topic Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying' in Broadband & Landline

EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

tintin82 — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 09:36:13 GMT

Hello,

I have recently switched from BT to EE and have set up the router Smart Hub SH32B. The speeds and latency are great, exactly what I was hoping for. However there is on slight problem that hopefully someone will be able to help with. When I start my desktop PC or laptop, it takes a good 20 seconds to connect to the internet. During that time the network symbol is as below and when the mouse is over the icon it states 'identifying'. The They are both on wired connections. This happens when starting, or resuming from sleep. Its only 20 seconds, but its rather annoying. Anyone have a fix?

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

JimM11 — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 07:47:00 GMT

@tintin82 There is no fix, it has been that way since the EE Smarthub+ router was sold, has been reported a few times, and is currently still doing it, and is also on both wired/wireless connections so you are aware....

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

tintin82 — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 08:58:07 GMT

Seriously? That's ridiculous. I have spent many hours fiddling with settings, but with no luck. I plugged in a BT Smart Hub 2 router and it was perfect, connecting instantly. Its a shame as the EE wifi performs better, but this connection delay is insufferable.

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

bobpullen — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 09:58:21 GMT

@JimM11 - where have you seen the other reports?

@tintin82 - may or may not help but you could try manually configuring the settings in the network adapter on the Windows machines in case the issue is anything to do with the hub's DHCP server/IP allocation.

Press the Windows Key + R, type in ncpa.cpl, and press Enter
Right-click your wired network connection and select Properties
Highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
Click Properties

Then configure a static IP address for the machine and enter the remaining info as per below. The first field will need to be a unique IP address for each of your two devices. 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.3 should be OK to use as I think they're outside of the default DHCP range for the hub: -

Then OK back out of the changes and see if it helps.

If you do decide to stick with this config, then remember you have fiddled with it as you will probably need to go back in and set everything back to automatically assigned if you ever wire your machines to a different router/network.

As mentioned, might not work - but I'd say it's worth a shot.

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

tintin82 — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 13:22:09 GMT

Thanks very much for taking the time to put that response together, much appreciated. Unfortunately no luck at all, still a significant connection delay. BT router works like a charm so shall stick to that am maybe retry the EE one periodically to see if a firmware rollout fixes in the future.

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

JimM11 — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 14:58:52 GMT

@bobpullen You will find it dotted about the forum, i have replied to the question a few times, it is more than likely a DNS issue, but who cares its just another one of the oops on the EE router, if it takes 20seconds to establish the connection on Ethernet or Wireless then that's what it takes. Fixed IP does not help, all mine are set as static via the EE router, it does hold them correctly.

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

tintin82 — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 18:24:47 GMT

Hi Jim. Could you kindly share how you set IP's as static? I'm not a complete noob with routers, but close enough 🙂 Does your solution bypass this annoying connection delay? Thanks.

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

JimM11 — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 18:53:43 GMT

@tintin82 There is no way to bypass this delay, it is what it is... Static IP setting's, on the device that you want to be static, then in the EE Router manager http://192.168.1.254, My network, double click on the device, input the admin password when it request's, select the IP off the device, change it if you wish to what you require, if free then the DHCP manager will accept your change, go down to Always use this this IP address, and move slider to YES, select save to apply this change, and device is now a static IP... Do more if you require until you have set all the ones that you wish to be static.

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

tintin82 — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 19:41:59 GMT

Thanks Jim. I shall stick to the BT Smart Hub 2. Whilst the wifi not as strong as EE router, the connections are instant and flawless.

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

JimM11 — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 20:03:30 GMT

@tintin82 The EE is pretty good also, apart from the slight connection delay, be prepared for the BT account shutdown and not sure if you are using any parental controls, the EE app is struggling to get control of your BT router, will come good eventually but do keep an eye on the forum for any operational issues, your MyBT app should in theory still be working it if you use it. Some user's from BT have the hate/love with the EE router, but they are not apples to apples as you have found out.

The static should work ok for the BT Smarthub2 also if you need to try.👍

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

yetihunter — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 12:47:46 GMT

Same here, I called them once about something unrelated and they sent me this new hub and I immediatly noticed this issue, been a few months and a few tries and I think the only way is to wait for them to fix it.

Sad how that I didn't even ask for this hub and now I have a worst one

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

estimation-ant — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 16:00:35 GMT

Have the same issue, takes ages to initially connect to PC and sky puck. Going to try the network switch trick and see if can trick the router into not dropping the connection.

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

Youngy244 — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:04:38 GMT

Funnily my EE TV box connects "straight away" yet my SKY box, home PC and Tablet take approx 20 seconds!!

What does that say????

Re: EE router slow to connect 'identifying'

JimM11 — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:09:10 GMT

@Youngy244 Is this both Ethernet connected that has the 20-30 delay well established depending on the EE Router used, and wireless WiFi also with the Established delay EE Router dependant?