Intermittent Wifi issues with iPad 2 and WiFi

The WiFi error is definitely in the IPad (not the router), and my view is that it is hidden deeper than what is reachable through a normal settings reset or a complete reinstall frm Itunes. Maybe that's the reason why Apple is still quiet.

I have two IPad2s, one of them working perfectly in all weathers and around the clock, the other one stopped working a couple of weeks ago and can often not even see any WiFi networks. I have changed a lot of my router settings, and even used two different routers, one IPad still working as a clock, the other one is dead meat unless you are happy with using it offline only. I am not.

For a while I thought a complete factory reinstall helped - I actually got it working for a few days. Then back to the no-WiFi state where it has since stayed.

I would guess this is due to some persistent OS setting that has gone wrong and that Itunes can not affect. I do not think it is the HW since losing WiFi happens suddenly for so many of us, and I actually got mine to work flawlessly for a few days.

This is indeed a strange error. Apple's silence is even stranger, do they realize that their reputation are at risk?

@LasseF: Take the non-working iPad to an Apple store and see what the connectivity is like there on their Apple Airport router. I highly recommend an app called "Speed Test" which will give you true up/dl speeds. Try it at home and then try at the Apple store. If you get different results then you will know it has something to do with the handshake between iPad and router at home. If the results are still bad at the Apple store then you have a bad iPad and I would demand that they replace it.

LasseF wrote:

The WiFi error is definitely in the IPad (not the router), and my view is that it is hidden deeper than what is reachable through a normal settings reset or a complete reinstall frm Itunes. Maybe that's the reason why Apple is still quiet.

I have two IPad2s, one of them working perfectly in all weathers and around the clock, the other one stopped working a couple of weeks ago and can often not even see any WiFi networks. I have changed a lot of my router settings, and even used two different routers, one IPad still working as a clock, the other one is dead meat unless you are happy with using it offline only. I am not.

For a while I thought a complete factory reinstall helped - I actually got it working for a few days. Then back to the no-WiFi state where it has since stayed.

I would guess this is due to some persistent OS setting that has gone wrong and that Itunes can not affect. I do not think it is the HW since losing WiFi happens suddenly for so many of us, and I actually got mine to work flawlessly for a few days.

This is indeed a strange error. Apple's silence is even stranger, do they realize that their reputation are at risk?

Is the problmatic iPad a new purchase (e.g. purchased after iPad3 launch?). I ask becuase there is a slight difference in the manufacturing of the iPad2 -- it's confirmed they are using A5 chip which is manufacturered on a smaller scale providing slightly better battery life. There is a slight possibility they are also using a revised version of the wifi chip -- possibly the same one the iPad3 uses and consequently you've discovered some issues. From your symptoms though it may simply be a fluke.

Additionally, some people have experienced issues with iPad2 & wifi after upgrading to IOS 5.1; however I'm presuming both of your iPads are using the same updates.

Both IPad2s were bought last year, and both worked fine up until fairly recently. I can not swear that the problems starting occurring exactly after the 5.1 upgrade, but if not, it was around that time one of the IPads started failing. Either it can not find any WiFi network (but I have multiple SSIDs running one both 2.4 and 5 GHz) or on a few occasions it can find all networks.but can not connect, not even to unencrypted SSIDs

Both IPad2s run the same software version (5.1), one works, the other does not...

I presume there is some way to find out if there are hardware differences, any good suggestions ?

LasseF wrote:

Both IPad2s were bought last year, and both worked fine up until fairly recently. I can not swear that the problems starting occurring exactly after the 5.1 upgrade, but if not, it was around that time one of the IPads started failing. Either it can not find any WiFi network (but I have multiple SSIDs running one both 2.4 and 5 GHz) or on a few occasions it can find all networks.but can not connect, not even to unencrypted SSIDs

Both IPad2s run the same software version (5.1), one works, the other does not...

I presume there is some way to find out if there are hardware differences, any good suggestions ?

The 5.1 is well known to have caused problems with wifi as many upgraders have reported this. If you search you will see a few other threads regarding this. From what I see in the update log, 5.1 did have specific updates for ipad2 which did not apply to iPad1. Unfortuantely iPad3 started with this update...that's why some people attibute it (myself included) to software issue...however it is indeed taking Apple a little longer than usual to address it if it is.

Mike95 wrote:

LasseF wrote:

Both IPad2s were bought last year, and both worked fine up until fairly recently. I can not swear that the problems starting occurring exactly after the 5.1 upgrade, but if not, it was around that time one of the IPads started failing. Either it can not find any WiFi network (but I have multiple SSIDs running one both 2.4 and 5 GHz) or on a few occasions it can find all networks.but can not connect, not even to unencrypted SSIDs

Both IPad2s run the same software version (5.1), one works, the other does not...

I presume there is some way to find out if there are hardware differences, any good suggestions ?

The 5.1 is well known to have caused problems with wifi as many upgraders have reported this. If you search you will see a few other threads regarding this. From what I see in the update log, 5.1 did have specific updates for ipad2 which did not apply to iPad1. Unfortuantely iPad3 started with this update...that's why some people attibute it (myself included) to software issue...however it is indeed taking Apple a little longer than usual to address it if it is.

