Apple devices keep disconnecting from WiFi

Hey richrowley1,

For your iPhone, reset the network settings to see if that helps the issue. There could be something being retained there that's causing this to happen. The steps to reset can be found in Step 7 here: If your iPhone or iPad won't connect to a Wi-Fi network - Apple Support

For your Mac computers, create a new location to see if a setting there is causing this: Use network locations on Mac - Apple Support

In addition to those steps, you'll want to be sure your Wi-Fi is set up with these recommendations: Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points - Apple Support

Let us know how it goes.

Take care!

WiFi not staying connected, or will not connect:

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WPA2/WPA3 Mixed Mode:

If your router is using WPA2/WPA3 Mixed Mode “Wireless Protected Access”, try changing your router to just WPA2. Not all routers play nice with Apple devices that are trying to use WPA3. I cannot give you exact instructions, each home router is different. Check with your router manufacture.

If switching to just WPA2 does not improve the situation, then you can always switch back to WPA2/WPA3 Mixed Mode.

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USB3 Interference:

Poorly shielded USB3 devices, cables, or connectors can cause WiFi interference (especially using an old USB2 cable with a USB3 device). As an experiment, disconnect all USB3 devices (if they have their own power supply, power them off), and see if that changes anything.

I talking about USB3 devices near the WiFi router, unless you keep a USB3 device next to your iPhone 😁

In addition to the above… Fibre is pretty much irrelevant here, given your description.

What is more likely involved is the provided Wi-Fi router. Check for firmware updates for the provided Wi-Fi router, as a starting point.

Restart the Wi-Fi router, too.

If you have existing Wi-Fi networking gear from a previous installation, try a different Wi-Fi router, too. That might involve setting this device into its “bridged” mode, or connecting the router to the wired networking on the problematic router. (if the problematic Wi-Fi router not in its “bridged” mode, the second Wi-Fi daisy-chained off of it might not work correctly for accessing the Internet, but it should work for local stuff such as printers or other clients connected to the same Wi-Fi.)

I here assume all three of those clients will connect to other Wi-Fi networks; that the issue here involves this Wi-Fi network.

A tool I’ve used in these cases is a Wi-Fi scanning app. The one I’ve used is WiFi Explorer, for macOS. This app has helped troubleshoot interference and signal quality issues. The capabilities and displays of the built-in scanning tools on macOS are weak.

Semi-unrelated: if you do decide to look for a replacement Wi-Fi router, consider acquiring one with Time Machine support. This gets you wireless Mac backups when in range, akin to Apple Time Capsule NAS devices.

richrowley1 wrote:

Thank you, really helpful. Any router recommendations?

Synology has a router or two with Time Machine support. One with mesh capabilities, and one without.

Local preferences for networking gear include Synology for NAS storage including for NAS-based Time Machine backups, Ubiquiti for most networking and firewall functions and for Wi-Fi access points (APs) and mesh and cameras and such, and Zyxel networking gear works well for various tasks. These vendors all tend to be mid- or upper-tier networking gear, with more features and capabilities, with somewhat higher expectations on the administrator, and correspondingly more expensive and not commonly sold in Big Box stores and such. Put differently, somewhat spendy.