Unable to set names, icons, and IP addresses for range extenders on SH2

[Alan_C]

I have a home network running off a BT Smart Hub 2 and I'm trying to add wifi range extenders (several different makers).  

The problem I have is that some of the extenders don't have a management page, in which to set the static IP address.  Once the master wifi network is identified they seem to communicate with the SH2 and get an IP address, and the SH2 then reports it as "static".  It is then greyed out in the SH2 management page and cannot be altered.  And since these are dual band extenders, they have two MAC addresses, both of which get assigned (different) IP addresses.  So the WLAN is successfully extended. 

BUT I prefer to set the IP addresses of the fixed infrastructure (printer, NAS(s) and range extenders) myself, to a range outside the DHCP pool.  This can't be done from the extenders, because they don't have management pages - attempting to access them using their assigned IP address simply re-starts the setup procedure.

If I try to change the settings of either or both of the MAC addresses, in some cases the new IP address may be entered, in other cases not; but whatever happens when I click on "SAVE", the IP address remains unchanged.

I am also unable to change the device identifying text, which I wish to change to something meaningful e.g. "Extndr A Bedroom1".  In some cases this can be changed for one of the MAC addresses, but for the second, SH2 reports an error - saying I am attempting to assign the same IP address as another device.  This happens even if I haven't altered (or can't alter) the IP address.

I tried restricting the DHCP range to a small subnet, but the extender still got an IP address well outside the subnet.  I have tried complete factory resets of the extenders and the SH2 before starting the installation over again.  So, in the end it seems I have no choice but to accept that the IP addresses will be all over the place.  The wifi will work, but there will be a risk of duplicated IP addresses and other nasties because I have no means to control allocation.

Has anyone any thoughts on addressing these issues?

[licquorice]

A few things.

The hub network map is useless, no idea where it gets the 'static' label from. I have devices that are DHCP allocated but the hub refers to some as 'static'.

There should be no confliction of addresses as long as the devices you have configured with static addresses are outside of the DHCP range.

It is certainly possible to rename devices in advanced settings but only if active, i.e blue rather than grey.

Edit: just changed a greyed out icon label successfully 

[Alan_C]

The hub network map is useless, no idea where it gets the 'static' label from. I have devices that are DHCP allocated but the hub refers to some as 'static'.

Agreed the hub isn't very user-friendly, etc.  I think the "static" label is applied to devices which either have a setup whereby they tell the router what IP address they want and that it is fixed; or have an IPv6 address.  I think perhaps it sometimes applies to devices which have been allocated an IPv4 address from the DHCP pool, but which then treat that as fixed such that the DHCP server cannot allocate a different address.  That's how it seems, anyway.

There should be no confliction of addresses as long as the devices you have configured with static addresses are outside of the DHCP range.

Yes, and that's the point - that's exactly what I want to do, but cannot, with those devices that don't have a setup page but take the address from DHCP and then freeze it.

It is certainly possible to rename devices in advanced settings but only if active, i.e blue rather than grey.

Not in the case of devices where the address is shown as "static".  I some cases I can't change anything. In others, I can go into the entry for the device and make changes to the name and IPv4  address, but when I click on "save", the entries either do not change, or I get an error message objecting to the IP address I've set.

To the mod who marked this as resolved - it hasn't been.  I'm still hoping for answers and maybe one which gives me a clue what to do, short of ditching BT so that I can use a better router.

make 

[licquorice]

I would try a factory reset of the hub and start again from scratch.

Edit: Well I've just changed the name of a device that is annotated as 'Static' just fine.

Further edit: There are only 2 ways for a device to obtain an IP address, either you set it manually on the device itself (static address) or the router allocates it via DHCP.  Address reservation is still via DHCP.

[Alan_C]

Thank you, @licquorice  (if it was you) for removing the "solved" tick and rejoining the discussion.

Yes, those are the two ways to set IP addresses, at least for most of my kit...

