Q: iPad Air 2 WiFi Connectivity Issues:  RESOLVED

escrge1843 wrote:

 

• Restoring the iPad to factory settings (using backup and setting up as new iPad)

 

I wanted to find out about this. Was this particular procedure done with your iTunes program, and not by erasing everything from the iOS device itself?

I might add one thing here, for others reading here. If someone does the factory default reset, by using iTunes ... it would be a good "troubleshooting methodology" to not restore your backup at first. You would want to see how your iPad works without any of your stuff on there or any of your apps on there and just run it and test it out, as a clean and fresh system ... all by itself. This will tell you a lot, by itself.

I've run across a few users here on this forum who said their problem was related to certain apps. And then others could be problems with some settings or files. I would advise others to not restore, and simply check out the clean operation without any files or settings you had before. Now, if I ran into problems from that kind of "setup" ... and it was a clean install ... that's when I would be running down to the Apple Store and tell them that my iPad was not working, as it should (show them exactly what it is) from being "factory fresh". At that point, they couldn't point to any of your files or apps ... you see ... :-) ...

Now, for other readers who want to know how to reset to factory default condition - by using your iTunes program, see the last link below. I'm including a bunch of links on backups, because anyone who is trying that should do their backups, even if they do not restore, right off the bat ... and as I said ... one should not restore their backup, right off the bat, but check out the operation first.

Choosing an iOS Backup Method (Should I Use iTunes or iCloud to back up ...)

https://support.apple.com/kb/HT5262

Back up and Restore your iOS Device with iCloud or iTunes

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1766

iTunes: About iOS Backups

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4946

Create and Delete iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch Backups in iTunes

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4946

iOS: Troubleshooting Encrypted Backups

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5162

Use iTunes to Restore your iOS Device to Factory Settings

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1414

This is not resolved, changing your router to 802.11b/g  or  a  is not a resolution of the problem.

The iPad Air 2 is suppose to run under 802.11ac isn't it?  This setting your router to b/g or /a is a step backwards in technology.

Come on.

Agree. I would put the suggested changes in the 'temporary workaround' category, and don't consider it a long term solution. I'm trying them out myself just to see if it actually does work as workaround until Apple (or Linksys) figures this out.

This approach even contradicts Apple's recommended wifi settings... http://http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4199?viewlocale=en_US

On the subject of using a fresh iPad to test this out, yesterday I did a factory restore on the iPad itself (erasing all content & settings from the iPad) then set it up as a new iPad. I never plugged it into iTunes. I connected the blank iPad to my network and then did some web surfing in Safari. After letting the iPad sleep for a bit, I was easily able to reproduce the stalled/lost connection issue.

Thanks for sharing your fix which I will try tonight. Only thing of concern is switching the 5ghz to A only? Doesn't that reduce the speed at which devices can download? Have you run speed tests after this to check it if its in line with what you were getting on the N network?

Thanks

So, for most households this is a theoretical issue versus a real issue as A/B/N speeds all exceed the typical broadband speed coming into your network. In my case, I net only about 15 Mbps download speed from AT&T and was able to achieve this both before and after making the changes described in this thread.

That said, what will be impacted is speed within your network. So streaming from your own internal servers will suffer under A speeds compared to N speeds.

Thanks for the advice -  I get a minimum of 50 Mbs download so hope the A network wont reduce that. Will definitely try as a temp workaround until Apple sort this out.

This worked for me but I did not do the restore.  Just changed the Linksys EA3500 routers 2.4 to B/G only and 5 to N only.

Thanks

Interesting workaround - it appears Linksys has some problems with their routers operating in mixed mode.  I had N-only on my 5GHz band on the EA4500, but that didn't work.

as41 - its unlikely you will get 50mpbs from a-only setting.  Both a and g wireless networks are early-2000s standards that only allow a max theoretical bandwidth of 54mbps, however signal attenuation and interference will degrade that significantly.  At reasonable distances and with normal levels of interference, you would probably get something closer to 10mpbs.  I had this exact argument with a verizon rep when I first had FiOS installed - I bought the 35/35 Mbps plan, but the router the tech installed was a wireless-g router.  He kept trying to tell me that it was OK since the router had a 54mbps speed...

This worked for me.  I have been able to maintain my router and internet connection for several hours this evening without toggling wifi on and off whereas before my connection dropped as soon as my Ipad Air 2 went to sleep.  My router is the linksys E4200.

You shouldn't need to make those router changes, it sounds like there's something else wrong with your router or its settings. Have you checked to see if Linksys have any firmware updates for it? Here's a document on Apple's recommended settings for WiFi routers:

iOS and OS X: Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points

Also:

iOS: Troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks and connections

MMy linksys ea4500 is fully updated, I was actually thinking that it might need to downgrade the firmware - linksys rolled out cloud capable firmware that can run "apps" and perhaps that creates the problems.  The older classic firmware may be better - simplicity is king after all.