Here is a list of common problems that you may have when setting up this product, together with answers and suggestions. If your question is not answered here, please contact Customer Support.
- My set-up CD hasn't started.
- I already have a wireless enabled PC but the set-up CD doesn't detect it.
- I've successfully completed the wireless network set-up so why am I being asked to set-up Broadband account?
- I need to set-up and activate my Broadband account and the on-screen instructions have not appeared.
- My Anti-Virus software is blocking access to Wireless Manager.
- Wireless Manager displays "Unsupported wireless adapter" message.
- Multiple wireless adapters interfere with each other.
- Network name and password problems during set-up.
- Cable Modem not ready during initial set-up.
- Windows Vista set-up problems.
- Multiple wireless networks found during set-up.
- Problems caused by earlier versions of PCguard/NetGuard software
- How to set-up a replacement wireless router.
- Wireless router reset button.
- Personal firewall software on PCs.
- Interactions with Biometric Systems.
- Windows Vista 64 bit version.
- Windows Vista Multiple Saved Wireless Profiles.
- I tried to connect my Windows Vista PC without using Wireless Manager.
- Customers with Telewest/Blueyonder-branded wireless routers and PC software.
My set-up CD hasn't started.
Open "Windows Explorer" or "My Computer" on your PC and click on your CD drive (usually D then double click on the file setup.exe)
I already have a wireless enabled PC but the set-up CD doesn't detect it.
Our software supports many 54Mbps (802.11g) wireless adapters/cards. If you have an older adapter/card (802.11b) then you'll need to upgrade it. We can provide them, please visit www.virginmedia.com/shop.
I've successfully completed the wireless network set-up so why am I being asked to set-up a Broadband account?
If you are new to Virgin Broadband you will need to run through Broadband set-up after successfully setting up a wireless network. This will ensure your Broadband account is fully set-up and you can get all the benefits that come with Virgin Broadband such as free email, free PC security suite, free web space and much more. Please select "New Customer" when prompted by the set-up software.
I need to set-up and activate my Broadband account and the on-screen instructions have not appeared.
If you're an existing Broadband customer, you don't need to set-up Broadband again - just select "Existing Customer" when prompted and start surfing wirelessly.
For new Broadband customers, on-screen instructions on how to set-up your Broadband account should appear after clicking "New Customer" when prompted by the set-up software. This will open a new browser window. If this window does not appear, please type http://allyours.virginmedia.com/wbbset-up into your address bar.
My Anti-Virus software is blocking access to Wireless Manager.
If you are running a third party Anti-Virus program such as McAfee or Norton, you may need to disable it temporarily to complete the wireless set-up process and then re-enable it.
It is recommended that you always select "Allow" or "Permit" when prompted by your Anti-Virus program to allow access to Wireless Manager.
Wireless Manager displays "Unsupported wireless adapter" message.
This means that your computer has a wireless network adapter that is not currently compatible with the router. A common cause of this problem is that the software (driver) for the adapter is out of date. Connect your PC to the Internet via a wired link and visit the website of the PC or wireless adapter manufacturer, to check for new drivers.
Please note that if you disconnect the wireless router from the cable modem, and connect your PC directly to the cable modem you will have to switch the modem off, wait 10 seconds, switch it on again, and wait for it to complete its start-up process, before you can access the Internet. Follow the same procedure with the modem when swapping the connection back to the wireless router.
If you are unable to update the driver, you will have to replace the adapter with a compatible one, obtainable by calling Virgin Media Telephone Sales. The phone numbers can be found on the contact us page.
Alternatively, you can order adapters online.
An alternative reason for the problem is that you have an older adapter that does not support the "WPA" security standard - the following screenshot comes from a PC with an adapter like this. You will have to install a WPA compatible adapter.
The red text below the "Info" bar will provide some details on the type of error.
Multiple wireless adapters interfere with each other.
This is related to the above problem. If you see the message "Unsupported wireless adapter" despite having installed a Virgin Media supplied wireless adapter, it is probable that your PC already has an adapter installed. You should remove the original adapter if possible.
Alternatively, temporarily remove the Virgin Media adapter, then from the Windows "Start" button select "Control Panel", then "Network Connections". Now right click on the icon for the existing wireless adapter and select "disable". You can now replace the Virgin Media adapter and continue.
This PC has a Cisco adapter
After right-clicking on the icon, and selecting "disable", the adapter is disabled
Now the Virgin Media supplied Netgear WG111 adapter has been installed, and you can continue with the set-up process.
Network name and password problems during set-up.
You may see a message at this stage in set-up asking you to move the PC and router closer together. It is always a good idea to ensure maximum signal strength at this stage. However, if the problem persists, you should switch the router off, wait 10 seconds, and switch it on again.
Cable Modem not ready during initial set-up.
The first stage of set-up of your Wireless Broadband requires you to switch off the cable modem, connect its Ethernet socket to the wireless router, and switch on again. In most cases, the modem will have completed its start-up before you have completed the wireless set-up. However, if the modem is not ready your router and PC will not be able to connect to the Internet or (for new customers) to the Virgin Media Broadband Activation system.
If you encounter this problem, wait a few minutes to allow the modem more time to complete its start-up and connection process.
If you swap the wired network connection from the router back to the PC, you will have to switch the modem off and on again: the modem needs to be restarted whenever the device connected to its Ethernet socket is changed.
Windows Vista set-up problems.
