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iPhone5 issues with WPA2/AES Wifi

I am using a Dual- Band Linksys E2500 router with WPA2 Personal (WPA2/AES) enabled. None of my other apple products (iPhone4S, iPhone4, iPad2 and the New iPad) have had problems connecting to my router. But everything changed when I got my iPhone5.


Basically the iPhone5 is capable to connect to the WPA2-Personal wifi network but after 1-2min starts to drop network packages, hence, I cannot browse any page (not even the router page 192.168.1.1) even though I still have a valid IP and the wifi icon is shown on my top screen.


I pinged the phone from my router diagnostics page and while I can browse the web with the iPhone5, I can see no packages lost. However after 1-2min the iPhone5 cannot open any websites while still connected to the wifi, it starts to show network packages lost.


A workaround that I found was to create a "Guest" network (which is not WPA2-Personal) or even WEP. There are no issues when connecting to these alternate networks.


Can anyone out there confirm this issue?? Is it software or hardware related?? It seems to me there are issues with WPA2-Personal (WPA2/AES)


Thanks in advance,

C

iPhone 5, iOS 6

Posted on Sep 23, 2012 6:50 AM

Reply
544 replies

Oct 3, 2012 1:48 AM in response to Eric Maier

Hi Eric,

I never disappear from this post. I have been reading every single message since I created this post. I will be around until this nightmare is over for everybody.


If you (or anyone) have any questions to me please use the my pseudo at the beginning of your post. Anyone can also reach me at @lerzundy (twitter account).


One update that I have for you all is that my phone has been working good since it was replaced with an Intel wifi chip; I also contacted two Senior Advisors to explained my theory with the hopes that they could start investigating from there without reinventing the wheel. They assured me that all the info I provided would be taking into consideration. I also gave them my contact information if anyone at Apple wants to get a hold from me for more details.

Oct 3, 2012 2:18 AM in response to C4RLOCO

This is my third ip5 after exchanging the first two for scuffs and scrapes out of the box. The second even had 5 dead pixels and severe light-bleed in the top left corner.

This new one now has this awful wi-fi issue but the phone is perfect in every other way.

I called tech support and they said it's a router firmware issue yet my wifes 4S on ios6 works perfectly.

If apple came out and said this was a software issue then I would be happy to wait but they won't so I'm out. Nokia lumia and windows phone 8 it is for me.

You've messed up big-time apple trying to get everything under the apple banner with apple maps, apple hardware parts.

There's a reason you use other companies for parts, because they've been doing it for a lot longer and a lot better than you have.

I'm going for a refund today.

Oct 3, 2012 3:31 AM in response to C4RLOCO

Router N300 Netgear DGN2200


Firmware V1.0.0.36_7.0.36NA


Still waiting to hear from Apple after being elevated to the engineering department Monday night. I will call today. Last thing they wanted was for me to try on other routers. Sure, let me quit my job and put my life on hold while I spend all my time verifying that all the suggestions and lies you tell me are BS. Also, ill just tell the world as i travel that they have issues and they need to adjust their routers for me so i can use my super special Iphone 5. The problem is with your phone!


I also told them Monday night that i don't want a refurbished phone if it comes down to a replacement. " We don't do refurbished at Apple. We may change some internal parts but the outside will look like new". Lol.

Oct 3, 2012 5:01 AM in response to Paul Roberts7

Paul Roberts7 wrote:


Thanks. I got it pre-order. I can't find any information on what happens on the AT&T contract though. I got hosed on the iPhone1 missing the rebate period for early adopters by 1 day so paid like $200 more and this time I bought on contract. Any ideas on how that works? I'd like my contract reset so I can buy another phone on contract later but I'm afrtraid there is going to be a disconnect between Apple and AT&T on this when I return.


You have to call AT&T to cancel your phone contract and return your phone to whomever you purchased it from, whether that's Apple, AT&T, Best Buy or whomever.


