Wi-Fi Sync between iOS and Mac is difficult with Stealth Mode enabled [Should be possible with it]

lpn

Not sure if this should go here on on the iOS subforum, or both but here it goes: 1Password 4.02 (from the website) on OS X 10.8.5, 1Password 4.3 on iOS 7.0.2, all latest versions. When trying the sync, the iOS app shows the computer name, IP address and port, but the sync timeouts, the error is "Error Domain = NSPOSSIXErrorDomain Code = 60. The operation couldn't be completed. Operation timed out".
It is not a router or firewall issue (it doesn't work with the firewall down or with the SPI firewall on the router down).
Some suggestions: please bring back the USB sync, it wasn't perfect, but it worked most of the time. Or bring back the old Wi-Fi sync, it wasn't perfect but it worked often. Or, bring back the iTunes file sync that also worked.
Or, please make sure that version 4 to version 4 Wi-Fi sync works.

Edit: when entering a wrong secret key for the sync, the iOS app recognizes that it is wrong, so there is some ocmmunication between the OS X app and iOS app.

And anther bug: File Sharing (under Sync) is turned On, but it seems with the 1Password 4 database. Turning it off results in 1-2 minutes freeze of the app. After restart it is on again

lpn

After several frustrating hours and posting the above, I figured it out -- one needs to not only disable the OS X firewall (block all incoming connections), but to disable stealth mode. Is the iOS app really pinging the OS X machine? And why should one disable a security feature to use 1P?

Let me repeat: please bring back either the old Wi-Fi sync, or the USB sync or the iTunes file sync.

Megan

Hi @lpn,

I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you've been having setting up Wi-Fi sync. I have passed your thoughts along to the developers. We are still working to perfect Wi-Fi sync - we know that there are certainly some areas that could use some polish, and your feedback is much appreciated.

As to the bug that you mention regarding File Sharing, our tech gurus are looking into this, we hope to have it sorted out soon. In the meantime, leaving it set to ON shouldn't cause any problems :)

MikeT

Hi @lpn,

The firewall/stealth mode does not need to be disabled, we use bonjour on the Mac, which should already be allowed by the Firewall but if you deny that, then you do need to whitelist the 1Password app and its mini companion on the firewall's allowed list, so that it can sync. That means that you need to uncheck Block all incoming connections (otherwise, there's no way to sync) and let OS X prompt you if you'd like to allow an app to access the incoming connection.

In 1Password 4, the Wi-Fi sync server is on the Mac, so the iOS apps need to ping and find the OS X server to sync with. This improves a lot of the issues we had with the previous Wi-Fi sync.

So, we're not going to change this, nor will we bring back USB Sync. The USB Sync required a few unsupported APIs and over time, it was causing crashes that could not be fixed on our side, therefore, that project is dead as mentioned here

lpn

@MikeT: Yes, I have bonjour disabled. However the settings in your screenshot do not work for me. Only after disabling stealth mode (while keeping everything else unchanged) the sync works.

MikeT

Hi @lpn,

That's very strange, I always have it on and it still works for me. Can you tell me about your network setup, like what kind of router you're using and was both iOS and Mac in the same network, not different 2.4/5Ghz bands or anything like that?

AgileMe

Hi, I have been having this problem as well. HOWEVER, I just got it to work, and I think this was my problem: I was clicking on the "Sync Now" button on the ipad that's located under Settings>Sync. Instead, I clicked my way down to Settings>Sync>Wi-FiSynch, then clicked on the name of my Mac, and there is a button there also called "Sync Now" - and when I clicked on THAT "Sync Now", it worked!

Summary: there are two different "Sync Now" buttons, and they seem to behave differently, and you want the one that's nested down inside Wi-Fi Sync and inside the name of your Mac.

AgileMe

PS - I have now successfully synced back and forth between the iMac and the MacBook, using Wi-Fi Sync and the iPad as a go-between. I do, however, have to restart my iPad every time. It seems to have a hard time forgetting the last Mac it synched with, unless you do a cold restart. But everything seems to be caught up on both Macs, without having to use iCloud or DropBox as a go-between.

sjk

HI, @AgileMe!

Thanks for describing what you did to get Wi-Fi syncing working. Turns out the Sync Now button you discovered isn't mentioned until the very end of the Sync using local Wi-Fi document. :)

Of course it shouldn't be necessary to restart your iPad before each sync. Presumably it makes no difference how long you've waited between sync attempts and if you've closed/relaunched 1P4 first?

lpn

@MikeT: I am not sure what caused it, but after upgrading 1P to 4.0.5 (from 4.0.2), and the iOS app to 4.3.1 (from 4.3), and iOS to 7.0.3 (from 7.0.2), the sync started working with these settings.

sjk

Thanks for the followup, @lpn.

Fixes in the 1P4 iOS 4.3.1 could be at least partly responsible for your recent Wi-Fi sync success. Are you also having to restart your iOS device(s) before each sync in order for it work, like @AgileMe mentioned?

AgileMe

I have done some more successful syncs now, and am not having to restart the iPad any more - hooray! I sync Mac A and the iPad, then quit from 1Password on BOTH Mac A and the iPad, before going to Mac B and starting up 1Password on Mac B and the iPad. Seems to be working fine. Thanks!

sjk

That's great news, @AgileMe! Thanks for describing how you're successfully using Wi-Fi syncing now.