WLAN server sync between macOS and Android has stopped working
Hi there. I've recently been having issues attempting to sync my vault between macOS and Android using the WLAN server method. The error that appears on my Android device when I attempt a sync is: "Can't connect. Open 1Password on your computer and ensure WLAN server is running."
I discovered the following guide...
https://support.1password.com/wlan-server-troubleshooting/
... and tried most of the suggestions it listed, without any luck. The only thing I didn't try was the final suggestion of creating a computer-to-computer network, as I can't seem to find a way of creating a secure network using this method. In any case, I would rather try to get WLAN server up and running again, as it had been working flawlessly for the previous 1.5 years I've used 1Password.
The version numbers I have listed below are what I am running currently. Unfortunately I didn't take note of the versions when the problem first started appearing, so it's possible that it first appeared on earlier versions of the 1Password client. I know for sure thought that I haven't updated my masOS since the problem started.
Also, I am sure this is totally unrelated, but just mentioning it in the off chance that it is somehow linked and helps troubleshoot the problem... Another problem has recently appeared and I'm fairly, but not 100%, sure that it started around about the same time I started having sync issues: The "Fill Login in Browser" command from the 1Password macOS client no longer works as it did previously. It will load the page fine in my browser, but will not fill in any of the details. I have to press the "Cmd + \" shortcut once the page loads for it to actually fill in the login details.
Thank you very much for your time, and please let me know if any further information is required.
1Password Version: 6.8.7 (macOS), 6.7.2 (Android)
Extension Version: 4.6.9 (Firefox), 4.7.0.90 (Chrome)
OS Version: macOS 10.12.6, Android 6.0.1
Sync Type: WLAN Server
Comments
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Hi @fractal_sounds. Thanks for reaching out. Sorry to hear that you're having trouble with WLAN server sync. Can you let me know how you're triggering sync? Are you tapping the Sync button from the overflow menu, or are you swiping down from the top of the page to refresh? Also, are you able to update macOS? I heard from one customer with this problem that updating to the latest version of High Sierra fixed it.
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Hi @peri. Thank you for the reply. I normally trigger the sync by swiping down from the top of the page. But I just tried using the overflow menu as well, and still no luck.
Regarding macOS, if that ends up being the only way to solve it, I'll upgrade for sure. The reason I've been holding off going to High Sierra so far is that a couple of applications I use (Final Cut Pro 7 and Logic Pro 9) are unfortunately no longer supported in High Sierra, so upgrading will mean having to purchase new versions of those apps. :/
One quick question... can I just confirm with you that in order for WLAN server sync to work, you don't actually need to be connected to the Internet, as long as both devices are connected to the WiFi network. Is that correct? I know in the past that used to work fine, but just wanted to make sure there hasn't been a change made recently to 1Password that requires internet connection for it to function.
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Hi @peri. Thank you for the reply. I normally trigger the sync by swiping down from the top of the page. But I just tried using the overflow menu as well, and still no luck.
@fractal_sounds: Thanks for confirming. Sorry to hear that.
Regarding macOS, if that ends up being the only way to solve it, I'll upgrade for sure. The reason I've been holding off going to High Sierra so far is that a couple of applications I use (Final Cut Pro 7 and Logic Pro 9) are unfortunately no longer supported in High Sierra, so upgrading will mean having to purchase new versions of those apps. :/
While I still recommend upgrading if you can, what Android device is it that you're using, and do you have any "security" software or proxy/firewall that might be interfering? I'd recommend trying everything in the troubleshooting guide, as those are the things we most commonly find help. And since 1Password encrypts your data in the first place itself, using an ad-hoc connection is fine since 1Password isn't relying on the network or transport method itself to protect your data. I'm interested to hear if that works.
One quick question... can I just confirm with you that in order for WLAN server sync to work, you don't actually need to be connected to the Internet, as long as both devices are connected to the WiFi network. Is that correct? I know in the past that used to work fine, but just wanted to make sure there hasn't been a change made recently to 1Password that requires internet connection for it to function.
Correct. Both devices just need to be on the same LAN. You can even have the computer connected to the router via ethernet.
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Hi @brenty, thank you for the message. The Android device I'm using is a Samsung Galaxy S5, and I don't have any security software or firewalls running on it. I do have "Avast Security" running on my Mac, but as far as I recall that has never interfered with the sync when I used to have it working. But I have tried disabling it to make sure during this recent troubleshooting, and no luck unfortunately.
I just tried creating an ad-hoc network, and I couldn't even see it show up on my phone. That led me to discover that apparently the stock Android OS doesn't actually see ad-hoc networks. You need a custom ROM to be able to do so.
