything to explain the clear discrepancies between his suggestion of PPPoE to the CMTS and your logs showing PPPoL2TP to some unknown location.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Not this time.

Even though it's a crazy architecture they wanted to use the same one for both xDSL and business cable, so every business modem uses an L2TP tunnel to a PPP service module, these also terminate L2TP from BT, and from there get encapsulated again and terminate on the same BAMs/BRAS as the Virgin National service.

No-one could give a reason why it's done that way beyond a comment about the CMTS :). It's completely contrary to the 'standard' methods which you can find plenty of documentation on on vendor websites.

Name: oxfd-pppsm-1.network.virginmedia.net
Address: 194.145.149.115

Name: oxfd-bam-1.network.virginmedia.net
Address: 194.145.148.252

Seems to be a PPPSM in each regional hubsite along with some of the core sites, and BAMs scattered around.

I reckon if people do traceroutes and take note of which site their core router is at, and from there do an nslookup for a matching PPPSM to that core they might well be able to bring up an L2TP session.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Do you think this non standard way they have gone bout this is causing the problems with the 152 MB/s fixed IP address service? Any news on that being resolved that you know?

Looks like my tunnel goes to Bradford. I am fed from the NMAL site though


1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms gw [10.20.10.1]
2 21 ms 17 ms 17 ms brad-bam-1.network.virginmedia.net [194.145.148.
188]
3 15 ms 15 ms 15 ms brad-core-2b-xe-1111-0.network.virginmedia.net [
213.105.159.42]
4 * * * Request timed out.
5 17 ms 17 ms 16 ms leed-bb-1b-ae1-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.254
.42.122]
6 25 ms 24 ms 22 ms tcl5-ic-3-ae0-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.
175.98]
7 24 ms 23 ms 22 ms 233-14-250-212.static.virginm.net [212.250.14.23
3]
8 25 ms 23 ms 25 ms 216.239.47.221
9 24 ms 26 ms 24 ms 216.239.47.229
10 24 ms 23 ms 23 ms google-public-dns-a.google.com [8.8.8.8]

Trace complete.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Your first tunnel probably goes here:

Name: croy-pppsm-1.network.virginmedia.net
Address: 194.145.148.253

Then the connection will either be round robined to a BAM or statically mapped to Bradford.

Odd decision mapping from Croydon to Bradford when there's a BAM in Brentford but it is what it is.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

May as well throw my one in here then too:

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

So what you're saying is, the business fixed-IP service is dependent on now obsolete kit used to run the now non-existent national ADSL service and the partly-installed-but-later-abandoned FTTC-LLU project? Lovely!

Vendor schmendor.

I've seen enterprise deployments that rely on nothing but MAC-address based port security and who genuinely believed it was actually effective, based on vendor documentation...

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Yep.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Reminds me of Patrick McGoohan's famous quote from Ice Station Zebra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ht_Z_Dn3Uc

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

So I finally got time to go up to this business and play about...
Modem only mode gave my laptop:
The IP address isn't the static IP address the business is supposed to have..
I had no internet access and couldn't ping the default gateway - but did have ARP to it:
Possibly I got dumped into the walled garden "autoregister" mode network?

PPPoE produced absolutely no response.
One thing I forgot to do was to try spoofing the MAC of the cable modem on my machine or ethernet router :( I now wonder if that is all that needs to be done? Or go through the Autoregister stuff, if that is even still a thing?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I had the same result when I connected the SH to our DrayTek Vigor 2860. The IP address was not our static IP (I believe it was 80.193.19.151 with a default gateway of 80.193.19.145). I did try spoofing the MAC address of the SH but it didn't make a difference.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

This is where you'd need to start up the L2TP dialler to whatever IP you guessed according to Ignition's hints above.

---------- Post added at 16:55 ---------- Previous post was at 16:54 ----------

You're not supposed to have the correct IP or internet access in this mode. This is what the L2TP/PPP tunnel is for. The IP given to you via the modem is only there to allow you dial up the VPN.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Understood. I tried to use this IP as the L2TP server IP address along with the gateway IP. I then specified the static IP but couldn't get it to work.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I wonder in that mode (which does look like Wall garden I agree) whether the business SH can get to the PPP/L2TP endpoints so that the tunnel can be established only....

