Cannot connect IPAD to internet through IMAC airport.

Well, these solutions work for us. The iOS is meant to be friendly and easy to setup. That is what make it so much more attractive that Windows.

More than enough of us have found that simple methods are the best solutions. No need to complicate things further, we just want to SURF THE NET!

It's not clear and seems like the earlier poster with the iPad 2s, and you, don't have the SAME problem as the original poster. There's no point in adding more to this.

For instance. 6 brand new iPad 2s that won't connect to the internet, yet adding MobileMe accounts enables them to connect? You are likely not doing something correctly in setting up these machines for internet because this makes no sense whatever, or you've left out so much information that it'll be impossible to troubleshoot that specific issue.

The original poster does not have 6 new iPad 2s that aren't connecting to the Internet. He gets a wireless signal but cannot connect to the Internet, where that wireless signal is being transmitted via a computer generated wireless network as built-in to Mac OS X. In this case, he's using his iMac as a wireless network hub.

You can create a new wireless network via your Mac by:

1. Connecting your Mac to the Internet

2. Clicking the Wifi symbol in the menu bar, then selecting, "Create Network..."

3. Then add the Network Name and password

4. You're now tramsmitting a new wifi hotspot

Now we've determined that iOS is not playing nice when connecting to a Wifi network that is set up in this way.

It's been solved as multiple users on here have shared what looks to be a software problem where iOS does not have its network settings populated with the DNS values as listed in OS X's network settings pane.

It is likely not happening to everyone, but is likely specific to the ISP you have (e.g., multiple DNS servers may be causing iOS problems).

Any further input on this will just confuse people who have the SAME problem as the original poster.

Ryan Vetter1 wrote:

No, I'm 99% certain this is NOT an answer to the original question. Please stop posting in here, the question has already been answered.

Stop posting?

No need to be rude. navg8or03 has only posted one time in all forums.

Very clear answer but did not work for me. Typed in the TWO DNS server numbers (separated by a comma) and the search domain "domain_not_set.invalid" listed on my MBP to my iPad and it did not connect. I thought for sure your solution would work but still getting the same Safari error: "Safari cannot open the page b/c it is not connected to the Internet." iPad DOES show to be connected to the MBP airport wifi. My MBP is connected to a Verizon DSL Modem (Model GT 701C) via ethernet cable. Thanks for your suggestion though as I've surfed this a lot and have not found a solution. Would like to hook up my iPad and iPhone to my MBP via internet sharing at my office if possible. Seems like an iOS software glitch in copying the connection data over as you suggested...

I've got good news: I think I have your solution...

Ok, let's keep working this. You've just seen that when you compare your wifi network settings on your iPad with what's on your OS X machine (the one being used as a Wifi hotspot), the iPad doesn't have all the necessary values populated in its settings.

This is the problem.

The solution is to manually enter in the values that are missing in your iPad's wifi settings. You need to carefully ensure you are inputting all those values correctly. My first suspicion is there's an error in the values you've entered on your iPad's wifi settings. Again, the procedure is thus:

1. Touch the little blue arrow next to the respective wifi signal in Settings>Wifi on your iPad. On your Mac, have the network settings up in System Preferences>Network>Advanced>TCP/IP and then DNS panes. You should have a different IP address on the iPad, but the Subnet Mask and Router values should be exactly the same as they are on your OS X machine. Now, the DNS values and the Search Domains value will be missing. Of course, you said you entered the values in as they appear on your OS X machine.

Check these values again on your iPad juxtaposed against the OS X machine to make sure you didn't make a mistake with the values.

Here's the real solution though assuming the values were all entered correctly (remember, comma in between DNS server values): leave the Search Domains blank because it looks like there isn't really one! That's why it says domain_not_set.invalid. Seems like a canned OS X alert.

So, after ensuring all your values are correct, with the Search domains value deleted and empty ON THE IPAD, try to connect.

I'm confident you'll be able to connect.

If none of this works, some more troubleshooting tips:

1. Settings>Wifi>YOUR WIFI NAME-Touch blue arrow.

2. Touch, at the top, "Forget this Network".

3. Re-input manually... the DNS servers. You may also need to manually enter values for the Subnet Mask and Router values if and only if those fields are blank.

