Newsroom Update

Apple and Google deliver support for unwanted tracking alerts in iOS and Android. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iphone 5 wont stay connected to wifi

My iPhone 5 keeps dropping wifi connection after about 30 seconds of being connected. It's not my router or internet because we bought 2 phones and the other phone works and stays connected just fine. It's only my phone. It tries to connect to a website, youtube, email, whatever and then just times out. If I attempt to renew the lease it renews with some strange IP address that isn't tied to my router and leaves the Router and DNS fields blank. I have reformatted, reset network settings, reinstalled the OS, forgotten the access point and re-entered, changed the wifi channel for troubleshooting steps so far. Any further ideas other than a bad antenna?

iPhone, iOS 6

Posted on Sep 21, 2012 2:53 PM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Sep 21, 2012 10:38 PM

Very similar and very frustrating problem. My regular wifi connections (which are up to date and very fast) will onl work if I'm literally no more than 5 feet away from the router. If I'm farther than that it disconnects and won't even find it! My iPhone 4S still works and connects perfectly from anywhere in the house.

229 replies

Sep 25, 2012 5:06 PM in response to drbmoore

One of my iPhone 5 has continued to work fine after messing with settings but my other iPhone 5 will not "ask to join network" even though I have in set to ON. When I do connect to the network and look at the details of the network, IP Addresss and such, the option for "Forget this Network" is not available on the iPhone that does not keep the connection.

Sep 26, 2012 2:19 PM in response to Nilotec

I thought I was the only one having this issue but then decided to google it today and landed on this thread.


My iPhone 5 (verizon) does the same thing...it stays connected to WiFi for some time, but when I check after say 15 minutes of it sitting on my desk (with full WiFi strength) I discover that it's back on cellular (LTE) and need to go back into Settings to reconnect to wifi (the password is remembered thankfully).


Never had this happen on my iPhone 4, though it has iOS 6 now, so I will try to reproduce it on the older hardware & see if it's maybe software related.

Sep 26, 2012 5:15 PM in response to funkadelic415

Ok to follow up on my previous post, after some testing my iPhone 4 running iOS 6 dropped it's WiFi connection as well, after sitting idle for some time. Another coworker in the office experienced the same with his iTouch 4G.


All are running iOS 6 so perhaps there is an iOS 6-related issue. Never had issues with WiFi disconnects previously (on iOS 5.x). FWIW we're on a WPA2-Enterprise wifi connection here in the office.

Sep 26, 2012 5:41 PM in response to funkadelic415

The option for "Forget this Network" is not available on my wife's iPhone. However it is on my iPhone and it is my wife's iPhone we are having WiFi connection problems in which her iPhone is not automatically joining known networks. This option is located under Settings//WiFi//and then expand the details of the network you want by clicking the blue greater than sign. Does anyone else notice this variation an iOS 6 setting?

Sep 26, 2012 9:45 PM in response to Nilotec

I had this same problem with my 4s recently. I never use to have this problem and then it began with the latest iOS5 update and continued with iOS6. I have WEP2 security, not sure if that matters or not.


The fix for me was to manually add the network which is easy. Just enter the network name, security type, which can be found if you are connected via a computer and the password. I now connect to the network automatically. Not sure how Apple hasn't fixed this yet. Hope it works for you all.

Sep 27, 2012 11:46 AM in response to DCPurpleDiva

So after almost a week of no wifi I got tired and made a Genius Bar appointment and explained that I restored the phone and tried everything and it still wouldn't work, the person helping me tried to connect to the apple store wifi and it wouldn't even find it so without any hesitation he exchanged it for a new one and now I'm sending this using wifi! :D I would recommend doing this to everyone having the issue. If it helps I'm from SoCal and this was the Victoria gardens store in Rancho Cucamonga.

Sep 28, 2012 4:51 AM in response to Nilotec

Same problem here with Verizon iPhone 5. I use WPA-PSK. Sometimes while I am home and in close distance of my router I will turn on the phone to find it not connected to WiFi. Phone just says LTE (I get full bars LTE ~ 28Mbps down at home - faster than my home connection).


If I go to WiFi settings it shows not connected, searches for WiFi locations and brings up a list including my home router. Clicking on my router is enough to immediately connect without asking for my WPA key, so I know it hasn't forgotten my router, it just will not connect automatically.



Now that I was forced to leave my unlimited data plan, this is a bit concerning.


Also the turn on "Ask to Join Networks" workaround is not a good one for me since I'm around WiFi most of the day (work) which I cannot get internet through. I don't want to constantly get nagged to join WiFi networks. I only want to connect to WiFi at home.

Sep 28, 2012 8:36 PM in response to chkster

My iphone 5 with ios 6 would not reconnect to wifi when back in the zone. I created my own network by selecting other under wifi and then typing in the name of the router, security as WAP and entering my password. Now each time I come back to the zone it just connects and stays connected. I also did the same thing with iphone 4s with ios 6 and it works flawlessly. I hope this solution helps someone.

iphone 5 wont stay connected to wifi

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.