Tech tools: Virgin Hub 3.0 routes faster signal into your house

If you have Virgin Media's 240Mb or 360Mb broadband but don't have a Virgin Media Hub 3.0, get one.

The 3.0 Hub may look like a run-of-the mill internet device, but it’s rather impressive. It’s faster than the current offering and will reach further in your house, meaning you can ditch the powerline kit that you’ve relied on to get your wifi signal throughout your home.

Inside you will find a lot of impressive-sounding technology, including five antennas and DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem functionality. It supports WPS push button technology as well, so you can get connected quickly.

Virgin has run its own tests and claims the Hub 3.0 will beat other modems on offer from its rivals. Having tested the device for several weeks, it will certainly give you a better signal than its predecessors. All homes have areas where wifi struggles, regardless of how big or small they are.

There are different reasons for this, such as interference from neighbours and their devices; the number of wireless devices you have in your home; and the construction of your home and the materials it is made from. A baby monitor can degrade your wireless signal. Even the positioning of your modem can help or hinder your signal.

Faster wifi further

The Virgin Media Hub has two bands: 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz. It also uses wireless networking standard 802.11ac technology, which has been around for a couple of years and is built into newer smartphones and wifi-enabled devices. It’s supposed to result in faster wifi that travels further than older technology, but the end result will always depend on the context and the capabilities of the device you are using.

In our experience, however, the Hub 3.) ends the need for a wifi extender and results in a faster signal overall. If your home network is struggling, it’s worth a shot.