AT&T's web site states from 0 - 30 days, you're entitled to a full refund less a $35 restocking fee if you purchased your iPhone from them:


http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/returnpolicy.html?#fbid=N5q2FWfaTyH?tab2


Apple does not charge restocking fees for returns within their return window; as a reminder:


There are a few important things to keep in mind when returning a product you purchased from the U.S. Apple Online Store:

• You have 14 calendar days to return an item from the date you received it. For an Apple iPhone, you have 30 calendar days.

• Only items that have been purchased directly from Apple, either through the Apple Online Store or at an Apple Retail Store, can be returned to Apple. Apple products purchased through other retailers must be returned in accordance with their respective returns and refunds policy.


• Please ensure that the item you're returning is repackaged with all the cords, adapters and documentation that were included when you received it.

Oct 3, 2012 5:17 AM in response to C4RLOCO

I am having this issue too, but to have the phone replaced is a tricky business for me as I live in Sweden and bought the phone from Apple UK. They offered me a replacement but then I'd have to send the phone to Ireland at my expense and they would after receiving my phone send me a replacement to my UK address. I would then have to pay for freight from UK to Sweden.

As the phone works perfectly with no encryption activated I have trouble seeing this as a hardware problem. It simply must be fixable by software. Otherwise my only option is to have the phone replaced at the Apple Store that's opening nearby on October 25th.

I guess I'll wait for 6.0.1 and see if that fixes the issue or I'll go to the Apple Store after the 25th and get a replacement.

Oct 3, 2012 6:45 AM in response to C4RLOCO

Been reading this discussion from the beginning. Many, many thanks to C4RLOCO for his detective work and advice.


I had a good experience with a 2nd level tech on the phone. Over a week, he was in constant contact with me, and acted as a go-between to the engineers. Of course, no amount of router tweaking improved the weak wifi signal. When I finally gave in and asked for a replacement, he agreed to send it overnight (and waive the $29 fee). I should get the replacement Thursday; I already have the serial. They are sending a black 64GB from factory F2, produced in week 38. I can't get the MAC until I physically receive it, but fingers crossed that it has Intel chips onboard. If not, I'll run all my tests and if required ask for replacements until I get a fully functional unit.


FWIW, the defective unit I am send back was:

Black 64GB iPhone 5

Production week 36

Factory: DN (China, Chengdu - Foxconn)


My home router and the router at work are both current model AirPort Extremes. Both gave very poor wifi performance, pretty much 1/10 of speeds achieved with other iOS devices.


This last bit is anecdotal, so take it with a grain of salt: I felt the 3G range and performance was less than I used to get on my IPhone 4. In places that I used to get 3-4 bars, I have been only getting 1-2. Also, the battery life on the iPhone 5 didn't wow me like the blogs and podcasts claimed it would. I can't shake the feeling that the radio or chipset was working overtime or incorrectly, thereby burning the battery faster. Again, this last section is subjective and speculatory.


I hope to follow up with a post Thursday describing my success with the replacement phone.

Oct 3, 2012 6:53 AM in response to Garafraxa

You are very welcome Garafraxa. If you found my contribution helpful, please don't forget to click the link "This help me" 🙂


Good Luck with your replacement. My (replacement) is also from week 38 and the serial starts with F1. I think you will be ok.. Please keep us posted and if you don't mind, please check the WiFI chip and let us know as well!

Oct 3, 2012 7:17 AM in response to C4RLOCO

This could also be a wireless N vs G issue. When you disable WPA2/AES it forces routers to move down to G because you cannot use TKIP to secure a N network. (confirmed drop to G on my routers using my macbook pro)


In my case, I have a router at work using 802.11G with WPA2/AES and have had 0 problems, but my N routers at home all have a problem.

Oct 3, 2012 7:28 AM in response to philmarriott

And to be fair, my problem is similiar to other's here but not exactly the same. My connection issues are the same (connect but nothing works after a couple of seconds) as some people's here, however mine only show up if I have been away from the network for hours. I can reboot my phone and everything is back to normal until I have left the network for a few hours and return. This of course makes it hard to troubleshoot tho.

iPhone5 issues with WPA2/AES Wifi

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