Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

Hi,

I have been reading a lot on here about the motorola sb4100 and the virgin XL package, sounds like I need to give them a phone about getting it replaced.
I've been searching the boards for a good alternative modem, though I can't find a clear answer - apart from mine is not good enough for the 20Mb connection.

I have sent a mail to virgin about it and will be calling them tomorrow.

What can I expect them to offer me ?
and what would you guys recommend ?
I don't want to accept a new one that is just a bad as the sb4100.

I have never seen a decent speedtest result from my connection and usually well below half of what I pay for, day or night.
If it can be improved at the cost of a new modem then it has to be worth a shot.

Thanks in advance. ;)
Top site:tu:

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

They will probably offer you the NTL 250 or 255 (i think they are called), as they seem to be the ones they are giving out now and work 100% fine with 20mb.

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

you can't specify what Virgin will give you, so any recommendations would be pretty useless ;)

is the 255 on being given out on the ex-tw side of the network?

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

I'm just looking for rough ideas on what to expect, or what to avoid if I get any offers.
Thanks for the replies.

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

post on virginmedia usenet site and they will send you one.

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

If you currently have the SB4100, the replacement will be the Scientific Atlanta EPC2100.
Handles 20Mb fine.

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

Hi. I have a similar problem. Upgraded to 20Mbs 3 weeks ago, engineer didn't come with modem. Have a motorola surfboard 3100 from January 2001 that I know is not suitable for 20Mbs. Phoned virgin media quite a few times and they keep promising to send a modem. In the meantime I've used different machines, network cards and even tried a different router to see if I can get any better speed out of the current lot. The fastest recorded has been 5Mb and it usually tops out at about 3.7Mbs on any set up

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:43:54 GMT

Test 1: 1024K took 3234 ms = 316.6 KB/sec, approx 2609 Kbps, 2.55 Mbps
Test 2: 1024K took 3484 ms = 293.9 KB/sec, approx 2422 Kbps, 2.37 Mbps
Test 3: 1024K took 3985 ms = 257 KB/sec, approx 2118 Kbps, 2.07 Mbps
Test 4: 2048K took 5281 ms = 387.8 KB/sec, approx 3195 Kbps, 3.12 Mbps

Overall Average Speed = approx 2586 Kbps, 2.53 Mbps

Downstream info
Frequency 331000000 Hz Locked
Signal to noise ratio 37dB
Power level 9dBmV

Upstream info
Channel ID 4
Frequency 25800000 Hz Ranged
Power Level 41 dBmV

Any advice? Definitely the modem?

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

Without a doubt, that modem couldn't give 10Mb nevermind 20Mb.
There was a backlog sending modems due to a supplier issue.
I'd either call again and demand tech to replace modem (free of charge)
or use the newsgroups and post in virginmedia.support.broadband.cable
and they will order yet another for you.
Personally I'd demand the tech.
HTH

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

Thanks, will do and hopefully the speeds will up and I'll get a better idea of what 20Mbs round here does.

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

I just got off the phone to a virgin tech, a real nice guy with zero messing around, he confirmed that the sb4100 was not up to the job.
The new one will be the EPC2100, and will be sent out today.

We have been on the xl package for just over a year and I put the slow speeds down to my area and thought nothing else of it.. (I was first told by virgin when I upgraded that my modem was fine for the 20Mbps service..)
That was until I found the info on here...
great site :tu:

I will be also getting the money for the last years so called upgrade refunded. It's about £20 but I could do with it more than Mr Branson :D
(I got my girlfriend to phone, a nice phone manner helps :angel: )

I will post back when it gets here and let you know if my speeds are any better.. I'm sure they will be.

Thanks all, for the tips and advice, I hope you other guys with this same problem get sorted out.

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

I think this is shocking. You've been paying for a 20Mb service for over a year that you're not getting because the equipment can't handle the speed. VM seem to conveniently forget to tell people they'll need a new Modem to make use of the new service! How many thousands of VM subscibers do you think are shelling out big bucks for the 20Mb service and are unaware they'll never get close to that speed!

