Force connection to a wifi network without an internet connection

[hxlover904]

I'm not sure if this is new to iOS 16, but the phone will not connect to a wifi network that doesn't have an internet connection. This is making it impossible to connect to an IoT device's personal wifi network to set it up initially. Is anyone else experiencing this? Did it just start with 16 or was this behavior seen in 15? And most importantly, does anyone have a workaround or a way to force the connection so I can pair with the IoT device?

Thx!

 

[chabig]

Mine devices all connect just fine, internet or not. Why do you think it’s not connecting? If there is a check mark, it’s connected.

 

[hxlover904]

Mine devices all connect just fine, internet or not. Why do you think it’s not connecting? If there is a check mark, it’s connected.

Because the wifi fan never shows up when you exit out of settings - it drops to my cell signal. If i turn off the cellular radio, then I still don't get the wifi symbol showing. Most importantly, I never connect to the devices I'm trying to connect to. This has happened with 3 different things, 2 different makes of router and a robot vacuum. It'll have the checkmark in settings, but without an internet connection, it never truly seems to join that wifi network.

 

[chabig]

I’m stumped then. Let’s see what others say.

 

[tastesliketailpipe]

Is Auto Join enabled?

 

[hxlover904]

No

Is Auto Join enabled?

No. Just to clarify, this isn't joining a standard wifi network. this is for connecting to the ad hoc network some routers and IoT devices use to do the initial set up of the device. It seems like iOS is looking for an internet connection and if it can't establish one, it never truly joins the network even if it says joined in network settings. I still can't connect to the device i'm "joined" to and start the set up process. The exception to this seems to be if the device uses a captive portal when you try to join the network. Then the captive portal will come up and you can proceed. I hope all of this makes sense.

 

[hxlover904]

 

[hxlover904]

This is what I’m seeing. Notice I’m connected to the Wi-Fi network for the shark. But I’m still on LTE and not connected to Wi-Fi.

 

[jenelemond]

No mine work absolutely fine! No such issues!

 

[jenelemond]

This is what I’m seeing. Notice I’m connected to the Wi-Fi network for the shark. But I’m still on LTE and not connected to Wi-Fi.

If you can check if it is any wifi issue? Tried the restart thing both the wifi router connection and phone also!

 

[tastesliketailpipe]

This is what I’m seeing. Notice I’m connected to the Wi-Fi network for the shark. But I’m still on LTE and not connected to Wi-Fi.

Try turning WiFi Assist off in Mobile Data settings.

 

[hxlover904]

Try turning WiFi Assist off in Mobile Data settings.

That was a great idea. But sadly, that did not seem to fix the issue.

It took me forever to find it as Mobile Data isn't a settings topic on my phone. It was under cell data. Wi-Fi Assist didn't come up under search as either "Wi-Fi" or "Assist". Must be a bug in 16.

 

[Nermal]

It took me forever to find it as Mobile Data isn't a settings topic on my phone. It was under cell data.

I believe that to be a localisation bug (or maybe Apple's just trying to force everyone outside the US to say "mobile" instead of "cell" for some reason).

Wi-Fi Assist didn't come up under search as either "Wi-Fi" or "Assist". Must be a bug in 16.

Same bug in 15.

 

[hxlover904]

I believe that to be a localisation bug (or maybe Apple's just trying to force everyone outside the US to say "mobile" instead of "cell" for some reason).


Same bug in 15.

I really should have realized Mobile and Cellular were the same heading.

Sorta glad it's not just me on that search thing. I'll file a bug report under 16. We might get lucky...

 

[mrochester]

I believe that to be a localisation bug (or maybe Apple's just trying to force everyone outside the US to say "mobile" instead of "cell" for some reason).


Same bug in 15.

It’s mobile data in the uk. ’cell’ data is an americanisation from my perspective.

 

[CanadianKristian]

So I never did find a fix for this issue. Did I miss something in the replies?

How to connect to an ioT device, like a Samsung Oven(range) when you click on the AP and log in, it will not fully connect due to the lack of internet.

It used to pop up with a question, do you want to still connect to this device “with” or “without” wifi? (Paraphrasing)

Now it just assumes you don’t want to connect since it doesn’t have internet.

