iOS 10 using WiFi Networks without Internet Access

Thanks for your interest !

@rccharles: Right now I can't test the same procedure with my laptop staying connected to the internet, because i don't have an ethernet port (nor a thunderbolt/ethernet adapter. **** you, new macbooks, for i shall get an adaptater. I'll do it just for the sake of trying. ) and the "creating a network" option does disconnect my computer from internet.

@Diana Mccall :i'm using the "create a network" option. It automatically end up rejecting the network because there's no connection (same as the screen capture of the initial post).

as for the internet sharing option i'm discovering it! but it's not useful to me as it can't be shared (again) by wifi (which is the osc's way of transmitting). i really need an ad-hoc wifi connection.

As for the range : my Macbook network information states :" Wi-Fi possède l’adresse IP auto-assignée 169.254.150.227 et ne sera pas en mesure d’accéder à Internet." translated as "Wi-fi has the auto-assigned IP address 169.254.150.227 and won't be able to connect to Internet"

by the way I've tried the trick described upper, by setting a a static id with my macbook IP as IP and routeur (why not?) on the ipad, and oddly enough the ipad then does accept the connexion and quits quitting it by stating "there is no internet connection" but osc is not working anyway.

so either i'm doing something wrong (i only understand network very basic principles, don't really have a good knowledge of it i admit), either it just fools the ipad but doesn't transmit anything anyway...

I (and others, I'm sure), appreciate everyone who is trying to help. That said, several of you are headed down the wrong path because you're making the assumption that this is user error. It's not. I, and others in this industry, have the same problem. To add a bit more detail to this thread, I'll explain.

In the audio and theater industries, we use a large variety of audio devices for our production. Most of these generate their own wifi network. Good examples this are X-Air series of wifi mixers from Behringer, or Mackie mixers, PreSonus, Allen and Heath, and more. Specific devices generate their own wifi network, which is then used by a mobile app connected to that network. The actual wifi network is not connected to the internet; it's just a local network for use by these apps. For example, I use several mobile apps to access one of my mixers. On Android (all versions) there are no problems, because I can connect to a wifi networks and Android doesn't care whether or not there is actual internet access from that network. However, since iOS 10+, Apple iOS DOES seem to care. It now just spins away trying to connect to the network , expecting to see internet access. Since there never is internet, Apple never allows it to connect.

One of the other posters offered a workaround (which is valid, by the way) of creating a "fake" wifi network with the same name, but which does have internet access. Then, connecting to it from an iDevice will succeed, and later attempts to connect will be fine (the network will be "remembered"). This is rather obtuse for a lot of folks, though. Imagine having to carry around a small wifi router with me to each gig, just to have to "fake" the client's network, get my mobile apps connected, then switch it all back. It's not only time-consuming, but really annoying. 🙂

What I'd like to see is an option in iOS (not in any version yet, as of 11.0.3) that would allow me to force a wifi connection to a network, even if it doesn't have a real internet connection. If this was available, then I'd have no problems connecting every time.

Roland (maker of some very high-end, expensive mixers) gets around this because their wifi network is identified as a "device" rather than an actual network. Connecting to their mixer is only a matter of answering "ok" to the question about connecting to that device, even without an internet, and then I'm good. I'd be happy to tell Behringer, A&H, PreSonus, Mackie, etc., to do the same thing, but they literally might not have the required hardware or firmware in their devices to do this. There are tens of thousands of these devices in use all over the world.

If anyone has any ideas on how to solve this problem (static addresses don't matter/work), or if Apple would be interested in adding the capability I'd mention above, then I'd be really, really, appreciative. 🙂

The best workaround I've come up with so far is to use a small travel router by TP-Link. I create a new network with the name of the mixer I want to connect with, give it no password, and then have my iPhone/iPad connect to that network. Once connected, I shut off the travel router, connect to the real wifi device, and I'm good. I just wish I didn't have to do this to get around this new "feature" in iOS 10+.

Thanks,

Bruce

That's disappointing. Just wait until there is some feature that you all of a sudden can't use, and then come back here and read your posted reply. Then tell me what you think.

Seriously?

If such a situation comes up, I would appreciate being guided to a better place to pursue a solution.

You told us what you would like to see. Nobody here can do this. You did not seem to understand what this community is for by making that "request"

Apple has made it very clear. They do not monitor this community for the sake of finding issues to resolve. That is what the Feedback link I provided is for.

I gave you genuine options to possibly resolve your industry's issue and your feelings are hurt?

does your ipad connect to your mac then to the internet?

R

I've exhausted my knowledge base. You may want to consider buying the router the the other poster got to work. I'll asked in the lounge if someone can assist.

R

It is a security issue to have a multi-homed network which is probably why Apple has removed the functionality.

You have to go to settings. Cellular. WiFi assist and turn it off.