Certain versions of Windows Vista have difficulty completing the set-up process of the router. We are working to resolve this problem, but if your set-up process stalls, you can complete set-up by switching the router off, waiting 30 seconds, and switching on again. Wait for the status lights on the router to settle to their normal state, and continue.
Multiple wireless networks found during set-up.
If there are several wireless networks within range, it is possible that the set-up process will try and connect you to the wrong router. To avoid this, use a wired connection between each PC and the router in turn until you have set up all your PCs.
Problems caused by earlier versions of PCguard/NetGuard software.
Some earlier versions of this software may interfere with the Wireless Manager set-up.
It is recommended that you upgrade to the latest version of PCguard, and regularly check for updates at http://www.virginmedia.com/pcguard.
The symptoms of this may vary, depending on the exact versions of PCguard or NetGuard, and the version of Windows. A typical symptom is that, during wireless set-up, a NetGuard popup window will appear warning that the computer may be at risk. It may not be possible to continue Wireless set-up from this point.
If you experience this problem, please reconnect your PC directly to the cable modem, switch the modem off, wait 30 seconds, and switch it on.
Once the modem has restarted, visit this page http://www.virginmedia.com/PCguard and download an install the latest version of PCguard.
How to set-up a replacement wireless router.
In the unlikely event that your original wireless router develops a fault, and you receive a replacement, you will need to re-run the Wireless Manager set-up software.
First, on all PCs that are running, close the existing Wireless Manager. Look for the small Virgin Media logo in the "system tray" at the bottom right of your PC screen, right click on this and select "Exit". Please allow 60 seconds before taking the next step.
Now on one PC, from the Windows "Start" button select the "All Programs", then "Virgin Broadband Wireless", and finally "Wireless Manager Easy set-up". This will enable you to re-run the original set-up procedure. Once you have completed the first PC, repeat the process with any others to "Add" them to the network.
Wireless router reset button.
If you are attempting to change the name of your existing network using the Wireless Manager "Easy set-up" option, it is a good idea to restore the factory defaults on the wireless router. To do this, locate the "Restore Factory Settings" switch - it is behind a small hole on the rear of the router:
Using a paperclip, pen point or similar, press in gently (you will feel a slight click as the switch is pressed), hold for 5 seconds, and release.
Personal firewall software on PCs.
If any of the PCs you wish to connect to your wireless network have any Firewall software installed (other than the Virgin Media supported PCguard software) you should disable or de-install it before starting set-up.
A specific issue found during the Virgin Media trials of the product was an instance where the software process 'AVGFWSRV.EXE' was running. This process blocked any attempt to configure the wireless home network. Terminating this software process enabled the wireless home network to be configured successfully.
To check if this software process is running on your PC and terminate it please execute the following instructions:
- Press and hold the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys in sequence.
- Select the "Task Manager" option from the window which appears.
- The Task Manager window will appear, click on the "Processes" tab, and scroll down the list.
- If you see an entry in the "Image Name" column called "AVGFWSRV.EXE", select it by placing the mouse over the text and left clicking the mouse.
- Then select the "End Process" button at the bottom of the screen, and click on "Yes" in the confirmation window which appears.
By terminating this process, the firewall software which protects your PC will now be inactive. However, until you have completed the wireless network set-up your PC is not connected to the Internet and so is unlikely to be compromised.
As soon as you have finished the Wireless Broadband configuration on your PC, please restart the PC and ensure that you do have firewall and anti-virus software running by double-left clicking the various icons in the bottom right hand corner of your screen. As there are a wide range of different Firewall software products available we are unable to give more precise instructions at this point. This will ensure your PC is fully protected.
Interactions with Biometric Systems.
During testing, Virgin Media found that the Wireless Manager set-up caused problems with the Biometric systems on at least one model of laptop (the Sony VAIO BX197).
The cure for this was to remove the existing hardware drivers for the Virgin Media supplied wireless USB adapters, re-initialise the Biometric system, and install the latest drivers.
It is possible that other laptops with Biometric systems will experience similar problems. It is also likely that the precise procedure to resolve this issue will depend on the exact combination of hardware and Windows version.
If you have previously used a Netgear wireless adapter, and installed any of the software provided with this product, it is essential to remove this software.
Windows Vista 64 bit version.
Vista 64 bit is not currently supported.
Windows Vista Multiple Saved Wireless Profiles
During testing we have found that a Windows Vista PC with several saved "wireless profiles" may have trouble connecting. The solution is do delete any profiles that are no longer needed and re-run the setup process.
I tried to connect my Windows Vista PC without using Wireless Manager
Note that we do not recommend using the built in Windows wireless software.
However, if you have tried to connect a Vista PC to the router without Wireless Manager, note that the defalt network name (SSID) of the router is "virgin broadband" and the default passphrase is "preinstall". If the PC still fails to connect, delete any other stored "wireless profiles" and restart the PC.
Please note that we are unable to support you if you do not use Wireless Manager.
Customers with Telewest/Blueyonder-branded Wireless Routers and PC software.
Customers who have the previous Telewest/Blueyonder-branded wireless router and PC software will need to upgrade these under the following circumstances:
- If you have PCs running Windows Vista, these are not supported by the Telewest PC wireless software.
- If your broadband service has been upgraded to 20Mps, the Telewest Wireless Router requires an upgrade to support this speed.
For more information on upgrading your router, visit http://www.virginmedia.com/help/wireless/upgrade-tw-kit.php
It is essential to upgrade both wireless router and PC wireless software, so please ensure that you complete all the steps on this page.
