Osx/Swift: Call a Function When Internet Connection Is Established/Restored

OSX/Swift: Call a function when internet connection is established/restored

The SCNetworkReachability APIs can be configured to generate notifications when the reachability status of an IP address or hostname changes. Create a SCNetworkReachabilityRef, then set a callback, and it will be called when a network change is detected.

Swift: Pass data to a closure that captures context

Similar as in How to use instance method as callback for function which takes only func or literal closure, you have to convert
self to a void pointer, store that in the context,
and convert it back to an object pointer in the closure:

func checkForConnection() {

    let host = "reddit.com"
    var context = SCNetworkReachabilityContext(version: 0, info: nil, retain: nil, release: nil, copyDescription: nil)
    context.info = UnsafeMutablePointer(Unmanaged.passUnretained(self).toOpaque())

    let reachability = SCNetworkReachabilityCreateWithName(nil, host)!

    SCNetworkReachabilitySetCallback(reachability, { (_, flags, info) in
        if flags.rawValue == 0 { //internet is not connected

        } else { //internet became connected
            let mySelf = Unmanaged<ViewController>.fromOpaque(COpaquePointer(info)).takeUnretainedValue()

            if mySelf.updateOnConnection {
                mySelf.refreshWallpaper()
            }
        }
        }, &context)

    SCNetworkReachabilityScheduleWithRunLoop(reachability, CFRunLoopGetMain(), kCFRunLoopCommonModes)
}

See also How to cast self to UnsafeMutablePointer<Void> type in swift
for more details about this mechanism.

Remark: if flags.rawValue == 0 can be expressed slightly more
elegant as if flags.isEmpty, but what you actually should
check is if flags.contains(.Reachable).

Update for Swift 3 (Xcode 8 beta 6):

func checkForConnection() {

    let host = "reddit.com"
    var context = SCNetworkReachabilityContext(version: 0, info: nil, retain: nil, release: nil, copyDescription: nil)
    context.info = UnsafeMutableRawPointer(Unmanaged.passUnretained(self).toOpaque())

    let reachability = SCNetworkReachabilityCreateWithName(nil, host)!

    SCNetworkReachabilitySetCallback(reachability, { (_, flags, info) in
        if let info = info {
            if flags.rawValue == 0 { //internet is not connected

            } else { //internet became connected
                let mySelf = Unmanaged<ViewController>.fromOpaque(info).takeUnretainedValue()
                // ...
            }
        }
    }, &context)

    SCNetworkReachabilityScheduleWithRunLoop(reachability, CFRunLoopGetMain(), CFRunLoopMode.commonModes.rawValue)
}

Check for internet connection with Swift

To solve the 4G issue mentioned in the comments I have used @AshleyMills reachability implementation as a reference and rewritten Reachability for Swift 3.1:

updated: Xcode 10.1 • Swift 4 or later

Reachability.swift file

import Foundation
import SystemConfiguration

class Reachability {
    var hostname: String?
    var isRunning = false
    var isReachableOnWWAN: Bool
    var reachability: SCNetworkReachability?
    var reachabilityFlags = SCNetworkReachabilityFlags()
    let reachabilitySerialQueue = DispatchQueue(label: "ReachabilityQueue")
    init(hostname: String) throws {
        guard let reachability = SCNetworkReachabilityCreateWithName(nil, hostname) else {
            throw Network.Error.failedToCreateWith(hostname)
        }
        self.reachability = reachability
        self.hostname = hostname
        isReachableOnWWAN = true
        try start()
    }
    init() throws {
        var zeroAddress = sockaddr_in()
        zeroAddress.sin_len = UInt8(MemoryLayout<sockaddr_in>.size)
        zeroAddress.sin_family = sa_family_t(AF_INET)
        guard let reachability = withUnsafePointer(to: &zeroAddress, {
            $0.withMemoryRebound(to: sockaddr.self, capacity: 1) {
                SCNetworkReachabilityCreateWithAddress(nil, $0)
            }
        }) else {
            throw Network.Error.failedToInitializeWith(zeroAddress)
        }
        self.reachability = reachability
        isReachableOnWWAN = true
        try start()
    }
    var status: Network.Status {
        return  !isConnectedToNetwork ? .unreachable :
                isReachableViaWiFi    ? .wifi :
                isRunningOnDevice     ? .wwan : .unreachable
    }
    var isRunningOnDevice: Bool = {
        #if targetEnvironment(simulator)
            return false
        #else
            return true
        #endif
    }()
    deinit { stop() }
}