Did the Wi-Fi assist work for anyone?

I tried Wi-Fi assist on and off. I tried static IP address assignment as well. Neither allowed me to connect and register the device.

 

[hxlover904]

So I never did find a fix for this issue. Did I miss something in the replies?

How to connect to an ioT device, like a Samsung Oven(range) when you click on the AP and log in, it will not fully connect due to the lack of internet.

It used to pop up with a question, do you want to still connect to this device “with” or “without” wifi? (Paraphrasing)

Now it just assumes you don’t want to connect since it doesn’t have internet.

Did the Wi-Fi assist work for anyone?

I tried Wi-Fi assist on and off. I tried static IP address assignment as well. Neither allowed me to connect and register the device.

I haven't found a fix either. And it's a bit frustrating. I haven't tried since 16.1 beta rolled out. So i'll try again in the near future.

 

[I7guy]

Try turning off private network and see if it helps. If not could be a bug.

 

[nolken]

Following because I'd like to connect to my streaming server when no internet is available. I have not found a solution either

 

[floral]

It’s mobile data in the uk. ’cell’ data is an americanisation from my perspective.

I'm from the U.S. and we do not use the term 'cell data', it's always 'mobile data'. The last time I heard someone utter 'cell data' was in the late 2000s.

 

[chabig]

I'm from the U.S. and we do not use the term 'cell data', it's always 'mobile data'. The last time I heard someone utter 'cell data' was in the late 2000s.

Use cellular data on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Find out how much cellular data that you're using.

support.apple.com

 

[negative_]

modem wifi settings - 11bgn mixed

 

[floral]

Use cellular data on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Find out how much cellular data that you're using.

support.apple.com

Oh, well maybe companies use it... but I never heard someone else as in a person say "cellular data".

 

[Vlad Soare]

I'm from the U.S. and we do not use the term 'cell data', it's always 'mobile data'. The last time I heard someone utter 'cell data' was in the late 2000s.

I could have sworn it was the other way around, and this is why.

In my 2017 Mondeo I could use voice commands for several things, one of which was placing a phone call. The syntax was, call <name> on <phone type>. If that person happened to have only one phone number in my address book, then the second part was optional. So, for instance, I could have said, "call Mary at home", or "call Mary on mobile", or just plain "call Mary" if there was just one number and no opportunity for a confusion.
This was a Euro-spec car, and consequently the voice commands and navigation instructions used British English.
I would say, "call Mary on mobile", and the system would reply, "calling Mary on mobile".

One day I decided to install a software update, but I inadvertently downloaded and used a US package. I didn't realize my mistake until I tried to use the voice commands and couldn't. I would say, "call Mary on mobile", and the system would reply, "sorry, I didn't get that". But when I skipped the second part of the command and just said, "call Mary", the system responded, "calling Mary on cell". From that point on I used the syntagm "on cell" instead of "on mobile" and everything worked fine. That is, until I managed to lay my hands on a Euro-spec update package and went back to normal.

 

[floral]

I could have sworn it was the other way around, and this is why.

In my 2017 Mondeo I could use voice commands for several things, one of which was placing a phone call. The syntax was, call <name> on <phone type>. If that person happened to have only one phone number in my address book, then the second part was optional. So, for instance, I could have said, "call Mary at home", or "call Mary on mobile", or just plain "call Mary" if there was just one number and no opportunity for a confusion.
This was a Euro-spec car, and consequently the voice commands and navigation instructions used British English.
I would say, "call Mary on mobile", and the system would reply, "calling Mary on mobile".

One day I decided to install a software update, but I inadvertently downloaded and used a US package. I didn't realize my mistake until I tried to use the voice commands and couldn't. I would say, "call Mary on mobile", and the system would reply, "sorry, I didn't get that". But when I skipped the second part of the command and just said, "call Mary", the system responded, "calling Mary on cell". From that point on I used the syntagm "on cell" instead of "on mobile" and everything worked fine. That is, until I managed to lay my hands on a Euro-spec update package and went back to normal.

Companies must be giving non americans the idea that americans use Cell... I do not like the misrepresentation here.