Network Extension

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Customize and extend the core networking features of iOS, iPad OS, and macOS using Network Extension.

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5G Network Slicing and NetworkExtension
Hello, I am writing a NetworkExtension VPN using custom protocol and our client would like to able to use 5G network slice on the VPN, is this possible at all? From Apple's documentation, I found the following statement: If both network slicing and VPN are configured for an app or device, the VPN connection takes precedence over the network slice, rendering the network slice unused. Is it possible to assign a network slice on a NetworkExtension-based VPN and let the VPN traffic uses the assign network slice? Many thanks
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630
Dec ’25
Packet filter extension and thunderbolt bridges
Hello, We are developing a content filter solution which includes both a content filter and a packet filter (NEFilterControlProvider and NEFilterPacketProvider). We've observed that if the packet filter is enabled (both by itself or in conjunction with the content filter) we are having issues with bridged thunderbolt connections - traffic on that interface stops in both directions. We've tested on bridges to other MacOS devices or Windows devices, but both exhibit the same behavior. Even if the packet provider is reduces to "allow all" in the callback the issue remains. Our handler is not called at all anyway so we can't allow or deny packets. We've tested this on Macos 15 and 26 but it behaves the same. If we only enable the NEFilterControlProvider everything works fine. All other types of network interfaces work fine as well. Is this a known issue? Is there an workaround? Thanks.
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164
Dec ’25
Why nslookup dns queries not routed to NETransparentProxyProvider
I’m using an NETransparentProxyProvider where I add UDP-53 rules to intercept DNS queries from a private application. These queries are resolved locally on the endpoint by returning a custom DNS response. Example Rules look like this: NENetworkRule(destinationHost: NWHostEndpoint(hostname: "mypaapp.com", port: 53),protocol:.UDP) This works as expected through browser and ping. handleNewUDPFlow/handleNewFlow with NEAppProxyUDPFlow gets called where custom dns response get written. Using nslookup mypaapp.com doesn't works. Why does this behaves differently for nslookup?
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115
Dec ’25
Can an e-commerce iOS app running in the Xcode Simulator disrupt NETransparentProxyProvider and NEFilterDataProvider, causing DNS failures on macOS
Description: We are investigating an issue where running a specific e-commerce iOS app inside the Xcode Simulator intermittently disrupts the Mac’s network connectivity. When the app is launched in the Simulator, our NETransparentProxyProvider and NEFilterDataProvider extensions occasionally stop receiving traffic correctly, and shortly afterward the entire macOS DNS resolution fails. Once this happens, all apps on the Mac lose internet access until mac is restarted. Disabling extensions also fixing the issue. This issue only appears when the app runs in the Xcode Simulator. I would like to confirm: Is it possible for traffic patterns or network behavior inside the Simulator to interfere with system-level Network Extension providers on macOS? Are there known limitations or conflicts between the Simulator’s virtual networking interfaces and Network Extensions? Any recommended debugging steps or best practices to isolate this behavior? Any guidance, known issues, or suggestions would be appreciated.
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379
Dec ’25
Unable to get inbound and outbound byte count in Content Filter report.
Hello, I am building a Content Filter app for iOS and would like to get access to some information about network connections that are happening on the device. I managed to have the handle(_ report: NEFilterReport) method of my NEFilterControlProvider called, but the bytesOutboundCount and bytesInboundCount properties of the report are always 0. How can I have the real byte count of the connection ?
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1.4k
Dec ’25
Should NEVPNConnection's startVPNTunnel() throw if no network?
I've noticed that if a call to startVPNTunnel() is made while no network interface is active on the system, the call "succeeds" (i.e., doesn't throw), but the VPN connection state goes straight from NEVPNStatus.disconnecting to NEVPNStatus.disconnected. The docs for startVPNTunnel() state: In Swift, this method returns Void and is marked with the throws keyword to indicate that it throws an error in cases of failure. Additionally, there is an NEVPNConnectionError enum that contains a noNetworkAvailable case. However, this isn't thrown in this case, when startVPNTunnel() is called. I just wanted to ask under what circumstances startVPNTunnel() does throw, and should this be one of them? Additionally, to catch such errors, would it be better to call fetchLastDisconnectError() in the .NEVPNStatusDidChange handler?
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89
Dec ’25
NEVPNConnectionErrorDomainPlugin code 7 on URLFilter sample code
Hello, I have been playing around the the SimpleURLFilter sample code. I keep getting this error upon installed the filter profile on the device: mapError unexpected error domain NEVPNConnectionErrorDomainPlugin code 7 which then causes this error: Received filter status change: <FilterStatus: 'stopped' errorMessage: 'The operation couldn’t be completed. (NetworkExtension.NEURLFilterManager.Error error 14.)'> I can't find much info about code 7. Here is the configuration I am trying to run: <Configuration: pirServerURL: 'http://MyComputer.local:8080' pirAuthenticationToken: 'AAAA' pirPrivacyPassIssuerURL: 'http://MyComputer.local:8080' enabled: 'true' shouldFailClosed: 'true' controlProviderBundleIdentifier: 'krpaul.SimpleURLFilter.SimpleURLFilterExtension' prefilterFetchInterval: '2700.0'>
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361
Nov ’25
NEURLFilterManager Error 9 with SimpleURLFilter Sample - Filter Status Changes from 'starting' to 'stopped'
I'm working with Apple's SimpleURLFilter sample project and consistently encountering an error when trying to implement the URL filter. Here are the details: Setup: Downloaded the official SimpleURLFilter sample project from Apple Set the developer team for both targets (main app and extension) Built and ran the PIR server on my laptop using Docker as per the sample instructions Built the iOS project on my iPhone running iOS 26.0.1 Server is accessible at my Mac's IP address on port 8080 Configuration: PIR Server URL: http://[my-mac-ip]:8080 Authentication Token: AAAA (as specified in service-config.json) Privacy Pass Issuer URL: (left empty) Fail Closed: enabled Code Changes: The only modifications I made were: Updated bundle identifiers to include my team identifier Updated PIR server's service-config.json to match: com.example.apple-samplecode.SimpleURLFilter[TEAM_ID].url.filtering Modified URLFilterControlProvider.swift: Added existingPrefilterTag: String? parameter to fetchPrefilter() method Added tag: "bloom_filter" parameter to NEURLFilterPrefilter initializer Issue: After configuring the filter and entering my passcode in Settings, I consistently see: Received filter status change: <FilterStatus: 'starting'> Received filter status change: <FilterStatus: 'stopped' errorMessage: 'The operation couldn't be completed. (NetworkExtension.NEURLFilterManager.Error error 9.)'> Questions: What does NEURLFilterManager.Error error 9 specifically indicate? Could the URLFilterControlProvider modifications be causing this issue? Are there debugging steps to get more detailed error information? Any guidance would be appreciated!
