Switch between known Wi-Fi networks in unattended mode using Apple Enterprise/MDM

Question

Created Oct ’23

Replies 1

Boosts 0

Participants 2

We are currently testing the idea of using an iPhone instead of a Raspberry Pi for our IoT project. We are part of the Apple Enterprise program, and the app is intended for internal use within the company. The only challenge we've encountered while porting the software to iOS is that there isn't an obvious way to switch between WiFi networks in unattended mode.

Is there a way to switch between WiFi networks without requiring manual confirmation from the user? Does MDM or the Apple Enterprise program enable this feature?

Our desired outcome is: To be able to scan nearby WiFi networks and connect to any of them programmatically using the SSID and password.

Thank you.

Boost

Answer 1

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

Oct ’23

Our desired outcome is: To be able to scan nearby WiFi networks

iOS has no general-purpose mechanism for that. See TN3111 iOS Wi-Fi API overview.

and connect to any of them programmatically using the SSID and password.

The standard API for that is NEHotspotConfigurationManager, but that always requires user approval.

It’s possible that you might find a way around this in the MDM space — my focus is on APIs, so I only only have limited experience with MDM — but I don’t think so. MDM can push a Wi-Fi configuration, making it a known network, but that doesn’t force the device on to that know. I discuss this in various posts referenced by Extra-ordinary Networking.

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

0