Q: iPad Air WiFi (5GHz) issues after iOS 8 upgrade

Since my problems might be related to distance, I'm wondering whether the iPhone 6 radio is more sensitive than the iPad Air's radio on 5.0 ghz.  Perhaps there is new QoS software/parameter settings in IOS 8 that is at the root cause.  This might also explain why some folks temporarily got relief by changing radio frequency settings.  Note my Netgear router QoS remains at the factory settings.

Well done to Grnintrn88 for bringing this issue directly to a person in Apple Support. The more times this happens, the more likely they are to take it seriously. My iPad is more stable at 2.4ghz but even under heavy usage I have noticed it slowing right down after half an hour or so surfing the net. It cannot be the BT home hub router I use  because all other nine Apple devices in my house work perfectly at 5ghz and BT deliver updates to their software automatically overnight directly to the router so it is always up to date. 

My iPad is brand new from Apple too but experiences exactly the same issues as my previous one and everyone else affected in this discussion thread. Come on Apple, either fix this bug quickly or at least let us downgrade to iOS7 which was at usable on the iPad.

OK ... I did the "forget this network" and it seems to have helped for about 12 hours now. I need more time to see if it is permanent. But there are so many Internet issues still that it is tough to document. Nothing is consisted when loading web pages and often the pages are tiny instey of full size. Very buggy.

Anyway please try the forget this network option and report back here.

AAll good things must come to an end. IPad now not working at all on 5.0ghz. Just like prior to installing 8.0.2. I'm on 2.4 ghz.

i was having the same issue as everyone else and finally got it fixed today. After calling support, doing a restore, and a few other things, I finally went to the Genius Bar today. They reinstalled the firmware on my iPad. Working fine now

Apple must be aware of the issue but not saying anything about it.

Having the same problems.  WIfi working fine until I downloaded IOS 8, It's so frustrating, that I have abandoned my Ipad 3

Just to add to my woes I have discovered that I cannot make a call from my iPad Air to the outside world via my iPhone. This useful feature works perfectly well on an older iPad 3 and also on Yosemite Beta working on my MacBook Pro. The settings are identical on all devices and I have tried turning off and on iPhone calls in the FaceTime settings and rebooting all devices as recommended in a post by someone else.

Are other users in this thread experiencing the same problem or am I an isolated case? I am making calls on my iPad 3 and MacBook Pro through BT Homehub 5 set at 2.4 ghz as this is the only way I can use my iPad air.

This is most definitely an IOS8 issue - and whilst the 8.0.2 patch makes the iPad more stable, it does not fix the fault that kills 5GHz connections.  I have exactly the same issue whereby 5GHz networks cannot be used with the iPad subsequent to upgrade from IOS 7.1.2 to IOS 8 - or IOS 8.0.2.

I have completed tests that consistently prove that the problem is nothing at all to do with the ISP (BT) or the router (also in my case an BT Homehub 5).  At present, I have a recent iPad Mini Retina (wifi & cellular) and iPad Air (wifi & cellular) purchased same day.  Both have been running IOS 7.1.2 without issue, with various 5GHz networks - including the domestic HH5 router and business networks   My domestic network also has an AppleTV and PC forced onto the 5GHz network, also working without any network issues at all.

The domestic router has 2.4GHz & 5GHz networks configured thus:

5GHz:  SSID = NetworkName-A, WPA2

2.4GHz: SSID = NetworkName-B, WPA2

The iPad Mini Retina IOS 7.1.2 would interoperate with both 5GHz & 2.4GHz networks without issue, both domestic (above) and other networks such as that at my place of work.  After "upgrade" to IOS 8, the iPad is unusable with any 5GHz networks; it will associate, but will not exchange network traffic for more than a few initial seconds - after which networking app's such as Safari and email will hang.  All other devices (including non IOS 8 Apple kit) continue to operate completely normally - as will the iPad Mini Retina if is forced onto a 2.4GHz network.

The iPad Air (still running IOS 7.1.2) continues to operate with the same 5GHz & 2.4GHz networks without any problems at all.  Given the issues experienced with IOS 8 & IOS 8.0.2 - and as consistently described by others within this forum - the iPad Air has not (and will not) be upgraded until this serious network connectivity issue is resolved by Apple.

All of my attempts to resolve the IOS 8 iPad 5GHz networking issues have failed, escalating from "forget network" to "reset network settings" and "reset all settings".  Restore doesn't fix the problem either.

For those affected by this serious network bug, the only apparent workaround (but not fix) that might make your iPad semi-usable is to utilise  different SSIDs for routers that you are able configure - and only configure the corresponding 2.4GHz network SSID on the iPad.  If your router or wifi network utilises a common SSID for both 5GHz and 2.4GHz networks, client connection strategies will usually attempt to preferentially connect to the 5GHz network where both are available.  Unless you can force your iPad to only use 2.4GHz, with IOS 8, all kinds of issues will ensue as the iPad will not tell you which "band" it is attemping to utilise - and available settings will not allow you to explicitly disable either band.

