Question IOS 17 unable to find or connect to hidden business WIFI LAN

[mcapehart]

As iPhone 15s were released and as older iPhones began to upgrade to IOS 17 we ran into a problem that I have not been able to solve. We are unable to connect any devices, running IOS 17, to our Hidden Corporate WIFI LAN that is used for mobile printing. If the SSID is made visible these devices connect just fine; once hidden devices lose their connection immediately and can't locate the network. Apple Support, to this point, is refusing to acknowledge that IOS 17 could be causing this problem. The best guess, from Apple Support, is the possibility that the cloning of a new iPhone 15, from a previous iPhone might have corrupted something that can only be solved with a factory reset. This does not provide an explanation for devices that had no problem with IOS 16 but do with IOS 17. Has anyone else encountered this?

 

[bill001g]

I would have to do research but if I remember correctly using hidden networks violates part of the requirements for things like WPS. What apple might be doing is very strictly implementing their wifi. Technically it should never have worked to use hidden networks and encryption.

Hidden wifi is a stupid thing to do it provides nothing. The networks are easily found even some phone scanners can see them with no hacking involved.

If you want better business security use enterprise mode for wifi security. Every users has their own ID and password rather than some shared password that will someone will leak out over time.

 

[mcapehart]

I wasn't expecting stupid but...

Apple Support did say that they do not block the ability of their devices to connect to a hidden network although they warn against connecting to hidden networks.

I support roughly 150 users - most are independent contractors (Real Estate Agents). We have a Corporate LAN and a Contractor LAN; our NGF uses bridge function to allow printing from the Contractor LAN to the Corporate LAN. The Hidden WIFI LAN is also an isolated VLAN that uses bridge function to print to the copiers on the Corporate LAN. Yes, a hidden network can be discovered easily and connected to as easily. Most of our independent contractors have no idea how to do this or inclination to figure it out. They also seem unable to grasp the risks involved with sharing passwords. While they would only be putting other independent contractors, who connect to this network as risk, I am trying to minimize that risk. I will look into Enterprise Mode WiFi Security but I doubt the owner will approve another expensive solution. I may have to let this network live with the risk, make it visible and make sure everyone knows this is a "connect at your risk network".

Thank you for taking the time to respond!

 

[Ralston18]

Just make the SSID visible and leave the SSID visible.

Hidding the SSID does little for security and makes things more problematic.

FYI (via Asus):

https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1047947/#:~:text=Hidden SSID is just not,it is unable to broadcast).

And from Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/misunderstood-feature-hidden-ssid-steven-lane

Plus there are links online telling how to discover "hidden" SSID. Another link described Hidden SSID as obsolete and useless.

If Contractors and Corporate must share printers/copiers is subnetting viable?

Objective being to prevent Contractors from being unable to do anything on the Corporate network except print/copy - correct?

May need an extra printer/copier perhaps - dedicated to the Contractors subnet. Simple and effective.

Abandoning the idea of a "hidden" SSID will likely make many issues moot.