Airdrop- Only occasionally works. Anyone else tested it out?

[ra4oasis]

My friend just installed iOS 7, so I finally have someone to test out Airdrop. We both have iPhone 5's, are in each other's contact lists, and both have Airdrop turned on. We've gotten it to work a couple of times, but more often than not, we just don't see each other as an option to send too. I know its still beta software, but we are coming dangerously close to release for it to only work from time to time, rather than every time. Anyone else have problems discovering people to share with?

 

[codybriana]

My friend just installed iOS 7, so I finally have someone to test out Airdrop. We both have iPhone 5's, are in each other's contact lists, and both have Airdrop turned on. We've gotten it to work a couple of times, but more often than not, we just don't see each other as an option to send too. I know its still beta software, but we are coming dangerously close to release for it to only work from time to time, rather than every time. Anyone else have problems discovering people to share with?

My father and I have it installed (his ipad mini and my iphone 5) and airdrop has worked flawlessly so far.

 

[Armen]

I don't like how it makes you turn on Wifi even though you don't have to be connected to use it.

 

[Roy Hobbs]

Works great for me, never had an issue

 

[RandomGuy26]

I don't like how it makes you turn on Wifi even though you don't have to be connected to use it.

it makes a wifi connection with the other device to send data.. so it has to be on for it to work..

 

[Armen]

it makes a wifi connection with the other device to send data.. so it has to be on for it to work..

I was under the impression it used Bluetooth or is it both now?

 

[lazyprojector]

Wifi

I was under the impression it used Bluetooth or is it both now?

as far as i know only uses wifi

 

[FSMBP]

I was under the impression it used Bluetooth or is it both now?

as far as i know only uses wifi

It uses both: WiFi Direct & Bluetooth. My assumption is that it uses Bluetooth for proximity (finding close iOS users) and WiFi to actually transfer the file.

 

[ra4oasis]

We just did a little testing, and figured it has something to do with the fact that we both work at a University, and have 3 different wifi networks, 2 of them more secure than the third. The third network is set up as an "off campus" network, and it's more similar to how your own wifi works at home, and when connected there, it worked fine, without problem. So thats interesting.

 

[ra4oasis]

It uses both: WiFi Direct & Bluetooth. My assumption is that it uses Bluetooth for proximity (finding close iOS users) and WiFi to actually transfer the file.

If this is true, which it very well might be, as I honestly don't know how Airdrop works, does it work if you're both on LTE with only bluetooth? If you HAVE to have wifi AND bluetooth to work, that sucks. There are plenty of times when my friends and I are not necessarily on the same wifi network, or on any wifi network at all.

 

[Cougarcat]

If this is true, which it very well might be, as I honestly don't know how Airdrop works, does it work if you're both on LTE with only bluetooth? If you HAVE to have wifi AND bluetooth to work, that sucks. There are plenty of times when my friends and I are not necessarily on the same wifi network, or on any wifi network at all.

It uses an ad hoc wifi network between your phones, you don't need to be on the same or any network.

 

[FSMBP]

If this is true, which it very well might be, as I honestly don't know how Airdrop works, does it work if you're both on LTE with only bluetooth? If you HAVE to have wifi AND bluetooth to work, that sucks. There are plenty of times when my friends and I are not necessarily on the same wifi network, or on any wifi network at all.

You don't need a WiFi network. It creates a connection between the two iPhones directly (kinda like Bluetooth).

 

[ra4oasis]

It uses an ad hoc wifi network between your phones, you don't need to be on the same or any network.

Oh, well then I am confused as to why it doesn't always work for us. Hmm.

 

[TheKrs1]

I finally put the fiance on iOS 7 last night. Airdrop has worked beautifully for us.

(I've been OTA updating since Beta1 and she just got fresh Beta 6)

 

[luckydcxx]

I finally put the fiance on iOS 7 last night. Airdrop has worked beautifully for us.

(I've been OTA updating since Beta1 and she just got fresh Beta 7)

That's crazy that you were able to get beta 7 before everyone else

 

[TheKrs1]

That's crazy that you were able to get beta 7 before everyone else

Whoops. Corrected. Looks like everyone else beat me to coffee this AM.