request access to hotspot helper

HI, we have submitted a request to access the HotspotHelper APIs for a client project we are running but we have no sight of whether the request is being processed or how long we should expect to wait for a response. Our original request was submitted in 16 December 2016.


The requirement is to allow the app in development to interface with the services provided by the wifi access control deployed by our customer in their retail mall location so that the app can automatically log users into the wifi network from within the iOS APP.


Does anyone have any expereince on how long it should take to get a request to access the HotspotHelperAPIs or whether there is a more appropriate forum/contact to enquire on how our request is proceeding?


Although the original request was made a ferw months ago, a repeat request was made a week back but due to the original time gap we are trying to understand the process better.


Thanks for any insight


Regards

Graeme

Replies

What process did the request involve? To whom?

… we have submitted a request to access the HotspotHelper APIs …

I’m not able to discuss official business here on DevForums. Please contact me via email (my address is in my signature).

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Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"

We have exactly the same issue.

We originally requested it in November 2016 and submitted another request last Tuesday.

We put the app changes that we needed Hotspot Helper for in May but now have realized that it is needed that much more.

Our support and customer experience without it is suffering.

Can you let us know when we may have an answer?

To expand on what I wrote earlier:

  • I’m not able to discuss official Apple business here on DevForums.

  • I am happy to discuss the state of your NEHotspotHelper approval via email. My individual email address is in my signature, below.

  • While I can see the status of NEHotspotHelper requests, I’m not involved in the actual approval process.

IMPORTANT Before going down the NEHotspotHelper path please read QA1942 iOS Wi-Fi Management APIs. Specifically, I want to stress this line:

If your app helps the user navigate a hotspot (a Wi-Fi network where the user must interact with the network to gain access to the wider Internet), you should look at NEHotspotHelper …

Thus, you should only apply for access to NEHotspotHelper if you’re creating a hotspot helper app. NEHotspotHelper has limitations, both business and technical, that make it unsuitable for other tasks.

ps QA1942 hasn’t yet been updated to cover NEHotspotConfigurationManager, new in iOS 11 beta. If you’re not dealing with a hotspot as defined in QA1942 — for example, you’re creating to configure some Wi-Fi based accessory — you should familiarise yourself with that API. A good place to start is WWDC 2017 Session 707 Advances in Networking, Part 1.

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Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"

Thank you! You have been very helpful.

We have a requirement to the list the WIFI in the app, regarding the same we have requested a permission from networkextesion team at apple to enable the HotSpothelper API.


got a responce "Your request, <snrx://Request/709146567>, is waiting in a queue of requests to be processed."


Let us give more insight about our requirement, we have an application that controls hardware devices remotely, whereas devices have to connect always to the wider network to keep connection alive via home router.


Initially, To add a device, user has to connect to the internet (home router – Access Point mode), wherein the app has to scan the WIFI networks within the range by allowing users to choose the network(AP mode) by providing the SSID and Password. Upon adding the device, our phone settings should switch the WIFI to the one user had chosen before to gain access to wider network.



@eskimo1 - as you mentioned in email, “the user navigate a hotspot (a Wi-Fi network where the user must interact with the network to gain access to the wider Internet)”. We didn’t quite understand, Kindly explain us little more detail ?

We have a requirement to the list the Wi-Fi in the app

NEHotspotHelper
will not help you with that. There are both technical and business restrictions on that API. I’ve explained both of these in this post.

Kindly explain us little more detail ?

The term hotspot, as used in the context of

NEHotspotHelper
, is a Wi-Fi network whether the user must interact with the network in order to gain access to the wider Internet. For example, the user might need to authenticate with the network, or pay for access, or simply agree to terms and conditions.

A hotspot helper is an app that helps the user navigate a hotspot. For example, the user might have a credential that lets them log in to any hotspot that’s part of some nationwide system.

It sounds like what you’re trying to do is accessory integration, and hotspot helper won’t work for that, for both technical and business reasons.

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Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"