extension Reachability {

    func start() throws {
        guard let reachability = reachability, !isRunning else { return }
        var context = SCNetworkReachabilityContext(version: 0, info: nil, retain: nil, release: nil, copyDescription: nil)
        context.info = Unmanaged<Reachability>.passUnretained(self).toOpaque()
        guard SCNetworkReachabilitySetCallback(reachability, callout, &context) else { stop()
            throw Network.Error.failedToSetCallout
        }
        guard SCNetworkReachabilitySetDispatchQueue(reachability, reachabilitySerialQueue) else { stop()
            throw Network.Error.failedToSetDispatchQueue
        }
        reachabilitySerialQueue.async { self.flagsChanged() }
        isRunning = true
    }

    func stop() {
        defer { isRunning = false }
        guard let reachability = reachability else { return }
        SCNetworkReachabilitySetCallback(reachability, nil, nil)
        SCNetworkReachabilitySetDispatchQueue(reachability, nil)
        self.reachability = nil
    }

    var isConnectedToNetwork: Bool {
        return isReachable &&
               !isConnectionRequiredAndTransientConnection &&
               !(isRunningOnDevice && isWWAN && !isReachableOnWWAN)
    }

    var isReachableViaWiFi: Bool {
        return isReachable && isRunningOnDevice && !isWWAN
    }

    /// Flags that indicate the reachability of a network node name or address, including whether a connection is required, and whether some user intervention might be required when establishing a connection.
    var flags: SCNetworkReachabilityFlags? {
        guard let reachability = reachability else { return nil }
        var flags = SCNetworkReachabilityFlags()
        return withUnsafeMutablePointer(to: &flags) {
            SCNetworkReachabilityGetFlags(reachability, UnsafeMutablePointer($0))
            } ? flags : nil
    }

    /// compares the current flags with the previous flags and if changed posts a flagsChanged notification
    func flagsChanged() {
        guard let flags = flags, flags != reachabilityFlags else { return }
        reachabilityFlags = flags
        NotificationCenter.default.post(name: .flagsChanged, object: self)
    }

    /// The specified node name or address can be reached via a transient connection, such as PPP.
    var transientConnection: Bool { return flags?.contains(.transientConnection) == true }

    /// The specified node name or address can be reached using the current network configuration.
    var isReachable: Bool { return flags?.contains(.reachable) == true }

    /// The specified node name or address can be reached using the current network configuration, but a connection must first be established. If this flag is set, the kSCNetworkReachabilityFlagsConnectionOnTraffic flag, kSCNetworkReachabilityFlagsConnectionOnDemand flag, or kSCNetworkReachabilityFlagsIsWWAN flag is also typically set to indicate the type of connection required. If the user must manually make the connection, the kSCNetworkReachabilityFlagsInterventionRequired flag is also set.
    var connectionRequired: Bool { return flags?.contains(.connectionRequired) == true }

    /// The specified node name or address can be reached using the current network configuration, but a connection must first be established. Any traffic directed to the specified name or address will initiate the connection.
    var connectionOnTraffic: Bool { return flags?.contains(.connectionOnTraffic) == true }

    /// The specified node name or address can be reached using the current network configuration, but a connection must first be established.
    var interventionRequired: Bool { return flags?.contains(.interventionRequired) == true }

    /// The specified node name or address can be reached using the current network configuration, but a connection must first be established. The connection will be established "On Demand" by the CFSocketStream programming interface (see CFStream Socket Additions for information on this). Other functions will not establish the connection.
    var connectionOnDemand: Bool { return flags?.contains(.connectionOnDemand) == true }

    /// The specified node name or address is one that is associated with a network interface on the current system.
    var isLocalAddress: Bool { return flags?.contains(.isLocalAddress) == true }

    /// Network traffic to the specified node name or address will not go through a gateway, but is routed directly to one of the interfaces in the system.
    var isDirect: Bool { return flags?.contains(.isDirect) == true }

    /// The specified node name or address can be reached via a cellular connection, such as EDGE or GPRS.
    var isWWAN: Bool { return flags?.contains(.isWWAN) == true }

