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iPad Wi-Fi Issues to be Addressed in Software Update
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I have an Apple Airport Extreme and have had no connectivity issues with my iPad. What could be different between our setups?
Guess I am one of the lucky ones?
I never have wifi problems in my home. maybe the router my phone company gave me is strong. the only wifi problems i have is with my wife's computer which is almost 70 feet away. but reading below I can see why. Between 3 cordless phones, bluetooth turned on with both computers (should probably turn it off, since I am not using it), and the router being in an office behind a wall and closed door.
802.11b and 802.11g use the 2.4 GHz ISM band, operating in the United States under Part 15 of the US Federal Communications Commission Rules and Regulations. Because of this choice of frequency band, 802.11b and g equipment may occasionally suffer interference from microwave ovens, cordless telephones and Bluetooth devices. Both 802.11 and Bluetooth control their interference and susceptibility to interference by using spread spectrum modulation. Bluetooth uses a frequency hopping spread spectrum signaling method (FHSS), while 802.11b and 802.11g use the direct sequence spread spectrum signaling (DSSS) and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) methods, respectively. 802.11a uses the 5 GHz U-NII band, which, for much of the world, offers at least 19 non-overlapping channels rather than the 3 offered in the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band.[2] Better or worse performance with higher or lower frequencies (channels) may be realized, depending on the environment.
802.11g
Main article: IEEE 802.11g-2003
In June 2003, a third modulation standard was ratified: 802.11g. This works in the 2.4 GHz band (like 802.11b), but uses the same OFDM based transmission scheme as 802.11a. It operates at a maximum physical layer bit rate of 54 Mbit/s exclusive of forward error correction codes, or about 22 Mbit/s average throughput.[7] 802.11g hardware is fully backwards compatible with 802.11b hardware and therefore is encumbered with legacy issues that reduce throughput when compared to 802.11a by ~21%.
The then-proposed 802.11g standard was rapidly adopted by consumers starting in January 2003, well before ratification, due to the desire for higher data rates as well as to reductions in manufacturing costs. By summer 2003, most dual-band 802.11a/b products became dual-band/tri-mode, supporting a and b/g in a single mobile adapter card or access point. Details of making b and g work well together occupied much of the lingering technical process; in an 802.11g network, however, activity of an 802.11b participant will reduce the data rate of the overall 802.11g network .
Like 802.11b, 802.11g devices suffer interference from other products operating in the 2.4 GHz band.
I never have wifi problems in my home. maybe the router my phone company gave me is strong. the only wifi problems i have is with my wife's computer which is almost 70 feet away. but reading below I can see why. Between 3 cordless phones, bluetooth turned on with both computers (should probably turn it off, since I am not using it), and the router being in an office behind a wall and closed door.
802.11b and 802.11g use the 2.4 GHz ISM band, operating in the United States under Part 15 of the US Federal Communications Commission Rules and Regulations. Because of this choice of frequency band, 802.11b and g equipment may occasionally suffer interference from microwave ovens, cordless telephones and Bluetooth devices. Both 802.11 and Bluetooth control their interference and susceptibility to interference by using spread spectrum modulation. Bluetooth uses a frequency hopping spread spectrum signaling method (FHSS), while 802.11b and 802.11g use the direct sequence spread spectrum signaling (DSSS) and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) methods, respectively. 802.11a uses the 5 GHz U-NII band, which, for much of the world, offers at least 19 non-overlapping channels rather than the 3 offered in the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band.[2] Better or worse performance with higher or lower frequencies (channels) may be realized, depending on the environment.
802.11g
Main article: IEEE 802.11g-2003
In June 2003, a third modulation standard was ratified: 802.11g. This works in the 2.4 GHz band (like 802.11b), but uses the same OFDM based transmission scheme as 802.11a. It operates at a maximum physical layer bit rate of 54 Mbit/s exclusive of forward error correction codes, or about 22 Mbit/s average throughput.[7] 802.11g hardware is fully backwards compatible with 802.11b hardware and therefore is encumbered with legacy issues that reduce throughput when compared to 802.11a by ~21%.
