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Gisele's avatar
Gisele
Follower
May 11, 2024

iPhone stopped connecting to Orbi

Apple phone yesterday has stopped connecting to our Orbi. No changes were made so we are baffled as to what has happened. We have the  RBR750 in the living room and a satellite one in our bedroom. Everything else is working fine. 

 

Would it be the phone, or is it the Orbi? So confused. Would like any help. Thank you. 

2 Replies

  • This may be a result of two factors:

    • The iPhone setting to "randomize MAC address when on WiFi" becoming enabled.
    • Access Control on the Orbi system being enabled

    Both Apple and Android smartphones have introduced a security feature designed to keep their phones from being "tracked" when they visit different WiFi locations (coffee shops, airports, etc.) and thus leaving a record of their physical location at specific times.  See, for example:

    https://support.apple.com/guide/security/wi-fi-privacy-secb9cb3140c/web 

     

    Even if users deliberately turn the feature off, when phone software is updated, the update often turns the feature back on.

    If this happens, then the iPhone presents a rake MAC address to each WiFi system, and the Orbi believes it is a new device.

     

    If the Access Control setting has become enabled, either deliberately or by accident, then the connection will be refused.

    See page 40 of the RBR750 User Guide:

    http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBK752/RBK752_UM_EN.pdf 

     

    If you could please check these setting, it would help determine if this might be the cause of the problem.

     

    • donawalt's avatar
      donawalt
      Mentor

      If that doesn't show any results.....

       

      In Settings/WiFi I assume the network with your SSID does NOT show as connected? 

       

      Does it show in the list of WiFi networks to connect to? If so, what happens if you tap on it?

       

      If it does show as connected - under Settings/WiFi, what happens if you toggle OFF Wifi at the top, wait 60 seconds, and toggle it on again? Does your network appear and get connected?