I did try a complete factory reset of the SH2, among other things, but unfortunately these wifi extenders seem to have an odd way of connecting.  They are dual band, so it seems they have two different MAC addresses for their two receivers, as well as two MAC addresses for their transmitters (if I can put it that way).  After negotiating with the DHCP server, they get two entries in the address table way.  Unfortunately, the two entries have the same IP address - as shown below: 

as a result, I am unable to edit the details, because the code that handles the editing flags up that I'm trying to save two things to the same address, and refuses to accept the change.

I'm now in the throes of starting again from factory settings of everything, and renaming the network to ensure that no old details confuse the issue.  So far, I've confirmed that the extender whose entries are shown above does successfully put out signals in the two bands, although I haven't tested to see whether a new device can join the network using the extended range signal. 

I can't edit the IP addresses for these two entries, but I forced the value 192.168.1.41 on them by restricting the DHCP pool to just .40 to  .42 (.40 being used by my laptop).  I now intend to see whether another device can be persuaded to adopt .42; and then I shall move the start of the pool to .64 and see whether normal (non-static) addressing works.

As before, I'd welcome any suggestions on whether, and how, I can edit these details to include the type of device and its location.  

[Alan_C]

To follow up on progress (or rather lack thereof).

I left the DHCP pool range as [redacted].40 to .42 and added another extender.  The only existing allocation that remained the same was the laptop - the two entries for the new extender got the .41 address and those for the first extender got the .42 address.  

Still leaving these entries untouched, I changed the DHCP pool range to [redacted].43 to .44, and then added another device.  And most of the existing addresses were changed, as shown below:

Allocated IP addresses after adding two more devices

The strangest thing here is that the first two dual-band extenders have been given the same IP address for one of their entries, with MAC addresses ending 2f and 89.  And one of the entries for the first extender installed (with MAC address ending 8B) is shown as not connected, even though the other half of this extender is shown as connected.  Meanwhile, the third extender (listed as WiFi-Repeater has two entries, both for IP address 43, i.e. the same behaviour as seen initially for the other two extenders.

As the addresses (that I cannot alter) have been changed after my alteration in the pool range, I guess I'm just going to have to give up on trying to prevent conflicts, start again, and let the DHCP server do whatever it likes.

Unless someone has any suggestions?

[Alan_C]

Please can a moderator or experienced forumite tell me how I can edit my comment, earlier in the chain, to hide or remove IP addresses and MAC addresses?  Or do it for me?

Thank you

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

You appear to have already edited your post.

To be honest, I feel you are trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. If you can access a device and give it a true static address on the device itself, then fine. Otherwise just leave it to DHCP to allocate addresses which I very much doubt will give any clashes.

If you are really bothered about the DHCP capabilities of the hub, you can always use a headless Raspberry Pi as a DHCP server and turn off the hub server.

[Alan_C]

@licquorice , thanks again.

You appear to have already edited your post.

I was able to edit the comment that I'd just made, but I'm not able to edit an earlier one.  Is there an option that I've missed?  In the 3 dots menu for the comment, edit isn't available.

 To be honest, I feel you are trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. If you can access a device and give it a true static address on the device itself, then fine. Otherwise just leave it to DHCP to allocate addresses which I very much doubt will give any clashes.

If you are really bothered about the DHCP capabilities of the hub, you can always use a headless Raspberry Pi as a DHCP server and turn off the hub server.

 Yes, I think you're probably right - I shall leave it to DHCP.  I am about to add a streaming service from my NAS, and a receiver to play out on my hifi, and I wanted to fix their addresses - just in case!  And there have been a few changes, with removal of a couple of older devices, so it seemed like a good time to reorganise the whole network.  My idea was to put "infrastructure" in one range, "services" (including printer, NAS, etc.) in another, with all of those fixed; then as family come and go with their devices I know that they won't crash with any of the above.  

Thanks for your interest and help.

[Peter_W]

Hey @Alan_C.

From what I can see here the two images you shared are no longer appearing publicly on the forums, so none of these details will be visible.

Were there any other details you specifically wanted removed?

Users only have a limited period to edit posts, but I can remove anything you don't want, so please just let me know which post number and what details exactly.

Peter