Flirted with Virgin Media but cancelled prior to installation, but my connection now routes via them

[#1]

Extremely weird situation. I agreed tentatively to Virgin Media's full fibre package as they had an attractive offer on the table, but it would've involved exiting my Plusnet contract very early in the cycle. In the end reason prevailed and I cancelled my contract with Virgin before they installed anything.

However today I noticed slow speeds and ran a speed test, and my ISP was showing as Virgin Media. A traceroute confirms that my connection is being routed through virginmedia.net. This is from my PC directly connected to the router via ethernet. That router has all my plusnet login info still.

Additionally, my gateway was showing as 192.168.50.1 which, upon visiting, is Virgin Media's Hub 5x login page. I can't seem to log in to it but I can check logs and the config which shows it is active. Where is this Hub 5x? I never let anybody from Virgin into the property?

The weirdest thing of all is if I unplug the ethernet connection and instead connect to that very same router via WiFi, I am correctly routed through Plusnet. I can no longer see the Virgin Hub 5x on the network and my IP address is different.

Been in touch with Virgin and after an extremely long time trying to get through to someone, they are "looking into it" and I might hear back in 48 hours. Thought I'd post here as well in case anyone would be able to shed some light on why I am getting routed differently through the same router depending on if I connect via WiFi or ethernet? Not something I thought was possible.

Summary/details:

1. Traceroute over WiFi shows correct Plusnet routing:
- Through 128.hiper04.sheff.dial.plus.net.uk [195.166.143.128]
- Normal path via BT infrastructure

2. Traceroute over ethernet (same router) shows Virgin Media routing:
- Through brnt-bng-1-subscriber.network.virginmedia.net [86.2.0.1]
- Full Virgin Media infrastructure path

3. IP configuration shows:
WiFi:
- IP range: 192.168.50.x
- Gateway/DNS: 192.168.50.1

Ethernet:
- IP range: 192.168.0.x
- Gateway: 192.168.0.1
- DNS: 194.168.4.100, 194.168.8.100 (Virgin Media servers)

[#2]

Do you have any Homeplugs ( powerline adaptors ) ?

[#3]

Yes, but I did connect directly to the router without the powerline adaptor with exactly the same results (routing through virginmedia infra). There were other powerline adaptors plugged in for other devices but that shouldn't have any effect on the tests I was doing from this PC I assume?

[#4]

@cerzi  Your connection to Virgin can not be coming through the Plusnet router, to prove this disconnect the incoming FTTC connection. (or FTTP if you are on it).

Also all powerline devices need to be disconnected from you local network, you must be connecting via a nearby Virgin customer.

[#5]

It was seemingly an issue with shoddy wiring from the Virgin fibre installation team that OpenReach seemed to have resolved (a fault was detected and an hour or so later this issue went away). I am still left completely puzzled how the issue presented itself solely on the ethernet connection to my router and not the WiFi, however. I am back on my powerline adaptor ethernet now and all the devices on the network are routing correctly through plusnet. If anyone has any theories on what happened today I would be extremely interested, as I am certain this wasn't a case of powerline interference. 

[#6]

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@cerzi wrote:

Yes, but I did connect directly to the router without the powerline adaptor with exactly the same results 

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Once the VM hub had the opportunity to allocate your computer a DHCP address then if there was any route to it even through through powerline adapters (even if your computer is connected to the Plusnet hub) then your computer would still connect to it. You would need to unplug all the powerline adapters to stop that rogue route.

[#7]

@cerzi  Who gave you this fairy story explaining your problem, it is nonsense. You said in your first post that you cancelled before Virgin had installed anything, so you had no wires or Virgin router. How did Openreach know anything about this? You say a fault was detected? Who detected it. They do not deal with fault enquires from the public and they certainly can't do anything with Virgin wiring wherever it might be as they do not own it. Virgin have there own network (2 or possibly 3 actually) totally independent of Openreach.

Your PC was connecting to a Virgin router somewhere, as confirmed by the network IP addresses, where do you think this router was located? I still believe it was via a powerline connection to a neighbour's network. You may not agree but don't be surprised if this problem comes back in future.

[#8]

Agreed; the most logical explanation is that the OP and a neighbour (who is with VM) have insecure powerline adapters and have creates a cross connected network.  Thereby anything which connects to the LAN - either direct to the router or the powerline adapters has a Hobson's choice (risk) of being allocated a network address from either router's DHCP service.

As you suggest, BT and VM's networks are totally independent.  Any cross connection is only likely in the scenario you outlined.

[#9]

I also agree that the most likely explanation is that a  neigbour's VM connection was being accessed over power line adapters. The mains electricity phases are often split across successive properties, so it may be a property 3 doors away that is on the same phase rather than an immediate neighbour.