topic Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue in Broadband & Landline

Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

jsviper77 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:14:09 GMT

Hi all,

I have just switched from Sky to EE.

I have the new Smart Hub 7 Plus and although most of it works, i have a couple of issues.

1. When i try to turn on "Always use this ip address" for devices on my LAN it won't toggle. Therefore i cannot set fixed LAN addresses for smart devices etc around the home. (I changed the DHCP Range/Router IP to match Sky's)

2. Port forwarding, although works, creates two entries every time.

Frustrating for the most simplest of functions.

Anyone have the same issue or can help shed some light on what might be the cause.

Is it a bug in the firmware, as i can see previous models had this working ok.

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

jsviper77 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:33:42 GMT

Having the Same issue, having just switch from Sky to EE, thinking, although sky was a bit slower, and the tech older, it worked well. (I changed because it was twice the price)

Called EE tech support and the Guide didn't know anything about this issue, he put me through to a tech guy who said basically they have no training or understanding of the routers, basically they ask, does the service work YES/NO. All router functions are down to the end user!!

Then went on to say, this feature is not available on home broadband and i would have to upgrade to business, i told him it is not a Static IP on the WAN i am after, just reservations on the LAN Side, which the options are in the router, just not working. He continued to argue that this is a business feature, i told him it was available on all other ISP's router, even BT's and your older EE router. It must be a Bug in the firmware, which he completely boo hoo'd.

So i asked him, why put the feature into a router if it is not available, best you get it removed to stop the confusion.

So far EE tech support for Broadband has been really bad.

I'm stuck now trying to decide whether to stay or switch.

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

JimM11 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:08:50 GMT

@jsviper77 Have you reached out to the Pro user's, the fixing and reserving on the EE Smarthub+ now called the EE Smarthub6 + worked fine, was done through the web manager interface on the advanced Lan tab, so would be surprised if not working, but who knows!

Had all my devices assigned to fixed IP's off the DHCP server no issues at all and the stuck with no clashes! One off the reason's i would never do a Factory Reset, took a couple off hours to get it all worked out and some are not so forth comming like printers etc when not on all the time! Do like a structured network my self!

What you could do if using the older sky SR203 or sky Q hub, is much alike with an EE Smarthub 6 +, the Pro never used that just don't have a wifi7 device so no need!

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

JimM11 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:15:03 GMT

@jsviper77 Did a quick reply on your other post, which you had used for a Pro, the Plus is just so new, and even the 6+ although it was 2 to 3 years into development had loads off FW oops, so you may just have to hang fire, fix your IP's on the devices ready for getting that Router into a working state, would think that the testing teams would have spotted it for the trials but who knows! Welcome to the wonderful world off EE!

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

jsviper77 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:17:45 GMT

@JimM11 I work in IT and have a structured network at home.

I had all my fixed devices, printers, ring, smart home stuff etc all on static lan ip's on my sky router.

The option is on the EE router but the toggle switch doesn't work. It's reachable via a few ways, your suggestion being one of them.

I've done a factory reset, but that didn't work.

Some devices, you don't have the ability to manually put a static ip into, so that's why I need the dhcp to do it.

I don't need the wifi 7 from EE as I have an Eero mesh, just use the EE wifi compatibility mode for the sky Q connection.

I'm wish I hadn't switched now.

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

JimM11 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:23:57 GMT

@jsviper77 Going to leave you with it all as you do seem to have a handle on what you are doing, went back to sky Mar25 had enough off EE 11 months into the 24 Month contract hung up the spur's to say!

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

Huggons1 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 12:33:59 GMT

See post 19th December 2025...

https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Broadband-Landline/EE-Smart-Hub-7-Plus-Router-Firmware/td-p/1590383

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

jsviper77 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 12:56:34 GMT

@Huggons1 Thank you for the reference. I did see that one.

Been onto EE, actually got through to someone helpful, getting another router sent out. Will post if any changes.

Hopefully my journey may help others.

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

JimM11 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 13:00:16 GMT

@Huggons1 Perfect only been a month so time for someone to look an address what is going on, not surprised new Router does not have a few quirks, you just don't know what is going to happen or if anything, @jsviper77 info supplied as per @Huggons1 !

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

JimM11 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 13:02:15 GMT

@jsviper77 What do you think another Router will be no different from what you have just a collection from EE as per the norm!

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

Huggons1 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 15:36:24 GMT

Unfortunately a replacement router is not going to resolve a firmware issue. Typical of EE not being capable of recognising repeated reports of an issue with the firmware and wasting time and money not dealing with the actual problem!

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

jsviper77 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 17:07:10 GMT

@Huggons1 I agree with you, but I am just giving them a chance to try and rectifythe issue in someway.

Maybe my efforts can help highlight the problems root and help others get a solution

Going back to sky with my tail between my legs will not get me the best deal, but it is a working service and worth the extra. If I had of known, I would not have changed. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

Christopher_G — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:13:44 GMT

Hi @jsviper77

Thanks for flagging the issue with the 'Always use this IP address' feature of the new Smart Hub 7 Plus. Just a quick note to let you know that our engineers are aware of the problem and it will be fixed in the next software/firmware update. In the meantime, you may be able to work around the problem by configuring static IPs directly on your local devices.

Chris

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

jsviper77 — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:31:11 GMT

Hi @Christopher_G

Thank you for acknowledging the issue. Are you also looking into the duplicating Port forwarding issue as well? or is this all related? (Would you also be able to make a clean page showing the static assigned IP's, rather than having to scroll and go through all the detected devices and click on each one.)

I am unable to assign Static IP addresses within some of the devices themselves, as the option is not there or it doesn't have a web GUI.

Do you know when this firmware update is going to be released? As I am still within my colling off period and want to know that going forward, i wont have any further issues.

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

Huggons1 — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:02:15 GMT

Thanks for the update, that's great news.

It is a shame that your colleagues is the front line support team are not aware and are sending out new routers to anyone reporting the issue, or even saying that the router doesn't have the fixed IP address option! Would you be able to feed the known bug back to your frontline support colleagues please?

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

Christopher_G — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:07:32 GMT

No problem at all, @jsviper77

Although that port forwarding issue is more of an intermittent issue that doesn't happen in all circumstances, the engineers will be addressing it in the same update.

They don't have any plans to change the layout of the page at the moment, but once set, the main network device list tells you which devices have static/dynamic IP addresses at a glance.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they're aiming to have the update completed by the end of this month.

@Huggons1 - I'll definitely feed that back to the relevant team.

Chris

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

Christopher_G — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:13:58 GMT

I've fed this back to the relevant team, to see if this can be fed back to the frontline teams, @Huggons1

Thank you!

Chris

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

pdpd — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:55:12 GMT

Same problem here - any news on when the updated firmware is out?

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

jsviper77 — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:08:08 GMT

@pdpd

The answer from Christopher_G above was "Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they're aiming to have the update completed by the end of this month."

So hopefully soon as i need to know what i'm doing.

Re: Smart Hub plus 7 - Always use this IP address Issue

pdpd — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:11:20 GMT

Thanks for the update - yes me too, it's a bit of a showstopper right now. The original poster said it only affects Ethernet connections, but mine seems to be a problem with everything...