Virgin Media Business – outage

We’re aware that some Virgin Media customers – those with business connections and fixed IP addresses (used for remote access – things like CCTV, email servers, VPN’s etc) have had a problem with internet access following a Virgin update last night.

The issue is not with the Virgin supplied hardware or a fault with the physical cabling.

It’s to do with the way Virgin assign the fixed IP addresses.

If you have one of these types of connections, then it’s possible that in the update process only half of the bits that are needed to make this fixed IP address work are actually in place.

We’re confident that Virgin will resolve this soon – but in the meantime, a workaround that allows internet access is outlined below.

a. Disconnect everything apart from one desktop / laptop – connected over a cable, directly into port 1 on the Hitron box. Disconnect everything else.

b. Login to your Virgin Hitron router ( http://192.168.0.1 username: admin and the password printed on the Hitron box – usually about eight digits). If this doesn’t work – you either need a pin / paperclip to push and hold the factory reset button to be able to get access again OR you need the LAN IP address, username and password. (your IT company should have this)

c. Once logged into the router – go to “Basic“, then “Gateway Function“. There will an option to switch the Hitron box into “Modem mode”, by disabling the “Router Gateway” functionality. Click confirm and the router will reboot.

d. Wait a few minutes for it to wake up. Then go to http://192.168.100.1 – this is NOT the same location as step b. above. (dot one hundred, not dot zero). Although the username and password to login should be the same. Your single laptop / desktop connected over a cable, should now have internet access.

e. With a pin or paperclip, push and hold the factory reset button on the back of the router – leave it pushed in for at least 20 seconds. When you release it – the Hitron box will, after about 5 mins reconnect and have internet access for everything. (reconnect your other machines)

You will NOT have your fixed IP and this process will have completely wiped any custom configuration – but you’ll be back online for the time being. WOOHOO..

Why does this work?
The factory reset that Virgin customer services are telling people to do does NOT clear the fixed IP configuration – and that’s the bit that is broken. Putting the Hitron box into modem mode (step c) clears this setting, so that the next factory reset (step e) doesn’t include the bit that’s causing the problem.

If any of your customers are stuck, it’s not working, the instructions aren’t clear or don’t match what they’re seeing – please call us before proceeding and we’ll talk them through it without charge.

Virgin’s (slightly out of date) instructions for steps b and c are here
https://www.virginmediabusiness.co.uk/help-and-advice/products-and-services/hitron-router-guide/dynamic-modem-only-mode-user-guide/