Weird network issue

[sjatkn]

I have one ipad here which has a very strange problem.

 

When connected to our staff Wi-Fi network with proxy settings configured the iPad cannot browse the web. If I install Fing on the iPad and scan the network it can see everything on the network including the Smoothwall proxy. It can also scan all devices for services, except for Smoothwall. I can also ping the iPad from devices on the network except from Smoothwall. I've had Smoothwall support on and their conclusion is that it is the iPad itself. The iPad has been reset from General > Reset > Reset All Settings (and also Reset Network Settings) and we still see the problem. We get the same problem if I have the iPad on DHCP or static IP (with an address different to the DHCP).

 

The Smoothwall engineer did a packet log on the device and for an ICMP ping we get this:

 

The strange twist to this is that if I then move the iPad to our guest network which is on a different VLAN and uses a transparent proxy on Smoothwall everything is fine.

 

I would like to get it back to the staff network as it will allow the device to see the Apple TV's.

 

Any thoughts on what could be causing this problem?

[sjatkn]

This may help (or not) as we have now managed to replicate the problem.

 

This seems to break the iPads ability to browse.

On the iPad we are signed into our staff network. WPA2-PSK authentication, DHCP on the main Windows DHCP server. We can browse the Internet fine.

We then switch to our guest network. 802.1x RADIUS authentication against Smoothwall and valid user account will do, DHCP on Smoothwall. We can browse the Internet fine.

We forget the guest network.

iPad automatically picks up the staff network, but is now unable to browse.

 

If on a working iPad I am attached to the staff network move to the guest network and back to the staff network everything works fine. It seems to be the act of forgetting the guest Wi-Fi that breaks everything.

[truebluesteve]

I the same problem last year, and showed exactly those symptoms. We use Ruckus and after some digging with Smoothwall, the solution was to set up a RADIUS accounting server on the Ruckus, which just pointed to the Smoothwall box with the same settings as the RADIUS itself. No need to do anything on the smoothie itself and get folk to restart their iPads if they were still getting problems.

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Steve

[sjatkn]

I missed out that we had just had a Ruckus network installed at the same time as the iPads going out. I had not thought

 

Thanks. Problem solved. I will pass this on to Smoothwall.

[truebluesteve]

Welcome.

 

Took us quite a while to find the solution so it's nice to be able to share with others.

 

I have a feeling that Ruckus may have added a feature recently to stop this problem happening but I'm not 100% sure. If they did I decided not to bother using it as I'm a firm believer if ain't broke, then don't fix it!