The then-proposed 802.11g standard was rapidly adopted by consumers starting in January 2003, well before ratification, due to the desire for higher data rates as well as to reductions in manufacturing costs. By summer 2003, most dual-band 802.11a/b products became dual-band/tri-mode, supporting a and b/g in a single mobile adapter card or access point. Details of making b and g work well together occupied much of the lingering technical process; in an 802.11g network, however, activity of an 802.11b participant will reduce the data rate of the overall 802.11g network .
Like 802.11b, 802.11g devices suffer interference from other products operating in the 2.4 GHz band.
transmaster
Contributor
Touch 2G
My touch 2G is great. just yesterday I was hooked up with Laramie County Libraries WiFi system from several hundred yards away. Folks you are dealing with what we call Amateur radio call a software defined radio and if you write the firmware control if just a little off bad things happen. What puzzles me is Apple has years of writing such firmware why do they have a problem with it iPad, they did test it didn't they, in the real world?
My touch 2G is great. just yesterday I was hooked up with Laramie County Libraries WiFi system from several hundred yards away. Folks you are dealing with what we call Amateur radio call a software defined radio and if you write the firmware control if just a little off bad things happen. What puzzles me is Apple has years of writing such firmware why do they have a problem with it iPad, they did test it didn't they, in the real world?
What Wi-Fi issues?
I bought the Wi-Fi+3G version... my router is upstairs and I get full strength reception throughout my house, and even out by my pool.
You gotta love this thing!!! I'll be a second one when rev 2 comes out.
I bought the Wi-Fi+3G version... my router is upstairs and I get full strength reception throughout my house, and even out by my pool.
You gotta love this thing!!! I'll be a second one when rev 2 comes out.
farmboy
macrumors 65816
Yeah, it's just so haplotypical of them. String theory is there's never some around when you need it.😛
mmomega
Suspended
No problems at all at home or work, both using Airport Extreme (1 mid 2009, 1 early 2010) on iPad WiFi 3g. Now this is my normal usage area, when I have used it on a trip in a hotel with a new Linksys router I would have full signal but taking 1-3 minutes to load a single page.
I updated the firmware on my router at home and now it works, it works at my job, it does NOT work at the local Kings restaurant where my iPhone works fine.
Unacceptable, obviously I'm going to need to get the unlimited plan now.
Unacceptable, obviously I'm going to need to get the unlimited plan now.
Macpowered
macrumors member
My iPad have NO problems.
My friends iPads have NO problems.
My fathers iPad have NO problems.
My mothers iPad have NO problems.
The 20+ iPads we have at work have NO problems.
My iPad.
My friends iPads have NO problems.
My fathers iPad have NO problems.
My mothers iPad have NO problems.
The 20+ iPads we have at work have NO problems.
My iPad.
Yeah, but since the iPod touch doesn't work that way, or at least the first gen that I have doesn't, this was a pleasant surprise with the iPad.
Will do good
macrumors 6502a
I had problems with a Wifi ipad using channel 6 on "G" speeds with WPA2 password as "12345"....
Changed my router to Channel 13 (we are allowed 12-13 in Canada at "low power" settings) and WPA2 with a mixed number/letter PW... and now the ipad never disconnects from wifi.
For the people with signal problems, i.e. stronger further away, read on how omni directionnal vertical antennae spread their "donut" around... many times the antenna's pattern is bigger (ie farther) than what we think. Also, the 1-2m (3-6ft) area around the router can be a dead spot.
Changed my router to Channel 13 (we are allowed 12-13 in Canada at "low power" settings) and WPA2 with a mixed number/letter PW... and now the ipad never disconnects from wifi.
For the people with signal problems, i.e. stronger further away, read on how omni directionnal vertical antennae spread their "donut" around... many times the antenna's pattern is bigger (ie farther) than what we think. Also, the 1-2m (3-6ft) area around the router can be a dead spot.
