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Level 2

367 points

Unable to connect iPhone 4 properly to Time Capsule

I am unable to properly connect my iPhone 4 (running iOS 4.2.1) to my home network running a Time Capsule. My iPhone 4 shows the network. If I click on the network to connect, often after entering the password I am told the iPhone is unable to join the network. Sometimes, I can connect, and I get realistic values for the phone's IP address, DNS, and other items, but after a short time, I can no longer do anything that requires WiFi. The WiFi symbol still shows, and I still appear to be connected, but surfing a web page, going to Facebook, etc., just hangs.

I completely re-set the Time Capsule back to factory defaults. I've also completely wiped the iPhone clean and restored it from scratch (as well as resetting all network data, and forgetting my home network and re-adding it). None of these procedures has changed the problem behavior.

I've gone to an Apple Store and spoken with a Genius. While there seemed to be no problem with my phone, I was given a new one (great service). The problem remains.

The Time Capsule is a simultaneous Dual Band II. It runs 802.11 n only on 5 GHz, and 802.11 b/g only on 2.4 GHz. The two networks have different names [MyNet and MyNet (5 GHz)]. It runs WPA2 security. It is set for wide channels (turning this off did not help), and channels are selected automatically.

I have several Macs, an iPad (running iOS 4.2.1), an AirPort Express N, and an Apple TV (first generation), an Apple TV (second generation) that have no trouble getting on MyNet (5GHz). I also have a Blackberry Bold 9000 that has no trouble getting on MyNet (using 802.11 g).

The Time Capsule is running in bridge mode because my home internet is FiOS, and comes into the house as a MoCA cable connection without ethernet, so the FiOS router supplies the ethernet connection to the Time Capsule. The FiOS router supports WiFi, but only 802.11 b/g, so I usually turn it off and let the TIme Capsule run the WiFi. The FiOS router performs all DNS activities.

This whole setup worked flawlessly until recently. I have the Time Capsule visible through Back to My Mac everywhere I go, and all my other devices connect just fine -- as the iPhone used to do. (Could it be the recent firmware upgrade for the Time Capsule?) Everything still works flawlessly, except for the iPhone 4.

When I enable the FiOS router's independent WiFi (b/g), running WAP2 with the same password as my Time Capsule network, and have just the iPhone connect to that network, all is perfect.

I'd prefer not to have to run the FiOS WiFi network JUST for the iPhone, since I'm in a fairly dense development with LOTS of WiFi near me and want to avoid even more congestion.

Does anyone have any suggestions? The Apple Geniuses say the next step is to replace my Time Capsule, which I will do after backing up its backups, but it seems that there is a problem between iOS 4.2.1 and the new (7.5.2 Time Capsule) software. I'm guessing, since I can sometimes connect but then lose connection, that this is some kind of WAP2 problem, but all my other devices work just fine. I do not want to run a non-protected network, or a network protected with WEP or WAP, since they are older and less secure protocols.

Thanks in advance.

MBP (late 2008); MBA (original); Mac mini (late 2009) running Win 7 w/BootCamp, Mac OS X (10.6.4), Displays: Dell 30", Apple 24" LED Cinema; iPhone 3GS/32; TV; TimeCapsule 1 TB

Posted on Jan 3, 2011 10:48 AM

Best reply

Allan Sampson

Level 10

123,677 points

Posted on Jan 3, 2011 11:44 AM

I have a Time Capsule dual band which I purchased and have been using before the iPhone 4 arrived on the release date. Since the iPhone 4 supports "N" on 2.4 GHz only, my dual band is set up as 802.11a/n (5GHz) and 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz) with my iPhone 4 connected to my 2.4 GHz "N" network, and my MBP connected to my 5 GHz "N" network. I'm using WPA2 Personal for the network encryption and I'm using an 8 character passcode.

Can you connect your iPad to either network - your 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz network? If so, the only difference with the iPad's wireless card is it doesn't require connecting to a 2.4 GHz "N" network as with the iPhone 4, so this does not lend itself to there being a problem with your Time Capsule - not unless your iPad can't connect or maintain a connection to the 2.4 GHz "N" network as well.

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62 replies

Linda Custer Author

Level 2

367 points

Jan 7, 2011 2:28 AM in response to wjosten

Indeed; thanks.

Linda Custer Author

Level 2

367 points

Jan 7, 2011 2:34 AM in response to Tesserax

I do extend my network, in order to allow an Ethernet-only DVD player and a slingbox in. They are in a different room.

