back to article Virgin Media SuperHub 'upgrade' hangs up on IP phone punters

Users of Virgin Media's top-of-the-range SuperHub kit have been peeved to find that the router-modem is blocking incoming calls to their internet phones. And looks like some firmware is to blame. Customers using their SuperHub to support an IP phone say they've missed important calls, in some cases preventing them from doing …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Have they patched WPS yet?

    I can still crack our neighbours "superhub" wireless in under 90 minutes with a Backtrack Linux LiveCD and reaver.

    No indication at all that it has happened either - other than me telling them.

    1. ukgnome
      Facepalm

      Re: Have they patched WPS yet?

      That would be illegal - something to do with the communications act 2003

      "Improper use of public electronic communications network’, ‘dishonestly obtaining electronic communications services"

      1. Valerion

        Re: Have they patched WPS yet?

        Illegality doesn't usually stop bad people from doing things, and is no excuse for not patching a security flaw.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Have they patched WPS yet?

        @ukgnome - try reading mmmm?

        Which part of "other than me telling them" did you fail to comprehend?

        Frankly the first time I did it was by mistake, was beta testing Sky's new "hub" (out 1 Sept, bugs and all) and I selected the wrong BSSID in the list of local wireless stations. Was rather dismayed with the results until I realised it was the Virgin "superhub" I'd cracked. The Sky "hub" at least locks the WPS after 3 failed attempts, unlike the Virgin "superhub".

        Anyway the neighbours know now. Howver given that they got a car broken into last night which they left unlocked, and that they have a set of housekeys missing from said car I suspect WPS flaws are "above their pay grade" for security :P

        1. Amorous Cowherder
          Facepalm

          Re: Have they patched WPS yet?

          "got a car broken into last night which they left unlocked"

          Is that still technically a break in?!

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Have they patched WPS yet?

            It is in terms of a crime number, doubt insurance would pay out though.

        2. ukgnome
          Facepalm

          @John Naismith

          Are you of low intelligence?

          You have admitted a criminal offence on an open forum.

          By doing something "by mistake" is no less of a crime, and stating "the first time" infers that you had tried again.

          Finally you take a swipe at their alleged lack of security.

          Some people are walking talking time bombs

      3. PyLETS

        Re: Have they patched WPS yet?

        Only illegal if unauthorised by the system owner. Otherwise pentesting wouldn't be a legitimate contractual business.

        1. ukgnome

          Re: Have they patched WPS yet?

          Agreed - but he has simply stated "No indication at all that it has happened either - other than me telling them"

          infers unauthorised access was gained before telling his neighbour - Plus, what kind of moron pen tests the incorrect network? (rhetorical)

          Honestly, some of the people on here are daily mail grade idiots

  2. Richard Rae
    Pirate

    The solution is pretty straight forward....

    As a VM customer, I was fed up with the so called superhubb.

    - no local resolution for wireless

    - VOIP stuttering at best

    - No QOS

    and the list goes on.....

    I slapped the 'superhubb' into modem mode and added a linksys wrt320n (and stuck ww-drt on it) and no issues at all since then!

    I can see that for most people the hub is fine, but those of us that are needing that little bit more (and lets face it know better) slap your own router into the mix and enjoy!

    1. Murray-Mint

      Re: The solution is pretty straight forward....

      True, I ended up doing exactly the same. I found the superhub useless even at the simple things, like having an FTP connection open for more than a minute. As a router it's utterly useless.

      1. Richard Rae

        Re: The solution is pretty straight forward....

        Oh I had forgotten that FTP one! That really wound me up. There is a fix somewhere on the net where you have to modify the FTP server to constantly send a packet through!

    2. Paw Bokenfohr

      Re: The solution is pretty straight forward....

      Indeed. I'm still using the D-Link router they issued me with with the old modem I had before the superhub (with dd-wrt naturally) with the superhub in modem mode and no issues.

      For me, it was the lack of DDNS support that was an immediate deal-breaker. I mean, if they won't allow static IPs, the least they could do is provide a DynDNS connector in the router firmware...

  3. The BigYin

    Can the SuperHub be flashed?

    It's just a NetGear box after all - is there anyway to put an alternative firmware on there?

    Or is it so stripped down and basic that there would be no real point?

    It's a shame VM will not let you connect your own device to their cable. Would solve so many issues.

    (Yes, I know about modem-mode; not good enough)

    1. Richard Rae

      Re: Can the SuperHub be flashed?

      I wish.... but 2 months trolling and found nothing :(

      1. The BigYin

        Re: Can the SuperHub be flashed?

        I know SSH/telent used to be open but got closed down.

        I'd rather connect my own device as the VM Superhub looks f-ugly, has the cables in the wrong place and is generally a bit crap. For relative values of exceedingly pish.

        Heck, a wee RasPi, few USB widgets/daughter-boards and you have a router which kick the living hell out of the Superhub (and probably most other consumer-grade routers too).

  4. koopmaster
    Facepalm

    At least I dont have to speak to my missus!!!!!!

    now I know why all of a sudden I could not talk to her, all the call to her phone kept dropping and I thought it was just a crap signal from three. Now I find out its that F- en box again.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    SuperHub...

