Q: iPhone 5 wifi issues

Just received first iPhone 5 Black 16g

MAC adress starts with d8:d1 (Apple)

So far so good. The screen has a slight septia tint vs blue of old iPhone 4.

Router Linksys WRT54GL Firmware Ver: 4.30.7

Band: Wireless G-Only

Security: WPA2 Personal (TKIP+AES)

Speed Test: 12-15M same as Mac gets

Will report back if things change.

I'm by no means an I.T Expert but RTA 33's experience suggests that a software issue is more likely doesnt it? If you've gone through 3 Handsets and still have the issue then surely you cant have been unlucky enough to snagged 3 with this 'hardware defect' when millions and millions of them are OK! My other thought was that it was my router which is already at least 3 years old so it may not have the required compatibility with something in the iPhone 5. However reading comments above, it seems that there is no obvious consistancy on which routers it does work on and which it doesnt! My knowledge of all this is pretty basic and so I've had a horrid anxious headche fo the last 2 days trying to research and work it out... I, like ohers here, am finding myself feeling bitterly disappointed in Apple right now... Surely they must read their own forums... I wonder whether it would be worth writing a complaint to try and get some attention focused on this issue?

Then ofcourse Cosmic81's experience suggests that it is a Hardware issue... Urrghhh! I want give up and throw the thing against a wall!!!

'Deep breath'... OK... Im going to try the wireless at my local coffee shop to see if it works there... If it does, Then may be the issue lies in our router (because the wifi worked at the Apple shop yesterday) and I'll look at grabbing the Apple Express today when I go back to the Apple Store for the 4th time - that will make a total of almost 8hrs driving & $50 worth of petrol spent on this issue so far!! I'll also try ringing Apple Care this morning to see if they can offer any new advice and send off a complaint letter to see if I can get any info on Apple's take on the issue.... Hopefully, I can convince the Apple Store to finally give me a replacement phone so I can try that too.

So thats the plan for Day 3!! I'll report back as to how I go!

Hi Peta22 - I'm sorry you've had an anxious headache trying to resolve this - I understand completely- as it's dominated much of my time recently too..

My router was also old - and updating the firmware, changing Chanel & the wpa security seemed to help my wifi at home - it's worth trying those things first to see if that fixes things - it may well do..

But if you're getting a replacement anyway - that may just be all you need - I hope the new one is perfect :-)

Hang in there - I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy your phone once this is sorted.. Keep us posted..

RTA33

Thanks RTA 33 - its nice to talk to others who've had the same issues :)

Ok...so here's another piece of the puzzle - for me anyway... I'm sitting in my local cafe and using their WiFi! So it works here and it works in the Apple Store. I guess this means my problem is my router? However, even though I'm online here in the cafe, Facebook hasn't loaded fully yet and doesn't look like its going to... But FB seems slow to load on anything to me. I'm guessing the mobile version will be better but I haven't loaded any apps yet in case I had to restore the phone again. So I guess my next thing will be to buy the Airport Express in the hope that is the fix for home. I might still try to get a replacement phone this afternoon at my appointment with the Apple Store but they seem really reluctant to give me one... I'm just not convinced yet that this particular phone is completely right - I have been experiencing what they called 'multi touch' as well where I have to touch the screen several times to get it to respond...

One step at a time I guess!

Hi Peta22,

Does sound like there's a router/connection issue there- and sorry about the multi touch issue - mine freezes occasionally too.. It's v annoying.. I don't want a 4th handset tho!

I'm sure the new router will help.. Given its Apple's..

Fb is slow to load, generally:-)

I do hope you get a new fully functioning handset...

RTA 33

http://iphonetouch.blorge.com/2012/10/22/iphone-5-glitches-could-be-solved-with- ios-6-update/

Hope this will fixes wifi. 

Peta22:

I doubt its your router/wifi access point. You connect and have a stable wifi connection when there is no encryption ie Apple Store local cafe but at home where you have encryption you suffer problems. See the problem... Below is my orginal post way down the pages....

Like to share with you my findings and resolution with the iPhone 5 Wi-Fi slow and unusable connection when using WPA, WPA2. I work as Network engineer and also hold a Cisco CCNP and other security qualifications. Hopefully this might resolve and help some people out.

After experiencing unusable Wi-Fi on various networks with lots of network timeouts on my new IPhone 5 16GB Black I downloaded an app that allows you to ping from iPhone/iPad I used a paid app called Scany but there are lots of free apps that allow you to ping.

What I discovered testing with my own wireless N access point 802.11n:

From my iPhone 5 I ran a continuous ping of around 500 packets to my wireless N access point IP address.. Remember we are testing the Wi-Fi connection so don’t add complications of pinging across the internet which could introduce issues and latency out of your control.

No Security – No Issues

WEP Security – No Issues

WPA with TKIP encryption - No Issues

WPA2 with TKIP encryption - No Issues

WPA with AES encryption – Approx. 70+% packet loss

WPA2 with AES encryption - Approx. 70+% packet loss

I used 2.4Ghz range and 5Ghz range. Same on both frequencies.

So the issue I suffered and I suspect most people are suffering is down to WPA2 or WPA with AES encryption. If you can change to TKIP. I would not recommend selecting Automatic encryption as it is most likely to select AES as it is preferred encryption standard.

