Wi-fi problems with iPhone upgrade
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Posted: Thu 17 Sep 2015, 1:20pm.
The new version of software for iPhones and iPads is not currently compatible with the eduroam wi-fi network at Sussex. If you're offered the chance to update your device, it would be better not to upgrade to version 9.0 until we can find a solution to this issue.
Apple released the latest version of software for iPhones and iPads on 15 September but the software does not support the encryption methods used on the eduroam wi-fi network.
We're investigating to see what we can do and will provide a further update as soon as we can.
UPDATE: 17 Sep 2015 - 2:48pm
We've been investigating reports of problems connecting to Sussex networks with iPhones on the most recent software version.
Apple released the latest version of its iOS software, version 9.0, yesterday and iPhones have begun to collect the upgrade but some users have found they are then unable to connect to eduroam. The issue is not affecting all types of device and we're working further to identify the pattern.
We're doing our best to find a resolution for this issue and will give more updates as soon as we can.
UPDATE: 18 Sep 2015 - 1:03pm
After investigating this matter and attempting to find a pattern with the failures, it appears that only some iPhones and iPads are experiencing problems.
We've also found that simple workarounds like turning the device off and on again are helping, as well as connecting to a different network such as the O2 visitors network, browsing for a short time and then attempting to connect to eduroam again.
Currently we are putting this down to a simple software glitch, however more explanations are still being sought.
UPDATE: 19 Sep 2015 - 11:06am
A number of iPhone users at Sussex have experienced problems connecting to wi-fi networks since upgrading to version 9.0, the new software upgrade released by Apple on 16 September.
The issue appears to be a software glitch affecting a minority of phones and problems can be experienced connecting to any network. If you have difficulty connecting to eduroam, we've found that at least one of the following workarounds usually fixes the problem:
- try connecting to a different network (such as O2 Wifi) and use that for a short time, then try again to connect back to eduroam
- if that's not successful, try restarting the phone
- if you're still unable to connect, forget the eduroam network (tap the "i" next to eduroam in the list and then choose Forget this network). Then, connect to the internet using another wi-fi network, such as O2 Wifi and use the XpressConnect service to add the network settings for eduroam by going to: www.sussex.ac.uk/its/xpress
- finally, if none of these solutions work, you can try resetting the network configuration for your phone by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This removes any networks you've added and resets the network configuration to be the same as brand new phone.
UPDATE: 29 Sep 2015 - 12:52pm
It appears that some routers are more robust than others when it comes to this problem; routers in some of the residences are causing problems for some devices but they will operate normal on others. This is a known feature of the problem and we continue to try to find a fix for this.
UPDATE: 1 Oct 2015 - 10:04am
A number of iPhone users at Sussex have experienced problems connecting to wi-fi networks since upgrading to version 9.0, the new software upgrade released by Apple on 16 September.
The issue appears to be a software glitch and problems can be experienced connecting to any network. But the behaviour is not consistent and some iPhone users have had no problems at all. It also appears that some types of router are affected more than others and the problem has been particularly noticeable on the hardware we use in the residences at Sussex. IPhone users have also reported problems connecting to Apple's own Airport routers.
The problem is still evident in the most recent patch (version 9.0.2) which was released on 30 September but the effects are less pronounced. So if you can update your device to version 9.0.2, you should find you can usually connect to eduroam although you may still have to try several times before a successful connection.
Meru, the manufacturer of the wi-fi equipment used in the residences, are also looking into the issue to see if they can put a workaround in place and we'll give an update on this when we hear more.
Wi-fi assist
Some iPhone users have also experienced problems with this new feature which is enabled by default in the latest versions of iOS. The service is intended to improve user experience by switching temporarily to mobile data connections if the wi-fi signal weakens. This could be useful in a lot of situations, for example if you are walking between buildings where the wi-fi signal is not so strong.
However, depending on how your provider charges for mobile data, it can also lead to additional costs and so some users have chosen to turn off the feature. To see or change the configuration, go to Settings, Mobile Data, then scroll down for the section on Wi-Fi Assist.