Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad Better wifi on iPad air? Not really
- Thread starter Grolubao
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
KylePowers
macrumors 68000
Not sure they said anything about reception being better. It would have better throughput due to MIMO, however.
I'd say it's your router more than anything.
Well they say it has 2 antennas I would reckon would be better reception. My iPad 2 on ios 6 has 3 wifi bars while my air has only 2 wifi bars.
Speed is the same apparently in speedtest
----------
http://www.dlink.com/uk/en/home-solutions/connect/routers/dir-615-wireless-n-300-router
iapplelove
Suspended
ZBoater
macrumors G3
I hate to say it but I did not have much luck with my cheap Dlink router. It was an older version, but I had all sorts of problem until I upgraded to --- you guessed it -- an Apple AirPort Express.
Whether it was by design or coincidence, my experience with iOS devices and AirPort Express (and a Time Capsule after that) have been a lot more reliable and positive.
An the new MIMO basically sends and transmits at the same time, so download speed will remain unchanged. It means you can upload while you are downloading, making it more efficient.
I have several iOS and Mac devices at home (iPhones, iPods, Apple TV, MBAs, etc.). Ever since I ditched m Dlink and got an Apple router, they have all been happier. YMMV.
Whether it was by design or coincidence, my experience with iOS devices and AirPort Express (and a Time Capsule after that) have been a lot more reliable and positive.
An the new MIMO basically sends and transmits at the same time, so download speed will remain unchanged. It means you can upload while you are downloading, making it more efficient.
I have several iOS and Mac devices at home (iPhones, iPods, Apple TV, MBAs, etc.). Ever since I ditched m Dlink and got an Apple router, they have all been happier. YMMV.
KylePowers
macrumors 68000
As ZBoater mentions, the second antenna is really for simultaneous uploading, i.e. multiple-in, multiple-out
Wi-Fi bars aren't particularly good judgement of signal. To be honest, they're probably just a few decibels in difference, except the iPad's 2 signal converts to three bars, where as the Air's converts to two bars (maybe the Air's is more accurate?)
Additionally, a speedtest is just testing your ISP. Imaginably, your internet speed is slower than what your network can transmit, so both iPad's should read the same speed.
Anywho, again as ZBoater states, I too have had horrid luck with cheap DLink routers (and expensive DLink routers). All my issues, as with ZBoater, were mitigated when I upgraded to an AirPort Express. Go figure!
Agreed. Massively faster than any iPad I've used before it, especially when connected to the 5Ghz network in my house. Didn't even bother before the Air, since the connection was weak and the speed slow..
ZBoater
macrumors G3
And I am willing to give Apple the benefit of the doubt and say I dont think they did it on purpose. 😛 But obviously their stuff works best with... their stuff. Whatever wifi implementation they made, which should be standard and fully compatible with any other brand following standards, just doesnt work as well in my experience with Dlink. And I've read all sorts of horror stories. So I bit the bullet and got the Time Capsule. Flawless. Conspiracy? Maybe. But I don't care. As long as it works reliably and well I am willing to fork over the cash to Apple... 😉
doxielover
macrumors 6502a
On my Airport network, my iPad Air outperforms every device in the house.... I would think about taking it to a friends house to test it, or look into an exchange. It should be a ton faster than the iPad 2, I had one and my Air is.
kazmac
macrumors G4
...
I had to return mine yesterday, it would not connect to my home or work WiFi (previous iPads were fine on both networks, as is my iPhone 5.)
I did all the network resets, etc. in both places and rebooted my Airport Extreme at home.
I'll eventually try again when my bank account is fatter.
I had to return mine yesterday, it would not connect to my home or work WiFi (previous iPads were fine on both networks, as is my iPhone 5.)
I did all the network resets, etc. in both places and rebooted my Airport Extreme at home.
I'll eventually try again when my bank account is fatter.
doxielover
macrumors 6502a
My ipad 2 is faster when the iPad air is not connecting to the internet. When I walk all around the house and backyard iPad 2 always has more bars. Yes I've done all the usual resetting, airplane mode with the air. I like the color tone better on the iPad 2. I'm in no rush iPad 2 16gb AT&T is fine for now. Speed is not that big of a deal. I'm only on the standard TWC internet so 16 download speed on wifi anyway. Plus my iPad is jailbroken and can do so much more. I will wait till this one stops working. Netflix works fine on the 2.
I would defiantly give the Apple router a try, I upgraded this past weekend from a Western Digital router. I bought the new Airport Extreme and an Express to use as an extender. I am so far very impressed with the performance and range in my home. I wish I had skipped the Western Digital and just bought and Apple one to begin with, because a year later, I ended up $150 in the hole for the WD and a WD extender that refused to work.
----------
That is strange, because as I said my Air was leaps and bounds better than my iPad 2, maybe yours was defective, but if your happy with your 2, more power to you, the 2 is still great, and I agree on the comments about the screen for sure.
Using same wifi within 3 foot of each other. No other internet running.
Ipad Air,
test 1 28 down, 5.45 up
test 2 28.1 down, 5.55 up
test 3 27.8 down, 5.5 up
Ipad Original
test 1 14 down, 4.6 up
test 2 20.2 down, 4.7 up
test 3 12.4 down, 47 up
MacPro - few years old
Test 1 : 29.8 down, 5.4 up
Test 2 : 30.2 down, 5.2 up
Test 3 : 29.4 down, 5.9 up
Ipad Air,
test 1 28 down, 5.45 up
test 2 28.1 down, 5.55 up
test 3 27.8 down, 5.5 up
Ipad Original
test 1 14 down, 4.6 up
test 2 20.2 down, 4.7 up
test 3 12.4 down, 47 up
MacPro - few years old
Test 1 : 29.8 down, 5.4 up
Test 2 : 30.2 down, 5.2 up
Test 3 : 29.4 down, 5.9 up
SO there are 2 answers:
1. If you previously owned an ipad and it connected to your present router without dropping then your ipad air may be faulty.
2. If you have never connected an ipad to your router, then your router sucks.
99.999% of all ipad owners NEVER complain about slow or inconsistent WIFI.
SactoGuy18
macrumors 603
My wireless router is a Netgear WNDR3700v3 (N600) router. My iPad Air works great with this router--in fact, YouTube videos in the YouTube app now load really fast with the iPad Air. 🙂
asleep
macrumors 68040
I know zip about current routers. Is the Airport Extreme considered better than everything else out there???