Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Do not upgrade to iOS 11 if you require public wifi.
- Thread starter NapoleonIV
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The solution to this problem, for the time being, is to hack one’s way onto the network. This can be achieved the following way. Go to settings, general, about, and find one’s iDevice wifi address. Now spoof a computer to use that address and login to the network. (sudo ifconfig en0 ether [MAC]) Then reset the computer to the original address. Because the network registers MAC addresses for authentication purposes, the iDevice will now connect without having to log in.
I saw a public WiFi network that was presenting the same issues (for folks on iOS 11).
In that case, it turns out the certificate used encrypt the traffic had expired. When iOS 11 would try and pop up the network "agree to our terms", it would notice the expired certificate, and then disconnect the device from the network (with no warning message or anything).
What's interesting was that the certificate had expired months ago, but iOS 10 (and earlier) devices were still able to connect to the network without any problems.
In that case, it turns out the certificate used encrypt the traffic had expired. When iOS 11 would try and pop up the network "agree to our terms", it would notice the expired certificate, and then disconnect the device from the network (with no warning message or anything).
What's interesting was that the certificate had expired months ago, but iOS 10 (and earlier) devices were still able to connect to the network without any problems.
our work wifi is a public system of sorts, a pretty flaky in general system where theres a log in via a browser. sometimes the browser pops up automatically, sometimes you have to go into a browser and push it by going to say bbc.co.uk
its no different in iOS 11 as it was in iOS 10 or indeed any android device.
its no different in iOS 11 as it was in iOS 10 or indeed any android device.
May not work for all that don't have ability to manage the wireless infrastructure, but for our enterprise Cisco network as soon as we disabled 11K, all clients were able to succesfully connect. Not a preffered configuration, but does work as workaround until we get Apple or Cisco to find a fix for this issue.
I had a similar issue with LA Fitness wifi - but only on my iPad, not on my iPhone. Both running iOS 11. For some reason, iPhone would connect just fine through captive, but iPad refused to for weeks. Reset network settings, rebooted, etc -- no go. I wasn't going to wipe/restore the device, so I just went back to reading books while on the treadmill.
It seems to have cleared itself up now and my iPad can connect, but I'm wondering if it had to do with their bad captive portal and ad delivery system. They had an annoying captive portal for awhile that was trying to serve a video ad to connect. Phone was ok with it, iPad wouldn't connect.
I think the captive portals can be twitchy sometimes. I don't remember this issue with iOS10, but I'm wondering if it has more to do with LA Fitness' captive portal ad-serving garbage (which they seemed to have stopped doing, now I just click "Connect").
Back to binge watching on the treadmill (I only allow myself to watch certain Netflix series when I'm running -- that way if I want to see another episode, I better keep running!)
It seems to have cleared itself up now and my iPad can connect, but I'm wondering if it had to do with their bad captive portal and ad delivery system. They had an annoying captive portal for awhile that was trying to serve a video ad to connect. Phone was ok with it, iPad wouldn't connect.
I think the captive portals can be twitchy sometimes. I don't remember this issue with iOS10, but I'm wondering if it has more to do with LA Fitness' captive portal ad-serving garbage (which they seemed to have stopped doing, now I just click "Connect").
Back to binge watching on the treadmill (I only allow myself to watch certain Netflix series when I'm running -- that way if I want to see another episode, I better keep running!)
I had/have major problem with this with our vendor's guest wifi network. Their login page captures and records the Mac address of each device that attempts to log into their network, and from that it will determine if further logins will be necessary. Since ios 11 blocked access to the Mac address via apps, the login page is no longer able to pass that information through to the network gatekeeper and I can never get my login verified.
I too am facing significant slowdown and inconsistency in loading the login pages on public networks. Sometimes on cisco systems it is impossible to login. Faced the same issue with the 7 plus and iPhone X on iOS 11. The OP definately has a valid point.
This problem is both one in the first public version of iOS 11 and in the captive portals themselves. When the captive portal is set up poorly, iOS 11 will refuse to redirect. Our network administrator actually reverted to a previous, worse setup to solve the problem. At least we can log-in, but now the network disconnects form mobil devices when they are locked. Very annoying.
Have the same problem after updating to iOS 11. The London tube wifi from EE - "EE-Wifi Auto" fails to connect and still not fixed on iOS 11.2. Never had this problem on iOS 10.3.3.
Last edited:
There’s a lot of buildings where that is the only reliable choice as the cell signal is poor at best.
It's not hysteria. It's 100 percent accurate.
Forgetting networks, logging in through browsers using Apple.com and router IP addresses, restarting devices, resetting network settings, restoring the device... nothing works.
I've spoken to Apple three times — including a long talk with the most senior tech people they have (the ones who actually call you on the phone). I also schlepped to the Genius Bar and spoke with the most senior person there. All the same answer — which is to say none at all.
They're embarrassed when they talk to you, because they don't have a solution. There's no way to fix it yet, which means we all have to wait until the next iOS update. I read the notes myself on the internal Genius Wiki.
Any Apple user who relies on WiFi networks that have a captive portal page, which is a very large number of Apple users, is simply ****ed.
If this is truly an issue for a very large number of Apple users, how has this not gotten pretty much any attention (let alone significant attention) after all this time that the issue has supposedly been around?
Oddly my iPhone 7+ running 11.2.5 was able to connect to my local Doctors WiFi, replete with a portal page, just last Wednesday. How very strange.
This is a pretty recent issue. Are you reading this board? A lot of people have been experiencing this since last year. And you can be sure for every person on this Mac board, there are thousands who arent tech savvy enough to feel like they can Google around and solve it themselves.
Why are you antagonizing people who are saying they have problems with their phones? I went to Genius Bar and I spoke to top tier tech at Apple. THEY said this is a problem for which they have no solution. Do you want to disagree with them too?
Way to spread misinformation.
[doublepost=1526410958][/doublepost]
because you advised the entire planet to not update to iOS 11 because of an issue that affects a microscopic percentage of iOS users.
This thread is back from September of last year when iOS 11 was just released, how exactly is that recent? Much more recent issues from just days/weeks ago often enough have long threads and even multiple threads about them if they are even somewhat widespread.
How exactly would asking questions about statements that someone is making somehow denotes agreement or disagreement about the issue?
Last edited:
I didn't realize we were in the presence of such an expert. It must be so amazing to know what's happening with the phones of millions of people and be able to definitively describe the frequency of this problem as "microscopic."
Just because it hasn't happened to you, doesn't mean it hasn't happened a large number of other people. And yea, I'm definitely going to share a KNOWN ISSUE other iPhone users so they can avoid the mistake I made by updating and not waiting for a more reliable version.
Why do you even care? Do you have some mission from god to update everyone to iOS 11?
Oh. For real? You're not? I'm really glad you said something, because that must mean no one is having trouble with their phones and we're all just dreaming.
You do understand this is a discussion forum where people post their experiences. Someone posting that they are seeing or not seeing an issue doesn't somehow imply that everyone else is having it or no one else is having it, unless that person actually says that. In the case of a lot of these posters they are posting their experiences with it without saying that no one else has the issue. Not sure how somehow twisting what they are saying and being confrontational about it is doing anyone or anything any good.
I am on public wifi all day with iPad and iPhone both on iOS 11.4 b5. I have had no issues with public wifi since iOS 11 early betas.
You have been a member of MacRumors for 1 day and think your problem is everyone's.
Not saying you are, but you are starting to sound very trollish.