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208
Nov ’25
Crash when removing network extension
Our application uses NEFilterPacketProvider to filter network traffic and we sometimes get a wired crash when removing/updating the network extension. It only happens on MacOS 11-12 . The crashing thread is always this one and it shows up after I call the completionHandler from the stopFilter func Application Specific Information: BUG IN CLIENT OF LIBDISPATCH: Release of a suspended object Thread 6 Crashed:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.network.connections 0 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2039cc35 _dispatch_queue_xref_dispose.cold.1 + 24 1 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff20373808 _dispatch_queue_xref_dispose + 50 2 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2036e2eb -[OS_dispatch_source _xref_dispose] + 17 3 libnetwork.dylib 0x00007fff242b5999 __nw_queue_context_create_source_block_invoke + 41 4 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2036d623 _dispatch_call_block_and_release + 12 5 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2036e806 _dispatch_client_callout + 8 6 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff203711b0 _dispatch_continuation_pop + 423 7 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff203811f4 _dispatch_source_invoke + 1181 8 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff20376318 _dispatch_workloop_invoke + 1784 9 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2037ec0d _dispatch_workloop_worker_thread + 811 10 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x00007fff2051545d _pthread_wqthread + 314 11 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x00007fff2051442f start_wqthread + 15 I do have a DispatchSourceTimer but I cancel it in the stop func. Any ideas on how to tackle this?
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179
Nov ’25
Questions about NEHotspotEvaluationProvider Extension
Description : Our app helps users connect to Wi-Fi hotspots. We are trying to adapt our code to iOS 26 Hotspot Authentication and Hotspot Evaluation application extensions. When filtering hotspots in the filterScanList callback, we need to fetch support information from a remote server to determine which hotspots are supported. However, attempts to use URLSession or NWTCPConnection in the extension always fail. When accessing a URL (e.g., https://www.example.com), the network log shows: Error Domain=NSURLErrorDomain Code=-1003 "A server with the specified hostname could not be found." When accessing a raw IP address, the log shows: [1: Operation not permitted] Interestingly, NWPathMonitor shows the network path as satisfied, indicating that the network is reachable. Question: Are there any missing permissions or misconfigurations on our side, or are we using the wrong approach? Is there an official recommended way to perform network requests from an NEHotspotEvaluationProvider extension?
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319
Nov ’25
How to stop or disable Network Extension without removing
I develop a Network Extension with NEFilterDataProvider and want to understand how to stop or disable it on exit of the base app without deactivating NE from OS and leave ability to start it again without requiring a password from the user. It starts normally, but when I try to disable it: NEFilterManager.sharedManager.enabled = NO; [NEFilterManager.sharedManager saveToPreferencesWithCompletionHandler:^(NSError * _Nullable error) { // never called }]; the completion handler has never called. But stopFilterWithReason inside the NE code called by the framework where I only replay with required completionHandler();. Then NE process keeps alive. I also tried to call remove, which should disable NE: [NEFilterManager.sharedManager removeFromPreferencesWithCompletionHandler:^(NSError * _Nullable error) { // never called }]; with same result - I freeze forever on waiting completion handler. So what is the correct way to disable NE without explicit deactivation it by [OSSystemExtensionRequest deactivationRequestForExtension:...]?
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86
Nov ’25
NEPacketTunnelProvider performance issues
Following previous question here :https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/801397, I've decided to move my VPN implementation using NEPacketTunnelProvider on a dedicated networkExtension. My extension receives packets using readPacketsWithCompletionHandler and forwards them immediately to a daemon through a shared memory ring buffer with Mach port signaling. The daemon then encapsulates the packets with our VPN protocol and sends them over a UDP socket. I'm seeing significant throughput degradation, much higher than the tunnel overhead itself. On our side, the IPC path supports parallel handling, but I'm not not sure whether the provider has any internal limitation that prevents packets from being processed in parallel. The tunnel protocol requires packet ordering, but preparation can be done in parallel if the provider allows it. Is there any inherent constraint in NEPacketTunnelProvider that prevents concurrent packet handling, or any recommended approach to improve throughput in this model? For comparison, when I create a utun interface manually with ifconfig and route traffic through it, I observe performance that is about four times faster.
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124
Nov ’25
On macOS Network Extension Deactivation
Hello, I’m developing a macOS application signed with a Developer ID (outside the App Store) that includes a Network Extension. The app has been successfully notarized, and the network filter is registered, but the Network Extension itself remains inactive — it does not install or run properly. It seems that the issue might be related to the entitlements configuration between the container app and the Network Extension target. Could you please provide a detailed checklist for: The required entitlements and configurations for the container app, and The required entitlements and configurations for the Network Extension target? Additionally, are there any specific Xcode settings that are mandatory for the Network Extension to be properly installed and activated on macOS when distributed via Developer ID? Thank you in advance for your help.
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199
Nov ’25
On macOS Network Extension Deactivation
Hello, I’m developing a macOS application signed with a Developer ID (outside the App Store) that includes a Network Extension. The app has been successfully notarized, and the network filter is registered, but the Network Extension itself remains inactive — it does not install or run properly. It seems that the issue might be related to the entitlements configuration between the container app and the Network Extension target. Could you please provide a detailed checklist for: 1.The required entitlements and configurations for the container app, and 2.The required entitlements and configurations for the Network Extension target? Additionally, are there any specific Xcode settings that are mandatory for the Network Extension to be properly installed and activated on macOS when distributed via Developer ID? Thank you in advance for your help.
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192
Nov ’25
NEURLFilterManager Error 2 in macOS - How to Validate Configuration Parameters for setConfiguration or saveToPreferences
I'm currently testing URLFilter for use in a macOS product. After calling loadFromPreferences, I set the following configuration parameters: pirServerURL = URL(string: "http://localhost:8080")! pirAuthenticationToken = "AAAA" controlProviderBundleIdentifier = "{extension app bundle identifier}" However, when I call saveToPreferences, I get an Invalid Configuration error. Is there a way to determine which parameter is invalid or incorrectly set? Also, I would appreciate any macOS-specific examples of using NEURLFilterManager, as most of the documentation I’ve found seems to focus on iOS. Thank you.
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91
Nov ’25
On an iPhone 17, using the NEHotspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration interface to connect to Wi-Fi is extremely slow, typically taking more than 20 seconds.
