Wifi „no internet connection“ issues (iOS16)

I am facing exactly similar issue with my iphone 13 pro, after updating to iOS 16.

Let me be clear here, all these suggestions below asking to check router logs or reset router won’t work, as the issue doesnt lie with router.

This issue is not router related as other devices connected to same wifi are working fine. But only iphone that had iOS 16 has issues. Internet connection suddenly drops and under wifi name “No internet connection” appears, while internet on other devices at same time is working fine.

Only after i restart my iphone, the internet issues gets resolved. It happens 2-4 times a day and is really annoying.

Resetting network settings also didnt helped.

Check your WiFi Router / Modem for --> Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points ...

Connecting to Wifi is the first part and then getting connected to the Internet is the second

1. If you connect to Wifi, doesn't necessarily mean you are connected to the internet. If you are not connected to wifi could be a problem with iPhone settings or Router/Modem Settings
2. If you are not connected to the internet is the sole issue of Router / Modem Settings. Contact your ISP immediately

For your Internet connection.

• Over Cellular: contact your Carrier (Cellular Service Provider). The agency who issued the SIM to you
• Over WiFI: Contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider), the agency who provided the Internet Service on your Modem/Router to you

However --> Connect iPhone to the Internet - Apple Support

Delete the profile and see if it fixes the problem. If it does, re-add the profile. Or better yet, don’t, as VPN is practically useless, and creates more problems than it solves.

Something to think about→Don't use VPN - GITHUB

There are two legitimate purposes for using VPN:

• To allow access to a private network such as a school or business when you are not on site. 
• To allow access outside of a country with a repressive government that has restricted Internet access. (This has suddenly become more important)

Any other use is risky, and can lead to problems like the one discussed in this thread. VPN disguises your location by making you appear to be somewhere else in the world. But you usually can’t control that “somewhere else”, and if it is in a location that an app isn’t approved for the app won’t work. Plus the fact that the provider of the VPN knows everything about you and your location, as well as what sites you access through the VPN. So you are totally dependent on the VPN provider’s honesty. As a start, if the VPN is free, DON’T USE IT. The provider has to make money somehow, and if you aren’t paying them then they are selling your private data to make money. But even those that charge can’t necessarily be trusted. For example, a few years ago Avast was caught selling user browsing data. They claim they have stopped doing so. 

You don’t really need VPN when using public Wi-Fi, because all communications between your device and the servers it accesses are end-to-end encrypted.

If you want VPN for privacy about the sites you visit, that’s not a good choice as discussed; instead you should download and use the TOR browser.

With iOS 15.2 and later for iOS/iPadOS and MacOS Monterey 12.2 and later Apple now has iCloud+ Private Relay, which is not VPN, but provides a safer browsing environment than VPN, and it doesn't spy on you→About iCloud Private Relay - Apple Support

I noticed this issue started recently myself. Resolution to these types of issues can be unique to your environment so please continue reading with that understanding.

It appears that the issue may stem from DNS resolution.

To quickly test this set your DNS to manual using the following DNS servers or similar (see image below).

8.8.4.4

8.8.8.8

These are Google's public DNS servers and safe to use. Your router by default will likely use your ISP's DNS servers which is generally fine but in this case we should rule them out. When you do this, if you see a DNS server with an address of something like 192.168.1.1, remove it (note after the third dot you may have a different number, for most installs it will look similar though). This is the default that is allocated from your router. If you leave this local address as your first DNS server address, you won't get a good test. In fact things could stay much the same so this step is important.

If this manual DNS change works you should consider changing your router's DNS settings to either the servers you used in the test or Cloudflare's or something.

You can test for a fast DNS server here > https://www.dnsperf.com/

Oscello wrote:

I have noticed that my phone is slow intermittently. It’s not the Wi-Fi because all of my other devices do not have the issue. I have a brand new iPhone 14 Pro and have contacted apple support. The last option is to send the phone in for repair which is where I’m at. If the phone gets sent anywhere it will be getting returned for a different manufacturer. This is my first iPhone and may very well be my last.

Basic troubleshooting (test after each step):

• Restart your router by turning it off for about 15 seconds (even if other devices are working)
• Restart the phone→RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (you won’t lose any data)
• Settings/General/Transfer or Reset Phone/Reset/Reset Network Settings (you will have to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords, but won’t lose any data)
• Investigate→Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference - Apple Support

I updated my wife’s phone and my phone and now have this same issue. All other devices still working on network but our two phones will not stay connected to ANY Wi-Fi (not just ours). I’ve tried all the usual remedies to no avail.

