Q: Anyone still having IOS 6 wifi issues?

I am amazed at the persistence that this is all about routers.

It has been proven not to be the case.

I agree that a few routers may have a firmware issue. This is part of normal upgrading just as it is with IOS. Netgear, as an example, have advised an issue with defined products, I agree. The key here is that the issues that Netgear are alerting, and advising people to revert to previous firmware, relate to the general operation of a specific device and not specifically to IOS6. In fact there site is very clear on this and they are suggesting a range of options that may ease the symptoms being expereinced with IOS6.

From a controlled test perspective-

* if the issues experienced are router firmware issues, why do the issues only appear with IOS6 devices while other devices work successfully as before?

* if the issues are with the router firmware, why does it occur on multiple brands of router when they all have individual firmware code?

* if this really is a router firmware issue, why does it occur with Apple Airport (Extreme and Express) that are running the latest Apple firmware version?

* if this is a firmware issue, why have not Apple advised updates, regressions, adjustments to their router firmware?

Now this is not to say that adjusting your router firmware or settings may not improve the symptoms being experienced, there are many valid approaches to reduce the impact of problems. Quite often computing issues are 'resolved', at least temporarily, by avoiding exercising speciic code; as opposed to finding and dealing with the root cause. Just remember that avoiding the issue is not resolving it and it may, and likely will, occur again.

Even if, as has been expressed in this thread, Apple have exercised a "new" or "extended" set of parameters or protocols within the International 802.x standard it would be extremely unusual for multiple brands of router to display these same issues coincidently unless it is a new interpretation of the standard and has not been fully tested for compatability.

When investigating root cause in IT systems we always look at 'what has changed'. It would seem to me that most people commenting in this thread have not been making changes to their networks. If IOS6 is the only thing that has changed then it is, by IT definition, the first part to be seriously investigated.

Be aware, changing firmware on a router is a SIGNIFICANT change and should not be undertaken lightly. It may well have a negative impact on other parts of a network. Reverting to an older firmware version should never be done except on the direct advice of the product manufacturer. The fact that Netgear have advised to revert firmware on one router should not be read to apply to all router models or brands.

Secondly, the are many wifi networks that we may connect to where we have absolutely no control over firmware, rebooting, etc. we must look for viable options.

Some diagnostics from my experiences with this issue -

* the issues did not appear immediately, they became evident some time after the upgrade.

* the issues became evident on my iPads and iPhones at different times, some took significantly longer to appear.

* my IOS5 devices seem unaffected.

* in hindsight, the IOS6 devices do display gradual degradation before full issue impact.

* in my case rebooting the IOS6 devise, without touching the router, has cleared the issues at least temporarily.

* recurrence of the issues after rebooting the IOS6 device are on different timelines.

When I reboot my IOS6 device I hold the power button and "slide to power off". After the device is fully dormant I then 'double button' restart by holding the "Home button" and the "Power button" simultaneously until the silver Apple shows.

My testing is indicating that -

* the issue took time to build up to a point of 'visibility' on each IOS6 device.

* the issue is probably memory or buffer related.

* the issue may be related to how many wifi connections the device makes to a single network.

* the issue may be related to how many different networks the device connects to.

* the issue seems to relate to the wifi connection protocols being used.

* the issue seems to relate to stored details about wifi connections within the IOS6 device.

My advice to overcome the wifi connection issue is -

* start with the IOS6 device that is displaying issues and on the specific wifi network you are having issues with.

* tell the IOS6 device to forget the network it is having issues with.

* once the IOS6 device has forgotten the wifi network, reboot the IOS6 device with a 'double button' restart. This will clear any internal registers or buffers and let you reconnect safe in the knowledge that you are not using 'old' information.

* look for the wifi network again and reestablish your connection fom scratch. This will set up a fresh collection of details for this network.

* this will need to be done for each wifi network that is displaying issues and may be required at later intervals for some wifi networks, depending on connection counts and frequency.

My experience is that one of my devices needs to be reacquainted with my home wifi network every 2 days or so; another of my devices needs to be reacquainted every 3 days if so; while others have not required a second reacquaint as yet. The action of reacquainting the IOS6 device to the specific wifi network is giving me immediate resolution that sustains for an extended, if variable, period. Note that reacquainting the IOS6 device with one wifi network does not have any impact on any other wifi network the device may know and connect to.

While I will continue to monitor my router manufacturer website, I will not consider any firmware change to the router without knowing exactly what has changed and why it should resolve the issues.

I am continung my controlled testing and will provide further updates as they present.

Guys,

I am not sure how helpful this is for others, but the following steps helped me fix my issues with iphone wifi after iOS 6 update. before this fix, I was always connected to the home wifi network but not able to use it to view videos on you tube or watch streaming content like BBC iPlayer and other TV Channels. But I was able to do everythig without any issue on other networks.

Steps that helped me fix the issue @ home:

1. Deleted my iphone from devices on the Router

2. Change the channel to fixed from automatic on the router

3. Reset network settings on my phone

4. Rejoin the network from iphone with network password

I am not sure which step (1 or 2) exactly fixed my issue, but I am happy now.

Bad news from Apple, for everyone who is still affected!

I have been in the flagman UK store (Regent Str.) yesterday and had the following dialog near Genius Bar:

1. Do you know about IPHONE4s problems with wi-fi after upgrade? - YES!

2. Can you help me? - UPGRADE YOUR ROUTER!

3. My phone is not working, can you change it? - NO POINT, THE NEW ONE WILL BE THE SAME!

4. What is about iOS upgrage? - YOUR PHOHE WILL NEWER WORK WITH YOUR ROUTER AFTER FUTURE UPGRADES!

5. Can you downgrade it to iOS5.1 as American stores are doing? - NO, DOWNGRAGE IS AGAINST UK LAW!

6. Can I downgrade it myself?- NO, DOWNGRAGE IS AGAINST UK LAW!

7. What law are you talking about if I have to d_o_w_n_g_r_a_d_e my router to make my phone work? - I WILL ASK SECURITY TO SEND YOU AWAY FROM THE STORE!