Title: iPhone 17 Wi-Fi connection via NEBOTspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration is significantly slower compared to other models Description: When using the NEBOTspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration API to connect to a Wi-Fi network, the connection process on iPhone 17 is extremely slow compared to other iPhone models. For example, in one test case: The API call to connect to Wi-Fi (LRA-AN00%6149%HonorConnect) was initiated at 16:16:29. However, the Association Request was not actually initiated until 16:16:58. During this ~29-second delay, the device appears to be scanning before starting the association process. This issue is specific to iPhone 17 — the same code and network environment do not exhibit this delay on other iPhone models. Steps to Reproduce: On an iPhone 17, call NEBOTspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration to connect to a known Wi-Fi network. Observe the timestamps between API invocation and the start of the Association Request. Compare with the same process on other iPhone models. Expected Result: The Association Request should start almost immediately after the API call, similar to other iPhone models. Actual Result: On iPhone 17, there is a ~29-second delay between API call and Association Request initiation, during which the device appears to be scanning. Impact: This delay affects user experience and connection performance when using programmatic Wi-Fi configuration on iPhone 17. Environment: Device: iPhone 17 iOS Version:26.0.1 API: NEBOTspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration Network: WPA2-Personal IOS.txt
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234
Nov ’25
NEPacketTunnelProvider entitlement conflict: App Store validation vs runtime “permission denied” (Code 5/10)
I’m building a Personal VPN app (non-MDM) that uses a NEPacketTunnelProvider extension for content filtering and blocking. When configuring the VPN locally using NETunnelProviderManager.saveToPreferences, the call fails with: Error Domain=NEConfigurationErrorDomain Code=10 "permission denied" Error Domain=NEVPNErrorDomain Code=5 "permission denied" The system does prompt for VPN permission (“Would Like to Add VPN Configurations”), but the error still occurs after the user allows it. Setup: • Main App ID – com.promisecouple.app • Extension ID – com.promisecouple.app.PromiseVPN • Capabilities – App Group + Personal VPN + Network Extensions • Main app entitlements:   com.apple.developer.networking.vpn.api = allow-vpn   com.apple.developer.networking.networkextension = packet-tunnel-provider • Extension entitlements: same + shared App Group Problem: • If I remove the networkextension entitlement, the app runs locally without the Code 5 error. • But App Store Connect then rejects the build with: Missing Entitlement: The bundle 'Promise.app' is missing entitlement 'com.apple.developer.networking.networkextension'. Question: What is the correct entitlement configuration for a Personal VPN app using NEPacketTunnelProvider (non-MDM)? Is com.apple.developer.networking.networkextension required on the main app or only on the extension? Why does including it cause saveToPreferences → Code 5/10 “permission denied” on device? Environment: Xcode 26.1 (17B55), iOS 17.3+ on physical device (non-MDM) Both provisioning profiles and certificates are valid.
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92
Nov ’25
VPN with per-app and allowed IPs
We’re implementing VPN application using the WireGuard protocol and aiming to support both split-tunnel and per-app VPN configurations. Each mode works correctly on its own: per-app VPN functions well when configured with a full tunnel and split-tunnel works as expected when per-app is disabled. However, combining both configurations leads to issues. Specifically, the routing table is not set up properly, resulting in traffic that should not be routed through the tunnel is routed through the tunnel. Detailed description: Through our backend, we are pushing these two plist files to the iPad one after the other: VPN config with allowed IPs 1.1.1.1/32 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Inc//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>PayloadUUID</key> <string>3fd861df-c917-4716-97e5-f5e96452436a</string> <key>PayloadVersion</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>PayloadOrganization</key> <string>someorganization</string> <key>PayloadIdentifier</key> <string>config.11ff5059-369f-4a71-afea-d5fdbfa99c91</string> <key>PayloadType</key> <string>Configuration</string> <key>PayloadDisplayName</key> <string> test</string> <key>PayloadDescription</key> <string>(Version 13) </string> <key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key> <true /> <key>PayloadContent</key> <array> <dict> <key>VPN</key> <dict> <key>AuthenticationMethod</key> <string>Password</string> <key>ProviderType</key> <string>packet-tunnel</string> <key>OnDemandUserOverrideDisabled</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>RemoteAddress</key> <string>172.17.28.1:51820</string> <key>OnDemandEnabled</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>OnDemandRules</key> <array> <dict> <key>Action</key> <string>Connect</string> </dict> </array> <key>ProviderBundleIdentifier</key> <string>some.bundle.id.network-extension</string> </dict> <key>VPNSubType</key> <string>some.bundle.id</string> <key>VPNType</key> <string>VPN</string> <key>VPNUUID</key> <string>d2773557-b535-414f-968a-5447d9c02d52</string> <key>OnDemandMatchAppEnabled</key> <true /> <key>VendorConfig</key> <dict> <key>VPNConfig</key> <string> Some custom configuration here </string> </dict> <key>UserDefinedName</key> <string>TestVPNServerrra</string> <key>PayloadType</key> <string>com.apple.vpn.managed.applayer</string> <key>PayloadVersion</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>PayloadIdentifier</key> <string>vpn.5e6b56be-a4bb-41a5-949e-4e8195a83f0f</string> <key>PayloadUUID</key> <string>9bebe6e2-dbef-4849-a1fb-3cca37221116</string> <key>PayloadDisplayName</key> <string>Vpn</string> <key>PayloadDescription</key> <string>Configures VPN settings</string> <key>PayloadOrganization</key> <string>someorganization</string> </dict> </array> </dict> </plist> Command to set up per-app with Chrome browser <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Inc//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>Command</key> <dict> <key>Settings</key> <array> <dict> <key>Identifier</key> <string>com.google.chrome.ios</string> <key>Attributes</key> <dict> <key>VPNUUID</key> <string>d2773557-b535-414f-968a-5447d9c02d52</string> <key>TapToPayScreenLock</key> <false /> <key>Removable</key> <true /> </dict> <key>Item</key> <string>ApplicationAttributes</string> </dict> </array> <key>RequestType</key> <string>Settings</string> </dict> <key>CommandUUID</key> <string>17ce3e19-35ef-4dbc-83d9-4ca2735ac430</string> </dict> </plist> From the log we see that our VPN application set up allowed IP 1.1.1.1 via NEIPv4Settings.includedRoutes but system routing all of the Chrome browser traffic through our application. Is this expected Apple iOS behavior, or are we misconfiguring the profiles?
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148
Nov ’25
NEAppPushProvider lifecycle guarantees for safety-critical local networking
We have an iOS companion app that talks to our IoT device over the device’s own Wi‑Fi network (often with no internet). The app performs bi-directional, safety-critical duties over that link. We use an NEAppPushProvider extension so the handset can keep exchanging data while the UI is backgrounded. During testing we noticed that if the user backgrounds the app (still connected to the device’s Wi‑Fi) and opens Safari, the extension’s stop is invoked with NEProviderStopReason.unrecoverableNetworkChange / noNetworkAvailable, and iOS tears the extension down. Until the system restarts the extension (e.g. the user foregrounds our app again), the app cannot send/receive its safety-critical data. Questions: Is there a supported way to stop a safety-critical NEAppPushProvider from being terminated in this “background app → open Safari” scenario when the device remains on the same Wi‑Fi network (possibly without internet)? If not, is NEAppPushProvider the correct extension type for an always-on local-network use case like this, or is there another API we should be using? For safety-critical applications, can Apple grant entitlements/exemptions so the system does not terminate the extension when the user switches apps but stays on the local Wi‑Fi? Any guidance on the expected lifecycle or alternative patterns for safety-critical local connectivity would be greatly appreciated.