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I feel like we're going round in circles now, read the thread perhaps? just a suggestion..

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I did read it - it still isn't clear what settings are required to get it working. (Other than the lazy multi-static ip range upgrade).
Helpful comment though, next time can you link to the page or post that contains the information people are supposed to have read? 10 pages of reading with mostly "stupid business hub crashed again" posts with little information doesn't help, especially as you seem to already know that the information we need exists and (I presume) can find it easier than I can.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I tried this, makes no difference.

It is very very clear from what you read here, and what Virgin say should happen (and doesn't, but does on Residential lines) that Modem mode 100% does not work.

You can continue to try and find a work around but I don't believe you'll have any luck, it's a needle in a haystack without knowing their exact topology.

Others are also trying to troubleshoot a known-buggy firmware, that has been updated and re-released on the same version number. there is no hope!

By you, I do not necessarily mean you personally, I'm observing the amount of people who still think this is possible.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

That's the idea. I suspect you'd also be able to get through to the same endpoint with your own router in modem mode, if you follow Igni's tips on figuring out what your endpoint is.

That said it's possible the endpoints don't actually care where you're dialling in from, you may be able to use any, and not just your local one.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Had a call from VM Business today. I asked about 152 Mb/s with fixed IP address - still work in progress, current estimate 2 months approx. till launch.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Still stubbornly refusing to give up even though others claim it isn't possible to get single static on the Business Hub:

Compared to last time I tried, today I was given a different set of IPs
Last time:
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 80.235.149.51(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 80.235.149.49
Today:
IP Address: 82.35.50.221
Gateway: 82.35.50.209

L2TP to any of the IPs mentioned didn't work :( Sad times.. getting pretty annoyed with the superhub dropping off the LAN. Any sneaky method of going back to the pre-modem only firmware as that one didn't seem to have stability issues.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

That's a good point - one of the benefits of this way to deliver fixed IP addresses was the ability to 'take them with you' if you change location, or so I was told when ordering, therefore it's likely that a give ID/Password would work on any of the endpoints.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Of course not. You're not running VM's L2TP server on your own computer so why would trying to connect to yourself ever work?!

Read this post as I've already suggested three times to figure out what IP you should be using.

If you still can't figure it out try either:
lutn-pppsm-1.network.virginmedia.net [194.145.149.95] or
croy-pppsm-1.network.virginmedia.net [194.145.148.253]

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I should have been clearer.. I mean the IPs mentioned in the thread (and the post you linked to), not the ones I had quoted in my post..

As you say - why would connecting to myself work :)

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Oh. Sorry. In that case... Hmm. Shame.

Are you able to ping or traceroute any of the pppsm IPs? I'd be curious if there is internal connectivity at all, as there don't seem to be routes advertised externally.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Gave up and bought the block of 5 IPs.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Am I right with the following deductions (for a business case that includes VM Business Broadband):

1. VM Business Broadband with SH is a consumer grade service.

2. In Router mode, a static IP address is provided (is it publicly routable?)

3. In modem mode, a publicly routable dynamic IP address is provided.

4. For now, modem mode is somewhat broken.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

1. VM Business Broadband with SH is a consumer grade service.
>> Seems a bit that way except when I called support I got a guy in the UK who seemed to not be a script monkey. The reliability of a constant TCP connection (our business application has several setup 24/7 streaming to a server) is far less reliable than the Zen or even BE Broadband DSL line the business used to have.

2. In Router mode, a static IP address is provided (is it publicly routable?)
>>> Yes

3. In modem mode, a publicly routable dynamic IP address is provided.
>>> Dynamic IP customer: probably works fine.
>>> As a Single Static IP Customer my experience: A dyanmic IP seems to be provided to whatever device you plug in but doesn't seem to be routable. >>> Multiple static IP customer: Modem only mode seems to work fine.

4. For now, modem mode is somewhat broken.
>>> Correct. If you want a single static IP.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Our own experience with Zen was less than desirable. We had regular drops on our DSL every month and got fobbed off quite regularly by them, even though we could show them connection graphs that showed issues. Not tried VM business though so I can't directly compare like you can.