This is a recent thread, upgraded to 5.1 in hospital and lost connectiivty for rest of stay...how unfortunate.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3925481?start=0&tstart=0

From the varied responses over the months it is clear that not one solution fixes all these issues. It appears that the issues typically involve the OS, iPad hardware or certain make/models of routers. I think it is pretty appauling that Apple still hasn't addressed this at all.

@TheDr1970: Dec 21, 2011 peterh337 wrote:

One interesting thing which the Apple shop man told me was an IOS firmware upgrade does not update all the firmware in the iPhone or iPad.

I am a hardware/software developer and this suggests that probably the wifi radio module contains its own microcontroller (which is highly likely) and there is a defect in the code in that chip, The code resides in ROM (or FLASH which is not accessible for rewriting) and cannot be updated.

This is a risk in making a product which has some non accessible firmware. You need to make **** sure that part is bug free 🙂 We make an industrial electronics product at work whose basic I/O code has been frozen since 1995 - for exactly that reason. All the rest of it can be uploaded.

In the consumer sphere it would be completely normal (and completely unethical, but everybody does it) to stonewall and whitewash until all affected products are out of warranty and then slowly come clean, Otherwise the liability is enormous... think of the millions of ipadswhich Apple has stockpiled prior to release for example.

Does all the above make sense?

A low level code bug is also what I suspect. Maybe resolving this will require all of us to bring our IPads to a local Apple Store for a complete firmware change...something obviously not possible through Itunes. Let's hope Apple can resolve it in a better way though.

I still think the HW is not at fault, all these IPads can not simultaneously get HW errors.

Apple - hello - are you there ?

Yes, I think it makes perfect sense and could be the source of some of the problems. During this post though we have seen such a variance of problems that I am not convinced that it is the one source.

Some are frustrated and reluctant to invest their own time and/or money trying to troubleshoot Apple's mistakes. I get that and I can sympathize. It is apparent though that SOME of these iPads can be rehabilitated by tweaking router settings. I think just the fact that you have to go to that length is pretty terrible but it is what it is. It's either invest some brain power to exhaust all options or go to the Apple store and demand a replacement or stop using it (return it or give it to your wife to play offline games like I did with mine until I fixed my router settings).

It was pages ago but when I discovered my particular speed issues I decided to check all wireless devices in the house. All the devices I tested worked great except for the iPad2 (iPad1 was fine), 3 iTouches and 1 iPhone. All those Apple products worked poorly! When I turned off QoS on the router they all worked fine. My BB, laptops, Droid X were never affected in any way by changes I made to the router... just the crappy Apple stuff.

LasseF wrote:

A low level code bug is also what I suspect. Maybe resolving this will require all of us to bring our IPads to a local Apple Store for a complete firmware change...something obviously not possible through Itunes. Let's hope Apple can resolve it in a better way though.

I still think the HW is not at fault, all these IPads can not simultaneously get HW errors.

Apple - hello - are you there ?

If software can mess it up (as in the case of the hospital person) software can fix it too. Nothing is worse than issueing a bunch of software updates which doen't really fix the proble -- much like iOS 5.0 and the battery when iPhone4S was released. It's better to resolve it completely or fairly completely and issue one update. There are a lots of non-technical people who are using hte phones now and don't even update them at all. I'm under the assumption they are still ironing out the details or unique cases to address -- although have to admit, we're almost 2 months out from release

i seem to missing something in this suggestion.

even if your iPad is working perfectly, and even if you use some other wifi device that can access www.speedtest.net, i will guarantee you 100% that the speedtest results at the Apple store & your home will be different.

the two locations are using different service providers, possibly with different bandwidths.

is it possible that there is a specific batch of iPads that is having problems?

Still have the same issues with my iPad 2, infact they have increased considerably. I thought of buying a new router (either Cisco or Belkin) but not sure if it will resolve the issue. My friend bought an ipad 3 a week ago and his works perfectly fine on an MTNL connection with identical router (as mine - D-link 450 TC). Now, i look like a fool since i bought iPad2 just 2 weeks before ipad 3's india release since i read about lot of issues with ipad 3.

Youtube app is also unusable since the videos take ages to buffer. The router is defintely not going well with the ipad when rest of the devices (inlcuding my galaxy Note) work perfectly.

I've posted a few times before about my iPad connection problems or rather "finding the server" problems, but this one is different.

My problems started early last year with periods where it would work fine, then stop for a week or a month, then restart for no reason. Very frustrating!

In my current situation I was happy that it had been working for many months. I really like the device. Then Sunday night it just suddenly stopped and couldn't sign into the router. That's a new one for me - it's the first time. Usually, when there's a problem, it connects with a full signal to the router but can't find a server on the net.

So, Sunday, I powered it completely down, I reset the networks, etc, Nothing worked, so I just left the **** thing set.

Then Yesterday afternoon, I opened the cover and there were news posts. Wow! I had my iPad back. Nothing changed with my router settings, it just quit and then, 24 hours later, came back. It's like a case of Computer Reincarnation.

I've had it for years, since it came out. But I hear that the "new" iPad is having problems too. What's the fricking problem? It's such a neat product, but too expensive for these agrivations.

TaosGuy