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69
Nov ’25
App occasionally fails to connect to Access Point (iPhone17 / iOS26)
Hi, My app uses the NetworkExtension framework to connect to an access point. For some reason, my app occasionally fails to find and/or connect to my AP (which I know is online and beaconing on a given frequency). This roughly happens 1/10 times. I am using an iPhone 17, running iOS 26.0.1. I am connecting to a WPA2-Personal network. In the iPhone system logs, I see the following: Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: Dequeuing command type: "Scan" pending commands: 0 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceCopyPreparedScanResults: network records count: 0 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: WiFi infra associated, NAN DISABLED, , DFS state Off, IR INACTIVE, llwLink ACTIVE, RTM-DP 0, allowing scans Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: isScanDisallowedByAwdl[1148] : InfraScanAllowed 1 (RTModeScan 0 NonSteering 0 assistDisc 0 HTMode 0 RTModeNeeded 0 Immin 0 ScanType 1 Flags 0 ScanOn2GOnly 0 DevAllows2G 1) Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: IO80211PeerManager::setScanningState:5756:_scanningState:0x2(oldState 0) on:1, source:ScanManagerFamily, err:0 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: setScanningState:: Scan request from ScanManagerFamily. Time since last scan(1.732 s) Number of channels(0), 2.4 only(no), isDFSScan 0, airplaying 0, scanningState 0x2 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: IO80211PeerManager::setScanningState:5756:_scanningState:0x2(oldState 0) on:1, source:ScanManagerFamily, err:0 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: Controller Scan Started, scan state 0 -> 2 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: IO80211PeerManager::setScanningState:5756:_scanningState:0x0(oldState 2) on:0, source:ScanError, err:3766617154 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: setScanningState[23946]:: Scan complete for source(8)ScanError. Time(0.000 s), airplaying 0, scanningState 0x0 oldState 0x2 rtModeActive 0 (ProxSetup 0 curSchedState 3) Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: IO80211PeerManager::setScanningState:5756:_scanningState:0x0(oldState 2) on:0, source:ScanError, err:3766617154 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: Controller Scan Done, scan state 2 -> 0 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(IO80211)[54] <Notice>: Apple80211IOCTLSetWrapper:6536 @[35563.366221] ifname['en0'] IOUC type 10/'APPLE80211_IOC_SCAN_REQ', len[5528] return -528350142/0xe0820442 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid[54] <Notice>: [WiFiPolicy] {SCAN-} Completed Apple80211ScanAsync on en0 (0xe0820442) with 0 networks Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiDeviceCreateFilteredScanResults: null scanResults Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceCreateFilteredScanResults: rssiThresh 0, doTrimming 0, scanResultsCount: 0, trimmedScanResultsCount: 0, filteredScanResultsCount: 0, nullNetworksCount: 0 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceManagerDispatchUserForcedAssociationCallback: result 1 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiDeviceManagerForcedAssociationCallback: failed to association error 1 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: WiFiLocalizationGetLocalizedString: lang='en_GB' key='WIFI_JOIN_NETWORK_FAILURE_TITLE' value='Unable to join the network \M-b\M^@\M^\%@\M-b\M^@\M^]' Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: WiFiLocalizationGetLocalizedString: lang='en_GB' key='WIFI_FAILURE_OK' value='OK' Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceManagerUserForcedAssociationScanCallback: scan results were empty It looks like there is a scan error, and I see the error: failed to association error 1. I have also seen the iOS device find the SSID but fail to associate (associated error 2): Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiMetricsManagerCopyLinkChangeNetworkParams: updating AccessPointInfo: { DeviceNameElement = testssid; ManufacturerElement = " "; ModelName = " "; ModelNumber = " "; } Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiMetricsManagerCopyLinkChangeNetworkParams: minSupportDataRate 6, maxSupportDataRate 54 Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: Disassociated. Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiMetricsManagerUpdateDBAndSubmitAssociationFailure: Failed to append deauthSourceOUI to CA event Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiMetricsManagerUpdateDBAndSubmitAssociationFailure: Failed to append bssidOUI to CA event ..... <log omitted> ..... <log omitted> Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(CoreWiFi)[54] <Notice>: [corewifi] END REQ [GET SSID] took 0.005530542s (pid=260 proc=mediaplaybackd bundleID=com.apple.mediaplaybackd codesignID=com.apple.mediaplaybackd service=com.apple.private.corewifi-xpc qos=21 intf=(null) uuid=D67EF err=-528342013 reply=(null) Oct 8 12:25:52 SpringBoard(SpringBoard)[244] <Notice>: Presenting a CFUserNotification with reply port: 259427 on behalf of: wifid.54 Oct 8 12:25:52 SpringBoard(SpringBoard)[244] <Notice>: Received request to activate alertItem: <SBUserNotificationAlert: 0xc20a49b80; title: Unable to join the network \M-b\M^@\M^\\134^Htestssid\134^?\M-b\M^@\M^]; source: wifid; pid: 54> Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceManagerUserForcedAssociationCallback: failed forced association Oct 8 12:25:52 SpringBoard(SpringBoard)[244] <Notice>: Activation - Presenting <SBUserNotificationAlert: 0xc20a49b80; title: Unable to join the network \M-b\M^@\M^\\134^Htestssid\134^?\M-b\M^@\M^]; source: wifid; pid: 54> with presenter: <SBUnlockedAlertItemPresenter: 0xc1d9f6530> Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceManagerDispatchUserForcedAssociationCallback: result 2 Oct 8 12:25:52 SpringBoard(SpringBoard)[244] <Notice>: Activation - Presenter:<SBUnlockedAlertItemPresenter: 0xc1d9f6530> will present presentation: <SBAlertItemPresentation: 0xc1cd40820; alertItem: <SBUserNotificationAlert: 0xc20a49b80; presented: NO>; presenter: <SBUnlockedAlertItemPresenter: 0xc1d9f6530>> Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiDeviceManagerForcedAssociationCallback: failed to association error 2 Anyone able to help with this?
