topic Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses in Broadband & Landline

Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

Finnerz — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 09:53:52 GMT

Hi,

I'm struggling to assign devices on my home network static IP addresses.

Some devices seem to work fine but others no matter what I try they just wont save.

I read somewhere on the forums that the router/hub wont re-use previopusly assigned IP addresses, is this true?

Am I out of luck?

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

JimM11 — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 10:04:34 GMT

@Finnerz You are correct, if an IP has been assigned previously to a device that is offline etc, then that IP is not available to be assigned again, the DHCP server remembers that address and you will not be able to use it.

You can if you wish look see, note them all to start with then re-structure it all again, you will have to plan it all before you start and it can be done for sure.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

XRaySpeX — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 10:27:51 GMT

@JimM11 : Yes, you can! All you need to do is change the IP addy. last octet & "Always use this IP address:" = YES & Save. In the Network map you'll end up with 2 devices with the same IP, 1 of which is offline.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

Finnerz — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 12:18:07 GMT

Unfortunately this doesnt work for me and trust me I've tried. 🙂

All I get when I do this is N/A in the IP address.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

Finnerz — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 12:45:36 GMT

Its odd we cant remove an offline device to free up its IP address. I wonder what happens when all 199 addresses are taken up (granted thats a lot devices) when using range 192.168.1.54 - 192.168.1.253.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

JimM11 — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 12:48:54 GMT

@Finnerz Going to leave you in the hands off @XRaySpeX , he says it all works, that as you say EE hubs will never have the ability to support so many devices, you will find that on the Forum also if you go look.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

baron75mk3 — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 18:10:13 GMT

I dont know how much help this would be but you do know you dont have to assign IPs router side ?, just set up your static IP device side if you do this its exactly the same thing it wont move , its how i have done mine its what i usually do , problem i had with assigning in router was it stopped logging data usage so i just do it device side at end of the day all you want is the IP to never change if you set up static Ip device side it will have the same effect.

Problem with used IPs are as stated if the device is disconnected the router remembers it i have encountered same thing in past & just pinned & reset router to factory defaults & started again 1 device at a time sucks but it will clear everything.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

Denzel99 — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 20:57:10 GMT

Essentially, @baron75mk3 is right but it’s not quite that simple. There are two ways to set an address that doesn’t change.

1) A “static address” is set on the device itself and is nothing to do with DHCP. For that reason, it has to be outside of the address range that DHCP is issuing, otherwise it causes chaos that brings a network to a standstill.

2) A “reserved address”. These are set by DHCP and are linked to the MAC address of the device. As such they should be within the range being issued by DHCP. This is what is set by “Always use this address”.

Reserved addresses are notoriously flaky. I had one at home that worked fine for several years, then it suddenly started playing silly-so-and-so’s, for no obvious reason. One place I worked would not allow reserved addresses for that reason. A couple of years later, I worked for a different company that always used reserved addresses and never had a problem.

Personally, I’d change the address range on the hub to create a range for static addresses and then set them on the devices.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

Denzel99 — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 22:07:31 GMT

In fact, a thought has just occurred.

You say you are only having problems with some devices. These devices are not using MAC randomisation are they? That will screw-up the reservation, as they will be seen by DHCP as a different device each time.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

JimM11 — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:01:45 GMT

@Denzel99 Static address with the DHCP server get's assigned but you have to watch what can be done. See Linked when cleared.

Allows the structured IP network to be created.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

Denzel99 — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:13:28 GMT

@JimM11 Yes, it does. I’ve noticed that on a nice shiny new Draytek 2767 I’ve got. I’ve also noticed that you can set a reserved address outside of the DHCP range, which is why I said “should” be in the DHCP range. The DHCP table lists them as "Fixed address (static)" or "Fixed address (reserved)". Very strange.

You and I both know that is not the traditional way it should work. I suspect it’s been done to accommodate amateurs, (no offense meant to anyone), setting fixed addresses up incorrectly. Let's face it, DHCP has always been one of the more vendor specific "standards".

How well that works is anyone’s guess. I would still recommend sticking with the way it’s supposed to be done.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

JimM11 — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:41:46 GMT

@Denzel99 There was also the issue that the EE Smart Hub 7+ version originally had a major DHCP oops on it, but that was way back at the start and fixed March time i believe, it affected both setting up static and all kinds of PF Port Forwarding then.

I always set up a structured network no matter what ISP hub is up front and centre, now ditched them all and just have Lan Manual address DHCP all setup on the Asus and AI nodes. Voip was the last and landline is now with A&A so never going to need another ISP hub ever.

Going to say when i set up my EE Smart Hub 6+ version way back Mar 2024, took about 2 hours and on one at a time because off how the Hub handled the DHCP, only one's i had to watch out for were the two printers as they are mostly off line IP wise, virtually everything else apart from a few are DHCP those are the Grand daughters and her friends when the Visit and the daughters apple iPhone as she does not want the fixed mac address, so allow her to do as she want's no point in upsetting the apple cart as one say's...

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

Denzel99 — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:57:06 GMT

@JimM11 “Voip was the last and landline is now with A&A so never going to need another ISP hub ever”.

Funnily enough, I’ve just done exactly the same, for the same reasons. The Smart Hub 2 was stopping the Draytek getting an IPv6 address. (That was fine on the old 2762 I had, so another mysterious change).

The change in this case may be to accommodate MAC randomisation, although I doubt it. I shall have to do some research, when I have the time.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

JimM11 — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:11:58 GMT

@Denzel99 You may wish to on your devices that require so use netsh and clamp the iPv6 randomisation off, have done so on a couple off mine, left the others as not concerned. iPv6 stay's fixed unless there is a wan drop then new IP is picked up and fixed on the new.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

baron75mk3 — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:40:48 GMT

Agreed i suppose i have always been ok as i only have at most 10-15 devices at any one time , so i naturally just assign 192.168.1.2 -192.168.1.15 & so on so im always outside the DHCP , so i guess this is why for me i have no issues but yes on larger networks with lots more devices you could get the issues you describe.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

JimM11 — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:50:02 GMT

@baron75mk3 Cannot remember what the EE DHCP reserved scope is but think it is like 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.64, took a quick look for my old setup so started the first off static on 192.168.1.101 onwards more to keep in line with the old IP's that the Sky SR203 was a doddle to setup, Asus is now fully in it's 192,168.50.1 range onwards.

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

Denzel99 — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:51:05 GMT

@JimM11 Yes, I don’t use MAC randomisation. I was referring to the OP’s problem.

As far as the IPv6 issue goes, the SH2 was blocking the Draytek getting a global IPv6, but I’ve sorted that.

We seem to have unintentionally hijacked the OP’s thread, so I’m going to butt out at this point. My apologies @Finnerz

Re: Smart Hub 7 Plus unable to assign static IP addresses

baron75mk3 — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:08:21 GMT

The default on the Pro is 192.168.1.54 - 192.168.1.253 most if not all of the routers i have owned tend to start & end around the same so i guess thats why im always fully outside the DHCP , as i keep the assignment numbers low always have ( 192.168.1.2 -192.168.1.15 & so on) so quite possibly this is why i have never fallen foul of ending up in the DHCP range , also there are 3 other options for DHCP range as below.