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User profile for user: supergabe
supergabe Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

HomePod Peer-to-Peer Communication Issue: “Some Features May Not Work on This Network”

Hello All,


A few things are going on here, which I think may––but may not––be related to one another, so please bear with me. Any help, answers, tips, resources, articles, or people to contact are greatly appreciated. Thank you!


For a few months, I’ve had issues with my HomePod. I recently moved (and changed my ISP and equipment, etc.), and ever since my HomePod has been available on the network as an AirPlay device, but the Home app on my iPhone says, “Controls unavailable for this device.” So, I have to use the HomePod’s display to change songs and adjust the volume. My HomePod has always been connected to the internet, though, because its Siri works even when I get the error message in the Home app.


After reading about what other people did to solve the problem, I decided to wipe the device by selecting “Remove Accessory” in the Home app so that I could set it up again. At the end of the setup process, I got this message: “Some Features May Not Work on This Network. HomePod features like AirPlay and Personal Requests may not work on “Network Name” because it does not support peer-to-peer connections. Learn More.” Although AirPlaying to my HomePod always seemed to work before I wiped it, I’m pretty sure that that setup message gets to the heart of something wrong with my network that, once solved, will fix all of my HomePod issues. When I clicked “Learn More,” it brought me to this Apple Support article.


According to the article, my home Wi-Fi is like a campus or business 802.1X network because it blocks peer-to-peer communication. I logged into my modem using the GUI info on the bottom of it, but I did not see any setting related to peer-to-peer communication. After looking at this Apple Support Community post, I decided to disable my modem’s 5GHz network so that I only have a 2.4 GHz network, but I still got the same error message when I wiped and re-setup my HomePod again. Now, based on this Stack Exchange post, I think the issue may have something to do with my modem having a “smart connect” or “dynamic” feature that automatically changes the frequency of my network, but I also did not see any setting related to such a feature when I logged into my modem.


At this point, I’m not sure what to do. This doesn’t sound like an Apple issue but seems to be a Spectrum issue. I’ve read my modem’s manual, but I don’t know how to disable its “smart connect” feature, or if my modem even does such a thing to begin with. Any help that you can provide or otherwise direct me to is greatly appreciated. I’m totally lost with what’s going on, and I just want to resolve my issue sooner than later. Before I leave you, though, here are a few last points that may or may not be helpful to you:

    • The Ubee DDW36C modem that Spectrum provided me with has a built-in router. (I only have one device that serves as my modem and router.) If needed, I can easily get a stand-alone router from Spectrum, and I’m happy to do so if that might fix the problem.
    • When I go to System Preferences, Network, Wi-Fi, then Advanced on my Mac, it says that my home network’s security is WPA2/WPA3 Personal. Shouldn’t it say 802.1X?
    • I am a college student, and I do have an 802.1X network profile installed on my Mac, iPhone, and iPad, but I can’t imagine that that profile has anything to do with my HomePod issue given that I’m not at school and my HomePod has never been on my college’s network.
    • This may be unrelated, but for what it’s worth, my Epson WF-2860 will not stay connected to my Mac or be available for AirPrint for more than a minute or two after I restart it. Just like with my HomePod, I know the printer is connected to the internet (because I can email it documents to print), but I cannot print via CMD-P or AirPrint from any of my Apple devices.
    • In addition to the articles hyperlinked above, this Reddit post and this Apple World Today post have been useful to me.


Again, thank you very much for reading this and for any help that you can offer. I'm happy to answer any questions or to clarify any points.


Many Thanks and Warm Regards

Posted on Dec 24, 2020 2:58 PM

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
274,588 points

Posted on Dec 26, 2020 8:36 AM

WPS (Wi-Fi protected setup) is an older configuration standard which is now considered insecure. You should be using WPA2-PSK or better for wireless security. I think you'll find this in the router web configuration under the Wireless > Automatic Security Configuration drop down box. The manual shows WPS on page 82, as does your screenshot, but doesn't list what options are available. Hopefully you'll find WPA2-PSK as an option.


tt2

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
274,588 points

Dec 26, 2020 8:36 AM in response to supergabe

WPS (Wi-Fi protected setup) is an older configuration standard which is now considered insecure. You should be using WPA2-PSK or better for wireless security. I think you'll find this in the router web configuration under the Wireless > Automatic Security Configuration drop down box. The manual shows WPS on page 82, as does your screenshot, but doesn't list what options are available. Hopefully you'll find WPA2-PSK as an option.


tt2

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User profile for user: supergabe
supergabe Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Dec 31, 2020 12:26 PM in response to flashgordonp

Hello flashgordonp,


Thanks for your reply! I don't have any firewall setup, and my router modem's WPS feature is disabled.


I reached out to Apple Support the other day, and they confirmed that my issue is related to my ISP / wireless equipment. The senior advisor that I spoke with––who used to work for an ISP––provided me with this Apple article. She advised me to call Spectrum, provide the agent with the Apple article, and to have him/her walk me through my modem router's settings to ensure compliance.


I reached out to Spectrum, and the (friendly) agent helped me ensure all the settings were "correct." After a day, though, my problems returned. So, I called Spectrum again, and they sent me a new router modem. That's where I'm at right now; hopefully this will all be solved soon.


Warm Regards

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User profile for user: supergabe
supergabe Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Dec 26, 2020 8:13 AM in response to turingtest2

Hello tt2,


Unfortunately, I spoke too soon. My HomePod and printer seemed to work last night but this morning, I’m having the same issues with them. The Home app is still giving me the “Controls unavailable for this device message,” and my Mac says that my printer is offline and I cannot AirPrint to it from any of my Apple devices. For what it’s worth, after I disabled the AP Isolate function on my router modem last night, I re-setup my HomePod and did not get the “peer-to-peer connections” message. Moreover, the HomePod and printer seemed to work correctly for an hour or so before I went to sleep.


To quickly recap, I’ve disabled the 5Ghz network, I don’t have any guest network setup, and I think that I’ve correctly turned off my router modem’s AP Isolate feature. I’ve included three screenshots that show what I did to disable (I think) the AP Isolate function. In reality, I might not have correctly disabled AP Isolate, so can you please let me know if you think that that’s the case? Perhaps AP Isolate is correctly disabled, and there is something else I can try?


Any other ideas, things to try or do, people to contact, etc., are greatly appreciated.


Warm Regards

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User profile for user: supergabe
supergabe Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Dec 25, 2020 8:11 PM in response to turingtest2

Hello tt2,


Thank you very much for your help!


I don’t want to speak too soon, but it appears that disabling my router/modem’s AP Isolate feature solved my HomePod and printer issue!


In case anyone else has the same issue with a Ubee DDW36C router/modem, this Reddit post and this Reddit post helped me with disabling the AP Isolate function.


Again, thank you for your help, tt2.


Warm Regards

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User profile for user: supergabe
supergabe Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Dec 27, 2020 3:05 PM in response to turingtest2

Okay, thank you, tt2. I've tried to power cycle all of the devices, but my HomePod and printer still do not work as expected. At this point, I am going to contact Apple support. I will post updates to this page for the benefit of anyone else that has the same issue.


As an aside, I tried to use the Apple TV remote app on my iPhone today, and it also would not connect to my Apple TV. The app said that the Apple TV associated with my Apple ID was "offline." Just another data point in this ongoing situation.


Warm Regards

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HomePod Peer-to-Peer Communication Issue: “Some Features May Not Work on This Network”

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