Superhub Is my Hub dying

zantarous · 15-02-2021, 11:15

I have a couple of issues with my internet and plan to call VM later but wanted to see if these were common issues.

I have a Superhub 1 which I think I have had for around 10 years and is in modem mode.

Issues: 1) I have notices over the last 7 or 8 months that after a few weeks (becoming more frequent) my download speed will reduce by half from 100 to 45Mbps and will not recover until I reboot the hub, sometimes it takes multiple reboots.

2) Since Thursday I have started seeing random drop outs on my internet, the model will stop blinking blue the LED will go a solid green and then with go back to solid blur and then start slinking again. All in all about 2 minutes. I have been home working since last March and it has been rock solid in all that time.

3) I decided to see if there were any logs on the Hub itself so logged in to the interface but upon entering my details it seem to crash so required a reboot, then I tried it again and it seem to take a really long tome to log in and the only thing I can do in there is either change the password, enable remote access or disable modem mode.

Does this sound like I need a hub replacement?

edit:

Looks like calling CS is going to be challenging, I just got an automated message telling me they are very busy please call again later and then the call is terminated.

General Maximus · 15-02-2021, 11:37

absolutely. Shub 1 is end of life big time and if you rang VM and told them your toilet wasn't flushing properly they would still want to replace the shub. They will probably send you a shub 4 through the post as a self install to see if it fixes the problem and in the unlikely event that it doesn't then you will have to ring back to book a tech visit. Ring up asap, the shub 1 is an abomination and should never have been made.

zantarous · 15-02-2021, 11:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by General Maximus

absolutely. Shub 1 is end of life big time and if you rang VM and told them your toilet wasn't flushing properly they would still want to replace the shub. They will probably send you a shub 4 through the post as a self install to see if it fixes the problem and in the unlikely event that it doesn't then you will have to ring back to book a tech visit. Ring up asap, the shub 1 is an abomination and should never have been made.

Haha thats funny, I haven't rally had an issue with the hub in all these years, it is in modem mode so has been pretty reliable. I had a tech visit last March due to a phoneline not working (happens often) and he offered me a new hub which could route calls via IP, I was very hesitant due to not making any changes to a work set up due to working from home.

On the phone to them now, even after getting through the auto attendant told me they can see an issue and hub and I should reboot it and then hung up. Looks like you have to be very persistent.

General Maximus · 15-02-2021, 12:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by zantarous

it is in modem mode so has been pretty reliable

one of the problems with the shub 1 is that it didn't give reliable speed test results. I can't remember the technical reason for it, it was something to do with multi thread speed tests and the shub only using one thread but suffice to say that it would only report back half the speed you were actually getting. As an example, I had one when I was on 100mbits 8 - 10 years ago when the tier first became available and I could achieve full speed in downloads but if you ran a speed test for diagnostic purposes it would only ever report 45mbits down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zantarous

the auto attendant told me they can see an issue and hub and I should reboot it

yeah that is the first port of call in troubleshooting. I think a significant proportion of problems can be fixed with a simple reset and rather than tying up an agent for 10 mins on the phone they like you to do this yourself and if it doesn't work and you ring back the phone system picks up on the repeat phone call and puts you through to someone pronto.

zantarous · 15-02-2021, 12:31

OMG! This is going to be like pulling teeth, first issue

VM "Oh I can see you have a incorrect setting on your hub let me change that for you."

Me: "Erm what setting do you want to change"

VM: "Well sir you have your hub set in modem mode, if I change this it will make your wifi work"

Me: "No please do not change this, it has been set like this for 10 years"

VM: "Well sir there is nothing wrong with your hub and you will need to change this setting"

I have asked to talk to a Supervisor and am awaiting for a call back, but this feels like I am going to be bashing my head against a brick wall.

I tried to explain as nicely as possible that it was the hub losing connection to the internet and if it was the router then the modem itself would still show as connected. But it just did not compute.

SirThomas · 15-02-2021, 15:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by zantarous

OMG! This is going to be like pulling teeth, first issue

VM "Oh I can see you have a incorrect setting on your hub let me change that for you."

There's unfortunately zero point calling their tech support as they'll just force you to factory reset the hub or indeed wipe the settings (as you've already seen).