Have a look at this thread:
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12...pensation.html

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

When the 20Mb upgrades were being done they had a page that detailed the upgrade schedule and also said 'Do you need a new modem?'

HERE (from the wayback archive) if no-one believes me

If you did need a new one, you could then order one for free through the same site

So they DID tell people and they DID offer a way to get it replaced. If a customer then hasn't bothered, it is hardly Virgin's fault

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

Do you work for Virgin Media ;)

When I upraged to 20mb I did it over the phone. They basically said on the phone.. that's it done you'll be on 20mb tomorrow. They never mentioned I might need a new modem.

As for the link you posted, it's hardly in big Bold letters at the top!


OK I admit I should have researched it a little more, and it's my fault I wasn't getting the 20mb service I was paying for. However they didn't exactly make it obvious, especially if you didn't read the website info. I still think there are going to be thousands of 20mb customers out there non the wiser to why they can't get 20mb.

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

I appreciate it could have been handled better. But my point was Virgin didn't try and hide anything with the upgrade.

It is the reason as part of the modem install, customer's now have the option of setting their homepages to virginmedia.com/customers

Previous upgrades were even worse with people who were (And still are) on STB broadband being forced to pay an install charge to get a cable modem (when ex-ntl went from 3Mb to 10Mb). There was no option of a free swap. Even when the minimum broadband went from 1Mb to 2Mb, anyone on a Pace STB box still only get 1Mb

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

No, incorrect.

He said he had been on the XL package for over a year, which would have been 10Mb prior to the forced 20Mb upgrade.

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

Yes, I was on the 10Mb.
Through email I was offered for £2 extra to go 20Mb, which is a good offer so sure I accepted it.
I called them to check that I had the correct modem at the time and was told it was fine. :dozey:
(it was probably just less than a year but whatever.)

Recent problems with my connection made me look around. I came by this site and noticed that what I had been told on the phone at the time regarding my modem, was just wrong. I think they could have been straight from the start.
They seem to agree with me and I will be getting fully refunded. (though my gripe is not about a measly £20)

I bet there will be other users with the same package and modem as me, blaming the slow speed on their area.

I pay for upto 20Mb - and they probably know what modem I was issued with, they also know that other people like me have no chance of getting upto 20Mbps on that modem.
I doubt they will be contacing any user by email to let them know that.
I never went to the virgin site to upgrade, so I never seen the links to what modem is good enough for what.
(I can't say the virgin homepage is all that interesting to set it as my homepage.. I use it for the current status stuff and thats about it)
I believed what I was told at the time by them. Some honesty would have been nice. I know better now. :erm:

Still, I will be sticking with them to see how it goes, better the devil you know.
I'm not out to bash any ISP, I just wanted a chance to get at least up-to the advertised speed.

Thanks all, this site really did help me out a lot. :tu::tu:

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

Was also sent out via letter as per my post HERE

Two threads on the same issue lol

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

No problem.
If I visit a site or call them the info should be the same, no?

I'm sorted now..
and I still won't be reading too much of their junk mail blurb that pops through the door, when the phone is right here.

Thank you for all YOUR advice, it's been stellar. :erm:

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

Yeah, any written stuff is always put up on the website as well. And all advisors will also be briefed

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

I don't know what else to say about it, I posted what happened in my case and that's the truth.
I guess my advisor was wrong or had been briefed otherwise.

Like I said, Virgin have sorted me out.

Cheers. :D

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

hehe im also in this boat. SB4100 XL bb and not that good speeds compared to what i was getting before.

i 1st noticed it start of the year tbh, the max speed i can get now is about 10MB of vm gamefiles. averaging about 5MB off newsgroups. i read this is to do with the way the modem handles the signal upgrade Virgin performed earlier this year. anyway whats weird is that b4 this i was getting 20MB fine np.

ive taken the advice of instazoinkz - thx mate :) and call tech support. new modem on its way. will also post back with results.

also like he said...

good site :tu:

Re: Virgin XL, motorola sb4100 best alternative?
 

Quite surprised at this - the SB4100 is a good modem that had a 100mbit full duplex ethernet port and support for QAM256. I would have thought it'd have supported 10 and 20Mbit no problems!

Oh well :)