    /// The specified node name or address can be reached using the current network configuration, but a connection must first be established. If this flag is set
    /// The specified node name or address can be reached via a transient connection, such as PPP.
    var isConnectionRequiredAndTransientConnection: Bool {
        return (flags?.intersection([.connectionRequired, .transientConnection]) == [.connectionRequired, .transientConnection]) == true
    }
}

func callout(reachability: SCNetworkReachability, flags: SCNetworkReachabilityFlags, info: UnsafeMutableRawPointer?) {
    guard let info = info else { return }
    DispatchQueue.main.async {
        Unmanaged<Reachability>
            .fromOpaque(info)
            .takeUnretainedValue()
            .flagsChanged()
    }
}

extension Notification.Name {
    static let flagsChanged = Notification.Name("FlagsChanged")
}

struct Network {
    static var reachability: Reachability!
    enum Status: String {
        case unreachable, wifi, wwan
    }
    enum Error: Swift.Error {
        case failedToSetCallout
        case failedToSetDispatchQueue
        case failedToCreateWith(String)
        case failedToInitializeWith(sockaddr_in)
    }
}

Usage

Initialize it in your AppDelegate.swift didFinishLaunchingWithOptions method and handle any errors that might occur:

import UIKit
@UIApplicationMain
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {
    var window: UIWindow?
    func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
        do {
            try Network.reachability = Reachability(hostname: "www.google.com")
        }
        catch {
            switch error as? Network.Error {
            case let .failedToCreateWith(hostname)?:
                print("Network error:\nFailed to create reachability object With host named:", hostname)
            case let .failedToInitializeWith(address)?:
                print("Network error:\nFailed to initialize reachability object With address:", address)
            case .failedToSetCallout?:
                print("Network error:\nFailed to set callout")
            case .failedToSetDispatchQueue?:
                print("Network error:\nFailed to set DispatchQueue")
            case .none:
                print(error)
            }
        }
        return true
    }
}

And a view controller sample:

import UIKit
class ViewController: UIViewController {
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        NotificationCenter.default
            .addObserver(self,
                         selector: #selector(statusManager),
                         name: .flagsChanged,
                         object: nil)
        updateUserInterface()
    }
    func updateUserInterface() {
        switch Network.reachability.status {
        case .unreachable:
            view.backgroundColor = .red
        case .wwan:
            view.backgroundColor = .yellow
        case .wifi:
            view.backgroundColor = .green
        }
        print("Reachability Summary")
        print("Status:", Network.reachability.status)
        print("HostName:", Network.reachability.hostname ?? "nil")
        print("Reachable:", Network.reachability.isReachable)
        print("Wifi:", Network.reachability.isReachableViaWiFi)
    }
    @objc func statusManager(_ notification: Notification) {
        updateUserInterface()
    }
}

Sample Project

Notification in Swift when network is back up after being down

I am now using github.com/ashleymills/Reachability.swift to resolve that issue.

Check if internet connection availabile in swift

Not a full-fledged network checking library but I found this simple method for checking the network availability. I managed to translate it to Swift and here the final code.

import Foundation
import SystemConfiguration

public class Reachability {

    class func isConnectedToNetwork() -> Bool {

        var zeroAddress = sockaddr_in(sin_len: 0, sin_family: 0, sin_port: 0, sin_addr: in_addr(s_addr: 0), sin_zero: (0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0))
        zeroAddress.sin_len = UInt8(sizeofValue(zeroAddress))
        zeroAddress.sin_family = sa_family_t(AF_INET)

        let defaultRouteReachability = withUnsafePointer(&zeroAddress) {
            SCNetworkReachabilityCreateWithAddress(nil, UnsafePointer($0)).takeRetainedValue()
        }

        var flags: SCNetworkReachabilityFlags = 0
        if SCNetworkReachabilityGetFlags(defaultRouteReachability, &flags) == 0 {
            return false
        }

        let isReachable = (flags & UInt32(kSCNetworkFlagsReachable)) != 0
        let needsConnection = (flags & UInt32(kSCNetworkFlagsConnectionRequired)) != 0

        return (isReachable && !needsConnection) ? true : false
    }

}

It works for both 3G and WiFi connections. I've also uploaded it to my Github with a working example. If you're looking for a simple way to check for network availability purely in Swift, you can use it.

How can I check for an active Internet connection on iOS or macOS?

Important: This check should always be performed asynchronously. The majority of answers below are synchronous so be careful otherwise you'll freeze up your app.