Glad they're staying on top of things.
They aren't "on top of things"! Apple is playing catch up while their paying customers suffer (as usual) from Apple's insufficient pre-release testing.
WiFi is LoFi
I have two iPads a 32GB WiFi that I was given by my employer who bought a batch of 4 and a 64GB 3G that I purchased myself. I have an Airport Extreme network using WPA2 in my house and the 32 GB iPad would lose connectivity after waking from sleep _every time_. The 3G model has no problems on the same network.
So I gave the 32GB model to my mom and in her house she had an old LinkSys MIMO 802.11 b/g router and the 32 GB iPad worked flawless on that network. However, it reported low signal strength in certain parts of the house so I bought her a brand new Netgear 802.11 b/g/n dual band router. At first the iPad connected and had full strength on the 5 GHz n network, however, after it went to sleep and woke up it lost the 5 GHz n network from its list of WiFi networks and would not reconnect. I tried all the tips in the Apple Tech note and the only one that 'worked' was rebooting the router. However, once again, after the iPad went to sleep it lost the network so this is an unacceptable solution.
Looking forward to a real fix or a Congressional hearing..oh wait that was Toyota.. 😀
I have two iPads a 32GB WiFi that I was given by my employer who bought a batch of 4 and a 64GB 3G that I purchased myself. I have an Airport Extreme network using WPA2 in my house and the 32 GB iPad would lose connectivity after waking from sleep _every time_. The 3G model has no problems on the same network.
So I gave the 32GB model to my mom and in her house she had an old LinkSys MIMO 802.11 b/g router and the 32 GB iPad worked flawless on that network. However, it reported low signal strength in certain parts of the house so I bought her a brand new Netgear 802.11 b/g/n dual band router. At first the iPad connected and had full strength on the 5 GHz n network, however, after it went to sleep and woke up it lost the 5 GHz n network from its list of WiFi networks and would not reconnect. I tried all the tips in the Apple Tech note and the only one that 'worked' was rebooting the router. However, once again, after the iPad went to sleep it lost the network so this is an unacceptable solution.
Looking forward to a real fix or a Congressional hearing..oh wait that was Toyota.. 😀
That sounds like a troll post. I think Apple does a good job at testing. they announce a product, have prototypes and don't ship for months. Microsoft pushes out updates every week, that tend to break or causes issues on my Windows PC(s). Yet Apple takes their time and tells select developers a build of an upcoming release is ready - please download and test it. the upcoming release is not available for weeks/months until they feel it is good.
What I also hate about MS methods (besides rushed releases and no testing). They automatically push (and I am required to have auto-updateson by my work's ops dept). If i leave a long running process going overnight, I risk my computer being rebooted and losing the work.
While Apple posts a software update (bouncing globe). It is up to you to download when you are ready, and at a convenant time. And it also tells you upfront which updates in the package require a reboot, giving you the informed choice of whether or not; now is a conveinant time.
I've owned apple products (macbook, 2 iphones, mac mini, and now wifi only iPad) since 2008. never an issue.
I've had more than my share of bad experiences (and still having them even on Win 7). with MS.
And of those 4512 forum participants, I would guess that 4000 are non-Apple-using haters, 400 are underaged fanboys who only have a Mac or iPod touch at the grace of their parents, and maybe 100 are actual iPad owners.
Small number???
If they mean less than 1.5 million, I'd agree... I believe all of them have the same issues, just like my iPad. I have to dial in the wifi password every 5-10 minutes when I'm connecting to my MiFi. (You could say it is because of the MiFi device, but it never happens with my laptop, so it is the iPad that is at fault).
Same with the brightness, when watching a movie, the brightness goes back to maximum, even when the auto switch is off.
It would be nice if Apple, for once, own up to their bugs.
