topic Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how? in Broadband & Landline

Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

monitorcurve — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 21:08:22 GMT

Hi, having recently switched over from the BT Smart Hub router to the EE Smart Hub Plus, there seems to be no way of changing the devices names connected in the router page, such as connected Printers, Tablets, Phones, TVs etc,

For example a Laptop is displayed in the router page as "Dell Windows PC/Laptop", and it doesn't pick up the actual name ie "X Laptop" set on the actual Laptop itself like the BT Home Hub did (you could enter a name for the device on the router page if you wanted to override it), and there seems to be no way to rename this device on the router page?!

Is that the case? Am I stuck with these names instead of being able to set the names of the devices that show up as connected devices in the router page.

I have some NAS devices that just show the MAC address now which is really annoying - Is there any way to fix this??

Devices that show up incorrectly:

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

XRaySpeX — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 20:53:45 GMT

Device naming should be managed by WiFi Controls of MyEE app.

Would you care to obscure the MACs?

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

monitorcurve — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 21:19:37 GMT

Do you have a screenshot of the device name editing process in the app?

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

XRaySpeX — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 21:28:02 GMT

The app refuses to work for me & my SH+. Someone else might.

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

wgwright — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:53:28 GMT

If you go into WiFi controls, then scroll down to the list of connected devices. Scroll down to the list of connected devices. Tap on the device you want to name or rename. Tap on the 3 dots 8n the top right had corner. The option to name or rename will come up at the bottom of the screen. Tap on the pencil icon and you can then name the device to what you want

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

firedancer — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 15:44:10 GMT

Hi Explorer

There have been some improvements made with this area recently. We would appreciate if you can confirm that the device names are looking better these days ? Even share a new screenshot if possible - many thx

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

monitorcurve — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 15:52:11 GMT

The only change has been that a TV now shows up with a name, instead of the printer name it was display before

The Drobo NAS devices and a server still only show the MAC address however, and this has not changed.

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

BobT36 — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 13:54:01 GMT

Why would a normal router function only be available in a phone app?
Just like with the band splitting not being possible, I don't get why they'd revert such core router features.

The "Advanced Settings" pages of router panels are there for a reason...

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

XRaySpeX — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 14:03:29 GMT

Beats me, @BobT36 ! You should be able to config a router direct thro' its management console. Any mobile phone app should only be an alternative to assist in doing so but not be the only means of doing some settings. Also it makes a smartphone a prerequisite to having BB from EE when not all BB users might not want or have a smartphone.

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

Network-Admin — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 18:18:07 GMT

Hmmmmmmmmm!

I have 3 managed Switches, none of which could be identified by the App.

Eventually took an age to realize that "Host_11" is one of them, and "Host_8" was another.

Argggggggggggggggggg!

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

davidcummin — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:14:25 GMT

I wish I hadn't been forced to upgrade. This hub is so much worse in terms of functionality to its BT predecessor. I can't rename anything !!!

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

JimM11 — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:37:21 GMT

@davidcummin You have to use the App to rename devices that the Router cannot work out correctly, it is the only way to do it, and in some cases the name does stick and cannot be updated.

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

Network-Admin — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:39:16 GMT

...I use to have a BT Router, which had the renaming facililty.

The only way I have managed to get around this problem, withe EE Router, is to create a mapping in a Spreadsheet, not ideal but the only way I have to quickly identify what's what from a Network Admin perspective.

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

JimM11 — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:53:52 GMT

@Network-Admin You can us the EE app to rename devices, it just sometimes does not translate to the router via the web manager, but it is extremely sticky on the app.

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

Yt081039 — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:34:49 GMT

As I see it, the Web interface and tge EE app should both be able to do the same things. That tou suggest the app can do more is ridiculous since any modification has to be handled by the router's firmware in any case.

I have several NAS devices on my network, and these do not show up as the DHCP host name. Instead it shows a replica of the MAC address which is unhelpful. The web interface offers an edit option, which doesn't work. Instead if I go to the app, I can edit individual items, but not properly. The correct method would be to rename the DHCP address, thus the desired name would show in any interface. But that option is not available anywhere. This is very poor programming and let's the adequate router down. Surely you could get a simple fix but making a software/firmware update available?

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

JimM11 — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:37:22 GMT

@Yt081039 Then call EE to get it done!

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

Yt081039 — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:42:26 GMT

But you need to be able to rename the DHCP label, since the MAC is uninformative and is shown below anyway. (See screenshot) The renaming method you describe may or may not work via the app only. It does not apply it to the router itself, so the desired naming is not shown universally. What we have here is simply not good enough

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

Yt081039 — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:45:54 GMT

Jim, are your saying they can make the required router edits remotely, and yet as a user who is IT savvy, I can't?

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

monitorcurve — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:59:39 GMT

In pretty much every single router I have ever used you can modify the device name directly on the router page, which is completely normal, but not EE, it sucks so much that you have to do it through the app, I don't want an additional app, since the router clearly has the functionality to be able to rename devices, yet for some reason this is not an option given to the end user.

Only thing we can do is complain to EE about it, but I doubt they will ever make the change.

If anyone from EE is listening, please add the functionality that allows the end user to change the device names directly on the router page like every single other router out there can do, even on the old BT routers it was possible to do this!!!!

Re: Router page - renaming connected devices - how?

XRaySpeX — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 20:12:08 GMT

@monitorcurve : Pity the poor soul who has no smartphone or any mobile phone at all who is handicapped from doing many useful things with the router.

Let EE bin the app from config'ing the router at all & let it concentrate on its original purpose of managing the contract & billing a/c of the product.