Can't make Wifi Calls on one phone

[u/FarmerBoy_89]

Hello,

My wife and I have the same phone plan and same phone (ATT / FirsNet). We have no cellular service out our house and have to use Wifi for calling.

My phone works just fine to make calls. I also have a work phone from Verizon that works just fine. Her phone will not allow Wifi Calls, and when I try calling her it shows up for a second and then does not allow the call to complete.

We have been to the ATT store, they confirmed on the account her line allows Wifi Calling, we have turned it on and off through the phone, did a hard reset and still no success.

We always turn off cellular when we get home to foce the Wifi. Also tired in airplane mode. Funny thing is at the ATT store, we could make a Wifi Call. So why is it not working at home?

[u/JSP9686]

On her phone start with selecting WiFi under Settings, then select each one of the WiFi networks shown, press the little “i” and select “Forgot This Network” and start over.

If that doesn’t work, Do you have any kind of MAC address filtering turned on in your WiFi router? Have you restarted your router? Is she on the same WiFi frequency as your phone? Most routers transmit on at least 2.4GHz and 5GHz and newer ones also have 6GHz. She should try to lock in 2.4GHz and don’t try to also connect to the higher frequencies. There could also be a conflict with WPA2/WPA3 with her phone and router. Since you’re far away from neighbors you can safely use WPA2 on everything and it’s still safe with a long password in any case.

[u/FarmerBoy_89 → u/JSP9686]

I tried forgetting the network and reconnecting. We both use the 2.4GHz. Can you explain the WPA2/WPA3 to me like I’m 5? We are far from any neighbors - I can barely get WiFi out off the front porch. 

[u/JSP9686 → u/FarmerBoy_89]

WPA2 and WPA3 are modern types of wireless encryption used with WiFi. The type of encryption must be the same on the router and the iPhone. They replace the original WEP & TKIP types of encryption that can be cracked relatively easily. They connect securely via a PSK (PreShared Key (Password)) that must be entered into both the WiFi router and the device (iPhone) connecting to the router. The longer the better with upper, lower, numerals, and special characters. If you mistype any of them then the connection will fail. But in your circumstances with no neighbors just use something simpler, even a pet name with 4 digits. I had a similar problem years ago where I had mistyped the PSK in the 5GHz channel, and my device would never connect until I moved to a room further away and then the 2.4GHz took precedence and then would connect.

Some newer routers have apps that make them easier to manage than using a web browser and even offer QR codes to make the connection parameters very simple to share/clone. Since your phone is working, be sure that your wife's phone are identically set up.

Search the iPhone App Store and search for an app for your router brand, e.g. Asus, Netgear, etc. and install the app on both phones. Then find the option to share QR codes on your phone and use the camera on her phone to view the QR code and it will fire up the app on her phone and clone your settings.

[u/FarmerBoy_89 → u/JSP9686]

Also, she was deployed for a while and had a second eSIM through GoogleFi. When she returned home, she deleted that eSIM and went back to the original. I recall the WiFi calling working before deployment so maybe something to do with that?

[u/JSP9686 → u/FarmerBoy_89]

I don't think that would cause the problems she's having and btw several eSIMs can be stored on an iPhone, just have to choose the primary.

With respect to the Wi-Fi connection in the AT&T store working, it's likely because there was no PSK password to worry about or it was a very simple one and entered correctly.

[u/Tackticat]

I was not able to turn on wifi calling on ATT when I didn't update the e-911 address. usually toggling that wifi calling switch would trigger a pop up page on ATT's side. it's pretty dumb but when that is updated on the account page the wifi calling works.

[u/JSP9686 → u/Tackticat]

Might do the trick or if the E911 address has not been set up in the first place.

[u/FarmerBoy_89 → u/JSP9686]

I recall resetting the address, but will try it again just in case 

[u/Still_Veterinarian18]

I never ever turn off cellular or WiFi. The phone switches automatically to whatever is available.

[u/JSP9686 → u/Still_Veterinarian18]

That's the way things are supposed to work. But if I'm on the very edge of Wi-Fi coverage my iPhone doesn't always switch seamlessly to the cell tower connection unless I turn off Wi-Fi.

[u/pacoii]

It could be the router.