WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect

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WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
2021-05-13 13:40:43
Model: Archer A20  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.1.1 Build 20191026 rel.10453(5553)

Recently moved into an apartment with no cell service and I discovered that between my phone (iPhone 12 Pro), carrier (Xfinity Mobile) and router (Archer A20), there's a component not playing nice with the other, and I am starting to suspect it's the router.

 

When I connect to my home WiFi, WiFi calling may take anywhere from 5-30 minutes to initiate (defined by XM WiFi showing as the carrier instead of XFinity Mobile or "No Service"), or it may not initiate at all. However, on the wifi from my complex, which looks to be distributed on Ubiquiti access points, WiFi calling initiates immediately. Also, as an Xfinity customer I have access to hotspots, which are also plentiful in my building - WiFi calling also initiates quickly on them.

 

There are workarounds, usually toggling airplane mode a few times or restarting the phone will fix it. I have SmartConnect on but it doesn't seem to make a difference which radio my phone ends up on -- just now my phone wasn't initiating WiFi calling on 5_2, I toggled WiFi on and off, it rejoined 5_2, and now I have WiFi calling.

 

Is this a common issue with this router, or possibly SmartConnect? Any firmware updates available or other router models? Having to babysit my phone every time I leave my apartment and come back isn't really a viable option.

 

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#1
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8 Reply
Re:WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
2021-05-13 18:19:53

@otc11 

 

Well, I have no answers but I do have an iPhone 12 Pro Max, an Archer A20, and my ISP is T-Mobile.

 

What you are experiencing is quite similar to the problem I had with my ISP, Router, T-Mobile and my prior LG G7 Android phone.

 

I also do NOT use Smart Connect either. Also, one bar or less in the home.

 

When I got the iPhone a few months ago, connecting and using the Internet on it was no problem at all. Making a CALL, rarely went through. I'd call my wife's phone, NEVER rang. She'd call me, got voice mail. Occasionally if I rebooted the phone, it would work immediately but a short time later, problem returned.

 

Called T-Mobile. Phone agent couldn't call my phone either. They decided I should either switch on and off Airplane mode and that might fix it, nope. Same way, works for a short time then fails. So they said they'd send me an indoor booster. Never got it... called again and this time, a different agent. She tried the same stuff and no better. Asked me to forget the network and reconnect. Even trying all 3 bands. Then she noticed my SIM card was the same I had before. When I got the iPhone, it did come with a SIM card. Store said they'd use the one from the LG, easier to do. Worked fine, but not on home network? She asked if I had the SIM, which I did. Gave her the number, she told me to turn off the phone, put it in, and wait 5 minutes after I do this, as she'll update my account with the new SIM, and then turn the phone on. She'll call me in 10 minutes. NO PROBLEMS since then.

 

Long story, but all I can say it isn't the router.

 

If you got the phone new and didn't use the SIM that came with it, maybe you should? I'd also not use SMART CONNECT and have the iPhone connect to the 5-2 SSID all the time.

 

Good luck.

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#2
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Re:WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
2021-05-13 19:38:31

@IrvSp Thanks!

The SIM is the one that came with the phone, and I tried turning off Smart Connect, didn't make a difference.

As far as I can tell, once WiFi calling is active it stays on, it's just rejoining the network that makes it iffy. Seems to work perfectly once "Xm WiFi" shows.

Might still give another router a try.

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#3
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Re:WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
2021-05-13 20:03:06

@otc11 

 

Was the phone properly 'conditioned' when the new phone was connected? Check with the Cell company.

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#4
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Re:WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
2021-05-13 20:11:44

@IrvSp What does that mean? It was purchased through the carrier's store....

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#5
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Re:WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
2021-05-13 20:17:28

@otc11 

 

I'm just suggesting and asking the phone support. In my case, the OLD SIM was taken out of the old cell and put in the new phone. If this was done for you it could cause problems. Also, the phone Co. store phone might have had a SIM in it that would work, but your ACCOUNT had to be updated too. Just see if it was, that is all I was saying. I did check my account after the phone was purchased and they did show the phone as on my account. There still needs to be a configuration change if you had an old phone.

 

Bottom line, my Archer A20 workd fine with an iPhone 12. Since I did have a problem when I first got it, and T-Mobile was able to 'fix' it, it is not the router.

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#6
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Re:WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
2021-05-17 00:49:27

Well for anyone curious, the last 3 days WiFi calling has worked fairly flawlessly. I did 2 things:

-Set up port forwarding/triggering for 500 and 4500 on the router

-Took out the SIM card, turned off the phone for a couple minutes, popped it back in, turned it back on

 

Since doing that Friday afternoon I've left and rejoined my home network dozens of times and WiFi calling shows up right away.

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#7
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Re:WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
2021-05-17 16:04:43

 

otc11 wrote

-Set up port forwarding/triggering for 500 and 4500 on the router

@otc11 

 

Are you using a VPN? IPSEC?

 

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/question/0D53i00000KsumeCAB/why-do-we-use-port-no-udp-port-500-and-udp-port-4500-in-ipsec-vpn

 

I don't have any ports forwarded and it works fine on my iPhone 12?

 

More than likely it was the SIM that needed to be reseated or re-initialized.

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#8
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Re:WiFi Calling with iPhone 12 Pro on Archer A20 - Slow to connect
2021-05-17 16:10:27 - last edited 2021-05-17 16:14:00

@IrvSp I'm not, so I think you're right. Still don't understand why the issue was unique to my home network, but if it works it works.

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#9
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