CaptnHaddock Author

Level 1

14 points

ipad Air 2 update to iOS 13 problem

This all started with an iPad Air 2 functioning normally running IOS 12.

I updated my iPad to iOS 13.

I did this while the iPad was plugged into my iMac which is running Mojave 10.14.6 with an up to date iTunes.

The update appeared to go normally.

After iOS launched everything looks normal BUT there are problems.

The first problem is that after the iPad booted up under iOS 13 it could no longer talk to iTunes.

"iTunes could not connect to the device because an error occurred while reading from the device".

The cable is fine and other devices have no problem connecting using that same cable.

The second problem is the iPad cannot connect to my network.

The iPad can see the available networks and ask me to join - but always fails after i enter the password.

(as if I was using the wrong password).

My router is up to date with the latest bios and I have the correct password and all my other apple devices can join and function normally over this network.

The third problem is the iPad cannot successfully connect to another device using bluetooth.

It can see other devices and go through the normal steps of connection but in the end it always fails to make the connection.

So in an attempt to fix this I put the iPad into "recovery mode" and connected it to iTunes.

In recovery mode it will connect to iTunes and iTunes then offers me the option to restore or update.

I have tried both of those options.

The system was reinstalled - fresh.

But this has not resolved the problems described above.

There were no signs of trouble on the iPad before the update to 13.

So I have now run out of ideas.

I performed regular backups with my iPad.

However I cannot (or do not know how to) connect to iTunes in a way that gives me the option to restore.

Nasty problem.

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi

Posted on Sep 29, 2019 9:30 AM

Top-ranking reply

scottmvegas

Level 1

14 points

Posted on Oct 8, 2019 11:57 AM

I was able to fix this exact issue today.

The problems started when my girlfriend's ipad auto installed ipados 13.1.2 -- once installed, the iPad lost the ability to join any wifi network that required a password. I had to temporarily disable encryption on my wifi router in order to get this ipad to connect. But even after getting it back on the internet, I still couldn't authenticate to iCloud. (Maybe some crypto routines were broken?)

So I resorted to a DFU restore from iTunes. But in retrospect, I don't think this was necessary. I think I was mistakenly thinking that the update failed to install correctly, but in reality, I think 13.1.2 is just very buggy. I think I could have skipped the DFU DETOUR below and gone straight to the BETA PROFILE INSTALL.

DFU DETOUR: DFU Mode on this iPad requires pressing the Power and Home buttons simultaneously for 10 seconds, and then letting go of the Power button while still holding the Home button for another 2 to 5 seconds. Oddly, the first two times I attempted this, the iPad wasn't restored to factory settings, but the third time it was. Thankfully, my mac is still running Mojave, so I didn't have to figure out the new way to do it without iTunes.

BETA PROFILE INSTALL: Anyway, once I had a clean 13.1.2 install, I STILL couldn't connect to wifi with WPA2 enabled, so I thought I'd install the beta. I went to http://beta.apple.com in the iPad's safari browser,, logged in with my icloud acct, and imported the beta profile, went to Settings/General/Profiles, installed this profile, and restarted the iPad.

After the restart, I went to Settings/General/Software Update and could download and install the 13.2 public beta. Once installed, I tested wifi with a password, and it worked! (But, because I had wiped my iPad to factory settings during the DFU DETOUR, I still needed to restore from iCloud next, but if you skipped the DFU DETOUR, then you're probably already done, so jump to IT WORKS.)

RESTORE FROM ICLOUD: So, with a good OS installed, I went to Settings/General/Reset and erased all content and settings, and set up the iPad as new again, this time restoring from a recent iCloud backup.

IT WORKS: And poof, everything was back to normal: wifi worked, iCloud login worked.

So, in summary, the real fix was: disable encryption on wifi router, and install 13.2 beta.

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52 replies

andym100

Level 1

27 points

Oct 14, 2019 2:19 PM in response to JNinSD

@JNinSD I'm now running 13.2 beta. I didn't take any action to remove the beta profile, but I no longer see it in Settings. Perhaps it removed itself as a part of the beta installation.

Nov 9, 2019 12:00 AM in response to scottmvegas

You are the hero of our household right now.

CaptnHaddock Author

Level 1

14 points

Sep 30, 2019 8:59 PM in response to Chris Minnella

If I have time I will play around with it some more - and if i learn anything useful I will post it here.

In terms of taking precautions I think I did everything a reasonable person could do.

It this point I have no better advice than to suggest you do a full restore.

That did sort things out - except for the loss of data. Backed up data ironically.

Something I didn't think of before I restored was that if you use a OTP authenticator for two factor authentication, you may want to move that to another device while you can.

Oct 16, 2019 1:19 AM in response to CaptnHaddock

I fixed this for my iPad Air 2 today by logging onto a wifi that didn't require a password authentication, and then downloading the newest iPad iOS 13.1.3 - looks like Apple fixed the bug. Getting on the wifi without password authentication is probably the hardest part now.

SamMcGee

Level 1

4 points

Oct 16, 2019 6:10 AM in response to SamMcGee

All,

Finally fixed my issue. On the evening of 10/14, when opening iTunes for something else, I was prompted that iTunes needed to be updated to connect to my iPad - the iPad (BRICK) was still attached to my mac since there was no other use for it. After updating iTunes and three attempts to get to DFU mode, I was able to initiate a retry on the upgrade. That went according to normal process - the result - no secure wi-fi connectivity, connection to unsecured wi-fi same white screen in browsers and internet apps not working.

The only correction left was to restore from a backup and let the apps all re-install. Hours later, my iPad is running fine and connecting to secure wi-fi.

FIRST THING I DID - TURN OFF AUTOMATIC UPDATE!!!!

Once Apple goes about a year without horror stories like this related to updates, I MIGHT turn automatic update back on... maybe.

Oct 14, 2019 9:17 AM in response to luismat00

Also I can't "Erase All Content and Settings", the link just don't do anything.

SamMcGee

Level 1

4 points

Oct 16, 2019 6:04 AM in response to andym100

Yes. Tried that too. It connects to the wi-fi, but any browser gets a blank (just white background) screen. Any app that uses the internet, including App Store, is non responsive.

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ipad Air 2 update to iOS 13 problem