7
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303
Nov ’25
5G Network Slicing and NetworkExtension
Hello, I am writing a NetworkExtension VPN using custom protocol and our client would like to able to use 5G network slice on the VPN, is this possible at all? From Apple's documentation, I found the following statement: If both network slicing and VPN are configured for an app or device, the VPN connection takes precedence over the network slice, rendering the network slice unused. Is it possible to assign a network slice on a NetworkExtension-based VPN and let the VPN traffic uses the assign network slice? Many thanks
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1
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630
Activity
Dec ’25
Packet filter extension and thunderbolt bridges
Hello, We are developing a content filter solution which includes both a content filter and a packet filter (NEFilterControlProvider and NEFilterPacketProvider). We've observed that if the packet filter is enabled (both by itself or in conjunction with the content filter) we are having issues with bridged thunderbolt connections - traffic on that interface stops in both directions. We've tested on bridges to other MacOS devices or Windows devices, but both exhibit the same behavior. Even if the packet provider is reduces to "allow all" in the callback the issue remains. Our handler is not called at all anyway so we can't allow or deny packets. We've tested this on Macos 15 and 26 but it behaves the same. If we only enable the NEFilterControlProvider everything works fine. All other types of network interfaces work fine as well. Is this a known issue? Is there an workaround? Thanks.
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2
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164
Activity
Dec ’25
Why nslookup dns queries not routed to NETransparentProxyProvider
I’m using an NETransparentProxyProvider where I add UDP-53 rules to intercept DNS queries from a private application. These queries are resolved locally on the endpoint by returning a custom DNS response. Example Rules look like this: NENetworkRule(destinationHost: NWHostEndpoint(hostname: "mypaapp.com", port: 53),protocol:.UDP) This works as expected through browser and ping. handleNewUDPFlow/handleNewFlow with NEAppProxyUDPFlow gets called where custom dns response get written. Using nslookup mypaapp.com doesn't works. Why does this behaves differently for nslookup?
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1
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115
Activity
Dec ’25
Can an e-commerce iOS app running in the Xcode Simulator disrupt NETransparentProxyProvider and NEFilterDataProvider, causing DNS failures on macOS
Description: We are investigating an issue where running a specific e-commerce iOS app inside the Xcode Simulator intermittently disrupts the Mac’s network connectivity. When the app is launched in the Simulator, our NETransparentProxyProvider and NEFilterDataProvider extensions occasionally stop receiving traffic correctly, and shortly afterward the entire macOS DNS resolution fails. Once this happens, all apps on the Mac lose internet access until mac is restarted. Disabling extensions also fixing the issue. This issue only appears when the app runs in the Xcode Simulator. I would like to confirm: Is it possible for traffic patterns or network behavior inside the Simulator to interfere with system-level Network Extension providers on macOS? Are there known limitations or conflicts between the Simulator’s virtual networking interfaces and Network Extensions? Any recommended debugging steps or best practices to isolate this behavior? Any guidance, known issues, or suggestions would be appreciated.
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3
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379
Activity
Dec ’25
Unable to get inbound and outbound byte count in Content Filter report.
Hello, I am building a Content Filter app for iOS and would like to get access to some information about network connections that are happening on the device. I managed to have the handle(_ report: NEFilterReport) method of my NEFilterControlProvider called, but the bytesOutboundCount and bytesInboundCount properties of the report are always 0. How can I have the real byte count of the connection ?
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1.4k
Activity
Dec ’25
Should NEVPNConnection's startVPNTunnel() throw if no network?
I've noticed that if a call to startVPNTunnel() is made while no network interface is active on the system, the call "succeeds" (i.e., doesn't throw), but the VPN connection state goes straight from NEVPNStatus.disconnecting to NEVPNStatus.disconnected. The docs for startVPNTunnel() state: In Swift, this method returns Void and is marked with the throws keyword to indicate that it throws an error in cases of failure. Additionally, there is an NEVPNConnectionError enum that contains a noNetworkAvailable case. However, this isn't thrown in this case, when startVPNTunnel() is called. I just wanted to ask under what circumstances startVPNTunnel() does throw, and should this be one of them? Additionally, to catch such errors, would it be better to call fetchLastDisconnectError() in the .NEVPNStatusDidChange handler?
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1
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89
Activity
Dec ’25
NEVPNConnectionErrorDomainPlugin code 7 on URLFilter sample code
Hello, I have been playing around the the SimpleURLFilter sample code. I keep getting this error upon installed the filter profile on the device: mapError unexpected error domain NEVPNConnectionErrorDomainPlugin code 7 which then causes this error: Received filter status change: <FilterStatus: 'stopped' errorMessage: 'The operation couldn’t be completed. (NetworkExtension.NEURLFilterManager.Error error 14.)'> I can't find much info about code 7. Here is the configuration I am trying to run: <Configuration: pirServerURL: 'http://MyComputer.local:8080' pirAuthenticationToken: 'AAAA' pirPrivacyPassIssuerURL: 'http://MyComputer.local:8080' enabled: 'true' shouldFailClosed: 'true' controlProviderBundleIdentifier: 'krpaul.SimpleURLFilter.SimpleURLFilterExtension' prefilterFetchInterval: '2700.0'>
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6
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1
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361
Activity
Nov ’25
NEURLFilterManager Error 9 with SimpleURLFilter Sample - Filter Status Changes from 'starting' to 'stopped'
I'm working with Apple's SimpleURLFilter sample project and consistently encountering an error when trying to implement the URL filter. Here are the details: Setup: Downloaded the official SimpleURLFilter sample project from Apple Set the developer team for both targets (main app and extension) Built and ran the PIR server on my laptop using Docker as per the sample instructions Built the iOS project on my iPhone running iOS 26.0.1 Server is accessible at my Mac's IP address on port 8080 Configuration: PIR Server URL: http://[my-mac-ip]:8080 Authentication Token: AAAA (as specified in service-config.json) Privacy Pass Issuer URL: (left empty) Fail Closed: enabled Code Changes: The only modifications I made were: Updated bundle identifiers to include my team identifier Updated PIR server's service-config.json to match: com.example.apple-samplecode.SimpleURLFilter[TEAM_ID].url.filtering Modified URLFilterControlProvider.swift: Added existingPrefilterTag: String? parameter to fetchPrefilter() method Added tag: "bloom_filter" parameter to NEURLFilterPrefilter initializer Issue: After configuring the filter and entering my passcode in Settings, I consistently see: Received filter status change: <FilterStatus: 'starting'> Received filter status change: <FilterStatus: 'stopped' errorMessage: 'The operation couldn't be completed. (NetworkExtension.NEURLFilterManager.Error error 9.)'> Questions: What does NEURLFilterManager.Error error 9 specifically indicate? Could the URLFilterControlProvider modifications be causing this issue? Are there debugging steps to get more detailed error information? Any guidance would be appreciated!
