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Does Apple log seamlessly into a mesh system?

Longliner
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Does Apple log seamlessly into a mesh system?

Does anyone operate Apple devices on a mesh wifi system?

We have a BT HH6 with adequate wifi at one end of t he house but no router could cope with our 50-year-old concrete walls. We use powerline extenders but while in theory these form an integrated network our iPads/iPhones require each powerline extender to be selected and sometimes logged in every time we leave router wifi range. When we return they log into the router no problem. Apparently Apple arranges this to prevent its users logging into a dodgy wifi outlet.

Can anyone tell me if the mesh system can offer seamless wifi throughout the house?

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Baldrick1
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Re: Does Apple log seamlessly into a mesh system?

For mesh units to work each unit needs to be in contact with another, so the signals still have to pass through walls. Some mesh systems can enhance or replace the link using an Ethernet ‘backhaul’. As long as they can interlink you will get the seamless wireless that you seek. I do not know if you can use the Powerline units for the backhaul, it would be interesting to hear if it does work!

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dvorak
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Re: Does Apple log seamlessly into a mesh system?

I have BT whole home mesh and have more than 10 wireless apple devices and have never had any issues asking to log in again.

I've never come across the issues that you mention - can you point me towards the info where Apple say they do this, interested to read up on it.
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jab1
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Re: Does Apple log seamlessly into a mesh system?

@dvorak I have found that on both my iPad Mini 4 and iPhone 8 that if I go out of range of my router and move to 3/4G, I have to disable/re-enable Mobile Data to make it work, even though it says it is connected - don't know if that is the same, though.

Don't recall it doing that on the old iPhone 5.

John
dvorak
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Re: Does Apple log seamlessly into a mesh system?

@jab1 Interesting, but very odd, never that that with iPhones (SE, 6S, 7, 8, X, 11, 11 Pro)
But maybe we digress..
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jab1
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Re: Does Apple log seamlessly into a mesh system?

Sorry. 😉

John
Longliner
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Re: Does Apple log seamlessly into a mesh system?

Can't remember where I saw this Apple restriction, must have been three or four years ago but it was on an Apple forum. Maybe it's peculiar to our LAN because when we return to our rented hol villas (after two years in one case) both iPads log in at once to the routers we last used on our previous visits. Some suggest hard reset and set up the LAN from scratch so I'll try again.

Thanks for letting me know the mesh won't penetrate walls, saved me £200 finding this out! The extenders work fine, just annoying that they have to be selected in wifi settings each time we go to far end of house and lose router, but when we return iPads log into router straightaway.