Feature Request: Wi-Fi Settings for a specific Network - Auto-join Toggle can't turned off

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@AyOne wrote:

Hello,

I like to request a feature. We use a specific network profile. On a device the Wi-Fi is always on and can't be turned off. At our school a time based restriction profile is installed with a whitelist of apps which are acessable during time in school. After school this profile isn't active anymore so a user can use the iPad for private purposes. We use private apple IDs because the iPad is owned by the pupil not by the school.

The problem is that some smart pupils turn off auto-join of our via profile installed network. So they arent visible on classroom and also do not receive the restrictio profile.

A solution could be a setting in jamf for the network, that auto-join can't be turned off.

Thanks

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You can request a feature in Jamf to prevent the auto-join toggle from being turned off for a specific network profile. This would ensure that devices stay connected to the designated network and receive the appropriate restrictions, even if students attempt to disable auto-join. It's worth reaching out to Jamf support or submitting the idea through their feature request channels for consideration.

For purposes like this, we use an "Always On" Profile that stays on the device at all times.  Use this to configure the Wifi Payload and turn "automatically join this network" on and you are good to go.

not to cause confusion. an always on profile is just a normal profile. 

@halesmin Thanks, I requested the feature.

@David5vor12 It's not the same.
1. When u use "Always On" profile for WI-FI. WI-FI can't turned off. Alright. We use it too.
2. We also use a network with "automatically join this network", but autojoin ist just enabled when you install the profile with the Wifi payload first. When a user disabeled auto join of the network (and a user can do this), and you update the Wifi network with a new version of profile, it leaves auto join disabled. Therefore there are just 3 ways to fix this.

a. A user enabled autojoin of the network by himself.
b. wifi profile must be removed and installed again (this not what we want to do, because after that a lot of user will come to the support because of no wifi)
c. the wifi payload makes it possible to make autojoin not changeable (this is what I requested).

The feature request:
Make it possible that autojoin can't be changed by a user. It should be possible to leave it always on. 

Network autojoin - always on option | Jamf Nation Ideas

I meant the profile is always on the device, not that the wifi can't be turned off.

A profile that includes the Wifi Payload is installed on the device and gets never removed. The settings like auto-join network, disabled random mac-addresses and so on can't be changed by the user.

Are you sure that your students are not just using their smartphones with personal hotspots? If they connect to it before school starts, they will stay connected - if the connection is lost during school - the iPad will still try to reconnect to the personal hotspot first. 

turning off bluetooth is also enough for them to hide from classroom

I tested it by myself. Pretty sure. Even a few Students Showed me how it works.

They don’t Turn off bluetooth because they need it for their Apple Pencils.

when they use a hotspot, we have a specific restriction profile.

They don’t like to prevent classroom visibility, but the don’t like the restructio. Profile. Thats why they turn autojoin off. And its possible. Try it by yourself.

Sorry, you are right. It is possible to make changes to everything - except disabling random MACs. This has changed and wasn't possible before. Not sure if I ever tried it since iOS 18. On 17 making these changes definitely wasn't possible and they shouldnt be.

We know this issue since iOS 17. And we disscused this with different schools. All had problems with this.

We are facing the same issue. Students have the configured network installed, but when they connect to a hotspot, they disappear from Classroom management. This happens despite them receiving the school's WiFi profile with autojoin settings and WLAN being forced to remain enabled. They can still connect to hotspots. On the other hand, sick students at home face additional problems, as further restrictions would prevent them from joining their home WiFi networks.

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@AyOne wrote:

when they use a hotspot, we have a specific restriction profile.

could you elaborate on this profile?
I think it might solve an issue we face.