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2
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208
Activity
Nov ’25
Crash when removing network extension
Our application uses NEFilterPacketProvider to filter network traffic and we sometimes get a wired crash when removing/updating the network extension. It only happens on MacOS 11-12 . The crashing thread is always this one and it shows up after I call the completionHandler from the stopFilter func Application Specific Information: BUG IN CLIENT OF LIBDISPATCH: Release of a suspended object Thread 6 Crashed:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.network.connections 0 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2039cc35 _dispatch_queue_xref_dispose.cold.1 + 24 1 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff20373808 _dispatch_queue_xref_dispose + 50 2 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2036e2eb -[OS_dispatch_source _xref_dispose] + 17 3 libnetwork.dylib 0x00007fff242b5999 __nw_queue_context_create_source_block_invoke + 41 4 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2036d623 _dispatch_call_block_and_release + 12 5 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2036e806 _dispatch_client_callout + 8 6 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff203711b0 _dispatch_continuation_pop + 423 7 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff203811f4 _dispatch_source_invoke + 1181 8 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff20376318 _dispatch_workloop_invoke + 1784 9 libdispatch.dylib 0x00007fff2037ec0d _dispatch_workloop_worker_thread + 811 10 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x00007fff2051545d _pthread_wqthread + 314 11 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x00007fff2051442f start_wqthread + 15 I do have a DispatchSourceTimer but I cancel it in the stop func. Any ideas on how to tackle this?
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7
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179
Activity
Nov ’25
Questions about NEHotspotEvaluationProvider Extension
Description : Our app helps users connect to Wi-Fi hotspots. We are trying to adapt our code to iOS 26 Hotspot Authentication and Hotspot Evaluation application extensions. When filtering hotspots in the filterScanList callback, we need to fetch support information from a remote server to determine which hotspots are supported. However, attempts to use URLSession or NWTCPConnection in the extension always fail. When accessing a URL (e.g., https://www.example.com), the network log shows: Error Domain=NSURLErrorDomain Code=-1003 "A server with the specified hostname could not be found." When accessing a raw IP address, the log shows: [1: Operation not permitted] Interestingly, NWPathMonitor shows the network path as satisfied, indicating that the network is reachable. Question: Are there any missing permissions or misconfigurations on our side, or are we using the wrong approach? Is there an official recommended way to perform network requests from an NEHotspotEvaluationProvider extension?
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5
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319
Activity
Nov ’25
How to stop or disable Network Extension without removing
I develop a Network Extension with NEFilterDataProvider and want to understand how to stop or disable it on exit of the base app without deactivating NE from OS and leave ability to start it again without requiring a password from the user. It starts normally, but when I try to disable it: NEFilterManager.sharedManager.enabled = NO; [NEFilterManager.sharedManager saveToPreferencesWithCompletionHandler:^(NSError * _Nullable error) { // never called }]; the completion handler has never called. But stopFilterWithReason inside the NE code called by the framework where I only replay with required completionHandler();. Then NE process keeps alive. I also tried to call remove, which should disable NE: [NEFilterManager.sharedManager removeFromPreferencesWithCompletionHandler:^(NSError * _Nullable error) { // never called }]; with same result - I freeze forever on waiting completion handler. So what is the correct way to disable NE without explicit deactivation it by [OSSystemExtensionRequest deactivationRequestForExtension:...]?
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1
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86
Activity
Nov ’25
NEPacketTunnelProvider performance issues
Following previous question here :https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/801397, I've decided to move my VPN implementation using NEPacketTunnelProvider on a dedicated networkExtension. My extension receives packets using readPacketsWithCompletionHandler and forwards them immediately to a daemon through a shared memory ring buffer with Mach port signaling. The daemon then encapsulates the packets with our VPN protocol and sends them over a UDP socket. I'm seeing significant throughput degradation, much higher than the tunnel overhead itself. On our side, the IPC path supports parallel handling, but I'm not not sure whether the provider has any internal limitation that prevents packets from being processed in parallel. The tunnel protocol requires packet ordering, but preparation can be done in parallel if the provider allows it. Is there any inherent constraint in NEPacketTunnelProvider that prevents concurrent packet handling, or any recommended approach to improve throughput in this model? For comparison, when I create a utun interface manually with ifconfig and route traffic through it, I observe performance that is about four times faster.
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1
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124
Activity
Nov ’25
On macOS Network Extension Deactivation
Hello, I’m developing a macOS application signed with a Developer ID (outside the App Store) that includes a Network Extension. The app has been successfully notarized, and the network filter is registered, but the Network Extension itself remains inactive — it does not install or run properly. It seems that the issue might be related to the entitlements configuration between the container app and the Network Extension target. Could you please provide a detailed checklist for: The required entitlements and configurations for the container app, and The required entitlements and configurations for the Network Extension target? Additionally, are there any specific Xcode settings that are mandatory for the Network Extension to be properly installed and activated on macOS when distributed via Developer ID? Thank you in advance for your help.
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1
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199
Activity
Nov ’25
On macOS Network Extension Deactivation
Hello, I’m developing a macOS application signed with a Developer ID (outside the App Store) that includes a Network Extension. The app has been successfully notarized, and the network filter is registered, but the Network Extension itself remains inactive — it does not install or run properly. It seems that the issue might be related to the entitlements configuration between the container app and the Network Extension target. Could you please provide a detailed checklist for: 1.The required entitlements and configurations for the container app, and 2.The required entitlements and configurations for the Network Extension target? Additionally, are there any specific Xcode settings that are mandatory for the Network Extension to be properly installed and activated on macOS when distributed via Developer ID? Thank you in advance for your help.
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1
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192
Activity
Nov ’25
NEURLFilterManager Error 2 in macOS - How to Validate Configuration Parameters for setConfiguration or saveToPreferences
I'm currently testing URLFilter for use in a macOS product. After calling loadFromPreferences, I set the following configuration parameters: pirServerURL = URL(string: "http://localhost:8080")! pirAuthenticationToken = "AAAA" controlProviderBundleIdentifier = "{extension app bundle identifier}" However, when I call saveToPreferences, I get an Invalid Configuration error. Is there a way to determine which parameter is invalid or incorrectly set? Also, I would appreciate any macOS-specific examples of using NEURLFilterManager, as most of the documentation I’ve found seems to focus on iOS. Thank you.
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1
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91
Activity
Nov ’25
On an iPhone 17, using the NEHotspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration interface to connect to Wi-Fi is extremely slow, typically taking more than 20 seconds.