I was able to find a workaround, where you can create a WiFi access point to the built-in loopback interface and then allow other devices to connect to it via internet sharing. The other upside to this method is that it also lets you set a WPA2 password for the network. Not that it's required for this purpose as you pointed out, but just good to know how to do it. Here is the guide for how to achieve this:
http://www.laszlopusztai.net/2016/02/14/creating-a-wi-fi-access-point-on-os-x/
Unfortunately though, after all that, I'm still at square one. Even with this direct network connection, I am getting the same error as before when I try to sync. :(
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@fractal_sounds I'd like to ask you to create some diagnostics reports, one from each of your devices:
Attach the diagnostics to an email message addressed to
support+forum@agilebits.com.With your email please include:
- A link to this thread:
https://discussions.agilebits.com/discussion/87296/wlan-server-sync-between-macos-and-android-has-stopped-working#latest - Your forum username:
fractal_sounds
That way we can "connect the dots" when we see your diagnostics in our inbox.
You should receive an automated reply from our BitBot assistant with a Support ID number. Please post that number here so we can track down the diagnostics and ensure that this issue is dealt with quickly. :)
Once we see the diagnostics we'll be able to better assist you. Thanks very much!
0 - A link to this thread:
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Hi @peri. Thank you so much. I've sent through the diagnostics reports, and the support ID number is #BRI-38941-933.
:)
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Thanks! We'll take a look and get back to you.
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I'm happy to report the issue has been resolved, thanks to @peri doing some detective work on the diagnostic reports.
For some reason I had decided to change my Mac's computer name recently, not realising that this would cause the Android app to ignore the Mac after it had discovered it on the network, as it was still looking for the old name. All I had to do was change the computer name back to what it was previously and everything started working again.
Alternatively, in order to keep the new computer name (in case someone else has this issue in the future), I believe all that would be required is to just clear the data on their Android app and start the sync process from scratch so that it pairs properly with the new name.
Thank you again @peri and @brenty for your assistance.
:)
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Thanks for posting the update here! Hopefully this will be helpful to anyone else who comes across this thread. :)
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Reviving a dead thread -- @peri, how do I "clear the data on [my] Android app and start the sync process from scratch" without losing the data saved in the app? I tried clearing the cache data but that didn't allow me to pair afresh. The instructions on this page say to tap Settings -> Sync, and then "Turn on Sync, then tap “WLAN server'." I don't understand this instruction, because tapping "WLAN server" just toggles the switch on and off -- when the switch is on, the "Notification" toggle switch un-greys, but other than that there is no change on the menu. There is no place for me to tap "wlan server" and add the computer name.
Am I being dumb and overlooking something obvious?
When 1Password works, it works great and I love it. My sync, though, only works about 10-20% of the time, and I have been immensely frustrated for several months trying to troubleshoot the intermittent problem. My last successful sync was May 17, and the last successful one before that was in February. I have no idea why sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
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@smcguire222 Clearing the app data will delete all of your data from the 1Password app, so this isn't something you want to do unless you have a backup. First, please launch and unlock 1Password, tap Settings > Advanced > Export Primary vault, and save the exported vault.
As to why sync isn't working, are you using the same computer you originally configured sync with? If so, have you changed the device's name?
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Hi @peri, okay, I have exported the vault and cleared the data from the 1Password app on my phone. I then opened the app and it asked me where I would like to load from. I selected "WLAN Server" and the phone attempted to locate 1Password on my network. But it could not find it. I ensured that my laptop and my phone are both on the same Wifi network. It seems my computer is not running the WLAN server like it is supposed to.
Then, I reverted back to the way things were by loading my exported vault from local storage. I tried again to sync. However, now, the only option to sync is with local folder storage on my phone -- not over wifi. How can I attempt to sync again with my WLAN server? the vaults on my phone and my computer have out-of-sync data because I have not been able to sync them since May 17.
I am using the same computer I originally configured sync with, and the name has not changed.
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Hi @smcguire222 I'd like to ask you to create a diagnostics report from your Android device:
Sending Diagnostics Reports (Android)
Attach the diagnostics to an email message addressed to
support+forum@agilebits.com.With your email please include:
- A link to this thread:
https://discussions.agilebits.com/discussion/87296/wlan-server-sync-between-macos-and-android-has-stopped-working#latest - Your forum username:
smcguire222
That way I can "connect the dots" when I see your diagnostics in our inbox.
You should receive an automated reply from our BitBot assistant with a Support ID number. Please post that number here so I can track down the diagnostics and ensure that this issue is dealt with quickly. :)
Once I see the diagnostics I'll be able to better assist you. Thanks very much!
0 - A link to this thread:
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Okay, I have sent you the report. But I am worried that it won't be of much use, because it only contains logs from the past few hours -- it contains no logs pertaining to my previous sync attempts, because I cleared the app data, attempted WLAN sync, was unable, and then reloaded the saved vault from a local folder. Now it's stuck in "sync to folder" mode only, with no option to sync over WLAN.
After reading through the very detailed discussion pertaining to syncing on the mega-thread here I think I may be persuaded to give up on WLAN syncing and instead use an account to do so with your servers.
But this leaves me in a tight spot: what do I do about the two out-of-sync vaults I now have? (One on my mac and one on my Android).
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Have you received your ticket number already, after sending the report?
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