If I block www.apple.com then I am prevented from accessing my home LAN?
Try this at home.
Reroute www.apple.com to a httpd on a RFC1916 address.
Make sure your iPhone resolves www.apple.com to the RFC1916 address where your httpd is listening.
Disable WiFi on your iPhone. Then enable it.
I was presented with a Log On HTML page as if I was a guest or at a public hostpot.
I was not be able to stay connected.
When I created the requisite /library/test/success.html page in the httpd's root folder, I was successful.
Why does the iPhone need to access www.apple.com in order to fucntion on a home LAN, that may or may not be connected to the Internet?