Title: iPhone 17 Wi-Fi connection via NEBOTspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration is significantly slower compared to other models Description: When using the NEBOTspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration API to connect to a Wi-Fi network, the connection process on iPhone 17 is extremely slow compared to other iPhone models. For example, in one test case: The API call to connect to Wi-Fi (LRA-AN00%6149%HonorConnect) was initiated at 16:16:29. However, the Association Request was not actually initiated until 16:16:58. During this ~29-second delay, the device appears to be scanning before starting the association process. This issue is specific to iPhone 17 — the same code and network environment do not exhibit this delay on other iPhone models. Steps to Reproduce: On an iPhone 17, call NEBOTspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration to connect to a known Wi-Fi network. Observe the timestamps between API invocation and the start of the Association Request. Compare with the same process on other iPhone models. Expected Result: The Association Request should start almost immediately after the API call, similar to other iPhone models. Actual Result: On iPhone 17, there is a ~29-second delay between API call and Association Request initiation, during which the device appears to be scanning. Impact: This delay affects user experience and connection performance when using programmatic Wi-Fi configuration on iPhone 17. Environment: Device: iPhone 17 iOS Version:26.0.1 API: NEBOTspotConfigurationManager::applyConfiguration Network: WPA2-Personal IOS.txt
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3
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234
Activity
Nov ’25
NEPacketTunnelProvider entitlement conflict: App Store validation vs runtime “permission denied” (Code 5/10)
I’m building a Personal VPN app (non-MDM) that uses a NEPacketTunnelProvider extension for content filtering and blocking. When configuring the VPN locally using NETunnelProviderManager.saveToPreferences, the call fails with: Error Domain=NEConfigurationErrorDomain Code=10 "permission denied" Error Domain=NEVPNErrorDomain Code=5 "permission denied" The system does prompt for VPN permission (“Would Like to Add VPN Configurations”), but the error still occurs after the user allows it. Setup: • Main App ID – com.promisecouple.app • Extension ID – com.promisecouple.app.PromiseVPN • Capabilities – App Group + Personal VPN + Network Extensions • Main app entitlements:   com.apple.developer.networking.vpn.api = allow-vpn   com.apple.developer.networking.networkextension = packet-tunnel-provider • Extension entitlements: same + shared App Group Problem: • If I remove the networkextension entitlement, the app runs locally without the Code 5 error. • But App Store Connect then rejects the build with: Missing Entitlement: The bundle 'Promise.app' is missing entitlement 'com.apple.developer.networking.networkextension'. Question: What is the correct entitlement configuration for a Personal VPN app using NEPacketTunnelProvider (non-MDM)? Is com.apple.developer.networking.networkextension required on the main app or only on the extension? Why does including it cause saveToPreferences → Code 5/10 “permission denied” on device? Environment: Xcode 26.1 (17B55), iOS 17.3+ on physical device (non-MDM) Both provisioning profiles and certificates are valid.
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1
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92
Activity
Nov ’25
VPN with per-app and allowed IPs
We’re implementing VPN application using the WireGuard protocol and aiming to support both split-tunnel and per-app VPN configurations. Each mode works correctly on its own: per-app VPN functions well when configured with a full tunnel and split-tunnel works as expected when per-app is disabled. However, combining both configurations leads to issues. Specifically, the routing table is not set up properly, resulting in traffic that should not be routed through the tunnel is routed through the tunnel. Detailed description: Through our backend, we are pushing these two plist files to the iPad one after the other: VPN config with allowed IPs 1.1.1.1/32 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Inc//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>PayloadUUID</key> <string>3fd861df-c917-4716-97e5-f5e96452436a</string> <key>PayloadVersion</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>PayloadOrganization</key> <string>someorganization</string> <key>PayloadIdentifier</key> <string>config.11ff5059-369f-4a71-afea-d5fdbfa99c91</string> <key>PayloadType</key> <string>Configuration</string> <key>PayloadDisplayName</key> <string> test</string> <key>PayloadDescription</key> <string>(Version 13) </string> <key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key> <true /> <key>PayloadContent</key> <array> <dict> <key>VPN</key> <dict> <key>AuthenticationMethod</key> <string>Password</string> <key>ProviderType</key> <string>packet-tunnel</string> <key>OnDemandUserOverrideDisabled</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>RemoteAddress</key> <string>172.17.28.1:51820</string> <key>OnDemandEnabled</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>OnDemandRules</key> <array> <dict> <key>Action</key> <string>Connect</string> </dict> </array> <key>ProviderBundleIdentifier</key> <string>some.bundle.id.network-extension</string> </dict> <key>VPNSubType</key> <string>some.bundle.id</string> <key>VPNType</key> <string>VPN</string> <key>VPNUUID</key> <string>d2773557-b535-414f-968a-5447d9c02d52</string> <key>OnDemandMatchAppEnabled</key> <true /> <key>VendorConfig</key> <dict> <key>VPNConfig</key> <string> Some custom configuration here </string> </dict> <key>UserDefinedName</key> <string>TestVPNServerrra</string> <key>PayloadType</key> <string>com.apple.vpn.managed.applayer</string> <key>PayloadVersion</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>PayloadIdentifier</key> <string>vpn.5e6b56be-a4bb-41a5-949e-4e8195a83f0f</string> <key>PayloadUUID</key> <string>9bebe6e2-dbef-4849-a1fb-3cca37221116</string> <key>PayloadDisplayName</key> <string>Vpn</string> <key>PayloadDescription</key> <string>Configures VPN settings</string> <key>PayloadOrganization</key> <string>someorganization</string> </dict> </array> </dict> </plist> Command to set up per-app with Chrome browser <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Inc//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>Command</key> <dict> <key>Settings</key> <array> <dict> <key>Identifier</key> <string>com.google.chrome.ios</string> <key>Attributes</key> <dict> <key>VPNUUID</key> <string>d2773557-b535-414f-968a-5447d9c02d52</string> <key>TapToPayScreenLock</key> <false /> <key>Removable</key> <true /> </dict> <key>Item</key> <string>ApplicationAttributes</string> </dict> </array> <key>RequestType</key> <string>Settings</string> </dict> <key>CommandUUID</key> <string>17ce3e19-35ef-4dbc-83d9-4ca2735ac430</string> </dict> </plist> From the log we see that our VPN application set up allowed IP 1.1.1.1 via NEIPv4Settings.includedRoutes but system routing all of the Chrome browser traffic through our application. Is this expected Apple iOS behavior, or are we misconfiguring the profiles?
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1
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148
Activity
Nov ’25
NEAppPushProvider lifecycle guarantees for safety-critical local networking
We have an iOS companion app that talks to our IoT device over the device’s own Wi‑Fi network (often with no internet). The app performs bi-directional, safety-critical duties over that link. We use an NEAppPushProvider extension so the handset can keep exchanging data while the UI is backgrounded. During testing we noticed that if the user backgrounds the app (still connected to the device’s Wi‑Fi) and opens Safari, the extension’s stop is invoked with NEProviderStopReason.unrecoverableNetworkChange / noNetworkAvailable, and iOS tears the extension down. Until the system restarts the extension (e.g. the user foregrounds our app again), the app cannot send/receive its safety-critical data. Questions: Is there a supported way to stop a safety-critical NEAppPushProvider from being terminated in this “background app → open Safari” scenario when the device remains on the same Wi‑Fi network (possibly without internet)? If not, is NEAppPushProvider the correct extension type for an always-on local-network use case like this, or is there another API we should be using? For safety-critical applications, can Apple grant entitlements/exemptions so the system does not terminate the extension when the user switches apps but stays on the local Wi‑Fi? Any guidance on the expected lifecycle or alternative patterns for safety-critical local connectivity would be greatly appreciated.