This is absolutely and undeniably a bug with the update. Bugs happen - they just need to be fixed and they don’t get fixed until folks accept it’s not a end-user problem.

Delete the VPN profile and it will fix the problem.

VPN frequently creates more problems than it solves. But one important fact is that when you install VPN it configures itself to the specific hardware, iOS version and network that the phone uses. If any of those change it can break the VPN. So any time you change any of these you need to delete the VPN app and profile, restart your phone then add them back (if you still want to use VPN) so it can configure itself to the new environment.

Something to think about→Don't use VPN - GITHUB

There are two legitimate purposes for using VPN:

• To allow access to a private network such as a school or business when you are not on site. 
• To allow access outside of a country with a repressive government that has restricted Internet access. (This has suddenly become more important)

Any other use is risky, and can lead to problems like the one discussed in this thread. VPN disguises your location by making you appear to be somewhere else in the world. But you usually can’t control that “somewhere else”, and if it is in a location that an app isn’t approved for the app won’t work. Plus the fact that the provider of the VPN knows everything about you and your location, as well as what sites you access through the VPN. So you are totally dependent on the VPN provider’s honesty. As a start, if the VPN is free, DON’T USE IT. The provider has to make money somehow, and if you aren’t paying them then they are selling your private data to make money. But even those that charge can’t necessarily be trusted. For example, a few years ago Avast was caught selling user browsing data. They claim they have stopped doing so. 

You don’t really need VPN when using public Wi-Fi, because all communications between your device and the servers it accesses are end-to-end encrypted.

If you want VPN for privacy about the sites you visit, that’s not a good choice as discussed; instead you should download and use the TOR browser.

With iOS 15.2 and later for iOS/iPadOS and MacOS Monterey 12.2 and later Apple now has iCloud+ Private Relay, which is not VPN, but provides a safer browsing environment than VPN, and it doesn't spy on you→About iCloud Private Relay - Apple Support

I understand your frustration, but there are hundreds of millions of people using Wi-Fi with iOS 16 with no difficulties whatsoever, so the key is figuring out what's different about your particular configuration that is causing issues.

You've decided you are not even going to try a valid troubleshooting technique, so that limits the amount of help anyone here can offer.

The fact that this thread has "five pages" means nothing in terms of the aforementioned hundreds of millions of people running iOS 16, especially as this forum is post and response, so comments by the same people increase the "page count."

As I stated previously, issues often arise because though there are networking standards, some manufacturers get it wrong, and that often causes issues when an OS upgrade is released (most often the issues are not Apple's.)

Nevertheless I know that's not reassuring when you are having difficulties, but quite frankly as someone with experience in the matter it's nearly impossible to fix an issue if it's not readily reproducible.

Let me ask one obvious question: If you go into an Apple Store, can you connect to their in-store network?

If not, make an appointment with them to have your phone examined (they might be able to do it on the same visit, but with the holidays that's doubtful), as they can run further diagnostics to try to determine if it is your hardware or your configuration at fault - a task made much easier if they can reproduce the issue in-store.

If not, contacting Apple Support directly is your best bet, as they can run remote diagnostics that may reveal more:

• Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
• Contact - Official Apple Support

Also have this issue on IPhone 13 pro Max, same exact issue. Nothing resolves it. It's IOS 16 itself causing the problem as far as I can tell. I have done everything you can think of, (reset network settings, I don't use VPNS, reset router, modem, etc.). Only thing I have not tried is restoring phone from backup. I won't be doing that. I have just disabled WIFI for now as it's unreliable.

Also, 16.0.2 did NOT fix this issue.

If it were the update, everyone would be having the issue, and they're not; there are millions of users of the same phone as you running the same version of iOS as you not having any difficulties with WiFi.

Which Wi-Fi hot spots have you tried? For example, if they happen to be from the same vendor, it's likely an issue with that vendor's equipment.

However, if you feel there is an issue with the update or your device, make an appointment to have your phone examined.

Every Apple Store has WiFi and if you can show them your phone won't remain connected to the in-store network, that will help them diagnose the issue.

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

The problem here is connecting to the Internet is a multi-part protocol exchange despite the fact it normally seems seamless:

• Your device must connect to the Wi-Fi network. This involves connecting to the network with the proper SSID, logging in using the proper credentials for the encryption mechanism in use, if applicable (e.g. WPA2 or WPA3)

• Once on the WiFi network, your device must request an IP address, typically via DHCP. This involves broadcasting a DHCPDISCOVER message and waiting for a DHCPOFFER of an IP address from a local DHCP server to provide an IP address suitable for use on the local network. If the address is acceptable, the client sends a DHCPREQUEST packet to the DHCP server, which then responds with a DHCPACK that typically includes information requested in the DHCPREQUEST like the IP address of the appropriate DNS server(s), the default gateway for the network, and so on.

