NETGEAR is aware of a connectivity issue where some iOS devices can only manage routers and mesh systems using the Anywhere Access feature when the following conditions are met:
- You use an Apple iOS device with iOS 15 or newer installed
- You use the Nighthawk or Orbi app to manage your NETGEAR router or Orbi mesh system
If you use an affected iOS device, you might only be able to connect to your router or mesh system with Anywhere Access, even when a local connection should be available.
Apple introduced new privacy-related features with iOS 15 that can cause local connectivity problems with the Nighthawk and Orbi apps. Although Anywhere Access allows you to manage your NETGEAR router or mesh system with the same capabilities as a local connection, you might want to locally connect to your NETGEAR device for a specific purpose, like troubleshooting a network issue.
NETGEAR is planning to release Nighthawk and Orbi app updates that enable compatibility with Apple's new privacy features. Until we release the updates, we recommend that you disable the Private Relay and Limit IP Address Tracking features for all iOS 15 devices on your home network.
Disable Private Relay and Limit IP Address Tracking
To disable Private Relay on iOS:
- On your iOS device, open the Settings app.
- Select Apple ID > iCloud > Private Relay.
- Disable Private Relay.
To disable Limit IP Address Tracking on iOS:
- On your iOS device, open the Settings app.
- Select Wi-Fi.
- Tap your NETGEAR router or mesh system's WiFi network name (SSID).
- Disable Limit IP Address Tracking.