Virgin Media Hub 5 Modem Mode: How to Use Your Own Router

The Hub 5 is a perfectly fine modem. As a router, it's a different story; it's locked down, the WiFi runs out of steam past a couple of rooms, and you get almost no control over it. Most people who land here have already decided they want their own router doing the heavy lifting. They just want someone to walk them through it without the jargon.

We've done this swap plenty of times across a few different lines, so here's the no-nonsense version. We'll cover what modem mode actually does, how to turn it on, and the couple of gotchas that trip everyone up.

What modem mode actually does (and doesn't)

In plain terms, modem mode tells the Hub 5 to stop being a router and just pass the raw internet connection straight to a device you plug into its first LAN port. That device, your new router, then handles all the WiFi, the IP addresses, the lot.

Here's what changes:

• ✅ Your WiFi gets a serious upgrade. Better range, more stable, proper settings.
• ✅ You get real control. Guest networks, QoS, VPN, port forwarding, the works.
• ✅ No more "double NAT" headaches when gaming or hosting anything.
• ❌ The Hub's own WiFi switches off. That's the whole idea.
• ❌ Virgin WiFi calling stops because it piggybacks on the Hub's WiFi. Your normal mobile signal is fine.

One thing modem mode won't do is make your line faster. A 500 Mbps package still gives you 500 Mbps; the difference is that you'll actually receive it in the back bedroom now.

Before you start: Hub 5 versus Hub 5x

This catches people out, so it's worth a quick check first. The standard Hub 5 has a solid modem mode. The newer Hub 5x, the full-fibre XGS-PON unit, still doesn't have a dependable modem mode in a lot of areas as of 2026. Open the Virgin Media Connect app, go to your Hub, and confirm that "Modem Mode" is even an option before you spend money on a router. Two minutes now saves a headache later.

How to put the Virgin Media Hub 5 into modem mode (step by step)

1. Plug your new router in first. Connect an Ethernet cable from the Hub 5's LAN port 1 (the leftmost one) to your new router's WAN/Internet port. Doing this before you flip the switch makes the handover clean.
2. Open the Connect app, or browse to 192.168.0.1 and sign in with the details on the Hub's base.
3. Find "Modem Mode" under the Hub's settings and turn it on.
4. Let the Hub reboot. It takes a couple of minutes, then the light settles to a steady magenta/pink; that's normal for modem mode, not an error.
5. Set up your new router. Run its app or setup wizard and it'll auto-detect the connection, since Virgin uses DHCP and there's nothing fiddly to type in. Give your WiFi a name and a strong password.
6. Test it. Run a speed test next to the router, then in your worst room. That second number is the one that'll make you smile.

That's genuinely it. To go back, the same Modem Mode toggle switches the Hub to a normal router again.

The gotchas nobody warns you about

• Always use LAN port 1. The other ports go dead in modem mode. Plenty of people swear the internet's broken when they're simply in the wrong socket.
• It'll hand out one public IP. That's fine for a normal router. When chaining gear, set the router to do the routing and put everything else in access-point mode.
• Reboot order matters. After a power cut, power the Hub up first, give it two minutes, then bring up the router.

Picking the right router to pair with it

This is the part where it pays to not cheap out; the whole point of the exercise is a better router. A few units keep earning their place on Virgin lines, and all the links below are UK.

Best all-rounder: ASUS RT-AX86U. It has a 2.5G WAN port, so it'll happily take Virgin's Gig1/Gig2 without bottlenecking, the range is excellent, and you can bolt on a second unit later with AiMesh.

Check the ASUS RT-AX86U price on Amazon UK →

Best value: TP-Link Archer AX73. WiFi 6, great coverage for a normal house, and a fraction of the price. On a sub-gigabit package, this one is plenty.

Check the TP-Link Archer AX73 price on Amazon UK →

When coverage is the real problem rather than the router itself, think thick walls, three floors, a garden office, skip the single router and go mesh. We've put together a full rundown here: the best routers and mesh systems to replace your Virgin Media Hub.

Still weak after all that

If your WiFi is still weak once modem mode is running, the bottleneck might be your device rather than your network. That's a different fix, and we walk through it in WiFi only showing 2 bars? here's how to fix it.

Modem mode is one of those jobs that feels intimidating and then takes ten minutes. Do it once, pair it with a decent router, and the Hub's old WiFi quickly becomes a distant memory. Happy tinkering.