If they mean less than 1.5 million, I'd agree... I believe all of them have the same issues, just like my iPad. I have to dial in the wifi password every 5-10 minutes when I'm connecting to my MiFi. (You could say it is because of the MiFi device, but it never happens with my laptop, so it is the iPad that is at fault).
Same with the brightness, when watching a movie, the brightness goes back to maximum, even when the auto switch is off.
It would be nice if Apple, for once, own up to their bugs.
BobVB
macrumors 6502a
I have developed problems...
... at my local Coffeeshop with my 64 Wi-Fi iPad - used to connect fine, now it has one 'bar' and can't connect with it, with the one next door with the city one across the street. Figuring my software must have changed I did a hard reset but with the same result.
But I do think this is a software issue - running eWiFi on the iPad, I can see all the networks around the coffeeshop all have 3 and 4 bars - so the signal strength is there, its just the iPad's own software is doing something funky with it. I've even had to tether to my iPhone to get an internet connection.
Now at home with my Airport Extreme and Express extender I have no problem on full N anywhere in the house, on the deck, in the backyard.
I'll try the adjustment to the screen (why that would make a difference I don't know) and will wait for an update. Everything has uploadable firmware these days, right?
... at my local Coffeeshop with my 64 Wi-Fi iPad - used to connect fine, now it has one 'bar' and can't connect with it, with the one next door with the city one across the street. Figuring my software must have changed I did a hard reset but with the same result.
But I do think this is a software issue - running eWiFi on the iPad, I can see all the networks around the coffeeshop all have 3 and 4 bars - so the signal strength is there, its just the iPad's own software is doing something funky with it. I've even had to tether to my iPhone to get an internet connection.
Now at home with my Airport Extreme and Express extender I have no problem on full N anywhere in the house, on the deck, in the backyard.
I'll try the adjustment to the screen (why that would make a difference I don't know) and will wait for an update. Everything has uploadable firmware these days, right?
It's an issue with the software that has to do with it not being able to handle some inconsistencies with routers' DHCP and security settings. I've personally never had an issue with it on either of the two wifi networks I've been on. The problem is people are taking the "small number of users" comment to mean only a small number of user have defective devices, when the statement really means a "small" number of users are trying to use a wifi network that doesn't work quite right.
add one more to the "vocal minority"
Happy they are acknowledging it.
It needs to be addressed. A "very small number" of 1 million is pretty large I assume, and for those of us few who paid good money and adopted early, we'd like the device to be solid at its most important function: be connected to the internet.
It's not a small bug that causes a particular app to crash sporadically. It is THE reason for the device.
However. Once again, happy it will be fixed, until then I will keep my wi-fi network copied and keep rejoining every 5 min.
Happy they are acknowledging it.
It needs to be addressed. A "very small number" of 1 million is pretty large I assume, and for those of us few who paid good money and adopted early, we'd like the device to be solid at its most important function: be connected to the internet.
It's not a small bug that causes a particular app to crash sporadically. It is THE reason for the device.
However. Once again, happy it will be fixed, until then I will keep my wi-fi network copied and keep rejoining every 5 min.
So... Yours has trouble with WiFi, therefore nearly all iPads have trouble with WiFi.
Never mind the many people who have already posted on this thread that they are having no WiFi problems at all.
Mine works perfectly. You are one of the unlucky few. Get over it.
I'm betting the issue is not technical expertise, but Apple programming culture.
When Apple reads a technical standard to say "this" and other manufacturers say that it reads "that," then by God and Steve Jobs the device drivers will support only "this," where Windows and Linux programmers will write their drivers to support "this (but try that, too)".
Back when Apple released OS 9.2, it broke dial up internet for the customers of an ISP I was working for back then. Apple had rewritten the dial up software to support their interpretation of some obscure signaling standard, and flat out refused to support the interpretation that our modem manufacturer used.
Note how the support article recommends updating your router hardware to the latest version. The iPad apparently won't try to fall back to try older or variant versions of wifi protocols.