Universal Control over USB

[Outer_net]

Based on what Apple have stated here I would expect Universal Control to function over USB but it is not?

5 - iPad and Mac must not be sharing a mobile data and internet connection. To use over USB, you must trust your Mac on the iPad.

macOS Monterey - New Features - Apple (UK)

Is anyone else able to use UC over USB with BT & WiFi off?

All settings and trust process confirmed and only apples private relay in use (no VPN's or blockers).

I am using an M1 Max MBP and an M1 iPad Pro 12.9"

 

[Slartibart]

You saw: »…Both devices must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication…«? - this would imply to use at least a hub on the iPad side which provides additionally an ethernet connection.

All empirical test find that - if connected via USB - a WiFi connection is additionally needed to make it work - which does make sense reading the requirements, doesn’t it?

What do you expect to gain by not using the much more convenient solution based on Bluetooth&Wifi? Otherwise maybe someone else likes to spend some time on this and check with both devices obtaining internet access each via ethernet cable?
The nineties just called… 🥹😆

 

[Outer_net]

What do you think Apple mean when they use this statement in the end of footnote #5 ? To use over USB, you must trust your Mac on the iPad.

You either can use USB with UC or you cant.

Maybe the issue is that the iPad requires an active internet connection as you have suggested and this would require its own hub that in turn would be connected to the host MBP, but then having just wifi enabled makes no difference. Would it be enough just to have the iPad on the same network as iPad > Hub > Hub > MBP seems a bit longwinded. (Both hubs with independent ethernet)

I find wired connections more stable and reliable and use everything wired apart from my iPhone.

Thank you for your suggestions!

 

[Slartibart]

What do you think Apple mean when they use this statement in the end of footnote #5 ? To use over USB, you must trust your Mac on the iPad.

You either can use USB with UC or you cant.

Maybe the issue is that the iPad requires an active internet connection as you have suggested and this would require its own hub that in turn would be connected to the host MBP, but then having just wifi enabled makes no difference. Would it be enough just to have the iPad on the same network as iPad > Hub > Hub > MBP seems a bit longwinded. (Both hubs with independent ethernet)

Both device must be connected to the same Apple ID. It‘s another requirement. Tell me how you do that with Wifi and Bluetooth off, if not be connected by ethernet?

Anyway: the actual Universal Control Apple Support page is much clearer on this - leaving out a USB connection. 🥹💪

 

[iStorm]

Both device must be connected to the same Apple ID. It‘s another requirement. Tell me how you do that with Wifi and Bluetooth off, if not be connected by ethernet?

So by that logic, how is Sidecar working over USB when Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are disabled on the iPad and/or Mac? That also requires both devices to be signed into the same Apple ID...

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I tried and couldn't get Universal Control to work over USB either. I think it might just be a mistake on Apple's site by copying & pasting Sidecar's requirements and forgetting to update it (or it's a bug). Sidecar's requirements are basically identical to Universal Control's, except it does work over USB.

 

[Slartibart]

So by that logic, how is Sidecar working over USB when Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are disabled? That also requires both devices to be signed into the same Apple ID...

It does not. All anecdotical reports on various sides say besides the USB connection you have to have additionally enabled Wifi - I wrote that. That’s probably for the “both devices must be signed in the same Apple ID”-part. Personally I can’t check at the moment…

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I tried and couldn't get Universal Control to work over USB either.

but you did, excellent.

I think it's just a mistake on Apple's site by copying & pasting Sidecar's requirements and forgetting to update it (or it's a bug). Sidecar's requirements are basically identical as Universal Control's, except it does work over USB.

human error is probably indeed the explanation…

 

[Outer_net]

I think that Apple have yet to enable it over USB (Or as iStorm mentioned they just pasted the same requirements from sidecar) I have tried every combination and it does not work even when using Apple's own TB Pro cable. My own attempts at trying to get it to work tell me that Apple are in error here either by a statement or software.

As soon as BT / Wifi are turned on it shows up.

As far as sidecar for myself it works even if the iPad is on the same network wired only with all wireless IO's off !

Exploring your previous suggestion I have done some re wiring and now have my pluggable TB3 dock going to the iPad and the Caldigit TB4 dock for the MBP but connecting the 2 docks together does not show the iPad in the finder on my MBP as the docks probably just tether to the primary device.

Anyways it seems it probably is just a typo by Apple but they are normally the ATD people, that is why I keep asking around.

 

[iStorm]

It does not. All anecdotical reports on various sides say besides the USB connection you have to have additionally enabled Wifi - I wrote that. That’s probably for the “both devices must be signed in the same Apple ID”-part. Personally I can’t check at the moment…

Sidecar definitely works over USB with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth disabled on both devices. I've done it a few times during flights.

You are reading too much into the "both devices must be signed in the same Apple ID" part. Being "signed in" doesn't necessarily mean an internet connection is needed. It simply means that both devices must be using the same Apple ID. Universal Control (and Sidecar) will work with Wi-Fi enabled, but not connected to the internet or even a router. Wi-Fi is needed for peer-to-peer communication between the two devices...not internet access to check that you are "signed in".

My speculation is that either:

• USB support for Universal Control was pulled during the betas, but didn't update the footnote on the what's new in Monterey page.
  • These "what's new" pages are released after the WWDC keynotes or during the betas. Here's Ventura's.
• Or they mistakenly put Sidecar's requirements in the footnote, since it's identical to Universal Control's requirements minus the USB (and OS) part.

I did report the requirements discrepancy between the footnote and the Universal Control page to Apple...will have to see if they update either page so they jive.