WiFi sync "computer not available"

The 'open iTunes when device is connected' is a glitch. iPads are supposed to only wifi sync when plugged itno power, but they don't. They will sync any time and repeatedly if iTunes is open. Also if you have iTunes set to 'open when device is connected' and have your iPad within range of your home network (you know, like AT home 😉 ) it will 'reach out' every hour or a couple of times an hour or something to sync. And when the iPad reaches out it will open iTunes...quite frustrating when you're doing something else and iTunes keeps popping up)

I'm operating under the presumption that it's a glitch and the cure it to alter your iTunes setting to turn off that 'let the device open iTunes' option so you can at least control when it syncs'.

This repeated 'reaching out' may also be part of the battery drain issue since, while my iPad should be asleep, it's reaching out on a regular basis to sync.

I've personally experienced this, both the iPad opening iTunes for me, and the iPad not needing to be on AC power to wirelessly sync.

Hi Everyone, i was having all the same issues as described here, with my setup of an iPhone 4 on IOS5 and my MacBook Pro on Lion. I switched my security on my wireless router form WPA+WPA2 to just WPA2 and within a minute iTunes was picking up the device 😀 . I had already ticked the option in the Mac preferences to wake device for network access, and had plugged it into power.

It seems to be working fine now.

Thanks Everyone for your help

Wifi synch depends on use of the bonjour service - checvk that it is installed (in program files on a windows pc). Bonjour uses udp on port 5353 and this may be blocked by your firewall. Also sometimes a vpn connection will prevent "discovery" of the iPad by the itunes wifi synch. In my case as soon as i disconnected my vpn the sync option became available. Interestingly I am able to synch over wifi even when my iPad is not connected to the power adaptor. Apple insists that the device must be powered to do a wifi synch but there are absolutely no wires connected to my iPad and wifi synch is working! Does anyone know if the requirement to be powered is just a furphy?

I think the 'must be plugged in' only applies to iCloud, because I never have to be plugged in to wifi sync.

Um noooo!

From http://www.apple.com/ios/features.html

Wi-Fi Sync

Wirelessly sync your iOS device to your Mac or PC over a shared Wi-Fi connection. Every time you connect your iOS device to a power source (say, overnight for charging), it automatically syncs and backs up any new content to iTunes. So you always have your movies, TV shows, home videos, and photo albums everywhere you want them.

I know what that says but I also know what mine does. I've wirelessly synced numerous times with my iPad and itouch not plugged into power.

from the setup wifi synch page : http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1386

I note that they use the phrase "will synch automatically" - maybe that means that if not connected to power you have to initiate the synch manually?

Wi-Fi syncing

4. Whenever the computer and the iOS device are on the same network, the iOS device will appear in iTunes, and you can sync it. The iOS device will sync automatically when all of the following are true:

• The iOS device is plugged in to power
• iTunes is open on the computer
• The iOS device and the computer are on the same Wi-Fi network

ok thanks Skydiver but still does not address the issue. Why does Apple say "must be attached to power" if that's not really the case? Fairly new to apple use and maybe I'm expecting logical consistency from Apple where there normally isn't any? If that's the case they might as well be Microsoft!

I'm thinking they messed up, either in writing hte manual or in coding the program. I consider it a quirk, kinda like how you need to toggle icloud syncing on and off if you don't have a + sign in your calendar.

It's something they may fix/break in a future update (depending on your point of view)

Not necessarily. I used to have my iTunes set to 'open automatically if device is connected', but after spending an evening with it opening every 20 minutes or so I turned that off. Either my Touch or iPad were 'reaching out' to the computer and opening iTunes all on their own.

ALso, in my experience, a fourth criteria can be sometimes you need to 'wake up' hte device to get the comptuer to see it. Now maybe that waking up is accomplished by pluggin it in, I don't know.

I've occasionally synced over wifi, but in my experience it takes a lot longer and can fail so I've found wired syncing much more reliable and efficient.

Yeah the whole thing is pretty flaky. After my initial enthusiasm for wifi synch a new day has dawned and it no longer works! I have to connect to my pc with the usb cable and then my iPad is "discovered". I can then disconnect the cable and it will synch wirelessly (I still don't need to connect to the power though).

One other wrinkle is that I found that the "backup" phase took an extremely long time - actually it never completed. Instead I changed the setting on the iPad so it backs up to the iCloud - but because I don't have enough space in my iCloud account the backup doesn't launch. This suits me fine because I don't want to backup anyway.

To the original post; i know its a while after you asked the question, but i had exactly the same problem.

I couldnt wifi sync with my iphone or ipad. All the necessary buttons and settings on itunes and iphone/ipad, but for months no luck.

Anyway, i came across this post, and decided to take the advice for changing my security mode on router settings from WPA + WPA2, to just WPA2. and as if by magic the 'sync now' button on both of my devices go from grey to white, and it lets my sync.

So i think its jimbo i owe thanks to!

I have had this same problem after updating to Itunes 10.7.0.21.

I just uninstalled Itunes and reinstalled it and the wy-fi now works.

Hope this helps!

Jim C

This immediately worked for me. Tysm

I've spent days trying to figure out this glitch, and Jimbo's fix worked for me!! Thanks Jimbo. I can finally sleep again.