Q: Intermittent WiFi

I have the problem where the wi-fi does not seem to connect properly when it wakes up from standby. When it wakes up, it shows a full strength signal but it will not connect to the internet. It will not connect to 192.168.2.1 (my router). Every other device on the network works fine.

Here is what I have tried:

1. Reset the iPad networking - does not work
2. Reset the iPad entirely and restore from iTunes - does not work
3. Change router to "G" mode only - does not work
4. Change security from WPA to WEP to unsecured - does not work
5. Wake using the top button instead of the Home button - does not work
6. Set a static IP instead of using DHCP - does not work
7. Changed Proxy to AUTO from None - does not work

I'm not sure what else I can do. I've got an appointment at a Genius Bar tomorrow, but I really doubt they'll be able to help.

Same problems as everyone else. Apple's suggested fix does not work.

I had a longer initial post, so will keep this follow-up brief. Was out on the deck this morning with a cup of coffee and wanting to read the "paper" on my iPad... I could SEE my router through the window, across the great room, and in my office... but while it could see the system, it could not connect until I came back inside. I put the iPad aside and proceeded to read the "paper" on my iPhone, which was reporting full-strength WiFi.

As a follow up to my earlier post, I took the iPad into the Genius Bar today. I listed out everything I did. They did not have any additional suggestions. They gave me a replacement iPad.

I can add a new number to my above list:

8. Replaced iPad with new one - does not work

Same issues. It went into standby and did not wake up properly.

Before I got frustrated and angry and finished posting this, I tried one more thing. Yesterday, I used iTunes to reset it to factory defaults and then I did the normal restore from backup. It didn't fix the issue.

This time I did a reset to factory defaults and didn't let it restore all my data, nor did I let it sync with iTunes. After it was done, I unplugged it from the USB. I then connected to the net with the iPad, let it idle 20 minutes, activated it again... and it worked. It got right on the net.

What does this mean? Beats the heck out of me. Does it break because I sync'd it? Does it break because of some application I downloaded from the App Store? Does it break because of Push Notifications or sun spots or ambient room temperature? No clue.

But it did work ONCE.

What were you backing up from? Your first iPad? It was probably syncing your old WiFi preferences. I know on my iPhone will take my old settings and load them back onto my phone after a restore.

Did you do a reset network settings or reset to factory defaults for the entire device?

{quote:title=nike+runner wrote:}
What were you backing up from? Your first iPad? It was probably syncing your old WiFi preferences. I know on my iPhone will take my old settings and load them back onto my phone after a restore.

Did you do a reset network settings or reset to factory defaults for the entire device?

What were you backing up from? Your first iPad? It was probably syncing your old WiFi preferences. I know on my iPhone will take my old settings and load them back onto my phone after a restore.

Did you do a reset network settings or reset to factory defaults for the entire device?{quote}

In response to your first question, yes. I was restoring from my original iPad. It did restore wireless settings.

I did both a network reset (did not fix the issue) and then the reset to factory defaults (worked only if I didn't sync/restore). I synced it up with iTunes as a new iPad as a test and it stopped waking from standby, just like before.

I took it to a friend's place with a completely different router. He had a netgear B&G router. The iPad would connect but fail to get a real IP. I renewed and it still didn't get one initially. Eventually it got an IP but the signal was weak. It took a LONG time to download anything. I did all the tricks there (updated router firmware, switched to G-only, manually put in a DNS server, tried to get to the router webpage, used the different security modes, etc.).

Basically, what I'm saying is that I've seen two types of symptoms now with the same iPad:

1) Refusal to reconnect correctly after stand-by (Belkin N1+ router)
2) Weak signal when/if it finally connects (Netgear B&G).

I have 2 iPads. 16gb and 32gb. One is mine and one is my wife's.

We have Verizon FIOS and their Actiontec router. Both of the iPads drop connections after it wakes up from standby. Both occasionally do not remember the network password. Even when in the same room as the router.

We also have a macbook, macbook pro, 2 iPhones and an iMac. All of them do not have any problems with our wifi setup all throughout the two-story house.

My wife even took her iPad to her aunt's house on Easter. They have AT&T uverse I believe. She had the exact same problems there.

I have tried Apple's recommended fixes of resetting network settings and recycling the iPads. Did not work.

I really hope they can fix this soon otherwise, we will be returning them in the next few weeks. I love the product, but the wifi issues must be fixed.

How long do we have before we can return these units if they fix is not corrected shortly?

My post will not be helpfull.. but wanted to comment that my iPad has worked flawlessly until today. Ive been using it at home with my airport extreme and at my work (no idea what type of router). Today, at work, network connectivity is very unstable. There are multiple networks for me to choose from (private and public) with entirely different backbones.. and none of them work reliably. Wifi signal will be full.. then down to 1 bar.. then full... Sometimes Safari loads a web page.. sometimes it doesn't.. no matter what the signal strength is.

My iPhone 3Gs and the iMac in front of me have no issues. Restarting, increasing the brightness, resetting network settings, renewing leases.. nothing works.

Following up on the lists of ways to get around or solve the intermittent WiFi and re-prompting for WEP password...I can also report nothing seemed to work better ( following forum posting leads and the list of 7. above) until under "Brightness& Wallpaper" the slider is set to full brightness on the right.

Seems to have solved my mixed B and G home FIOS network iPad WiFi woes.

I've experienced that especially on OmniFocus (made for iPhone, running on iPad).

The Wifi just drops and then doesn't re-establish itself until I manually do it. I've tried all kind of uninstalling, restoring, removing of apps, wiping of the omnifocus database, etc.

I don't know if I'm glad or disappointed so many others are having the same issue. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this, but jeez, this looks to be bad with so many. Hopefully it's just a software issue that can be corrected soon.

For what it's worth, I'm on an Overdrive-465 on Sprint, and my iPad will stay connected MUCH longer if I disable security on the Overdrive. I'm having the same experience as everyone else here, but it will stay connected and reconnect fairly quickly now -- of course, I don't want to be running w/o security, but I don't want to have to reconnect all the time, either.

Just wondering -- and I don't know anything about this -- is this constant disconnection from Wi-Fi part of how the iPad can have such great battery life?

Update: still intermittent WiFi access problems, more stable with no dimmed screen. but still dropping connection.

Will test with only iPad connected to home Fios network.