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1
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69
Activity
Nov ’25
App occasionally fails to connect to Access Point (iPhone17 / iOS26)
Hi, My app uses the NetworkExtension framework to connect to an access point. For some reason, my app occasionally fails to find and/or connect to my AP (which I know is online and beaconing on a given frequency). This roughly happens 1/10 times. I am using an iPhone 17, running iOS 26.0.1. I am connecting to a WPA2-Personal network. In the iPhone system logs, I see the following: Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: Dequeuing command type: "Scan" pending commands: 0 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceCopyPreparedScanResults: network records count: 0 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: WiFi infra associated, NAN DISABLED, , DFS state Off, IR INACTIVE, llwLink ACTIVE, RTM-DP 0, allowing scans Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: isScanDisallowedByAwdl[1148] : InfraScanAllowed 1 (RTModeScan 0 NonSteering 0 assistDisc 0 HTMode 0 RTModeNeeded 0 Immin 0 ScanType 1 Flags 0 ScanOn2GOnly 0 DevAllows2G 1) Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: IO80211PeerManager::setScanningState:5756:_scanningState:0x2(oldState 0) on:1, source:ScanManagerFamily, err:0 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: setScanningState:: Scan request from ScanManagerFamily. Time since last scan(1.732 s) Number of channels(0), 2.4 only(no), isDFSScan 0, airplaying 0, scanningState 0x2 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: IO80211PeerManager::setScanningState:5756:_scanningState:0x2(oldState 0) on:1, source:ScanManagerFamily, err:0 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: Controller Scan Started, scan state 0 -> 2 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: IO80211PeerManager::setScanningState:5756:_scanningState:0x0(oldState 2) on:0, source:ScanError, err:3766617154 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: setScanningState[23946]:: Scan complete for source(8)ScanError. Time(0.000 s), airplaying 0, scanningState 0x0 oldState 0x2 rtModeActive 0 (ProxSetup 0 curSchedState 3) Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: IO80211PeerManager::setScanningState:5756:_scanningState:0x0(oldState 2) on:0, source:ScanError, err:3766617154 Oct 10 10:34:10 kernel()[0] <Notice>: wlan0:com.apple.p2p: Controller Scan Done, scan state 2 -> 0 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(IO80211)[54] <Notice>: Apple80211IOCTLSetWrapper:6536 @[35563.366221] ifname['en0'] IOUC type 10/'APPLE80211_IOC_SCAN_REQ', len[5528] return -528350142/0xe0820442 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid[54] <Notice>: [WiFiPolicy] {SCAN-} Completed Apple80211ScanAsync on en0 (0xe0820442) with 0 networks Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiDeviceCreateFilteredScanResults: null scanResults Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceCreateFilteredScanResults: rssiThresh 0, doTrimming 0, scanResultsCount: 0, trimmedScanResultsCount: 0, filteredScanResultsCount: 0, nullNetworksCount: 0 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceManagerDispatchUserForcedAssociationCallback: result 1 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiDeviceManagerForcedAssociationCallback: failed to association error 1 Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: WiFiLocalizationGetLocalizedString: lang='en_GB' key='WIFI_JOIN_NETWORK_FAILURE_TITLE' value='Unable to join the network \M-b\M^@\M^\%@\M-b\M^@\M^]' Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: WiFiLocalizationGetLocalizedString: lang='en_GB' key='WIFI_FAILURE_OK' value='OK' Oct 10 10:34:10 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceManagerUserForcedAssociationScanCallback: scan results were empty It looks like there is a scan error, and I see the error: failed to association error 1. I have also seen the iOS device find the SSID but fail to associate (associated error 2): Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiMetricsManagerCopyLinkChangeNetworkParams: updating AccessPointInfo: { DeviceNameElement = testssid; ManufacturerElement = " "; ModelName = " "; ModelNumber = " "; } Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiMetricsManagerCopyLinkChangeNetworkParams: minSupportDataRate 6, maxSupportDataRate 54 Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: Disassociated. Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiMetricsManagerUpdateDBAndSubmitAssociationFailure: Failed to append deauthSourceOUI to CA event Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiMetricsManagerUpdateDBAndSubmitAssociationFailure: Failed to append bssidOUI to CA event ..... <log omitted> ..... <log omitted> Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(CoreWiFi)[54] <Notice>: [corewifi] END REQ [GET SSID] took 0.005530542s (pid=260 proc=mediaplaybackd bundleID=com.apple.mediaplaybackd codesignID=com.apple.mediaplaybackd service=com.apple.private.corewifi-xpc qos=21 intf=(null) uuid=D67EF err=-528342013 reply=(null) Oct 8 12:25:52 SpringBoard(SpringBoard)[244] <Notice>: Presenting a CFUserNotification with reply port: 259427 on behalf of: wifid.54 Oct 8 12:25:52 SpringBoard(SpringBoard)[244] <Notice>: Received request to activate alertItem: <SBUserNotificationAlert: 0xc20a49b80; title: Unable to join the network \M-b\M^@\M^\\134^Htestssid\134^?\M-b\M^@\M^]; source: wifid; pid: 54> Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceManagerUserForcedAssociationCallback: failed forced association Oct 8 12:25:52 SpringBoard(SpringBoard)[244] <Notice>: Activation - Presenting <SBUserNotificationAlert: 0xc20a49b80; title: Unable to join the network \M-b\M^@\M^\\134^Htestssid\134^?\M-b\M^@\M^]; source: wifid; pid: 54> with presenter: <SBUnlockedAlertItemPresenter: 0xc1d9f6530> Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Notice>: __WiFiDeviceManagerDispatchUserForcedAssociationCallback: result 2 Oct 8 12:25:52 SpringBoard(SpringBoard)[244] <Notice>: Activation - Presenter:<SBUnlockedAlertItemPresenter: 0xc1d9f6530> will present presentation: <SBAlertItemPresentation: 0xc1cd40820; alertItem: <SBUserNotificationAlert: 0xc20a49b80; presented: NO>; presenter: <SBUnlockedAlertItemPresenter: 0xc1d9f6530>> Oct 8 12:25:52 wifid(WiFiPolicy)[54] <Error>: __WiFiDeviceManagerForcedAssociationCallback: failed to association error 2 Anyone able to help with this?
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Nov ’25