iPhone 11 won’t stay connected to Onstar Hotspots

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Level 1

6 points

iPhone 11 won’t stay connected to Onstar Hotspots

Are there gateways or security switch’s (sorry don’t know not sure of the tech phrases) in the code that might prevent my iPhone and iPad from being recognized by OnStar hotspots?

Background:

Recently, my car had a system update installed. Ever since then when I get in my car in the a.m. the Share WiFi Hotspot is off yet my phone shows as connected and can be used for calling. The phone shows “no internet connection”. However, my husband’s Samsung has no issue…Internet is available.

I can not “turn on” the hotspot from the vehicle screen. It indicates that the hotspot is inactive to select OK or Onstar Advisor. Selection of OK goes to a screen with a button to turn on, that it’s currently not sharing data with connected devices, yet on the Hotspot main page it indicates that 1 device connected to Wireless Network. Note that the Samsung that does work is not in or near the car. Hitting the button to turn it on doesn’t work, just takes me to other screens indicating as mentioned above.

In addition, I can also not connect to Onstar either by selecting it in the above mention screen option or by the direct access button on mirror header.

The car is running.

To get the system turned on, I have to turn off my phone and the car. Open and close the car door, then wait at least 3 minutes before turning things back on. At this point the Share Hotspots Data may or may not be active (green), when it’s not I can turn it on and it works.

It’s fine all day…go out the next morning and it’s off again.

Onstar has pinged it, looked at the data etc. but has nothing to offer.

Going on vacation in 5 days and Onstar is worthless.

Anyone have any ideas?

iPhone 11, iOS 15

Posted on Feb 21, 2022 8:39 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 21, 2022 8:57 AM in response to Scuzmuffin

If the Samsung is not in or near the car then it isn’t using OnStar. And your phone should also work without OnStar using the cellular network. The OnStar problem appears to be outside the realm where the other users in this user-to-user forum or Apple can help with. How old is the car? OnStar was originally designed to use the 3G cellular network, and all carriers in the US are in the process of shutting down their 3G networks. I think that OnStar requires a hardware update to work with 4G or 5G.

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Answer 2

Scuzmuffin Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 21, 2022 9:39 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Yes, both phones can access the internet as part of the cellular network independent of the car. The issue is with the access of the data plan internet access we purchase thru Onstar as it’s cheaper and better than our phones carrier at least until recently. I use this plan for my iPad. The iPad is not configured to use as a phone independent of the internet.

The car is a 2020 Cadillac XT6 with 4G and has worked with 4G continuously wherever available since purchase. As has the internet access for the iPad

We had a similar issue with a different vehicle. In that instance it wasn’t until I got an Apple tech on with the Onstar support, that it got resolved. The Apple tech told the Onstar tech that they needed to open or disable some sort of security or network gateway( ?) in their system to allow the Apple unit to have access or be recognized.

I was hoping someone might know know what those switches/gateways might have been.

Thanks, though, for responding it reinforces my belief that this is all on Onstar and nothing to do with my Apple units.

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iPhone 11 won’t stay connected to Onstar Hotspots

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