Also, always make sure you restart your iPad if you are having trouble and close applications that are being troublesome by double tapping the home button, then holding your finger on the offending App in the dock, then touching the minus symbol.

Thanks for your reply Ryan:

When hitting the little blue arrow, under the DHCP tab on my iPad, the Subnet Mask is different than my MBP, and the Router is blank. In trying to tap on these fields to enter in the numbers free from style, the iPad won't let me enter (the keyboard does not pop up). So I selected the Static tab and entered all the numbers there, the IP Address, Subnet Mask, Router, and two DNS numbers, Search Domain is blank. Still no connection. I tried forgetting this network and that did not work either. I am a database guy so I double check everything for typo accuracy. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Ok.

And by the way, this is what's frustrating about personal hotspots from OS X to iOS devices. Apple needs to clean up this mess big time.

As for a different Subnet Mask, I am not sure if that matters or not, so best try it with the same Subnet and also the one that's self-assigned.

The Router: you'll need the router address, that's for sure, or you won't be able to connect. And I understand it's blank on the iPad and will not let you add anything in...

Here's what I would do. On the iPad, take the values that auto-populate in the DHCP tab for IP and Subnet and input those into the Static Tab. Then, also in the Static Tab, input the router address exactly as it appears in OS X. Also, in the Static Tab, input the DNS values exactly as they appear in OS X. Leave the Search Domain blank for now.

Example.

DHCP on iPad:

IP Address: 207.194.224.157

Subnet Mask: 255.255.252.0

Router: MISSING

DNS: MISSING

Search Domains: MISSING/MAY NOT BE NEEDED

Client ID:

Input in Static Tab:

IP Address: 207.194.224.157

Subnet Mask: 255.255.252.0

Router: 207.194.226.259

DNS: 207.194.177.889, 207.194.177.890

Search Domains:

Client ID:

Try to connect.

If this doesn't work, restart both the iPad and the Mac. Renew DCHP lease on the OS X machine after a restart under Ethernet/Wifi (whichever method you use to connect). Then, create your wifi hotspot network on the OS X machine (click on the wifi symbol in the menu bar then click "Create Network"...). Now try to connect your iPad, going through Static Tab method again on the iPad copying from OS X's values. Be sure to check that the Search Domains is still showing "invalid..." on the OS X machine. If so, again, I think you should leave it blank on the iPad... but as a last ditch effort, once all values are entered into the Static Tab, and you still can't connect after this, try inputting that Search Domain value ("invalid...") in the Static Tab on the iPad and see what happens.

Oh, and, if you have an iPhone, try to connect with it inputting values as described and see what happens.

I'll wait for your reply before I suggest more troubleshooting. I have a few more things up my sleeve.

Ok I did this verbatim and it did not connect (bear in mind the wifi bars appear in the upper left of the iPad window):

"Here's what I would do. On the iPad, take the values that auto-populate in the DHCP tab for IP and Subnet and input those into the Static Tab. Then, also in the Static Tab, input the router address exactly as it appears in OS X. Also, in the Static Tab, input the DNS values exactly as they appear in OS X. Leave the Search Domain blank for now."

Then I did this verbatim with both self assigned subnet mask and OSX subnet mask and did not connect (both of which with and without the search domain blank and with 'domain_not_set.invalid"):

"If this doesn't work, restart both the iPad and the Mac. Renew DCHP lease on the OS X machine after a restart under Ethernet/Wifi (whichever method you use to connect). Then, create your wifi hotspot network on the OS X machine (click on the wifi symbol in the menu bar then click "Create Network"...). Now try to connect your iPad, going through Static Tab method again on the iPad copying from OS X's values. Be sure to check that the Search Domains is still showing "invalid..." on the OS X machine. If so, again, I think you should leave it blank on the iPad... but as a last ditch effort, once all values are entered into the Static Tab, and you still can't connect after this, try inputting that Search Domain value ("invalid...") in the Static Tab on the iPad and see what happens."

I also tried a few perturbations of the above two paragraphs on my iPhone to no avail.

Ryan Vetter1 wrote:

As for a different Subnet Mask, I am not sure if that matters or not, so best try it with the same Subnet and also the one that's self-assigned.

It absolutely matters. They should NOT be the same. The Mac is acting as the router so it should be 255.255.0.0.

The iPad (device at the end) should be 255.255.255.0.

