Wi-fi problems with iPhone upgrade

Click here to show/hide earlier details

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.

Subscribe to our latest news mailing list to receive email alerts of updates.