Issue - "Unable to connect" when connecting to WiFi (SOLVED)

[benk016]

I'm actually pretty surprised at how many others are using Unifi networks at home. I guess I shouldn't be, a high tech car self-selects for nerdy customers.

Sync is built on the venerable QNX OS. I was able to find a doc that indicates the QNX DHCP client only supports options 1-61. It's bizarre that it would simply refuse a lease from a server offering options outside that range, rather than simply ignore it. Anyone got an old Blackberry around? I wonder if it would behave the same way.

Ford is transitioning to Android Automotive (which is different than Android Auto) for Sync in the future, which should hopefully alleviate problems like this, in favor of all new problems. Progress!

I traded my First Edition for my original GT order on Saturday. My FE had no issues with my unifi wifi at home, but now with the GT, it is giving me the unable to connect. I wonder if there was a change to the network stack between releases that causes this? My FE had a very early release that was older than most cars got.

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[TheSteelRider]

UPDATE --

This issue appears to have been FIXED as of Sync 1.7.1 firmware. Although I have previously tested the work-around by temporarily removing the domain from my Ubiquiti Network Manager software, I decided to live with the issue and maintain my domain settings for practical reasons. Recently (within the past month) I received the Sync update 1.7.1, so I decided this morning to retry to connect to my network with the domain setting still in place. IT WORKED!

 

[TheSteelRider]

UPDATE --

This issue appears to have been FIXED as of Sync 1.7.1 firmware. Although I have previously tested the work-around by temporarily removing the domain from my Ubiquiti Network Manager software, I decided to live with the issue and maintain my domain settings for practical reasons. Recently (within the past month) I received the Sync update 1.7.1, so I decided this morning to retry to connect to my network with the domain setting still in place. IT WORKED!

@hitchhiker and/or @kf_man and/or @SoriceConsulting , if you have some spare time and your Mach E is up to at least 1.7.1, would you want to re-enable your domain and double check me on this?

 

[SoriceConsulting]

@hitchhiker and/or @kf_man and/or @SoriceConsulting , if you have some spare time and your Mach E is up to at least 1.7.1, would you want to re-enable your domain and double check me on this?

Going by memory here, but I think the issues you and others were having had Unifi handling DHCP as a common factor. I have my Server 2019 machine handling DHCP and never had any issues with Unifi and my MME working together.

 

[gordonf238]

Hi, and thanks for your thread. I came across it while trying to troubleshoot the same issue. It's Dec 17, 2021, and it seems like over the past year, Ford has failed to address this problem.

I have just taken delivery of my 2021 Premium AWD Mach-E, and cannot connect to my home wifi network. I am getting four bars in my driveway, as my home office (where the router is located) is just through the window. I have a 2.4Ghz as well as a 5Ghz wifi setup. We have about 25 devices in our home, everything from Nest cameras to all sorts of gizmos that use wifi. Not a single one of them is having this problem.

Mach-E however, refuses to connect. Neither the 2.4Ghz nor 5Ghz networks work.

Your thread states that you have solved this problem through some sort of DHCP wizardry. However, I am reluctant to change router settings to remedy one malfunctioning car when 25+ other devices work just fine.

Strangely enough, our 2018 Expedition (Sync 3) connects just fine.

I would hope that Ford has figured this out.

When trying to submit feedback / bug report to them, I have found it impossible on their website.

 

[TheSteelRider]

Hi, and thanks for your thread. I came across it while trying to troubleshoot the same issue. It's Dec 17, 2021, and it seems like over the past year, Ford has failed to address this problem.

I have just taken delivery of my 2021 Premium AWD Mach-E

Congrats! Welcome to the next generation of automobiling. You will most assuredly LOVE this car!

, and cannot connect to my home wifi network. I am getting four bars in my driveway, as my home office (where the router is located) is just through the window. I have a 2.4Ghz as well as a 5Ghz wifi setup. We have about 25 devices in our home, everything from Nest cameras to all sorts of gizmos that use wifi. Not a single one of them is having this problem.

Mach-E however, refuses to connect. Neither the 2.4Ghz nor 5Ghz networks work.

One thing that would be beneficial is if you would more thoroughly describe the issue from the vehicle point of view. For example, does it give you an error message? Take whatever screenshots you can and upload if you have a spare moment.

Your thread states that you have solved this problem through some sort of DHCP wizardry.

Yes, if you scroll back in this thread's history, specifically we have observed that Ubiquiti networking gear allows a user to specify a Domain Name. See my recent post for some screen shots of this setting for Ubiquiti users

Our work-around for the issue (until it was solved, as it appears to be in v1.71 as I mention in my post) was to simply remove the domain name setting. In layman terms, his causes the router to "advertise" the domain name differently (in fact not at all), e.g., in a manner in which the vehicle seems to prefer.

However, I am reluctant to change router settings to remedy one malfunctioning car when 25+ other devices work just fine.

I would say that if your router is not a Ubiquiti router, then you likely have no option to work around the issue in the same way that we have done, and I would further guess that whatever your issue is not the same as the issue we describe in this thread.

Based on your post, I am going to assume you are NOT a Ubiquiti user, as their products are more business oriented. Do you have any other custom network infrastructure (e.g., DNS servers, DHCP servers, etc.)? I would assume NO but please let us know in a response.

 

[gordonf238]

Hey there,
Thanks for replying so promptly.

Yup, I've noticed the point about 1.71 having fixed the issue. While I'm not sure what firmware my Mach-E is running, Software Update section tells me it's up to date. I took delivery of it just today.