The Router: you'll need the router address,

If you are sharing your internet connection through your Mac, the router is the Mac. The router connected to the cable conming into your house is irrelevant.

Here's what I would do. On the iPad, take the values that auto-populate in the DHCP tab for IP and Subnet and input those into the Static Tab. Then, also in the Static Tab, input the router address exactly as it appears in OS X. Also, in the Static Tab, input the DNS values exactly as they appear in OS X. Leave the Search Domain blank for now.

If you do this, you are connecting to your router and not through Mac.

If this doesn't work, restart both the iPad and the Mac. Renew DCHP lease on the OS X machine after a restart under Ethernet/Wifi (whichever method you use to connect). Then, create your wifi hotspot network on the OS X machine (click on the wifi symbol in the menu bar then click "Create Network"...)

If your computer is connected to the internet via wifi, as soon as you do this, the network connection the computer is using will no longer be via wifi.

Then, create your wifi hotspot network on the OS X machine (click on the wifi symbol in the menu bar then click "Create Network"...).

That's not the same as System prefs > Sharing and enabling Internet sharing, which is much easier.

When you do this, the network name the iPad will use will be the same as your computer name (shown at top of System prefs > Sharing).

You cannot share your computer wifi connection to the internet with other wifi devices.

If you are sharing your internet connection through your Mac, the router is the Mac. The router connected to the cable conming into your house is irrelevant.

This is all great, but on my iOS devices the router address was automatically populated in the device's settings. It was not left blank.

If your computer is connected to the internet via wifi, as soon as you do this, the network connection the computer is using will no longer be via wifi.

Yep.

That's not the same as System prefs > Sharing and enabling Internet sharing, which is much easier.

That's not the same as Wifi symbol in menu bar > Create Network... which is much easier.

This thread is about using your Mac to get wifi to your iPad.

All your instructions above will get the iPad to the same wifi the Mac is using. It won't be using the Mac's wifi.

Worked for me.

Okay, I'm sure this will work for some people, not all. It worked for me and addresses the issues from the original post. Sorry I don't have my imac and ipad in front of me today so this is from memory.

I have an imac plugged directly into a network cable to the modem to the wall. No wireless router. I had the same issues trying to create a network with internet to my iPad and was getting a local wifi ip address starting with 169.254.0.0 ...

I saw the wifi bars on my ipad but could not connect to the internet.

1. On my iMac I had to turn off all firewire settings. (lame I know)

2. Go into the airport preferences and delete the com.apple.airport as described in a previous post here.... (restart your computer now)

3. go to Internet sharing, make a network and password, , turn sharing on,

On ipad connect to your network name, type in password, check to see that ip address does not start with 169.. (or whatever local network number for your area is). I got 10.23......

Hope this helps and sorry for not having all the info at my fingertips.

a.

I don't doubt this solution works, or has a good chance of working, but I find this to be too much patchwork and memorization required each and every time I want to connect my iPad or iPhone. Until Apple cleans things up and streamlines this process so it is 'Apple like' in nature (point and click), screw it I'm not going to do it. It is unbelievable to me that they don't make this turnkey simple, especially when so many people want to link their iOS devices to the mother ship.

I'm glad this rectified your problem. However, there is an issue with iOS devices having their DNS/TCP-IP settings populated correctly from a "personal hotspot": a Wifi hotspot broadcast from a Mac. If you go through the thread you'll see what these issues are.

The method I used and explained here works, and it works everytime I need to do it. And it works on other people's iOS devices who come over and are unable to connect as well. Not only that, but we are connected simultenously to the same network, because I input different IP addresses onto their devices. I do not have a Wifi router, I have a computer hard-lined into a Linksys router and that computer is broadcasting a Wifi hotspot via the Wifi Symbol in the Menu Bar>Create Network>NETWORK NAME.

People can browse this Wifi NETWORK NAME and connect as long as the proper DNS/TCP-IP settings are input manually into their iOS devices under Wifi settings in the manner I described here.

I would suggest anyone having issues look through and see about the DNS/TCP-IP settings and the missing fields on their iOS devices compared to what's supposed to be there. I may do a video illustrating this.

Again, my solution is in relation to a Mac hard-lined into a non-Wifi router. I have not tested this using a Mac sharing its Wifi connection over the air that is itself wirelessly connected to a network.