    ... has the worst WiFi signal range I've encountered. I can see many BT Business and Home broadband routers but my own SuperHub ? It's dire and how King Dick can go on TV promoting it with his mates Usane and David Tennant is beyond belief.

    Having read what Richard Rae and Murray-Mint did, it's tempted me to investigate - I'm wondering what The BigYin 's issues with it are ?

  6. El Presidente
    Facepalm

    Common User Experiences

    "Slapped the 'superhubb' into modem mode and added a linksys wrt320n (and stuck ww-drt on it)"

    "Superhub looks f-ugly, has the cables in the wrong place"

    "Now I know why all of a sudden I could not talk" ..

    on VOIP on my new N7 when prior to the R36 brownware update I could on any number of Android devices.

    There must be tens of thousands of customers in the same situation.

    The Superhub has designed by committee written all over it and as is commonplace with projects of this magnitude by the time it's released to the paying public the real world has moved on.

    I think the idea behind the Superhub was once device = cheap support.

    I'd rather have my own kit. At least I know it would work as described.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Common User Experiences

      Ever since being forced to use a shitty Motorola SBG900 cable modem that has a built-in router that cannot keep up with serving the WAN and LAN at the same time I have resorted to only ever using mandated ISP kit in pass-through or modem mode. The devices they supply or mandate are always such utter shite (often G-wireless) that I'd rather control my own LAN/WLAN in a consistent manner and just swap modems as required. It does mean an extra device always on but it saves on hair replacement costs. It also makes moving home or supplier easy.

  7. g dot assasin
    FAIL

    Does this new firmware stop the super(??)hub factory resetting itself whenever it feels like it?!

    That's been really pissing me off!!!

    1. BXL
      FAIL

      No, mine did it a couple of times already.

    2. Zack Mollusc
      FAIL

      mine too..

  8. mgumn

    Consolation?

    If it's any consolation the BT HomeHub is equally awful. Blocks almost every application using uPNP and opening ports makes no difference.

    Quickly plugged in my linksys WRT 54G running dd-wrt and i have has no problems since.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Another reason not to use a residential supplier for a business.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    One helluva of a lot of pissed off customers

    Well done Virgin Media, you've pretty much taken down all of Bucks, the eastern chunk of Oxon, and South Beds (Area 31) simultaneously this AM.

    You've got nothing but idiots on your helpless desk service on 150 and the thousands of tweets of abuse on @virginmedia are well deserved.

    Nice one you've just tweeted you're sending the staff to V.FuckingFestival -- how about fixing V.FuckingBroadband!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: One helluva of a lot of pissed off customers

      They appear to have done a bit of a number on the Preston area as well.

      1. s. pam Silver badge
        FAIL

        Re: One helluva of a lot of pissed off customers

        And N4, Croydon and plenty more.

        Nationwide problem?

        No worries, Inane Dolt will fix them!

    2. Murray-Mint
      Thumb Down

      Re: One helluva of a lot of pissed off customers

      Also in Gloucester, estimated fix time of 18:15.

  11. s. pam Silver badge
    Mushroom

    Useless shte SW Udate

    The bloody thing has been crashing, locking up, acting like a prostitute in Amsterdam giving BJ's on a Friday night it's so up & down.

    We're in Area that fscked last week with te upgrade, and nothing's fucking worked right since. Calling their Tandoori Helpless Desk the home phone over their network keeps dropping the line.

    I guess the fucktards are real proud of the new UI it's got. I coud care less, they've taken our 2 year old reliable line and screwed it up.

    Oh the Tandoori Helpless Desk tried to give me 3 days credit. That was last Friday and the damn thing is still acting like Paris.

  12. Doozer
    FAIL

    Fuckwits, it is the only word to describe them!

    I'm in Preston (Area 1) 100Mb and NEVER had an issue with the original modem and my Hub actually worked up until this FW upgrade, in general Virgin's technology in the 2 years that I have been good and I cant really complain.

    Today... I want blood! The only thing this hub is useful for now is, well... Nothing.

    When I called Tandoori Helpless Desk (Thanks s.pam;-) ) I told them I had a problem with my IP Phone, they told me I need to talk to Apple, WTF! After telling them three times It is not an Jesus Phone (they did not understand, so I guess then don't read El Reg), after saying IP Phone three times I just asked to be put through to disconnections.

    My average VM bill is £400 a month. (£120 odd service charge and the rest is calls, yes I know it is a LOT - I get stung calling NGNs... No need to give me advise on how to save money!)

    It feels like virgin really dont give a toss about technical customers never mind customers in general at the moment. They lost a rail francise, how will RB feel if he looses lots of customers over this. BT Broadband is now a VERY viable high-speed option.

  13. Chris007
    FAIL

    Biggest issue here isn't the fact that it's broke

    The biggest and worst issue is that if, as has been alleged, VM have known about this issue since 1 July *but* have continued to roll it out then they are guilty of gross negligence. But given how VM operate who here is surprised.

  14. Jon Massey
    Devil

    Mine seems better since the upgrade but...

    When they pushed out the upgrade it reverted all of my settings to factory! SSID, keys, channel assignment, forwarded ports, all lost. Grrrr..

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