September 11, 2026
Sure Signal is a device from Vodafone that helps boost your mobile signal in areas of low coverage.
Please note, due to improvements in the network coverage, Vodafone no longer supply these devices
Please make sure all the below is ticked off or the Sure Signal may not work:
- The Sure Signal needs to be registered with the correct details on the Vodafone network (call your dedicated customer service team to do this)
- The Sure Signal needs to be connected directly to the router (not in a switch or similar)
- The relevant ports need to be open on the router for both way comms and also open on the ISP’s network
- The minimum throughput speed needs to be downstream 4.13mb and upstream 0.3mb
- The protocol the router is using needs to be PPPoA, not PPPoE
Please make sure the below ports are open on the router for both way comms. This will need to be done by either your ISP or IT:
| PORT | TCP/UDP | PROTOCOL | USE |
| 8 | TCP + UDP | N/A | Keep Alive uses an unassigned port to ensure the VSS is active |
| 50 | TCP + UDP | Encapsulating Security Payload [ESP] | ESP is used to transmit encrypted data |
| 53 | TCP + UDP | Domain Name System [DNS] | DNS queries, most commonly needed for Virgin Super Hubs |
| 67 | UDP | Bootstrap Protocol [BOOTP] Client, also used by Dynamic Host | Configuration protocol [DHCp RX]. Most commonly needed for Virgin Super Hubs |
| 68 | UDP | Bootstrap Protocol [BOOTP] Client, also used by Dynamic Host Configuration | Protocol [DHCP TX] most commonly needed for Virgin Super Hubs |
| 123 | TCP + UDP | Network Time Protocol [NTP] | NTP is used to synchronise transmissions |
| 500 | TCP + UDP | Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol [ISAKMP] | ISAKMP firstly handles the encryption of transmissions but also defines the header structure and how data payload will be formatted |
| 4500 | TCP + UDP | IPSec NAT Traversal | Works in conjunction with port 500 but dealing specifically with VPN control |
| 1723 | TCP + UDP | Point-to-Point Tunnelling Protocol | The PPTP through port 1723 is used to establish a VPN connection. Most often needed for BT Home Hubs |
| 33434-33445 [range] | UDP | IP Location Check | Traceroute for IP location check and bandwidth estimation. Most commonly used for Virgin Super Hubs |
If all these are in place and the correct lights are not shown on the Sure Signal, we need to make sure the hardware isn’t faulty.
Try an alternate ethernet cable in an alternate LAN port on the router. If there’s still an issue, test the Sure Signal at an alternate location with all the above in place (to prove if the Sure Signal is faulty).
If the correct lights are shown on the Sure Signal, it will be a connection issue between the Sure Signal and the handsets. If it’s one of the numbers you’ve requested to be registered and there hasn’t been a SIM swap on this number since then, please make sure 3G is enabled on the handset, as this is the way in which the devices connect to the Sure Signal.
Sure Signal devices are not compatible with almost all BT Hub 5s. If all the above has been done, there is still an issue and you’re using a BT Hub 5, you’ll need to source an alternate router
If there’s still an issue after all this, please get in touch and let us know.