• Once appropriately configured via DHCP, packets bound for an external network are routed to the default gateway, a machine that knows how to get traffic from your local network to the Internet at large.

Why am I explaining all this?

Because the "No Internet Connection" message can mean a variety of things, including:

• A routable IP address was not provided via DHCP (usually meaning you have a self-assigned IP address of the form 169.254.x.x) - the Network Settings panel is good about pointing out when this is the issue.
• The gateway is not responding to traffic
• The gateway cannot reach the Internet for some reason

If you use a VPN, it introduces another level of complexity as the VPN inserts itself between the local gateway and the Internet at large, if you will (this is a gross simplification.)

If you are experiencing this issue, feel free to report back as to:

• Do you have a self-assigned IP address in System Settings -> Network -> Wi-Fi (169.254.x.x)?

• Is a router listed after the IP address? Something like:

• If you go to About This Mac -> More Info… -> System Report…, click on "Network" and then in the "Active Services" window, click on "Wi-Fi." You should see something like this as you scroll down:

 DHCP Server Responses:

  Domain Name Servers: 192.168.0.1

  Lease Duration (seconds): 0

  DHCP Message Type: 0x05

  Routers: 192.168.0.1

  Server Identifier: 192.168.0.1

  Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

What does it say for your system?

In this case, it's telling you it received information about your network via a DHCPACK message (see the DHCP message type of 0x5:

1: DHCP Discover message (DHCPDISCOVER)

2: DHCP Offer message (DHCPOFFER)

3: DHCP Request message (DHCPREQUEST)

4: DHCP Decline message (DHCPDECLINE)

5: DHCP Acknowledgment message (DHCPACK)

6: DHCP Negative Acknowledgment message (DHCPNAK)

7: DHCP Release message (DHCPRELEASE)

8: DHCP Informational message (DHCPINFORM)

I can't promise any of those details will show an obvious issue, but they are first debugging steps.

Finally, most of the time it is indeed due to cached network information from when a VPN client was first installed; some clients improperly save the address of the local DHCP server, and if that ever changes, DHCP will fail and you will never get an IP address, resulting in the "No Internet Connection" message (and probably a self-assigned IP address as noted above.)

Restarting the phone requests a new “lease” from the router. Go into router settings and make sure the default lease time is very long. It is in seconds or minutes, so keep that in mind.

When it is not connecting go to Settings/Wi-Fi and tap on the i next to the network name.

• Look at the IP address. If it begins with 169.254 that means the router did not assign an IP address to the phone. That is a router problem. If the IP address begins with 10.0 or 192.168 that should be OK.
• But also look at the rest of the address, and, in particular, if the last 2 triples are the same as any other device on the network then your router has some fixed IP address devices that are connected, and their IP address is in the dynamic IP address range, and the phone is “colliding” with the device.
• Look at the DNS setting. It should either be the same as the router’s base IP address (such as 10.0.0.1, 192.168.1.1, etc) or a public DNS server such as Google (8.8.8.8) or Microsoft (1.1.1.1).
• Go to Settings/[your name]/iCloud. Is private Relay on? If it is try with it off, and turn it on if it is off (assuming you have iCloud+)
• You said you are not using VPN. Do you have a VPN profile in Settings/General/VPN & Device management, even if you are not using it? Delete the profile.

I'm not sure how much access you have to router/modem/ISP account so these suggestions may not be applicable in all above platforms to check.

1. Do all devices have same settings? IE: Try turning off automatic joining, automatic login, and any other settings that require constant scanning of nearby devices or connections. This is also an afterthought area regarding security of your devices. Maybe there is a connection or “light bulb moment” that can further help in which route to go next?
2. How many devices are currently connected to your WiFi? Some security settings limit the number of devices. Clearing all unnecessary devices will make a tremendous difference in connection/speed/performance.
3. Check each radio frequency on your home modem. Make sure the security settings are where they need to be. 5GhZ and 2.4 GhZ channels need different settings. Some of those settings will affect old devices and/or new devices differently.

Hopefully one of these will be helpful in some way! Good luck!

Things that you may have missed in your troubleshooting:

• If you have a VPN app or profile on your iPhone delete them
• In router settings on the router’s control page, go to MAC filtering (AKA Access Control) and turn it off if it is on
• Does your phone work on other Wi-Fi networks, just not on your home network? If it does work on other networks, the only logical conclusion is that it must be a problem with your router
• Does your Bluetooth work? If it doesn’t you have a hardware problem.