After reading the post, I somehow misread your alias to be Stalin.  LOL...

My wifi's been working for the last 14 hours after 10 days of it not or being too slow. I reset the router, had my local Internet provider send a technician to check my router, reset network settings, and set my HTTP to Auto and nothing had worked. But I did run across a blog this morning that stated if you reset your Safari history and cleared all the cookies he had seen that restore wifi in some cases.http://tabletcrunch.com/2012/09/27/fix-ios-6-wifi-problems/

I thought I'd tried everything.

After upgrading to iOS 6, my iPad 2 worked fine on our home network - Aiport Extreme and Airport Express. Went out to Starbucks and couldn't seem to stay connected, kept dropping the connection. Also, I could not stay connected to my Android phone's mobile hotspot any more.

Long story, I tried:

* resetting iPad network settings

* forgetting the wifi network, setting HTTP Proxy to Auto, joining again

Now I could connect, but was getting no data at Starbucks or my mobile wifi hotspot.

Ran across the above TabletCrunch article, and I cleared Mobile Safari cache/history and cookies.

*voila* now I can connect and use my mobile wifi hotspot, for the first time since the iOS 6 upgrade.

Grr.

I'll try Starbucks tomorrow.

Apple needs to get in gear on this and get it fixed, it obviously is a software problem with iOS 6. I don't care if Apple implemented wifi to the letter of the law and other routers are lax. We have to use them, so be real, Apple.

Hi Ancient1.. Thankyou for your post and going in to details.

I have a Netgear Prosafe WAP WG102 with Firmware 5.0.3.

There have been reports that downgrading firmware of this device has been known to resolve the issue. Im not wanting to persue this path just incase it kicks off my staffs Wireless sessions.

Most of my staff upgraded to IOS6 on their Iphone 4S OK, but just a couple are not even able to connec to the WAP at all with a Secured KEY or OPEN network with no security, it bombs out when it attempts to connect to the WAP.

I spoke with Neargear support and they are "AWARE" of the Netgear Prosafe WAP WG102 having connectivty issues with Iphone 4s Devices and possibly others, their developers are attempting to write a firmware update. The date ofthis release is known as the Tech suggested possibly 1 month.

Perhaps "OLD" firmware code for this device was given to APPLE for their IOS6 Launch and NOT the latest V5.03

Whether encryption, firmware, mac address, chipset etc they all tie in to each other in a communication "context". If APPLE wasnt given the latest firmware language from various Router / WAP Vendors then how can the IOS6 work consistantly with everything that exists ?.

The reason for the inconsistancy of Iphone 4s devices not all working, stands to ground the chip-sets interpreation of the software on each unique device that drives the communication.

I have a Belkin WAP device that happens to work luckily enough.

I guess i either, downgrade firmware, wait for a firmware upgrade OR as other comments suggests, I purchase a more modern WAP to replace it.

My companies WAP device is about 5 years old, thats pretty much the age in which IT equipment lasts before things gradually go wrong.

Shanon.Roberts:

I downgraged my WG102 one step back and now everything works perfectly. I had tried every other soulution first, fearing that everything would go to s**t if I downgraded, but it didn't.

Thanks E. Chairman

Did you downgrade to WG102WW_5.0.1.img ?

So it didnt lose any WiFi Settings uploading the file through the Upgrade Firmware section on the web interface ?

5.0.5 NA. I didn't lose any setting at all - it just rebooted and everything suddenly got on wifi!

Thanks E. Chairman

As for those with Netgear Prosafe WAP WG102, i downgraded from V5.03 to V5.0.1 and presto, it connected back to my Iphone 4S with IOS6.

I guess i couldnt wait a possible 1 month OR whether Apple will be supplied a fix ?, if Apple "could" fix then wouldnt they need to obtain some software code from Netgear first before they imlpement ?

As its an interpretation of the 802 WiFi standards, perhaps what evever Wireless devices are havnig issues, their software codes were initially sent to APPLE for this IOS6 was wrong in the first place, hence rolling back to old firmware that actually works ?

I will now rollback my other Netgear Prosafe WAP WG102 at my other building to see if this works as well !!

Shame i have a sprained Ankle to walk there !

Just an update: After hobbling over to my other office Building. I can confirm for my case where Iphone 4S with IOS6's werent connecting to my Netgear Prosafe WAP WG102, rolling back firmware to V5.01 allowed the devices to connect again.

If my logic is correct, i wouldnt expect APPLE to resolve this before Netgear sends some kind of update of this device to APPLE which they can implement in to any up coming patch, same principle with other WiFi devices im guessing ?

Moving forward, im going to instruct a few of my staff to commence their Iphone 4S's upgrades to IOS6 and see what happens. If there are any more failiures, then it stands to reason we're looking at issues with FIRMWARE releases given to APPLE being not cmopatible with IOS6.

If you cant fix it, wait for who knows how long to receive an update from Apple, roll back your firmware OR bite the bullet if finances permit it and buy a new WiFi Device thats more modern.

Best of luck to everyone.

The Netgear problem is, most likely, a bug (sometimes called a regression) introduced into the latest levels of their WG102 firmware. It is up to Netgear to fix this bug; Apple would not necessarily be involved.

same here...tried all of that and nothing

Hi Tony,

Have to tried looking up your device and down grading to all possible firmware versions ?. This was all i did.