I think like almost any consumer-grade service (Which I would class Zen as), it's luck of the draw what your area is like unless you're willing to pay big bucks.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Ultimately, when it is a rebadged consumer service with different support you are still at the mercy of whatever consumer grade carrier hardware the network runs on.

You can have the most helpful technical support person in the world but they're still not going to be able to dig up your cable and replace it with one of these:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02...thernet_cable/

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Weren't they selling these in the £1 store last week??

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Our SuperHub continues to drop off the LAN (while still responding to remote admin and ping on the WAM) every week or week-and-a-half.
It has become so annoying that a lot of our traffic is now load balanced over our feeble ADSL backup line.

It astonishes me that vm have not issued another firmware update to fix this. Bring back the old blue or silver Cable modems where you could use your own router even in single or dynamic IP mode.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I'm amazed too. We are having to reboot our router every 2-3 days. Virgin say they are working on it as a priority, but they've known about it for, what, 6 months? They offered an upgrade to the faster service, but of course they don't offer a static IP. They will also let you out of your contract, but that doesn't suit either. Apparently a fix is due within the next month!

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I'd be interested in what that fix actually is - ie new firmware for the SH1, but that's a similar timeline to what I was told for the fixed Ip firmware for the SH 2AC so wondering if that might be their fix to swap them out.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

They rarely tell you/us anything. Which I find disrespectful and somewhat arrogant.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I've got a 50MB business connection with single static IP and now need to connect up a Watchguard for a branch office VPN. If modem mode worked it wouldn't be a problem but I guess I can't really do it properly with a single static.

How easy is it to switch to 5 static IP's with Virgin? The business website doesn't explain how you do it at all. On BT Business infinity you can just login your account and instantly switch but I'm guessing Virgin isn't that easy...

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

In fairness to Virgin it was actually very easy. Just phone up, they send off a request, then they'll email you through the details once it's setup. It only took about a day IIRC.

Now they just need to fix this firmware issue. I'm sick of having to reboot the SH every 2 days.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

We've got 3 Superhubs with 50MB connections at the same site and only one suffers from the crashing problem the other 2 are rock solid. Very odd...

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

That is odd!

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Are they all on the same firmware version?
Are they all plugged into the same LAN? (if so, do you use vlans?)

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Does the Superhub's business firmware support VLANs or will it need to be on an access port and hence have no visibility of the tag?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Yes they are all the same software version, BUS_V2.37.13.

All 3 are on completely different LAN's. The one that crashes is the more heavily used of the 3.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

They don't support VLAN tagging so would just sit on an access port....

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I hope that access port is configured strictly as a single VLAN untagged access port.

(Because the switch on the Superhub does support VLAN tagging but the software is easily confused by unexpected frames)

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Any news from anyone? We're still paying for the line but hasn't been operational for a couple of months, at the moment it's accessible from the internet but all the ethernet ports are off even after a reboot :cool:

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I have been calling Virgin every few days as it's unbearable. Whilst they're polite, their attitude is very much defeatist. They openly admit that they can't see an end in sight and frankly seem pleased to let customers out of their contracts early. Unfortunately that is exactly what I'm doing, after just a few months.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Yep same here, seems they'd rather have us leave.. great business model!

Has anyone managed to get any more money back? we got 3 months refunded but this started (for us) in September last year and continues - in the meantime instead of waving the cost we have to pay for it then claim back later, probably spent the same again in phone bills when I've been too lazy to use saynoto0870..

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

On our dodgy 50MB line we just fitted a timer plug to reboot the superhub once a day at 1am. Seems to have resolved the problem so far.

It was also fairly painless to upgrade my other 50MB line to 5 static IP's. Took about 48 hours. This line is still fine and I've had no trouble with it at all.

Out of the several 50MB virgin business connections we currently have only one still has the crashing issue.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Strange that it is affecting some and not others - I have a perfectly stable 50 Mb/s business service. It was one of the first installations when they offer the 50 Mb/s over the older 10 Mb/s with fixed IP. So using a very early generation SH1

Apart from the Superhub GUI locking up sometimes (it has always done this) the Internet service has been rock solid.

