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Hi, I have recently updated my iPhone and iPad to iOS 15. Since the update Apple devices running iOS 15 are all listed as Offline on my Orbi RBK 853. All the devices are working satisfactorily on WIFi, despite the Orbi App showing that no IP Address is assigned to these devices. I contacted Netgear Support who suggested that I use the following DNS Servers Primary - 8.8.8.8 Secondary - 8.8.4.4 I have tried this, having rebooted the Router after the update. The issue is still unresolved. Anyone else experiencing the same issue? The RBK853 Firmware version is V4.6.3.16_2.0.51. RBK is connected to a Cable Modem with IGB feed.
I am asking what IP address the iPhone and the iPad claim to be using on their Network Settings. (I don't have these, but on my Android phone, I open the "Settings" , scroll down to Connections, then WiFi, and eventually get to another picture of a gear that brings up the IP address and connection speed.)
If these devices are actually working on the network, they MUST have IP addresses. Copy these down, and then look in the Orbi app for those IP addresses and see how the app describes the devices that have them.
@MSS37448 wrote: Hi, I have recently updated my iPhone and iPad to iOS 15. Since the update Apple devices running iOS 15 are all listed as Offline on my Orbi RBK 853. All the devices are working satisfactorily on WIFi, despite the Orbi App showing that no IP Address is assigned to these devices.
I fail to see a connection between DNS servers and devices being assigned IP addresses or being offline.
Can you please explain what leads to the conclusion that these devices are offline? (When they clearly are online.) I ask because I cannot recall where the term "offline" appears in the Orbi app or Orbi web interface. There is a table in the web interface Advanced Tab, Security Menu Access Control which lists allowed devices which are not currently connected to the network. Recent iOS releases have introduced a randomizing feature which creates fake MAC addresses for iPhones and iPads when they connect to WiFi. (This feature can be disabled.) If the iPhone and iPad were assigned IP addresses in the LANSetup table based on their actual MAC address and have joined the WiFi network using fake MAC addresses, they will get IP's from the DHCP pool and thus appear two times: once under Attached Devices with the fake MAC and the IP that was assigned to it and once in the 'not currently connected' table with the original MAC address.
Does the iPhone or iPad Network information reveal which IP address the device has been assigned? Do those IP addresses appear in the Attached Devices table?
When you check the list of Attached Devices in the ORBI App, Devices that are online have a Green Dot next to the icon. Devices that are offline have a Grey Dot next to the Icon. If you click on the Right Chevron for the Device displaying the Grey Dot, its details are listed as
The iPhone and iPad Network settings should provide the IP address that each device is using. Do any devices appear on the app with those IP addresses?
Yes, All attached devices which are connected, i.e. those with the Green Dot have IP Addresses assigned to them, by the same Network that the Apple Devices are connected to, even though the Apple Devices devices are listed as offline (Grey Dot), in the ORBI APP.
I am asking what IP address the iPhone and the iPad claim to be using on their Network Settings. (I don't have these, but on my Android phone, I open the "Settings" , scroll down to Connections, then WiFi, and eventually get to another picture of a gear that brings up the IP address and connection speed.)
If these devices are actually working on the network, they MUST have IP addresses. Copy these down, and then look in the Orbi app for those IP addresses and see how the app describes the devices that have them.
Hi Crimp On Sensie, Brilliant. Found the Device IP Address in WiFi Information. The Apple device has been given a Random Name by the Orbi App i.e beginning with Dev. Thank you for your help. I can rename these devices to reflect the actual name.
@MSS37448 wrote: The Apple device has been given a Random Name by the Orbi App i.e beginning with Dev.
No, not the App, not the Orbi.
This is part of the iOS "privacy", and it's not a feature that is new to iOS 15 - it is in iOS 14 too. It is a security feature that Apple has implemented.
The random MAC address does lead to different IP address assigned from the router DHCP server, too.
You can disable in your WiFi settings on a network-by-network basis by clicking on the Info for any network, especially your own WiFi. This is fine, because it's your own network, especially if you intend your own network, and not kind of a random target.
I agreee with @schumaku that the optimal step is to set the iPhone and iPad to use the hardware MAC address when accessing the Orbi WiFi system, rather than randomizing the MAC address. What those devices do with other WiFi networks is not relevant unless some of them are set to reject connections by "new" devices (perhaps a work environment where WiFi devices have to be registered or a frient/relative who uses Access Control to keep unknown devices off their WiFi and has permitted yours.)
Changing the Orbi LAN Setup to give identities to these pseudo MAC addresses may fail if the iPhone/iPad decide that your Orbi is a "new WiFi" and come up with different randomized MAC addresses.
People want to see "Names" ranther than numbers, so it was the Orbi router that came up with "DEV...." as a name for these devices. (Perhaps a short form of DEVICE?) The app displays information that it receives from the router.
Others besides Apple have adopted randomized MAC addresses for WiFi networks. (Android, Windows, Linux...) From reading articles on the web about "WiFi randomized MAC address", I can't decide if this is a result of paranoia or a legitimate threat.
If you can mark this post "solved" that would help others when they are browsing the forum topics.
People want to see "Names" ranther than numbers, so it was the Orbi router that came up with "DEV...." as a name for these devices. (Perhaps a short form of DEVICE?) The app displays information that it receives from the router.
Others besides Apple have adopted randomized MAC addresses for WiFi networks. (Android, Windows, Linux...) From reading articles on the web about "WiFi randomized MAC address", I can't decide if this is a result of paranoia or a legitimate threat.
...and much more the name sent along with the DHCP request from the device. It's part of the tin hat ideas. Of course, people walk around with wireless earbuds (so already two or even three more fixed MAC address), the mobile network always on (two fixed identifications, the IMEI and the SIM card number). And probably a bunch of RFIDs and similar wireless chips for payment, public transport, and many more on the cards they carry all day long. That much about the idea remaining "untraceable" by the "bad", by the government, ...
Probably a valuable for some PEP or critical journalists and media people at risk. For people managing networks and devices, for the the average home user who want to add some more control or monitoring on his kids ... this random MAC is just a pain in the back.
