NEHotspotHelper iOS11 causes often WiFi reconnect

Question

Hi,

A device running iOS11 is connected to a WiFi and automatically locked after stopped being used. If try to unlock it after a while, one can see that there is no WiFi network connected and just shortly WiFi connection appears.

First of all, it's possible to see in logs that hotspot helper receives maintain command with didJustJoin flag set to true every 1-2 minutes during WiFi connection instead of every 5 minutest with didJustJoin set to false as intended. And by the way reachability detects disconnect and new connect to the same network accordingly.

The second thing happenes when app is being terminated by the user: it then being launched shortly after by the system (in 1-2 minutes as in first case) with hotspot helper evaluate command wich not intended to happend so often - maintain is expected.

So,

Why device start loosing WiFi conenction if there is NEHotspotHelper-app installed? What we can do to fix of workaround it?
Why after relaunch hotspot helper revices evaluate instead of maintain command? What we can do to fix of workaround it?

Thanks in advance

Network Extension

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Posted by

AndreyGusev

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Answer 1

NEHotspotHelper
iOS11 causes often WiFi reconnect

Is this a new issue in iOS 11? Or did you see it on iOS 10 as well?

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eskimo

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Answer 2

We see it in a number of iOS 11 devices (last tests was with iPhone 7 Plus iOS11.2.6 (15D100)).

We started noticing WiFi reconnects in iOS10.3 and considered it as a part of system's battery saving policy, but in iOS11 it became something crazy.

Look at the logs below:

2018/03/06 18:38:47:649 Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID AG_WiFi-5G BSSID 84:1b:5e:7a:a9:88 [protected] [signal 0.794984] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: true
2018/03/06 18:39:16:017 Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID AG_WiFi-5G BSSID 84:1b:5e:7a:a9:88 [protected] [signal 0.794984] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: true
2018/03/06 18:41:19:057 Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID AG_WiFi-5G BSSID 84:1b:5e:7a:a9:88 [protected] [signal 0.838377] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: true
2018/03/06 18:43:53:006 Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID AG_WiFi-5G BSSID 84:1b:5e:7a:a9:88 [protected] [signal 0.768448] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: true
2018/03/06 18:44:22:500 Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID AG_WiFi-5G BSSID 84:1b:5e:7a:a9:88 [protected] [signal 0.818182] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: true
2018/03/06 18:44:36:758 Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID AG_WiFi-5G BSSID 84:1b:5e:7a:a9:88 [protected] [signal 0.80698] [Auto-Join]>  didJustJoin: true
2018/03/06 18:44:52:186 Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID AG_WiFi-5G BSSID 84:1b:5e:7a:a9:88 [protected] [signal 0.738294] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: true
2018/03/06 18:46:26:902 Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID AG_WiFi-5G BSSID 84:1b:5e:7a:a9:88 [protected] [signal 0.753837] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: true

Note: logs are slightly redacted to reduce redundant noize

As you can notice reconnects to the very same network happens almost every minute (or even often in 18:44..) while the device just stay still.

We've tryed (not so hard as with iOS11, but still) to reproduce this on iPad4 (DMQKDGMCF182) running iOS10.3.3 (14G60) and see mostly expected behaviour:

- After the first evaluate we get maintain command with didJustJoin set to false every 5 minutes even on if application was terminated.

- There are still WiFi looses on device unlock but it occure much rarely (but still: it can be noticed with hotspot helper registered only).

Posted by

AndreyGusev

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Answer 3

Hi

We had a new record - during just 1 second HotspotHelper managed to connect same network twice and maintain it!

See logs:

2018/03/20 01:10:13:520 +0900 [TID: 1478043] Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID Buffalo-G-1B8A BSSID dc:fb:2:e1:1b:80 [protected] [signal 0.753837] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: true
2018/03/20 01:10:14:002 +0900 [TID: 1478043] Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID Buffalo-G-1B8A BSSID dc:fb:2:e1:1b:80 [protected] [signal 0.818182] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: true
2018/03/20 01:10:14:416 +0900 [TID: 1478043] Maintain network: <CNNetwork SSID Buffalo-G-1B8A BSSID dc:fb:2:e1:1b:80 [protected] [signal 0.818182] [Auto-Join]> didJustJoin: false

Note: logs are slightly redacted to reduce redundant noize

OS: iPhone OS 11.1.2 (15B202)

Device: iPhone6,1

Posted by

AndreyGusev

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Answer 4

BugReport: 41716584

Posted by

AndreyGusev

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Answer 5

Hi, nothing about this? any workaround?

Posted by

joseantoniogarciay

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Answer 6

Hello, any news on the issue? It's actual for iOS 15.3.1.

Posted by

Hellena

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NEHotspotHelper iOS11 causes often WiFi reconnect

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