Note WPA2 or WPA with TKIP encryption is very secure and should not really cause any real security concerns. AES is more secure though. The main difference you will notice though if you are using a wireless N Wi-Fi network is that TKIP will only allow data to pass at a theoretical speed of 54Mbits the same as a Wireless G network 802.11g

I suspect most people connect to various secured Wi-Fi networks during our daily lives you would have no way of knowing or altering the security used or encryption in use. Most Wi-Fi networks I would imagine are WPA2 or WPA with AES encryption as this is the most secure standard you are likely suffer this problem.

Don’t turn wireless off and I certainly cannot recommend using WEP as it is easily compromised.

As there is no major stories in the media although growing along with the issue on this forum. I suspect the issue is limited to a small but substantial batch of iPhone 5’s. They reckon they’ve sold 5 million+ so it might not be that many when you sell that many phones.

Resolution:

Tried two system restores one from a backup and the next one setting the iPhone as a virgin/new phone. Issue still present. Resetting just your network connections will have no effect either.

Phoned Apple Care first agent did not know about the issue, passed to supervisor who had only heard of one report of this but by the sound of it that seemed like another issue not connected to what I was reporting. They were not aware of it only being AES encryption as the issue. They only recommended dropping from WPA2 to WPA. Anyway I made an appointment with a Genius at my local Apple Store. (Milton Keynes, UK). They say they had not heard of the issue. I presented them with screenshots of the packet loss when using WPA/WPA2 with AES encryption and they were happy to exchange for a brand new phone as it was only 6 days old.

New phone has no issues with any encryption.

I have no idea if this issue is hardware or software. I have access to a IPhone 4 and IPhone 4s both running iOS6 neither of these suffer this problem. I would suggest getting your phone exchanged with apple sooner than later in case it does turn into a hardware issue.

Hope this helps some people…….

The only thing you need to ask yourself if someone gives you the option of changing router settings to make it work, then how often do you think the next hotel or wi-fi hotspot owner is going to change their settings solely to ensure your personal iPhone5 is going to work for you.

Just received my iPhone5 this afternoon and it will not connect to my local network, failed as step one.  I must have re-entered the password 15 times before reading this forum.   Taking it back.

JPSilver wrote:

 

Just received first iPhone 5 Black 16g

 

MAC adress starts with d8:d1 (Apple)

 

So far so good. The screen has a slight septia tint vs blue of old iPhone 4.

 

Router Linksys WRT54GL Firmware Ver: 4.30.7

Band: Wireless G-Only

Security: WPA2 Personal (TKIP+AES)

Speed Test: 12-15M same as Mac gets

 

Will report back if things change.

Same model. Works fine at home on my 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz Wireless N WPA2 AES protected network (never got to test it on public networks).

At school, speeds have been inconsistent (Wi-Fi there ranges from b/g to a/n on both bands, WPA/WPA2 Enterprise TKIP/AES all supported). Sometimes I get 30-40 Mbps, sometimes 0.5 (to no connexion at all). However, I have been having inconsistent speeds with it even when I had the iPhone 4, but it seems that it is worse with the iPhone 5 (I don't know, maybe I am over-reacting).

But so far so good. Things have been great with this D8:D1...

Thank you Superfox247... I am trying to get my head around your reply as I'm a complete newbie when it comes to modems, routers, internet settings, encryption, security ect. However, I've sent your response to a IT friend of mine in the hope that he can help me understand it properly.

Well, the latest is that I bought a brand new shiny top of the line modem/router - Netgear N600. Not Apple I know but the Airport Express would have 'piggybacked on our old router and that was just really old and needed up dating anyway... so after installing it - which was surprisingly easy and I actually got good assistance from my ISP for the first time EVER!!! - everything happily connected including the iphone 5 - for about 1minute!! ... As expected from superfox247's response above. But that's OK - as I said the modem/router did need replacing anyway and know I KNOW it's age is not the problem.

Before I start messing with security and encryption settings - of which I know nothing - I'm off to the Apple Shop again... hopefully for the last time. Apple Care have just called me and said they have spoken to the Apple Shop and they have agreed to replace the phone... Everyone keep your fingers crossed for me!!

I'm back with the replacement phone... and the news - so far - is good! Up until the point I connected the phone to iTunes to load my music and photos (as a new phone and not from back-up) the WiFi had been working, very quickly, for about 10-15minutes. It will probably be another 30mins or so until the sync is done... I actually feel like I'm holding my breath!! I'll report back...

Well, its been over an hour now and the WiFi is still working... looks like a replacement phone was the answer in my case! However, I'm nervous about sorting out my husbands phone when he comes home on Saturday... I think I'm going to set him up as a new user on the Mac and try and keep everything separate in case the issue is still residing somewhere in the information I presently have in itunes... His iphone 3GS hasn't been synced for months and months so hopefully the problem is something recent... we'll see... Thanks for everyones input and support. Wishing you all the best of luck to resolve your own issues... I'll be keeping an eye out to see what the answer eventually is!!

Glad to hear that Peta22 - my new one still works flawless as well - mind to post which chip you have on this one now?

That's great Peta22.. I'm so happy for you ;-)

Mine seems to be holding up - and I'm now connected to a public/college network and working fine - however the email app isn't working - no emails coming through.. Other people working with me here have the sane issue.

I wonder if anyone has any ideas??

Maybe it's a google issue with new networks?? Never been a problem before..

RTA33