Search "google DNS slow video" for an explanation of why using your provider's DNS can sometimes speed up video. It's a caches content thing out in the cloud.

I named the 5 Ghz differently because I had an Apple TV on the fringe of where auto switch from 5 to 2.4 would happen, and the Apple TV kept disconnecting. Separating the nets fixed that.

I'll test as soon as I have time.

Thanks again.

Tesserax

Level 10

148,613 points

Jan 7, 2011 10:43 AM in response to Linda Custer

Search "google DNS slow video" for an explanation of why using your provider's DNS can sometimes speed up video. It's a caches content thing out in the cloud.

Thanks. I will do a little additional research. I actually don't use Google DNS, but have been using OpenDNS and have been quite happy with it so far. I primarily use it for some of the additional features they provide (web content filtering, additional security, and statistics to name a few).

I named the 5 Ghz differently because I had an Apple TV on the fringe of where auto switch from 5 to 2.4 would happen, and the Apple TV kept disconnecting. Separating the nets fixed that.

It certainly could but you would need to understand why the Apple TV "preferred" the 2.4 GHz band ... and that is, most likely, it had the stronger signal. One way to get a better "picture" would be to perform a Wi-Fi site survey using a utility like iStumbler or AirRadar.

You would use either of these for at least two things: 1) Identify other Wi-Fi networks that may be competing with yours, and 2) Calculate the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) to determine the best placement of your base stations ... and what kind of "performance" your wireless clients can expect to get from them. Let me know if you would like more details.

Linda Custer Author

Level 2

367 points

Jan 8, 2011 8:44 PM in response to Tesserax

Progress report:

Downgraded to 7.5.1. That did not fix the problem.

So, upgraded back to 7.5.2. Problem still exists as I originally stated it.

I put my settings just like you said -- all at once -- to try to reproduce your success. Problem still exists.

Tried briefly removing all encryption to see if this was just a WEP2 problem. Problem still exists.

Again, all else (besides the iPhone 4 or the iPad IF the iPad joins the 2.4 GHz band) works fine. All my Macs and my Blackberry and Kindle and Airport Express connect just fine. Connections are all instant and rock-stable and speedy.

I've mapped the area around my place. EVERYONE ELSE is using either channel 1 or 11 (except one net very, very distant and weak that us using channel 9 -- it's so weak it often doesn't show up at all). This has been true and stable for days. I'm autoconfigured on channel 6, and keep getting assigned to that (quite appropriately) on restarts. I'm the ONLY network around that runs 5 GHz, so there's absolutely no interference there.

I think my only option is to back up my Time Capsule and take it back to the store to get it swapped out. It's strange, though, because my Epson WiFi printer and my Blackberry and my Kindle all connect by 2.4 GHz 802.11 g mode. I can see this on the Time Capsule log as I turn them off and on. I've forced only WPA2 the way the Time Capsule is now, and they all connect quickly and reliably, so I don't think there is anything wrong with the Time Capsule's 2.4 GHz antenna.

Also, just for completeness: The iPhone has no trouble connecting to my FiOS WiFi (WPA2, 802.11 g 2.4 GHz, with the same password I use on the Time Capsule) when I turn that on briefly for testing. (I usually leave it off so I don't have yet another network congesting things.) The iPhone can connect to this quickly and reliably. Also, the iPhone has no trouble connecting to Starbucks or Apple Store WiFi networks, but of course these do not have encryption.

I'm just plain stymied. Everything works perfectly. Perfectly. UNLESS it's an iPhone or iPad running the latest iOS AND logging on to a 2.4 GHz band on the Time Capsule, with or without encryption. That's just really strange.

Linda Custer Author

Level 2

367 points

Jan 8, 2011 8:46 PM in response to Linda Custer

Oh yeah, and just to repeat, this same Time Capsule USED TO connect just fine to the iPhone. (I'm not sure exactly when the problem started, but my Time Capsule settings as described earlier have been very stable for many months, and the problem only has been around for -- maybe? a month? or so.)

simastu

Level 1

0 points

Jan 9, 2011 10:12 AM in response to Linda Custer

I have been following this thread and tried to apply all the suggested settings to my time capsule too with no success. The problem still remains. I have an appointment booked with an apple store genius this afternoon. I'll see how it goes and let you know.

