Intermittent Wifi issues with iPad 2 and WiFi

@bub_star: No, it's a stupid protocol with little use. I guess if your connection is super terrible it might help a little but otherwise.... no.

@All: You guys will like this. I am a key personnel in IT at a large fed agency. Apple wanted to come in this week to convince us how the iPad would be so great for us on an enterprise level. I had a chance to grill them on these problems for a long time. They acted like they had never heard of this forum or the complaints. They assured me that as long as we did Cisco wireless we would "never" have a problem. I told them not true and pointed out some known issues. They looked very uncomfortable...

It was just nice to be able to vent to someone's face for a change.

How stupid do they think we are. THEY HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS FORUM!!!

TaosGuy

After 6 months of problem free connections, suddenly My iPad 2 can't join either wifi network at work. One is open, the other password protected. it "sees" both networks, but upon trying to connect says "Unable to join network "network name". I have seen other apple devices - iPhones, iPads and iPods that still have full connectivity. I can still connect at home, and have tried several free wifi spots and all conencted with no problems.

I have done a full reset / delete all contents and settings, but it didn't solve the problem.

Yesterday, I spent 1.5 hours on the phone with apple Tech Support people who couldn't figure out what was happening. They suggested that it was a network issue. How can it be a network issue when multiples of the same device can still connect? I have no control over the network here and cannot get the IT dept to change router settings.

Hi ClobberinTime,

I just have the same problem as u did... how do I solve this problem??? I talk to AppleCare center and after a 20min phone call, they realize that the problem is the iPad not my wireless network at home, so they send my a box in onder to send my iPado to technical support. You will receive an other iPad insted because they know this kind of problem is a hardware issue.

I hope this information could be useful for you.

Mine always connects but can't find the server!

It works for 8 months, then stops for 2 months, then works for months, then stops again.

Again, it connects fine, shows a strong connection signal, but "can't find the server" then suddenly starts working after not working for 6 - 8 weeks. I've tried everything.

"It's the Network" is a cop out, just like "reload the software" is for tech support.

I'm in a Seraton Hotel, who knows what there settings are, but my iPad 2 is fortunately working.

Thank God for small favors. None of my PC's or Mac's have these problems! Anxious to see how the iPad 3 acts. Maybe they've found the problem, but don't want to exchange hundreds of older iPads. It would hurt there bragging about their sales figures!

TaosGuy

@ gulillermemo, Your iPad was connecting to some networks, but not to others? What did you say to get the AppleCare people to get them to process the return?

I have owned my iPad2 for a year now and have held off returning it to Apple untill I downloaded iOS 5.1. I installed it and nothing changed. It was. garbage when I got it and now a year later it is still garbage. Monday I will sent it to the Apple tech center in Lima, I am in Peru. If they are unable to fix it or fail to give me a new one that works I will sell it and buy an Android tablet. Apple, I gave you a year to fix the thing and you did nothing to help me. My money is good all over the world and it it time for me to buy a product that works.

Surely if 'we,' the people can make Kony famous - 'we' should be able to get someone from Apple to address this discussion! If they pride themselves on providing excellence in servicing their customer, then they really need to get on it! I am a huge fan and shareholder but not being able to use my iPad in the bedroom is extremely frustrating/have to literally sit on my router! Have reverted to using the trusted MacBook in the bedroom instead!

Hopefully the 'new iPad' (incidentally, not a fan of the name by the way, what are they going to call it in a couple of years from now - the new but old iPad - I miss Steve!) solves this issue!

Nuff said - onwards and upwards!

ClobberinTime,

My iPad works just fine for 4 maybe 5 months and one day it just start with this network problem, intermittent service, sometimes the iPad can't find the network or can join the network, sometimes I restart the iPad and the problem was solve for a few minutes and then the problem was back, so I contact AppleCare center thru phone call (the first time) and they said to me, that Apple doesn't recomend using a wireless network with WEP KEY security, that I need to change my router configuration to WPA2 security and if the problem persist I need to call'em back.

At that time my old router doesn't have WPA 2 security, so I change to WPA and the problem was solve like 2 weeks and then it starts again. In order to fix the **** problem, I bought a new router with WPA2 capability but the problem remains, during this time I need to restart my ipad several times per day (only to get Internet connection), I restart the networking configuration like 4 or 5 times and I restart my iPad to factory settings 2 times and nothing, no changes, same annoying problem and the last funny thing my iPad did before I sent it to Apple was, after a normal restart, the iPad doesn't connect like other times, so I check the settings and in the "Wi-Fi" tab it said "No Wi-Fi", I restart the iPad again and the same "No Wi-Fi" I think that was the end of my iPad.

So I call AppleCare center, explain all of this problems and what I did, change to WPA, change my router, configure WPA2, restart my iPad, restar networking setting, restart my iPad to factory settings, except the "No Wi-Fi" thing because that problem pop-up when I already call them, and told them the problem remains, so this guy tell me, that I did all the possible solutions for this problem and the next step is send me a box to pick up my iPad for inspection and repair. I already send my iPad now I'm waiting for any news from them.

@ TheDr1970 & TaosGuy:

My first iPad 2 had these problems and the free replacement provided by Apple behaved in exactly the same erroneous fashion.

To date I have declined the offer of a second replacement but that offer remains open until the original one year warrantee expires (confirmed in writing). Despite all the protestations to the contrary it is inconceivable that Apple, at executive level, do not know everything there is to know about the issue.

I am not interested in swapping one deficient iPad 2 for another which could possibly be equally inadequate as a mobile device. If it turns out that 'The new ipad' is free of these particular problems and works properly with existing third party routers I shall seek an interview with the Manager of my local Apple Retail Store and politely but firmly request a 'New iPad' replacement.

Update:

I emailed the Apple Expert who I spoke with over the phone. I told him that I had verified that all newwork settings were within apple guidelines and asked what I needed to do to get a replacement device.

His response is below:

The issue is that the ipad is able to connect to other networks however is not able to connect to this network indicating an error not with the ipad but with the connection between the ipad and this specific network.

An ipad being unable to connect to wifi is not common but is one of the more common issues as every ipad is able to be used and is primarily used on wifi networks.

The issue that you are facing is one of the more common among the wifi issues that can be faced (the ipad works with most networks however has issues connecting to specific network(s) ) however when isolated such as this issue has been to not working with a specific network the unit is not replaced as the behavior of the device is not expected to change compared to what is occurring currently with this device.

I have already replied asking "If that is the case, why can other iPads connect to the network, but mine can't?"

What is my next course of action? If I take it to an Apple store, am I going to have better luck getting the darned thing replaced?

What a completely nonsensical reply.

Was it generated by a human?

In my experience (1 x Iphone4, 1 x Ipad2 replaced) Apple won't touch anything unless the problem can be reproduced in the shop. This is to be expected, unfortunately.

Success!! I just got off the phone with a different, super helpful Apple Care guy and he issued me a RA and I'm shipping back the iPad for a replacement.

I guess it all depends on who you speak with.

Gonna keep my fingers crossed that this one will work properly.

Glad you got a better rep. I can understand that they feel some replacements are unwarranted because it was the routers problem (like in my situation) but surely they also know that "some" iPads went out with faulty wifi.

I was just watching a Asian sweatshop story this past weekend and how Apple is using dirt cheap labor to make the iPads. The story went on to list how much profit they get for each sold. You would think with all that buffer that they would be a little more friendly about replacing bad units.

Oh, and that guy who emailed you needs to learn how to communiate a clear thought and an English class. The schools have failed us again... or maybe he was in a sweatshop.

I fixed the problem using a different channel for wi-fi connection and using a static ip on the LAN.