iPad New Ipad Air 2 constantly dropping WIFI connection

[photocat2005]

Hi All

Long time lurker, first time poster. I just bought my first iPad, the iPad Air 2, 64 GB wifi-only, over the weekend (caught the $100 off deal at Staples) and spent a couple days setting it up, including updating the iOS to 8.4 and playing with it. Love it.

Everything is great with it except -- it is constantly dropping the wifi connection. It drops it for a second or two and then reconnects. This drop in connection stops any video that is streaming (the biggest issue) and I'll see messages pop up in FB or email that will say something like "currently offline"

The short version is I've done everything except a dreaded factory reset. I've googled and see that this is not an uncommon problem that seems tied to iOS 8 but all "solutions" such as resetting network, forget network and reassigning, setting up a static IP address, etc. Have not worked at all.

Questions: Should I take back to Staples and exchange? I'll probably be forced to wait for a replacement, they only had 2, one of which I bought. Do I contact Apple or go to the Apple Store? (No Applecare but I've only had this for 5 days)

I hate spending this kind of money for something that doesn't work like it should but I also don't want to go through the hassle if this really isn't a hardware issue and is an iOS 8 / 8.4 issue that will be corrected in the next software update.

Thanks in advance for advice!

 

[hovscorpion12]

The Wi-Fi connection/disconnect issue is all around. I had it on my 6 Plus & iPad since iOS 8.0.1. For me I checked with my router if i'm using 2.5Ghz Wi-fi spectrum or 5Ghz. 5Ghz. is best

 

[matraco]

Have you disabled wifi networking services and put custom dns?

Anyways this wifi thing happens to me as well, but it has improved with the recent updates. It only happens now some times if im streaming videos with the not so strong wifi signals.

 

[IrishVixen]

That seems to be a problem with 8.4, it was reported by several here on the forum and others elsewhere. I ran into it myself; zero issue running on 8.3 with a new Air2, upgraded to 8.4 and the wifi issues made the device absolutely unusable. Custom DNS doesn't fix it, and it isn't hardware, it's an issue with a background process called discoveryd. This is one of those problems that Apple denies exists, and then quietly fixes in the next major firmware: discoveryd does not exist in IOS 9. Something on 8.4 makes this problem worse for some users.

My solution was to move back down to 8.3 where the problem is rare, but unfortunately that's no longer an option. Depending on how unbearable it is for you, options are 1) take it to Apple (but they may deny the issue) & hope they'll replace it with on on 8.3, 2) return it to Staples and exchange for another that *will* be on 8.3, 3) jailbreak and install a tweak called WiFried that kills the rogue process when it runs out of control, or 4) sit tight and wait until the iOS 9 release.

Note that if you get a new iPad on 8.3, you won't be able to restore from a backup of this one, since you cannot restore from a backup taken on higher numbered firmware.

 

[hovscorpion12]

That seems to be a problem with 8.4, it was reported by several here on the forum and others elsewhere. I ran into it myself; zero issue running on 8.3 with a new Air2, upgraded to 8.4 and the wifi issues made the device absolutely unusable. Custom DNS doesn't fix it, and it isn't hardware, it's an issue with a background process called discoveryd. This is one of those problems that Apple denies exists, and then quietly fixes in the next major firmware: discoveryd does not exist in IOS 9. Something on 8.4 makes this problem worse for some users.

My solution was to move back down to 8.3 where the problem is rare, but unfortunately that's no longer an option. Depending on how unbearable it is for you, options are 1) take it to Apple (but they may deny the issue) & hope they'll replace it with on on 8.3, 2) return it to Staples and exchange for another that *will* be on 8.3, 3) jailbreak and install a tweak called WiFried that kills the rogue process when it runs out of control, or 4) sit tight and wait until the iOS 9 release.

Note that if you get a new iPad on 8.3, you won't be able to restore from a backup of this one, since you cannot restore from a backup taken on higher numbered firmware.

iOS 8.3 is no longer available as Apple has no longer signed 8.3. The only downgrade or restore has to done on iOS 8.4.

 

[IrishVixen]

iOS 8.3 is no longer available as Apple has no longer signed 8.3. The only downgrade or restore has to done on iOS 8.4.

Which is what I said:

My solution was to move back down to 8.3 where the problem is rare, but unfortunately that's no longer an option.

As I mentioned too, odds are EXTREMELY high that any replacement iPad right now will be on 8.3 or earlier, since 8.4 just came out.

 

[photocat2005]

Thank you all, especially IrishVixen, for the fantastic, albeit it somewhat depressing, information. I've also switched now to our 5Ghz band and will see how that goes in the meantime. I'm now inclined to hold out for IOS 9 if it isn't an issue with this particular device.

Overall though Apple really needs to get their act back together and get back to basics of what made them so popular "it just works" --- at least it used to (Oh and I did report the issue to Apple on their support page. Figured it couldn't hurt)

 

[richardmu]

I had the same wifi issue when I bought my first Air last year. Like you I tried everything but with no success. The iPad was unusable so I took it back to my local Apple Store and they replaced it with a new one that was on the
earlier version of iOS that did not have the problem.
I would recommend you get it replaced and you will most likely get one with
the earlier iOS version. Not worth waiting and hoping it gets fixed in the next
release.
My current Air 2 is still on 8.1.3 and works just fine! 8.4 can wait until I am
100% confident there will be no nasty wifi issues.

 

[IrishVixen]

Oh, they're aware of this problem, though giving them feedback is always a good thing to do. The jailbreak community made sure they knew, by fixing it two weeks or so after the first iOS 8 jailbreak was released and people could finally dig around at the root level to discover the cause. At that point, it was patched by the dev who found it and formally submitted as a bug. Subsequent versions of iOS mitigated the problem somewhat & the rogue process is gone in 9, so we know Apple took it seriously, but Apple Music seems to have brought it roaring back for the moment. This is why you don't add massive new features at release with only internal testing--the addition of Apple Music seems to have broken quite a few things aside from this. I expect we'll see an 8.4.1 update and possibly an 8.4.2 trying to smooth problems like this out until they can be addressed in iOS 9. At least, I hope so!

The other thing you can try is turn off AirDrop if you have it on. The original bug was tied in with that function--apparently discoveryd's job, at least in part, is to regularly look for other Apple devices to talk to. Turning AirDrop off except when you need it won't solve the problem, but it might reduce the number of times it happens somewhat.

Kinda sucks, that's for sure, but at least they've fixed it in 9. I really would do an exchange though while it's still likely you'll get a device on a lower firmware. I know it's a huge nuisance, but that bug can make your shiny new iPad completely unusable.