As you've got an ancient Hub I'd call them and say you've got a 'hot power pack' or it won't power on after a factory reset. That'll result in new Hub being sent out. TBH I'm surprised they've not insisted on sending you a Hub as soon as calling in...

Tom

zantarous · 15-02-2021, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirThomas

There's unfortunately zero point calling their tech support as they'll just force you to factory reset the hub or indeed wipe the settings (as you've already seen).

As you've got an ancient Hub I'd call them and say you've got a 'hot power pack' or it won't power on after a factory reset. That'll result in new Hub being sent out. TBH I'm surprised they've not insisted on sending you a Hub as soon as calling in...

Tom

Thanks, I might give that a try if I can't reason with the call back (if that happens I can see on Twitter lots of folks complaining about a call back that never happened).

The guy specifically told me as he could see the hub on line there is nothing wrong with it and they won't send me a new hub.

SnoopZ · 15-02-2021, 15:53

Post on the VM forums, may take several days for a reply but they are usually good.

They will do some tests and likely send you a PM where hopefully they see a fault and you can then make an appointment easily.

I will need to do this as my internet keeps dropping but there is no way in hell I am phoning up and getting stressed.

zantarous · 15-02-2021, 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopZ

Post on the VM forums, may take several days for a reply but they are usually good.

They will do some tests and likely send you a PM where hopefully they see a fault and you can then make an appointment easily.

I will need to do this as my internet keeps dropping but there is no way in hell I am phoning up and getting stressed.

Thanks I will give this a go, was wondering about doing this.

---------- Post added at 17:34 ---------- Previous post was at 16:23 ----------

So someone on the VM form posted a link for a hub upgrade scheme, couldn't do it on line, so I called CS and explained the issue and even he tried to start troubleshooting and was about to suggest it was my internal networking equipment, then I said well you do have a offer on to upgrade so can I just do that please so one is being sent out to me.

Thanks for the suggestion.

---------- Post added at 17:53 ---------- Previous post was at 17:34 ----------

Just looking at the Hub 3, is there a way to tell it is connected to the internet in modem mode, it looks like it only has a power and WiFi LED and I assume in modem mode the WIFI isn't illuminated.

heero_yuy · 15-02-2021, 18:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by zantarous

Just looking at the Hub 3, is there a way to tell it is connected to the internet in modem mode, it looks like it only has a power and WiFi LED and I assume in modem mode the WIFI isn't illuminated.

The beacon on the front is purple rather than white when in modem mode.

[edit] You have to initially connect it in router mode, wired, to get it registered, then you can switch over to modem mode.

zantarous · 16-02-2021, 09:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

The beacon on the front is purple rather than white when in modem mode.

[edit] You have to initially connect it in router mode, wired, to get it registered, then you can switch over to modem mode.

Does the indicator change colour if it loses connection to the internet like on the current hub it is visually easy to tell by the lack of blinking blue LED that connection has been lost.

heero_yuy · 16-02-2021, 10:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by zantarous

Does the indicator change colour if it loses connection to the internet like on the current hub it is visually easy to tell by the lack of blinking blue LED that connection has been lost.

The front indicator goes green when setting up the connection, IIRC there are a couple of other backlit legends in green that show during this.

There's also a LED on the back ethernet port that flashes frantically like the blue LED on the SH1 when connected.

zantarous · 16-02-2021, 12:55

Thanks folks got the new hub all set up and going, a bit disconcerting that the modem mode light is red and not purple and red suggest that it is too hot? Hopefully that will sort itself out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

There's also a LED on the back ethernet port that flashes frantically like the blue LED on the SH1 when connected.

That LED would be an indicator that you are connected to your router no, as it is on the port that is connected to your internal network. Or does that mean it is sending data to your router from the external network?

heero_yuy · 16-02-2021, 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by zantarous

Thanks folks got the new hub all set up and going, a bit disconcerting that the modem mode light is red and not purple and red suggest that it is too hot? Hopefully that will sort itself out.

I guess on its own it probably looks red but next to the red indicator on the V6 there's definitely some blue in it. Glad you're sorted.

Quote:

That LED would be an indicator that you are connected to your router no, as it is on the port that is connected to your internal network. Or does that mean it is sending data to your router from the external network?

Sorry my bad. I'm running some torrents on a fairly continuous basis.