iOS14 WiFi Calling on iPhone XS Max crashing Airport Extreme base station

[Farsider]

Hi all,

I have an iPhone XS Max connected to a 5th generation Airport Extreme (A1408) that has served me well for years and its been working great. Where I live I get no cellular reception so I rely on WiFi calling. This has been working great for many years including on iOS13.

I updated my iPhone XS Max to iOS14 yesterday and now when I make or receive any calls using WiFi Calling, the Airport Extreme base station crashes. Its still online as my Mac connected to its ethernet ports still works but no WiFi connectivity on the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz bands. No other devices can connect to the same base station either. Only a power cycle restores service....until I make or recieve another call.

Anyone else seeing this?

[xPosted to iPhone & iOS14 group also]

 

[r0d3nt]

Running into a similar issue with three 5th gen AirPort Extremes using an extended network but with a hard wired backbone.

Three times all three access points have locked up and become unresponsive. The activity light either is stuck at green [I enabled activity light to flash] or there is no light at all. I have to power cycle the main unit and then the other two for things to work again.

I did a WiFi call as a test, and things didn’t lock up though.

There is a new privacy feature that is enabled per wireless network that is connected to. While connected to the AirPort Extreme, it said it was insecure even with that feature enabled, but when I connect to the wireless network from our main router, the notification went awa.

Now that I’m thinking more on this, things seemed to lock up when I used the Apple TV remote app to control our 4K AppleTVs?

We’ve turned off this privacy feature for this network to see if that might be what is causing this problem.

I was looking to upgrade to newer wireless hardware, just not right now, so I hope this problem is identified and fixed either through a likely final firmware update for the AirPort Extreme or a .1 update for iOS 14.

 

[r0d3nt]

Further testing with the Apple TV remote app and it is locking up one of the three base stations, likely the one the iPhone is connected to control the Apple TV.

The remote app seems to work properly and can initially control the Apple TV, but after a few seconds, the remote app stops responding and the access point locks up with a solid green activity light [it normally blinks with activity]. Power cycling the access point restores functionality.

All three AirPort Extreme access points are running firmware 7.8.1.

 

[r0d3nt]

I’ll add that the Apple TVs were updated to tvOS 14.0 as well.

We didn’t have these issues until the iOS 14 and tvOS 14 updates.

 

[technogogo]

Seeing similar. Previously very reliable 5th gen AirPort Extreme has locked up three times today. iPhone 11 and iPad 5th gen upgraded to iOS14 and iPadOS14 Yesterday.
Not upgraded the apple TV yet. I also have switched off private network so neither device should changing to new MAC addresses.
Just now AirPort Extreme needed power cycling 20 mins after the previous time. So that isn’t good. Also is not suggestive of memory leak situation.

also... AirPort Extreme is pretty old now. So this could just be a coincidence?

 

[technogogo]

I just checked again and my iPad was back to using Private Address. So I’ve switched that off. Again. I have spotted that you need to switch off Private Address at for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs.

 

[technogogo]

I’ve also now turned off WiFi calling. Which my provider (U.K. Smarty) doesn't support anyway. But might be introducing or testing? I’m wondering if that fact is somehow related?
Anyway I’ve had 5 AEBS lock ups today. Will see What tomorrow brings now that WiFi calling option is off.
I’ve got painting and decorating to do at home this weekend. But if these issues continue I’ll fire up ntopng and see if any traffic to/from iPhone looks problematic.

 

[tekchic]

Ours is the same issue, I would be on a video call for work (on my laptop) and my husband got on a conference call with his iPhone XS Max and I'd drop immediately. We finally tracked it down today when it kept happening every time he hopped on a call. Airport Extreme Base Station.

Going to do some reconfiguring this weekend and maybe get rid of 'ol reliable AEBS. I love it because I have a NAS plugged into for backing up photos/music, etc... the new routers don't really seem to have that. I'll have to find a wireless network drive or something.

 

[Farsider]

I’d like to think its a bug that‘s going to get fixed rather than bin a perfectly good AirPort Extreme.

I can use my XS Max for general use without issue. WiFi Calling seems to trigger the bug. My XS Max has AppleCare on it so I think I’m going to raise a ticket with Apple Support and see what happens.

 

[Sorodoros]

Running into a similar issue with three 5th gen AirPort Extremes using an extended network but with a hard wired backbone.

Three times all three access points have locked up and become unresponsive. The activity light either is stuck at green [I enabled activity light to flash] or there is no light at all. I have to power cycle the main unit and then the other two for things to work again.

I did a WiFi call as a test, and things didn’t lock up though.

There is a new privacy feature that is enabled per wireless network that is connected to. While connected to the AirPort Extreme, it said it was insecure even with that feature enabled, but when I connect to the wireless network from our main router, the notification went awa.

Now that I’m thinking more on this, things seemed to lock up when I used the Apple TV remote app to control our 4K AppleTVs?

We’ve turned off this privacy feature for this network to see if that might be what is causing this problem.

I was looking to upgrade to newer wireless hardware, just not right now, so I hope this problem is identified and fixed either through a likely final firmware update for the AirPort Extreme or a .1 update for iOS 14.

"Privacy feature" on Apple TV? This bug has been driving me nuts. Could not find a workaround - had to turn off Wi-Fi calling. Thinking about upgrading the Airport network anyway. Now might be a good time.

 

[r0d3nt]

Just chiming in again that I did an hour long FaceTime call, and about 20 minutes into the call, one of the AirPort Extreme base stations locked up [out of three] and then the other two locked up. Some had a solid green light or no light at all. Restarted all of them and about 20 minutes later, the closest base station [the one I was attached to?] locked up...again. Only this base station locked up, so power cycling it fixed the problem.