Come on Apple - you can replicate the same test conditions.  Admit and resolve this issue.  I can appreciate you  concentrating on the launch of the new iPhone 6, but your new IOS 8 update has introduced a major network bug in most other iThings.

Lotus Pilot... You are compeltely correct. Workaround can be done but certainly not something I would appreciate livining with forever.

So I created two seperate connection profiles on my BT Home hub5 in advanced wifi settings, thereby separating 2.4ghz and 5 Ghz networks which is possible to do on BT Home Hub 5 (if you have access writes to it such as at home).

I now only connect my ios8 iPad mini retina to the 2.4ghz (forgetting the 5ghz network so it never tries to connect to it). I have left my other ios7 devices to use both and 2.4 And 5ghz automatically as before and all devices now work fine.

So the problem is now usabale, but currently working as a workaround at least at home. However, as soon as I moved my ipad with ios8 to other networks outside my house, (to use the bt connect cloud which you get free as a BT infinity us timer), the problem restarts, so problem only temporarily fixed at least in my house And 2.4ghz does seem slower, but at least fully usabale for the time being until Apple acknowledges and fixes the 5ghz wifi connection problems in IOS8.

Anyone know is there is a way to force ios8 devices to ONlY connect to 2.4ghz networks while the bug is still present in ios8, as when out and about, you have no access to the router settings, which is only controlable at home when you own the router.

thanks

KIngdoz/Lotuspilot, I completely appreciate what you are saying here and it is so frustrating.

In terms of logging this issue with Apple how is the best way to do this? I can't get tech support as my iPad was bought back in March time and I dont have Applecare. I do want to log this though, but not sure how best to do it.

I'm also still having problems after the 8.0.2 update on my ipad Air(as well as after 8.0!).  I've tried the forget network and it doesnt' work.  I refuse to do anything else as I know it is something Apple did w/ iOS 8.  Everything else I have on my network is working fine (2 iPad Retina, 1 ipad Air on 7.1.2, Mac Air, multiple PCs, multiple Xbox 360/One/PS3/PS4).  Only the iPad Air on 8.0 doesn't work.  Fix this ****, Apple.  I'm really getting irritated.  It doesn't even seem like this is something they're focusing on.  How do we let them know this is a problem?

As with any other workaround, it comes with penalties.  In this case, forcing the iPad to only use 2.4GHz in preference to 5GHz has implications for network throughput.  However, as the IOS 8/8.0.2 update has effectively destroyed 5GHz network connectivity on the iPad, you have an easy choice; either force 2.4GHz working where you can, or give up pending a proper fix from Apple.

In the meantime, I recommend that you concentrate your efforts on highlighting both this proven issue and it's workaround - and not leave Apple Support alone until they fix this fundamental fault.  Other than applying the workaround, customers can do nothing to resolve this fault.

The more that customers complain about this serious issue, the more likely that Apple will assign resource into fixing it.

PPerhaps the solution is a firmware upgrade. If you live near an Apple Store, visit the Genius Bar. At least you will let them know about the issue. I plan on doing that

Unfortunately the forget network option was one of the first things I tried, though not noted in my previous posts. Here is a rundown:

iPad Air running iOS 8.0.2 drops connection to 5Ghz network (WPA2 security with different SSID than 2.4 Ghz network on same router) every 10-15 seconds, ever since iOS 8 update. No issue with iPhone 5s running 8.0.2 and two other computers connected to the same router/5Ghz network. iPad connects to the 2.4Ghz network on the same router without an issue.

STEPS TAKEN (none corrected the issue):

• Restarted wireless router and cable modem
• Verified current firmware version is installed on router with manufacturer
• Used “forget this network” option and then reconnected to the 5Ghz network
• Performed normal reset of iPad
• Installed iOS 8.0.2 update
• Performed hard reset of iPad (Home + Power button)
• Reset network settings and attempted to reconnect to 5Ghz network
• Tested with Wi-Fi Networking disabled and enabled under Settings/Privacy/Location Services/System Services
• Reset iPad to factory settings, first from a backup and then as a new device
• Attempted to roll back to iOS 7.1.2 through iTunes, but since Apple is no longer signing that iOS version it would not work

CONTACTED APPLE SUPPORT:

I just got off a chat with Apple support. The agent tried to blame router firmware (verified current with the manufacturer), and then my network configuration. Despite the fact that I have four other devices connecting to the 5Ghz network with no issues. Stuck with 2.4Ghz as a workaround until Apple addresses this in a future update.