Thanks,

Linda Custer Author

Level 2

367 points

Jan 9, 2011 10:32 AM in response to simastu

Thanks. I'd appreciate very much hearing what the Genius tells you. This is so perplexing to me.

simastu

Level 1

0 points

Jan 10, 2011 11:14 AM in response to Linda Custer

Ok so here what happened. A couple of hours before going to the apple store I decided to play again with the settings of the time capsule. I enabled the 5GHz network under a different name and disabled wide channels. All of a sudden the iphone connected to the time capsule. I tried to browse, run a 10 minute long skype call, run some apps, everything was working fine. I turned the phone off and on again, disabled wi-fi and re-enable, and it kept working.
I changed back the settings on the time capsule, and surprisingly it kept working. I could not recreate the problem. Therefore, I canceled my appointment with the Genius.
I left the house came back a few hours late and then had similar problems to the ones i used to have. The iPhone would now connect (sometimes, and sometimes not) but the connection didn't seem to be stable. It would disconnect after a while and reconnect randomly. Sometimes, even if the icon shows it is connected, i would not have internet connection. All of this while my MacBook Pro was wirelessly connected to the time capsule and working fine.
I checked the time capsule logs and nothing unusual appears there.

Linda, do you happen to have any updates?

Tesserax

Level 10

148,613 points

Jan 10, 2011 11:58 AM in response to simastu

Did you try leaving Wide Channels disabled to see if you can get both the connectivity/stability for the iPhone back?

simastu

Level 1

0 points

Jan 10, 2011 11:59 AM in response to Tesserax

I think i did, but I will double check tonight when I get home and let you know.

Linda Custer Author

Level 2

367 points

Jan 10, 2011 2:18 PM in response to simastu

No -- no updates from me. Still perplexed; still befuddled. Still connectionless.

But I really appreciate you sharing your experience.

simastu

Level 1

0 points

Jan 10, 2011 4:11 PM in response to Linda Custer

I disabled wide channels and still no luck. I was connected to the time capsule, had internet for a few minutes, and then nothing. It showed the wi-fi connection active but had no internet. The internet would come back, and then it would go away again.
Another thing I noticed is that I had issues also using the remote application, which on a different wi-fi network works. It wasn't able to connect to my mac.
I then decided to install "Ping Lite" and try to ping time capsule and my mac. I disable wi-fi, download and install the app using the 3G network, re-enable wi-fi and now I can't log on to the wi-fi network anymore (unable to join network).
This is really DRIVING ME NUTS!
I will wait until the iPhone decides it's time to connect to Time Capsule and try to run a few ping tests.

simastu

Level 1

0 points

Jan 10, 2011 4:40 PM in response to simastu

I run some ping tests from mac to iphone, mac to time capsule, iphone to time capsule, iphone to mac, and iphone to google.com.
While the mac always keeps the connection (100% ping), pings to and from iphones drop for a period of time, then they start again for a period, and then they drop again, and so on and so forth.
I also noticed longer than usual RTT (mac to time capsule less than 1ms, mac to iphone 50 to 100ms).
I really have no clue on what's going on...

Linda Custer Author

Level 2

367 points

Jan 11, 2011 8:03 PM in response to simastu

I did one more thing, new. I completely factory reset my FiOS router, then turned off its WiFi again -- just in case something here was causing a problem.

No change in status. Everything EXCEPT iOS on 2.4 GHz connects just fine.

I continue to play with every setting on the Time Capsule that I can think of, and I even renamed my network completely and left as many things (except WPA/WPA2 encryption) as default as I could. Still no dice.

I really have a feeling this is something very fundamental in the software interaction between iOS 4 and the Time Capsule's firmware. It's just so frustrating.

Tesserax

Level 10

148,613 points

Jan 11, 2011 9:10 PM in response to Linda Custer

Try as I might I cannot reproduce the problem you (& several others) are having. Unfortunately, I do not have the exact same equipment. Again, in my case I have a iOS 4 iPhone, but am using a 3rd & 4th generation 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Stations. Neither my iPhone or iPod Touch (also running iOS 4) have any trouble connecting or staying connected to either base station.

The basic configuration for both are:
o Bridge mode (both are hardwired back to my main Internet router - a Cisco RVS4000)
o Radio Mode: 802.11n only (5 GHz) - 802.11b/g/n
o Radio Channel: Automatic
o Wireless Encryption: WPA2 Personal
o Wide Channels enabled
o I do not have Guest Networking enabled (can't as they are bridged)
o I do not have Access Control enabled
o I am not running a closed network
o All four radios are using the same Network Name.
o Both AEBSns are running 7.5.2.
o Both AEBSns are configured with static IP addresses (outside of the DHCP server range of the Cisco)

Unable to connect iPhone 4 properly to Time Capsule