Also, this morning when waking my AppleTV through the remote app, it seemed to work, but then scrolling became unresponsive. All three base stations had locked up. These AppleTVs are hard wired to the network, so I’m not sure if the privacy setting for networks is available on the AppleTV especially on a wired connection?

Getting pretty frustrated having to go power cycle all of the routers when this happens.

 

[ardboline]

On crashing networks...

I updated an iPad to iOS 14 and straight away had patchy wifi (some apps work but web pages did not load), but then it crashed my Linksys Velop nodes (blue light to red light on both, Apple devices lost wifi connection, but not a Nintendo Switch!!!). Any ideas?

 

[jcavalie]

Same issue here. Documented it on the Apple Discussion forum.

iOS14 Wi-Fi calling crashing Wi-Fi on 5th… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

 

[Steph S]

Thanks for posting the Apple Forums link. I'm experiencing the same issue since I upgraded to iOS 14. Wifi calling with WhatsApp is immediately crashing my 5th generation Airport Extreme. Calling with FaceTime audio was OK.

 

[Matías Pizarro]

Same problem here.

I have 3 Apple Airports in my network

1. AirPort Extreme 5th generation (main router)
2. AirPort Extreme 6th generation (extender)
3. Airport Express (extender)

The problem starts since updated my iPhone XS to iOS 14. When I receive a Wifi Call (WhatsApp or VoWifi) the wifi network crash.
I put the 6th gen AirPort Extreme as main router and 5th gen as extender and the problem seems to be solved.

 

[Chiguy12]

I’ve also now turned off WiFi calling. Which my provider (U.K. Smarty) doesn't support anyway. But might be introducing or testing? I’m wondering if that fact is somehow related?
Anyway I’ve had 5 AEBS lock ups today. Will see What tomorrow brings now that WiFi calling option is off.
I’ve got painting and decorating to do at home this weekend. But if these issues continue I’ll fire up ntopng and see if any traffic to/from iPhone looks problematic.

I have the exact same issue. Wifi (Apple time capsule) is perfect when I use my iPhone and desktop but when I turn on my iPad Pro (iOS 14) my entire wifi crashes within 2-5 min. I reset my network settings but it’s still crashing whenever I turn on the iPad. At first I thought it was the time capsule failing but I regularly blow out the dust so that it doesn’t overheat and burn up the power supply (very common in TC). Let me know if you find a fix

 

[Sorodoros]

Seems that since Apple no longer manufactures or supports their airport devices, that an iOS14 update to fix this is anyone's guess. The only workaround (for me) is turn off Wi-Fi Calling, which is problem given poor cellular reception at my location. The best "fix" is to replace the network router and access points, which I am doing. At some point in the near future, that will be necessary anyway.

 

[Farsider]

I’ve logged this with Apple Support yesterday. Its been escalated to Apple Engineering. This thread and the one in the iOS14 forum has now been seen by Apple Support. I’m expecting a call back from Apple over the coming days with next steps.

I was suggest its a knee jerk reaction to replace an otherwise perfection good Airport Extreme basestation.

 

[Farsider]

So here’s an interesting turn of events. If i turn off Bluetooth on my XS Max, my AirPort Extreme doesn’t crash when making a call via WiFi Calling. If I turn it back on, the AE immediately crashed. Tried it 5 times to reproduce.

Interesting.

Edit: Not interesting. I tried it again with Bluetooth off and the AE hung.

 

[ep2002]

Hi all,

I have an iPhone XS Max connected to a 5th generation Airport Extreme (A1408) that has served me well for years and its been working great. Where I live I get no cellular reception so I rely on WiFi calling. This has been working great for many years including on iOS13.

I updated my iPhone XS Max to iOS14 yesterday and now when I make or receive any calls using WiFi Calling, the Airport Extreme base station crashes. Its still online as my Mac connected to its ethernet ports still works but no WiFi connectivity on the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz bands. No other devices can connect to the same base station either. Only a power cycle restores service....until I make or recieve another call.

Anyone else seeing this?

[xPosted to iPhone & iOS14 group also]

I’m having the exact same issue as you. I have a 4th Gen AirPort Extreme as my main with two 5th Gen AirPort Extremes connected to it. It’s only the two 5th Gen AirPort Extremes that have the WiFi cutting out. Hopefully a solution come through soon.

 

[Farsider]

I highly recommend logging it with Apple Support my dude. The more people that do, the more it will jump up Apple's priority list.

Have you (or anyone) tried the iOS14.2 Public Beta. Just wondering if there is a fix in there perhaps.

 

[2984839]

Off the top of my head, I'm guessing that there is some kind of MTU issue here triggering a bug in the AE's handling of it. Or possibly the hardware is failing/flaky (they were known for this btw), and the extra packets per second caused by a phone call is enough to bring it down. Since wifi calling makes an IPSec VPN connection over UDP ports 500 and 4500, make sure neither one is blocked by a firewall, though I doubt this would be it because it just would not work at all if they were.

 

[ep2002]

I believe iOS 14.0.1 update fixes the crash.
I'll keep everyone posted if anything changes.

UPDATE:
Looks like everything is still working perfectly since I last posted on September 24th (2 1/2 weeks ago). Just wanted to let y’all know.

 

[Farsider]

Since wifi calling makes an IPSec VPN connection over UDP ports 500 and 4500

Interesting, I didn't know that.

Apparently 14.0.1 resolves the issue so I will be checking that later today. Strange, I was speaking to the Senior Advisor at Apple just today and he said Engineering wasn't aware there was a problem. Someone did something in 14.0.1 if its now fixed

 

[Farsider]

I can confirm, iOS14.0.1 has resolved the issue.