I have been talking to VMB sales about the availability of fixed IP on the 152 MB/s service. Their current timescales are approx. 2 months out I was told.

Still no clarity on what is causing the delay on that - ie new firmware on the Superhub 2AC or whether they still haven't solved the poor PPP performance issue at the higher speeds.

I am suspecting firmware is not yet available otherwise they could issue 2ACs with firmware capable of fixed IP for the 50 Mbs service where people are having problems.

Also why they cannot / willnot roll back the firmware for those having problems, given the previous one was stable is strange.

Anyone have any more info on this?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Our router worked excellently for a couple of weeks (between reboots and loss of configuration), then it powercycled a few times again, as it did when the first update arrived and hasn't worked since.. as far as I am concerned they have pushed out 2 or 3 firmware upgrades (under the same version number) and things have actually gone from bad to worse.

They're probably just waiting for fixed IPs on the 152 service and will discontinue 50mb when it's out.. did anyone successfully get more than 3months refund?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

We only got a 3 months refund, but having had three lockups in a week I decided to go back around the loop with a customer service contact.

During the prolonged exchange of messages I was told that we will likely never see an upgrade to the current 50MB server hub firmware. Instead VMB are looking to release new services which may come out around November time (this year I hope) that feature new speeds, proper modem mode and fixed IP addressing. I was told these services would be provided with proper business grade hardware, not reprogrammed superhubs.

So roll on November.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I cancelled yesterday. I didn't even ask, but they wrote off everything so we don't have to pay for the 3 months of use.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

This is consistent with a discussion I had with VMB also. Similar message about virtually phasing out the SH1 for business use, with a new device (which he believed to not be Netgear based), that will finally address the lack of fixed IP on 152 Mb/s service and pave the way for newer tiers with Fixed IP also.

When pressed on timescale I was told latter part of this year, likely November, so we have been given a similar message.

Ironically on my 50 Mb/s fixed IP service I have never had a SH1 lockup yet. The GUI does hang after it has been on more than about 48 hours, but that never affects actual traffic.


As you say roll on November!

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Haven't we been hearing this for a few years now?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

If VM do start offering something better than the SH1 then I will be upgrading as soon as its available (minus a month or so to let everything settle). While our 50mbit business service has been mostly good, the Superhub doesn't really lend itself to business grade operation.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Modem mode we have yes - but the fixed IP offerings work fine for the 50 Mb/s service, so really we've been waiting for that capability for the 152 Mb/s service - which was launched as a business tier I think Q4 2014, so looking like it'll be a year for fixed IP on that tier if November holds.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Next week we're installing VMB 50 meg and we need to be in modem mode.

Seeing how long this thread has been running, is modem mode reliable?

Are there any gotchas still lurking?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Modem mode only works if your using a dynamic IP.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

In summary:
Modem only mode will only work if you have an IP range from VM rather than a single static IP.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Thanks for responses so far.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

We got it installed at our client location and it all works 50/6.

Because we needed the static IP, we left the Business SH1 in router mode. We then went Ethernet-->Fibre converter-->Fibre patch panel-->Fibre-->Fibre converter-->Ethernet-->CPE. So that all worked as expected.

We're having trouble with our own L2TP tunnel but this is being handled by our experts - at least I hope they are.

Pity we couldn't use modem mode.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

We had problems with our VPNs through the superhub. In the end we enabled the superhub's firewall (Set to low) and then enabled IPSec etc, and they started working.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

The engineer who set this up for me (in my capacity of working for a large company) did indeed turn the firewall off. When I advised him to turn it on, instead he remotely put the SH into modem mode, acknowledging that the IP address would be dynamic now. Of course the VPN side worked.

My understanding is that the IP relationship between the SH and the CMTS is dynamic and it is the L2TP tunnel set up by the firmware that maintains the static IP address passed on to user functions. Is that so?

