2nd Gen Touch & WiFi & Hidden SSID networks

I have tried to read all of the (many, many) existing threads on WiFi issues with the new iPod Touch -- frankly this ought to be a HUGE embarrassment to Apple.

Let me add to the list of problems -- the many strikes against this otherwise quite lovable device:

It doesn't play well with networks that use hidden SSID, so-called "closed" networks. All of the known existing problems with Touch 2Gen and ordinary WiFi networks (failure to join automatically, needing to have the device reset before joining, needing to turn off/on/off/on the wifi on the device before joining, etc. etc. etc.) -- are replicated and worsened when attempting to join and remain connected to a hidden-SSID network (yes, even one running on Apple's own wireless router!).

The worst is that, very often, one has to repeat going through the entire process of entering the network name and password -- as if the network had been 'forgotten.' (Although, it can be proved the iPod hasn't 'forgotten' the network, as the device will remember details such as a Static IP to associate with the network -- it just forgets to join it in the first place!)

Apple, Apple, Apple!

Are you determined to make me stop buying your products in the future?

Do you intend to fix the very buggy WiFi on this device?

1.67 GHz PPC G4, Mac OS X (10.4.11), 17" Titanium PowerBook; iPod Touch 2nd Gen

Posted on Sep 23, 2008 3:02 AM

Reply
18 replies

Sep 23, 2008 8:57 AM in response to Furtwanglerian

FWIW my 2G doesn't have a problem connecting to my "hidden SSID" router; not saying that it may not be an issue but apparently it's not an all-encompassing one, given that I can disable SSID broadcast on my router and yet I can connect to it just fine (obviously I have to manually type in the SSID but that's a given if the IPT is unable to discover the SSID on its own).

Sep 23, 2008 10:02 AM in response to Furtwanglerian

This very issue is what brought me to these forums. I have this problem at home and at work; in both places I'll either need to manually enter the info or turn my Wi-Fi off / on to get an address. Just today I was able to connect to the wireless at work, then 2 hours later it can't find the network. This is my first touch and I use the Wi-Fi as much as I use the music.

Apple, PLEASE address these issues with an update!!

Sep 29, 2008 9:14 PM in response to Furtwanglerian

fyi...

can this be bumped??

i am running a macbook intel 2.4x2 2gb/160gb (new) w/AirPort wireless. no matter how many times I tell it to remember my home network, it won't automatically connect. i must manually enter my password each time. upon connecting it detects the wpa type and works fine, but this is akin to having to remove my ssb module every time i wanted to use linux wireless -- i.e., it's a pain in the ***.

it seems like a bug in the way AirPort's software (or Mac OS) remembers networks. any fixes? any advice?

chaim

Oct 28, 2008 4:09 PM in response to Furtwanglerian

I, too, have an iPod Touch and have set up networks at my home and work with WPA2-PSK authentication and a hidden SSID. About once a week, the iPod Touch just forgets those networks. This is very irritating, as I have a very long and complex shared key to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to the network. This is my first Apple product EVER, and it doesn't bode well for the product. Apple, you need to fix this!

antsman

Nov 24, 2008 4:24 PM in response to Furtwanglerian

Have you (or anyone who replied on this thread) actually opened a support case with Apple?

I just got a new 2nd Gen touch a couple of weeks ago and have been having the same problems described by you and the others here in my office (which uses a hidden SSID + 128bit WEP). Usually, the connection is lost when the unit comes out of sleep and it won't come back until I do a reset of the network settings and re-enter all the connection parameters.

I have 2 other co-workers with 2nd gen units and they have the exact same problems (worse actually, since they are both farther from the nearest access point).

There are 2 other folks here who have 1st gen units and neither one has ever had any problems here in the building. So this does appear to be a 2nd gen only issue.

I installed the 2.2 update which didn't help or hurt, but I was having the problems with the older 2.1.2 software.

It would be encouraging to at least hear from someone that Apple has acknowledged this is a real problem. If there is some sort of workaround, that would be even more encouraging.

Thanks,

Mark Edington

Nov 24, 2008 7:07 PM in response to Furtwanglerian

when I had the 1st gen ipod touch it never had a single problem connecting to any wifi signal as long as I new the pasword

the same was true about my current 2nd gen ipod touch excepting having to toggle it on/off/on but when I updated to 2.2 and few days ago, it was totaly fixed

now it connects on the first time, it even sometimes even shows the wifi signal bars before the actual name of the signal is fully loaded

I've found that even the battery life when using wifi has greatly improved since updating

Dec 11, 2008 8:17 AM in response to Furtwanglerian

i came to this forum looking for a fix for this.. i have a 2nd Gen iPod Touch and as others when i come home from work the Touch can't find my closed network at home... need to enter all network name, password, WAP2 etc again.. this IS a real pain.

are some saying that if you toggle the Touch on-off-on it will find the network? and/or i need to reset network settings before entering network info to get it to stick?

can someone definitively state all of the steps to take to get this problem to go away?

thanks in advance,

T.

Dec 26, 2008 7:27 PM in response to Furtwanglerian

I had the same problem with the 2G touch i just got yesterday. I was trying to connect to a hidden network with WPA security. After awhile, I found that I was able to connect by doing the following:
1. Connect to "other"
2. Type in the SSID again (as you should have already done this once)
3. Select "none" under security

And then join the network. The ipod seems to have remembered the security settings... just need to enter the ssid every time. Annoying yes, but a step closer to a fix than before....

Dec 28, 2008 6:49 AM in response to curly_drummer7

This is pretty pathetic on Apple's part, but my iTouch wouldn't re-connect to my secure network after it was powered off or recharged. For security, I had my home network set to NOT broadcast the SSID with WEP enabled. I was able to get the iTouch to connect to this network by configuring the network under Other Wireless Networks, however, every time the iTouch was turned off it would require the network to be reconfigured.

As a work-around, I had to make my home network less secure by turning broadcast SSID back on. Come on man! In the era of network and application security, this is pathetic.

For those struggling with this issue, I hope this helps. For Apple, get your act together.

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2nd Gen Touch & WiFi & Hidden SSID networks

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