Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Hi

After much deliberation & need I am probably going to move to Virgin Media.

I have one question that I really need to know before I make the move.


Does the latest Virgin Media wireless router work with Apple Airport Extreme? Or another way. Can I use the Apple Airport Extreme wireless product with Virgin Media?

Although it is not completely clear on the Virgin Media web site it looks like they now (Sep 2010) only offer a wireless router. I understand that Virgin Media will not support this & I am non-technical so will need some basic guidance/help from somewhere (??) to get this set up.

Also, if it is possible are there any known potential downsides?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Virginmedia now supply only a wireless hub which is a combined modem/router, you can just use this to go wireless or you can disable the wireless capability and use an Apple Airport Extreme instead the choice is yours.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

What package are you going for? Xxl isn't a hub... Yet

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

I only deal with technical support but as far as I am aware we only give the hub on new installations, it may also be down to what the installer is given by his local depot as you pointed out a few weeks ago.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

All installers were instructed to give back all ambits and only use the hub, service techs have a mix so I doubt it's possible.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Hi

Thanks both.

I would want either L or XL. I really don't need XXL.

It's confusing on the Virgin Media web site http://shop.virginmedia.com/broadban...-packages.html

Comparison table shows all packages come with a "Free Wireless N router".

Small print says
4 Free Virgin Media Hub for L and XL: Wireless enabled equipment required. Available to all new Broadband customers taking our Size: L and Size: XL Broadband services, and to existing Broadband customers upgrading to Size: XL (subject to status and credit checks). Wireless router for XXL: Wireless router and adapter are included in your package.

Assume then that for new customers.

L & XL - get a Virgin Media Hub
XXL - get a wireless router (don't need this package)

To add to confusion, however, when you select a Bundle/Package there is a section at the bottom of the page that says Wireless Routers. You are given an option of Yes/No to the Virgin Media Hub.


Questions to Virgin I guess would be:

1) Do you get a choice of the Virgin Media hub or the wireless router with Broadband L or XL?

2) If you say "No" I don't want the Virgin Media hub. What do you get? And it that product compatible with Apple Airport Extreme?

3) If you have to take the the Virgin Media Hub. Does it work with Apple Airport Extreme?

Either way...I want to use the Apple wireless network across my whole flat.


Thanks in advance.

---------- Post added at 10:03 ---------- Previous post was at 10:00 ----------

Hi

Looks like you've answered my second post...didn't see this one.

So either way...whatever I receive for the Broadband L or XL part of my overall bundle/package...it will work with Apple Airport Extreme?

Many thanks for your help.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

You need the hub to convert the coax cable into an ethernet cable so your pc can accept it, as it stands no matter what you choose/tick you still end up with the hub!

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

All you do is use the login instructions on the side of the hub which are http://192.168.0.1/ and the username is "admin" and the password is "changeme" then click on Advanced Wireless settings at the bottom on the left and remove the Wireless radio tick which stops it broadcasting then just use your Airport.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

OK thanks.

I'm technically inept...maybe a bit hard but...

1. Mac - running a mac not a PC

2. Convert the coax cable into an ethernet cable...that's technical!!!


I've seen an amazing deal on a cashback site. £165 cash back if you take a Virgin Media package before this Friday 24th Sep. That's why I need to know asap.

I work from home so am totally dependent on broadband. I can't afford any downtime.

Will probably go for it & run dual.

Thanks.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

The MAC should be able to use the wifi from any hub.. Airports are just more MAC friendly than most

If MAC's were airport dependant only then you'd have problems with wifi at airports/hotels/etc.. and I don't think that Apple are that stupid

Question for the true techie VM staffers, can you turn off the NAT on the new hubs? If yes then there's no reason as to why you can't use the airport as the router and the new hub purely as a modem

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

I answered that in my post above advising how to switch off the radio and advised that they can use the Airport as the router instead.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Which was incorrect as turning off the radio does not turn of the NAT.. Instead what you were suggesting is using the Airport as a WAP and not as a router which is something entirely different..

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

But doesnt a router plugged into a router cause problems with xboxes etc?

Does turning the wireless off change the hub into a modem?

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Hence I asked if you can turn off NAT on the new hubs ;)

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

I have no idea of the NAT settings on this hub but I know how to turn off its in built radio and once that is swiched off it will be a 4 port modem.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Incorrect, It's a 4 port router if you turn off the radio (which has nothing to do with it's NAT capability.. you do get wired routers as well as wireless :rolleyes: )

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

It is a combined modem/router so if you switch off the router side it becomes a modem not a router as it has coaxial connection from the wall providing internet and you can log into the modem side as per every other modem we supply.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

masque, will it be a 4 port modem or a 4 port router with no wireless capability?

The reason im asking as some customers wish to use there own router and if you connect a router to a router it doesnt always work well

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

It is a modem and a router as per the website description HERE

You just login and switch off the radio which stops it being a router.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Masque are you just regurgitating information from the website or do you actually know?

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Masque, the radio has no bearing on it being a router or not.. I can go into any of my routers and turn off the radio, that though doesn't turn of it's NAT capability and it's that capability that determines if it's a router or not.. On any wifi router you turn off the radio and you end up with a wired router ;)

Just for clarification the VM hub will have 4 components

1# A cable modem
2# A NAT section to it's firmware
3# an internal hub that feeds 4 port and the radio
4# The radio that broadcasts local LAN traffic

By turning off 4# you still end up with a router, what needs to happen is for 2# to be turned off which will then turn the unit into just a moden and hub (with radio)

It's roughly the same as what they do to the business modems when you want fixed IP's, they turn off the NAT side of it..

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

The are actually 2 ways to switch off the wireless, logging in and going to advanced wireless settings and unticking wireless radio or you can just use the wifi switch on the front 2nd from the top you just press it until the light goes off but some people prefer to log in to ensure its actually unticked.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Indeed, at work, we have some very expensive Cisco (actual Cisco, not Linksys or "Linksys by Cisco") routers. They have no wireless capability. For that matter, a lot of them don't even have a hub, having just a couple of ports for linking to switches.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

I did say earlier in the thread that I had no idea of the NAT settings and I was just advising how to switch off the radio.

We would not support NAT as it falls outside of the support scope.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Yep, my business modem is the same, The NAT's turned off so I use it to feed a 4 port switch and it's that switch that feeds the server, internal router and anythng else I want on an external address

---------- Post added at 15:55 ---------- Previous post was at 15:53 ----------

:banghead:

but then you suggested that they use the Airport as a router after turning off the radio on the VM hub

:banghead:

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

I have looked at the configuration pages of this device and the no NAT settings within these pages at all just the wireless radio.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

Then the only way you can do it is to turn off the nat n the airport and use it as a WAP..

Still though the airport just duplicates the router/wifi function of the hub so in the end it's not essential to use it

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

And this is how I have my Time Capsule set up. I've turned NAT off, so am using it as a combo switch/N wireless access point and NAS.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

At present there is no way to disable the router in the Hub.

I think the best thing to do would be to go into the Hub settings and limit the number of permitted clients to one.
Turn off the WIFI on the Hub
Connect the AEBS to the hub and put its IP into the DMZ of the hub.

I think that would work just fine.

Re: Apple Airport Extreme & Virgin wireless router compatibility
 

So, what happened Chris?

BTW, here's my thread on the subject: http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12...t-extreme.html

A slightly different applciation (XXL Modem --> AE --> PC) but it's compatible.

The turning wireless off and go through the hub's DMZ is the right advice. If that's what you did, I'd beinterested to know if you put the AE into Bridge mode.

If you're not technical, you might need an expert to assist you.