Virgin MediaHubs 3, 4, 5 & 5xFibre Broadband Review

The Hub 3 by Virgin Media is an older model in the lineup. It comes equipped with five antennae, which, while fewer than its successors, still provide a decent range for standard home use. The WiFi capabilities include a 2x2 configuration on the 2.4 GHz band and a 3x3 setup on the 5 GHz band, supporting the 802.11ac (WiFi 5) standard. This ensures that users experience stable and reasonably fast WiFi connections suitable for everyday internet activities like browsing, streaming, and online gaming.

One of the key features of the Hub 3 is its support for DOCSIS 3.0, a robust technology that enables high-speed internet over the existing cable infrastructure. While it doesn't match the latest DOCSIS 3.1 or XGS-PON technologies found in newer models like the Hub 5 and Hub 5x, DOCSIS 3.0 can still deliver speeds that satisfy most household needs. The Hub 3 includes four Gigabit Ethernet ports, providing reliable wired connections for devices requiring stable and uninterrupted internet access. This makes it a versatile choice for homes with multiple devices, from smart TVs to gaming consoles and PCs.

Despite its age, the Hub 3 retains several useful features, such as a WPS push button for easy connection of devices, a removable password/QR card for quick network access, and support for a guest network. Additionally, it's compatible with Virgin Media's Intelligent WiFi technology and WiFi pods, which help to optimise the network and extend its range. For those prioritising budget and reliability over the latest technology, the Hub 3 offers solid performance with the essential features needed for a connected home.

Historically, the Hub 3 was included with Virgin Media's entry-level packages such as the M125 and M250. However, new customers signing up today will typically receive the Hub 5 instead, as Virgin Media has been phasing out older hardware in favour of WiFi 6-capable routers. Existing Hub 3 users who want more advanced features can explore whether a router upgrade is available through their account, or they can enable modem mode on the Hub 3 and pair it with a third-party router for greater control over their network configuration.

The Hub 5 represents a major leap forward in Virgin Media's router lineup, fully embracing the 802.11ax (WiFi 6) standard. Both the Hub 5 and Hub 5x feature seven antennae with a 3x3 configuration on 2.4 GHz and a 4x4 configuration on 5 GHz, delivering significantly faster speeds, lower latency, and superior performance in crowded network environments compared to the Hub 4's WiFi 5. WiFi 6 introduces OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access), which allows the router to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously rather than taking turns, dramatically improving efficiency in homes with many connected devices.

Where the Hub 5 connects via DOCSIS 3.1 over Virgin Media's existing coaxial cable network, the Hub 5x goes further with XGS-PON technology, offering symmetrical upload and download speeds over a full fibre (FTTP) connection directly to your home. This is a transformative upgrade — on a DOCSIS-based Gig1 connection, you might achieve 1,136 Mbps download but only 104 Mbps upload. On the XGS-PON-powered Gig2, download reaches 2,200 Mbps with upload at 200 Mbps, making it the most advanced and future-proof router in the Virgin Media lineup.

The Hub 5x is particularly well-suited for demanding households. Its 10 Gbps Ethernet port provides an ultra-fast wired connection for devices like NAS drives, gaming PCs, or workstations that need maximum throughput — ten times faster than the standard 1 Gbps ports found on older hubs. The remaining three Ethernet ports on the Hub 5x are standard 1 Gbps, while the Hub 5 offers one 2.5 Gbps port and three 1 Gbps ports. The symmetrical speeds delivered by XGS-PON are ideal for 4K streaming, cloud gaming, remote working with large file transfers, and households where multiple people are uploading content simultaneously — from video calls to social media content creation.

Both the Hub 5 and Hub 5x maintain all the user-friendly features you'd expect, including a WPS push button for quick device pairing, a removable password/QR card for easily sharing network credentials, full guest network support, and compatibility with Intelligent WiFi technology and WiFi pods. The MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology in WiFi 6 allows both hubs to serve data to multiple devices at once, reducing wait times and improving the experience for every device on the network. For a deeper look at the Hub 5 specifically, see our dedicated Hub 5 review.

In terms of package assignment, the Hub 5 now ships as standard with M125, M250, M350, M500, and Gig1 packages, while the Hub 5x is exclusive to the Gig2 Full Fibre package. WiFi 6 delivers real-world benefits even if not every device in your home supports it — older WiFi 5 devices will still connect and work normally, but newer WiFi 6-capable smartphones, laptops, and tablets benefit from faster speeds, improved battery life through Target Wake Time, and more efficient data handling via OFDMA. Advanced users can also enable modem mode on both the Hub 5 and Hub 5x, disabling the built-in WiFi to use a third-party router or mesh system of their choice.