In that case, if the dynamic IP address changes, would the tunnel still be able to retain the static IP address and would remote management using the static IP thus still work?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

You are right - the fixed IP addresses are delivered via the L2TP tunnel, and are independent of the DHCP assigned address that the Superhub gets. I believe that IP address is similar to the original 'sticky' IP addresses the old 10 Mb/s business service had. An earlier version of the firmware used to show those- but since you're in Modem mode you'll be using that one. Try an nslookup of it - y9u might see if of the form xxxx.static.virginmediabusiness.co.uk

The L2Tp tunnel will ensure you get your fixed IP address (or addresses) even if the DHCP assigned address changes. It also means they survive a node split. Previously there was a chance you could get new addresses following a node split.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Thanks for that. To be absolutely sure of what you're saying, I'll put it as a question:

In modem mode, is the VMB Hub still putting through an L2TP tunnel and gaining the static IP address?

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

As far as I understand it no in modem mode the L2TP tunnel does not get established. It would be worth checking what IP address you get in modem mode and checking what format the reverse DNS entry is - that will be a clue as to what pool of addresses you have in that mode,

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

The whole reason static IP is not available in modem mode is because there is no L2TP tunnel.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Just to explain why I need advice from the forum - the VMB line that our organisation is using has been commissioned through a 3rd party ISP who have responsibility to us for maintaining the service. Thus, although I was present at the install, I don't have the SH password.

I advised them to set firewall LOW and enable the VPN settings. Instead, they put the SH into modem mode, plugged it into their own RouterBoard that establishes its own L2TP tunnel through to their ISP infrastructure and onto the Internet.

It works but I'm awaiting from them confirmation as to whether or not they can now gain remote access to the SH. So another question to play on your kindness again:

In ROUTER Mode, if they were accessing the SH remotely (which they did), which IP address would they be using? The static on or the DHCP given one?

I expect to hear from them shortly as to what is going on, but they might be playing cards close to chest unless they can actually get into the SH using the DHCP allocated IP address that they may have discovered through data packet analysis.

Thanks in advance.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

As far as I understand it (and I could be completely wrong, especially when it comes to the business side of things), the Superhub will always respond to a request on 192.168.100.1, regardless if it's in modem or router mode. Even though in router mode, 192.168.100.1 isn't on the subnet, it will always respond.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Yeah - but if they're signing into the BSH remotely, they need to know the externally granted IP address.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

They can't log into the SH if it's in modem mode unless they can bounce off a device on the LAN and then access 192.168.100.1 via HTTP.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Probably not if their router is automatically setting up a tunnel into their own network as the modem will then be accessible via the tunnel as a local device.


One frustration for those of us who need the fixed IPs is that VM have not released and do not support/allow us to set the SH in modem mode and let our own routers negotiate the L2TP tunnel to their server, thus taking the flakely firmware out of the equation!

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Indeed, which is why I've suggested a few times people can buy the service separately (i.e. like Seph has done) or set up their own tunnel, thus giving themselves complete control and bypassing VM's shoddy fixed-IP infrastructure completely.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

I still genuinely have no idea why they aren't just doing it via PPPoE with L2TP from CMTS functioning as a LAC to LNS. Seems nuts to have L2TP tunnels for each and every business client with no intermediate concentrator and the issues are clearly demonstrated here.

Presumably there's some caveat with the CMTS operating systems that prevent it, as I cannot think of any other reason. Certainly the one time such services were run on the legacy DOCSIS 1.0 platform it was via this method.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

So what happens if for any reason the IP address issued by DHCP to the modem changes as can happen? The tunnel has been disrupted and cannot be re-established because the IP address has changed.

Or what have I misunderstood? Remember, I'm seeking guidance as to whether I should be telling our ISP to put the SH back into router mode.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

is there any news if the PPP issue causing poor performance at higher speeds with the network side equipment has been resolved?

---------- Post added at 22:20 ---------- Previous post was at 22:17 ----------

The DHCP address of the device appears to be of the older form of 'sticky' IP addresses with reverse DNS entries of the form of static.virginmedia.net

However if that address does change once the tunnel is re-established, which it seems to do just fine if disrupted then the same fixed IP address(s) will be provided to the Superhub A change of the superhubs DHCP assigned address won't prevent the tunnel being re-established.

Re: Virgin Business Superhub now has Modem Mode
 

Why on earth would you think that?

The whole point of a tunnel is so it can be established from any IP address.