Connection issues are usually caused by:
- OS Local Networks Permissions Issues
- Firewalls
- VPNs
- APs running in Isolation Mode.
You may see an errors like:
POSIXErrorCode(rawValue: 60): Operation timed out
Connection Reset By Peer
macOS Permissions
This can happen particularly with newer macOS versions which may prompt you to allow Strongbox to run on your local network, but due to poor Apple System UX, the prompt may not be prominent enough, and/or may also simply disappear without giving you a chance to allow or deny Strongbox access. This means Strongbox can be denied access. To check this setting:
On your Mac
System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network > Strongbox
Make sure Strongbox is allowed (switch ON) to access your Local Network or it will not be visible on your other devices.
On your iPhone
This will be indicated In-App and the App will guide you to enable permissions
Firewalls
You must allow Strongbox to accept incoming connections if it is acting as a Source device. Often your firewall can come automatically enabled and blocking Strongbox by default. You will need to allow Strongbox access through the Firewall to use Wi-Fi Sync.
NB: You will need to restart after updating the firewall.
VPNs
If you are running a VPN this can interfere, but there is usually a setting to allow local network traffic while preserving your privacy.
AP in Isolation Mode (Hotel/Cafe/Public Wi-Fi or Eduroam)
If you are on a network where the administrators have decided to run in Isolation Mode this will likely cause issues. Isolation Mode basically means that your device cannot "see" or communicate with other devices on the same network. This can be the case on large corporate networks. It can also be the case in hotels, cafe's, restaurants and other public networks. We have also come across an instance of this on the Eduroam academic network, though it's not clear if that is system wide or just within a particular institution. Feedback welcome.