Yosemite Handoff and Comcast Routers

Question

Level 1

8 points

Yosemite Handoff and Comcast Routers

So I've been trying to figure out Handoff issues with my Macbook Pro Retina mid-2012 and my iPhone 5 for the last couple of days. My Macbook is running OS X Yosemite and my iPhone is running iOS 8.1.

The new Handoff feature seems to work fine for the most part, but one thing that doesn't work is handing off apps on my iPhone to my Mac. A dock icon only sometimes appears allowing me to handoff.

I brought my Mac into work today and noticed that it works perfectly fine on the equipment here. So I suspect that there's something going on with my router at home where something isn't set properly. I'm running one of those Comcast all-in-one gateway/router combos, and my specific model is the Technicolor MediaAccess TC8305C.

Has anyone else noticed this same thing? Is there some kind of specific router setting that needs to be configured to get this to work right at home?

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Oct 22, 2014 8:17 AM

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Answer 1

Lanny

Level 6

13,225 points

Oct 22, 2014 8:26 AM in response to dletell7

The Handoff feature uses Bluetooth, so your router should not have anything to do with it.

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Answer 2

ssschmidt

Level 5

5,450 points

Oct 22, 2014 8:32 AM in response to dletell7

iOS and OS X: Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points talks about the settings for routers.

OS X Yosemite: null - discusses handoff, and as Lanny states, Bluetooth is what is used.

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Answer 3

dletell7 Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 22, 2014 8:39 AM in response to ssschmidt

I'm a little confused then as to the purpose of Wi-Fi as it relates to Handoff and Continuity. I can tell that the process takes place on Bluetooth, but it seems there is still a Wi-Fi component used somewhere. Turning Wi-Fi off on either my phone or my Mac disables the feature.

For me, the biggest thing I'm trying to do is figuring out what's different when I move from home to work. The fact that it works flawlessly at my office and has problems at home doesn't lead me to believe that somehow the Bluetooth communication is different when moving my physical location.

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Answer 4

Lanny

Level 6

13,225 points

Oct 22, 2014 8:43 AM in response to dletell7

Are you confusing the iPhone cellular feature with Handoff?

One uses WiFi, the other uses Bluetooth.

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Answer 5

ssschmidt

Level 5

5,450 points

Oct 22, 2014 8:45 AM in response to dletell7

Are there any potential interference sources at your home that are not present at your office? Are the devices in the same proximity in both locations?

Obviously, if you turn off Wifi, and hand off stops working it must be used (it is used for other features in continuity), so you are correct (based on your statement).

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Answer 6

dletell7 Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 22, 2014 8:53 AM in response to ssschmidt

Okay, that makes sense. From what I can gather, the features I'm experiencing issues with work over Bluetooth and features like iPhone call handoff run off the Wi-Fi connection.

There's nothing different about proximity of the devices. Both my home and my office setting are desks and the phone is either in my pocket or on the desk next to my Mac. In terms of potential interference sources present at home but not my office, I have 2.4ghz wireless speakers and a USB 3.0 external drive. I know those affect other 2.4ghz wireless signals, but I don't know if those devices can cause Bluetooth issues as well.

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