I have a Verizon router (Fios service), which is my DHCP server. I have about 5 Airport Extreme base stations that act as Wi-Fi repeaters throughout the home (and the driveway). The repeaters are connected to the Fios router via ethernet cables, so the Wi-fi extension isn't done by repeating an existing signal. They each act as their own base stations. The SSID and passwords are the same (but channels differ to avoid interference). This allows for our mobile phones and laptops in the house to reacquire the nearest Wifi base station based on signal strength.

In short, all connected devices work flawlessly which is why this issue with the Mach-E surprises me.

I don't recall the exact message in the Mach-E (my wife took it to Target just now), but it was something to the extent of "Unable to connect to Home-Wifi" or "Connection to Home-Wifi was unsuccessful". Mind you, it displays this after just 2-3 seconds.

Hey, whatever help you can offer would be greatly valued. We have really lousy cell phone coverage where we live, which is why Wifi connectivity is quite important.

 

[cmtaylor963]

Hey there,
Thanks for replying so promptly.

Yup, I've noticed the point about 1.71 having fixed the issue. While I'm not sure what firmware my Mach-E is running, Software Update section tells me it's up to date. I took delivery of it just today.

I have a Verizon router (Fios service), which is my DHCP server. I have about 5 Airport Extreme base stations that act as Wi-Fi repeaters throughout the home (and the driveway). The repeaters are connected to the Fios router via ethernet cables, so the Wi-fi extension isn't done by repeating an existing signal. They each act as their own base stations. The SSID and passwords are the same (but channels differ to avoid interference). This allows for our mobile phones and laptops in the house to reacquire the nearest Wifi base station based on signal strength.

In short, all connected devices work flawlessly which is why this issue with the Mach-E surprises me.

I don't recall the exact message in the Mach-E (my wife took it to Target just now), but it was something to the extent of "Unable to connect to Home-Wifi" or "Connection to Home-Wifi was unsuccessful". Mind you, it displays this after just 2-3 seconds.

Hey, whatever help you can offer would be greatly valued. We have really lousy cell phone coverage where we live, which is why Wifi connectivity is quite important.

It doesn't like having a domain name, and yours is set to fios-router.home. Make sure that field is blank. My Mach E has been the only device that wouldn't connect to my network.

 

[gordonf238]

Thanks for your reply.

I have found the setting on my Fios router. It's under Advanced -> System Settings.

The field Local Domain reads fios-router.home.

Unfortunately, I cannot edit this field. When I erase the field and attempt to Save the settings, the error says:
Input Errors

Domain Name: Name may not contain spaces. Only letters, digits and the special characters dash (-), underscore (_) and dot (.) may be used.

I just think the bigger issue is that this has been a known problem for a year now and there is no way to bring it to Ford's attention.

Thanks for trying.

 

[gordonf238]

Ok an update. The video here offers a solution that worked for me.



When inputting the password, you have to press the globe button on the keyboard in the lower left hand corner. Choose a different language. Then press the globe button again and choose English US. Then insert your password and it should work. It did for me.

 

[seanmme]

I'll add my experience here. Also trying to connect to a Fios router ("quantum gateway", their somewhat older one now), and as the person above showed, the router config will not let me blank out the domain name to fix it that way.

I believe I am on 1.7.1 because I have the Notes app and FordPass told me I got 1.7.1, but the car itself still shows the update message from 1.6. So I just tried again today, and no luck. I have never been back to the dealer for any of the other recent dealer-applied updates, so perhaps there is some other updated software that actually fixes it (mine is Apr 2021 build)

I also tried the switching languages trick above, and no luck with that either. So looks like Fios internet users are stuck on this, without some other clever workaround to try.

 

[cmtaylor963]

I'll add my experience here. Also trying to connect to a Fios router ("quantum gateway", their somewhat older one now), and as the person above showed, the router config will not let me blank out the domain name to fix it that way.

I believe I am on 1.7.1 because I have the Notes app and FordPass told me I got 1.7.1, but the car itself still shows the update message from 1.6. So I just tried again today, and no luck. I have never been back to the dealer for any of the other recent dealer-applied updates, so perhaps there is some other updated software that actually fixes it (mine is Apr 2021 build)

I also tried the switching languages trick above, and no luck with that either. So looks like Fios internet users are stuck on this, without some other clever workaround to try.

It's not a great solution, but you can add another router that broadcasts a separate wifi network just for the car. That worked for me until I discovered the issue.

 

[gordonf238]

I just wanted to post an update. I was previously (as of Dec 2021) able to get Mach-E Sync 4 to connect to my home Wi-Fi system (Verizon Fios router) by doing what another poster had suggested: In Sync 4, upon getting the password prompt, change the language by pressing the globe button in the lower-left corner to another language. Then, change it back to English (US), and finally enter your password.

This technique allowed my Mach-E to successfully connect to my home's Wifi network.

As of today (February 2022), it no longer connects (again). Using the technique above no longer works either. It's a shame that a year into this, Sync 4 still can't do what pretty much every $5 device off Amazon can do - connect to your home's Wi-Fi.

 

[Birger]

Ok an update. The video here offers a solution that worked for me.



When inputting the password, you have to press the globe button on the keyboard in the lower left hand corner. Choose a different language. Then press the globe button again and choose English US. Then insert your password and it should work. It did for me.

Tried and it failed for me.... Still not working.

 

[Birger]

@hitchhiker and/or @kf_man and/or @SoriceConsulting , if you have some spare time and your Mach E is up to at least 1.7.1, would you want to re-enable your domain and double check me on this?

Where do I see my SYNC SW version?
I just got my car back two days ago for the recall fix of the windscreen heating failure and roof gluing. Ford updated all SW. Still did not work in our car.

I'm ready to play around with the with Unifi settings

I forgot to say, removing domain name does help.

In "About SYNC" in the car it states 21174_PRODUCT , revision:168

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