Swift

Install via CocoaPods or Carthage: https://github.com/ashleymills/Reachability.swift

Test reachability via closures

let reachability = Reachability()!

reachability.whenReachable = { reachability in
    if reachability.connection == .wifi {
        print("Reachable via WiFi")
    } else {
        print("Reachable via Cellular")
    }
}

reachability.whenUnreachable = { _ in
    print("Not reachable")
}

do {
    try reachability.startNotifier()
} catch {
    print("Unable to start notifier")
}

Objective-C

Add SystemConfiguration framework to the project but don't worry about including it anywhere
Add Tony Million's version of Reachability.h and Reachability.m to the project (found here: https://github.com/tonymillion/Reachability)

Update the interface section

#import "Reachability.h"

// Add this to the interface in the .m file of your view controller
@interface MyViewController ()
{
    Reachability *internetReachableFoo;
}
@end

Then implement this method in the .m file of your view controller which you can call

// Checks if we have an internet connection or not
- (void)testInternetConnection
{
    internetReachableFoo = [Reachability reachabilityWithHostname:@"www.google.com"];

    // Internet is reachable
    internetReachableFoo.reachableBlock = ^(Reachability*reach)
    {
        // Update the UI on the main thread
        dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
            NSLog(@"Yayyy, we have the interwebs!");
        });
    };

    // Internet is not reachable
    internetReachableFoo.unreachableBlock = ^(Reachability*reach)
    {
        // Update the UI on the main thread
        dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
            NSLog(@"Someone broke the internet :(");
        });
    };

    [internetReachableFoo startNotifier];
}

Important Note: The Reachability class is one of the most used classes in projects so you might run into naming conflicts with other projects. If this happens, you'll have to rename one of the pairs of Reachability.h and Reachability.m files to something else to resolve the issue.

Note: The domain you use doesn't matter. It's just testing for a gateway to any domain.

Detecting Network Connectivity Changes using Reachability, NSNotification and Network Link Conditioner in Swift

You must create a Reachability object before you can receive notifications from it. Also, be sure to call the startNotifier() method on the Reachability object you create. This would be an example of how to do so inside of your application delegate:

class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate
{
    private var reachability:Reachability!;

    func application(application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: NSDictionary?) -> Bool
    {
        NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().addObserver(self, selector:"checkForReachability:", name: kReachabilityChangedNotification, object: nil);

        self.reachability = Reachability.reachabilityForInternetConnection();
        self.reachability.startNotifier();
    }

    @objc func checkForReachability(notification:NSNotification)
    {
        // Remove the next two lines of code. You cannot instantiate the object
        // you want to receive notifications from inside of the notification
        // handler that is meant for the notifications it emits.

        //var networkReachability = Reachability.reachabilityForInternetConnection()
        //networkReachability.startNotifier()

        let networkReachability = notification.object as Reachability;
        var remoteHostStatus = networkReachability.currentReachabilityStatus()

        if (remoteHostStatus.value == NotReachable.value)
        {
            println("Not Reachable")
        }
        else if (remoteHostStatus.value == ReachableViaWiFi.value)
        {
            println("Reachable via Wifi")
        }
        else
        {
            println("Reachable")
        }
    }
}

I recommend you take a look at the documentation for NSNotificationCenter and NSNotification. That way you'll be more familiar with how to work with notifications next time something like this comes up.

Swift 3

NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector:Selector(("checkForReachability:")), name: NSNotification.Name.reachabilityChanged, object: nil)
let reachability: Reachability = Reachability.forInternetConnection()
reachability.startNotifier()

Rightness of waiting for a network call to complete - iOS

There could be numerous reasons why a network request hasn’t completed yet; your server may be a bit overwhelmed; the client’s network speed may be a bit slow. It may be a waste to abort the work and start over. And whose to say that restarting the task is going to change any current impediment.

I’d say wait on the running task until it completes. If the pre-fetch completes before we need it, great, the pre-fetch saved time. But if it’s not yet done by the time we need it, if you let it finish, that’ll still save time rather than restarting it (the restarted task isn’t gonna magically be faster than the previous one just because we restarted it) so the pre-fetch was useful in this case too. So by allowing the request to complete, you’re maximizing the utility of the pre-fetch mechanism. Plus, if you choose to restart a task because pre-fetch couldn’t complete in time, what if your average user is actually faster than your average serving time for that request? Lol who knows, you might end up doubling your server load for the average case. Better that you have a design that is decoupled from things like that.

Osx/Swift: Call a Function When Internet Connection Is Established/Restored