iPhone keeps connecting to wrong Wi-Fi at home

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Level 1

35 points

iPhone keeps connecting to wrong Wi-Fi at home

I don’t have an unlimited data plan and I have Xfinity internet, so when I’m out and about, it is okay for my phone to connect to “xfinitywifi”. The problem is when I arrive at home, it’s connecting to a neighbor’s xfinitywifi network instead of my home internet. How can I prevent this?

I have looked into shortcuts, but there doesn’t seem to be a way to force it to connect to a specific network at a location (or NOT connect to one).

I haven’t tried it yet, but a clunky solution would be to check the network name when I am at home and if it’s xfinitywifi, turn Wi-Fi off and back on. It should then connect to mine as it is the strongest signet once I’m in my home.

iPhone 14 Pro

Posted on Mar 15, 2023 4:02 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Ukiman0714 Author

Level 1

35 points

Mar 25, 2023 7:21 AM in response to Ukiman0714

When I posted my last shortcut I was forgetting that the Wi-Fi trigger cannot run automatically, meaning it pops up prompting you to run it, which of course isn't practical, so I switched to a location-based trigger. Essentially, when I'm near my home, it pops up and when I tap to run, it shows me the name of my current Wi-Fi connection. If it's my own, I simply press cancel. If it's not, then I tap to continue, which turns off Wi-Fi for a few seconds and then back on. By that time I'm inside my home and it connects to my home Wi-Fi, as it's the strongest signal.

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Answer 2

Raicya

Level 10

208,965 points

Mar 19, 2023 11:54 AM in response to Ukiman0714

when I am away from my home

When you are away from my home use Public Wi-Fi, see this Apple article: Use captive Wi-Fi networks on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch -> Use captive Wi-Fi networks on your iPhone or iPad – Apple Support (UK)

Nowadays, Public Wi-Fi is offered for free, in big cities, shopping centers, in Public Transport (bus & train), airport, restaurants and others.

That depends on where you are / live.

If at the moment you are away from home and there is no Public Wi-Fi, you have to use Mobile Data, for sure go to -> Settings -> Mobile network -> Mobile Data -> ON.

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Answer 3

Ukiman0714 Author

Level 1

35 points

Mar 19, 2023 11:04 AM in response to Ukiman0714

I'm trying out this automation, which checks my current location when my phone connects to "xfinitywifi" or "XFINITY" networks. If my location matches my "home" label, then it turns Wi-Fi off for 20 seconds, then turns it back on. By that point I should be inside my house, where my own Wi-Fi network is the strongest, so it should connect to it, not Xfinity.

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Answer 4

Ukiman0714 Author

Level 1

35 points

Mar 19, 2023 12:20 PM in response to Raicya

Hi Raicya. I should have explained that all Xfinity internet customers have access to free xfinity wifi hotspots. Basically, every business that uses Xfinity for their internet and wifi also shares it out as a hotspot for Xfinity customers. Xfinity WiFi Hotspots Overview - Xfinity Support

So when I'm out and about, it want it to automatically connet to these networks. There is a business right behind my home that is a hotspot (2 GHz) and my phone seems to connect to it as I approach my house, before it "sees" my home's 5 GHz network. So it's just a problem around my house, nowhere else.

Thanks for the link about "captive" networks. I use these when I enter a store that has them. It seems to remember them for a while but every now I and then I have to re-accept their agreement. No biggie.

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