Splitting Virgin Media cable for Internet

Flink_Poyd

wifi signal on the PC is a bit patchy at times, drops out and have to keep reconnecting, just gets annoying after a while. Local shop has a splitter kit similar to this 

2 Way Cable TV / Broadband Splitter Kit by electrosmart® https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003ANFBPI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2cf8AbY1DQ4G7

Has anyone used one? Any signal loss or issues?


The Virgin feed comes through the front room where the pc is. The idea is to use  the old cable modem to connect the PC via ethernet, not bothered about the TV as it barely gets used nowadays. 

boogieman

Don’t know how yours is set up but our Virgin cable feed gets split through a little silver doodah just after it comes into the house. Looks very silimar to what you’ve shown. Main cable going in, two going out... one side to the router, one to the V6 box. It looks like it’d be easy to just extend one cable to either the tv box or router, AFAIK it’s just a regular co-ax cable with screw type satellite plugs on the ends. 

Flink_Poyd

boogieman said:

Don’t know how yours is set up but our Virgin cable feed gets split through a little silver doodah just after it comes into the house. Looks very silimar to what you’ve shown. Main cable going in, two going out... one side to the router, one to the V6 box. It looks like it’d be easy to just extend one cable to either the tv box or router, AFAIK it’s just a regular co-ax cable with screw type satellite plugs on the ends. 

That's how they're all setup. The main feed goes to a splitter for Internet and TV

This is the idea. Main cable into new splitter for 2 outs not one. 1st out splits to PC for Internet via ethernet only in front room. second out is the original just into the middle room with existing tv and modem for wifi

Sporky

Not sure you can put two modems onto one cable.

You might be better off putting the modem into modem mode and adding a more capable WiFi router. 

Snags

Why not just run an Ethernet cable from the switch on the Virgin hub to the PC?

Of even better, buy a decent router and put the hub in modem mode?

prowla

I don't think you can do two cable modems.

However, if you're going to run cables, then you can just use an Ethernet to the 2nd location.

Flink_Poyd

Sporky said:

Not sure you can put two modems onto one cable.

You might be better off putting the modem into modem mode and adding a more capable WiFi router. 

Been down that route with the same results. Had an Asus RTN-66u running Merlin.

Snags said:

Why not just run an Ethernet cable from the switch on the Virgin hub to the PC?

Of even better, buy a decent router and put the hub in modem mode?

Hub and PC are in different rooms, running CAT cable would cost about twice as much and mean more work, routing 15m odd of cable to the next room through all sorts of bends. Considered it before as well.

Flink_Poyd

Bugger, matey who used to work for Virgin says it doesnt work. Looks like CAT or powerlines, had them before in an other house with varying results.

wibble

You need either a wifi extender - either on it's own or part of a powerline/homeplug solution. Or if going powerline, you also  ethernet into a powerline adapter.

Alternatively, go for a wifi mesh solution eg Ubiquiti, Google wifi home etc

Snags

How is running Cat5 more aggro than running coax?  (Says the person who categorically refuses to run Cat5 in his own house because it's too much aggo, but ... ).

However, if cabling is out then either Open Mesh wifi, or similar, or powerline (Devolo, or the expensive TP-Link ones, IME - cheapo ones tend to fritz out or run alarmingly hot).

Flink_Poyd

Snags said:

How is running Cat5 more aggro than running coax?  (Says the person who categorically refuses to run Cat5 in his own house because it's too much aggo, but ... ).

However, if cabling is out then either Open Mesh wifi, or similar, or powerline (Devolo, or the expensive TP-Link ones, IME - cheapo ones tend to fritz out or run alarmingly hot).

Coax won't work anyway as confirmed by a mate who used to work for virgin. Walls are double brick, not cavity as it's an old house so wifi tends to be OK apart from that room. I'll figure some out

Snags

Open Mesh butch ap off router, satellite ap in offending room.i

Or power line ...

notanon

Not considered the price of the solutions so far. You could use powerline ethernet kit and another WiFi access point. They have worked well for friends.

Emp_Fab

Before you charge down the route of wires and additional kit, establish if you actually do have poor signal strength near your PC.  If you have an Android phone, install the “WiFi Analyser” app (there are similar apps for IOS & Windows too) and tell me what RSSI (signal strength) you are getting near your PC for your WiFi network (‘SSID’).

marcus449

put the virgin box into modem mode and go for google wifi. no wires and the option to add more. 

Emp_Fab

It’s ok, don’t thank any of us or come back with an update...

Flink_Poyd

Emp_Fab said:

It’s ok, don’t thank any of us or come back with an update...

Ok I wont