Strange DNS like issue on EE 500mb Fibre Broadband

[SteveABS]

I was with BT for some time and up to April 2024 on 900mb fibre which had no issues. I've moved over to EE broadband and added x3 TV boxes, changed to 500mb speed and got the Wifi 6 router. Speed wise I always have 500mb - no issues.

I have a Windows 11 PC connected to the hub directly on ethernet and a win 10 laptop connected via Wifi (in the same room as the router). I've been getting strange DNS like issues when I click a link from a gmail email (on Chrome or Edge) - the link will take 30+ seconds to show the page, sometimes showing a DNS issue for about a second. If I click the link again soon after it will be instant.

On the laptop I use MS Outlook for email and when I do a search for "subject:fred" it can go off for about a minute before getting the results, if I click to join an MS teams meeting or a shared document - the same. 

After a router reboot or changing the router for a new one, at first all is good then the behaviour comes back.

EE Wifi 6 router doesn't allow you to change DNS so I'm thinking of swapping to an ASUS or similar and see how that behaves.

Spoke to EE tech team, and complaints and nobody has ever heard of this behaviour before. Be any suggestions or questions would be welcome.

[bobpullen]

If we're talking Windows machines, then it's fairly trivial to configure DNS on the machine itself so it bypasses the hub's resolver. If you're wanting to rule out the router's DNS forwarding then give it a shot.

You need to configure the TCP/IP v4 settings of your wireless network adapter properties in a similar fashion to what's described here. That thread is discussing a different issue but the instructions for configuring the network adapter are still relevant. You would just replace the 192.168.1.254 in the DNS section to a third party DNS server of your choosing.

Let us know how you get on.

[SteveABS]

Thanks for the quick reply @bobpullen

I did that on both PCs and to start with all looked good, then the same sporadic behaviour came back on both machines.

I'm truly at a loss and have no idea what it could be. 

[XRaySpeX]

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@SteveABS wrote:

On the laptop I use MS Outlook for email and when I do a search for "subject:fred" it can go off for about a minute before getting the results

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I'm a bit unclear on this. If your searching your emails within your email client you are just searching on your PC (indeed just 1 file within your PC). No DNS is involved.

[SteveABS]

Thanks for the reply. Because it's Office 365 it's cloud based with no local PST so when searching emails or checking calendar availability it is going off to the cloud and that tis the part that is taking 30-60 secs, sometimes, instead of the usual near instant response.

[SteveABS]

Hi @XRaySpeX  and @bobpullen 

I swapped the EE Smart Hub Plus for an ASUS RT-AX59U and the problem is fixed. No more sporadic slow access to web addresses which I get constantly with the EE kit.

When testing this I loose my VoIP EE landline which is annoying but I could live without it if needed but.... my EE IPTV also isn't working. I've seen some posts on multicasting but looks like it is going to be more hassle.

Can't run the EE Smart Hub Plus in modem/bridge mode.
If I got an old BT router that allowed Modem mode would I be able to use that for EETV and Landline then connect ASUS for all other network access? Not sure that would work.

[SteveABS]

Have answered my own questions thanks to : (1) Play BT IPTV on an ASUS Router - YouTube

Needed to switch off  VPN and DHCP connection then enable multicasting

[Mustrum]

@SteveABS  That’s not going to help with your EE Cigital Voice though, you need an EE/BT router to be the first device connected to the internet for that to work.

[SteveABS]

@Mustrum thank you for taking the time to reply.

Yes, I realise that I need to sacrifice my Home Phone to use the ASUS router but this seems to be the only way I can get responsive browsing and O365 usage. I WFH so use these Mon-Fri 8hrs a day.

EE were supposed to reopen my complaint, which was to find a solution, and get back to me within 48 hrs but didn't so will be calling again this afternoon.

[JimM11]

@SteveABS You could try the Asus connected to the Lan port of the EE and do everything through the Asus to the EE Router, but as you seem to be convinced that the EE is your problem it is completely up to you.