Q: How do I make IOS 6 keep wifi on when iPod is sleeping?

Apple should fix this problem because it makes wifi useless for FaceTime and iMessage. Big problem.

pls fix d problem i had also d same problem

We've been at this over a year now... You'd think by now they'd listen!!! Find my iPod app is useless as well!!!

Mine has literally just started doing this and I've had my ipod touch 6 months. I haven't changed any of the settings recently.

My iPod Touch 5g has started doing this, I haven't been getting email notifications and it's taken me a while to realize exactly what's going on. I've figured out that it's disconnecting from wifi whenever in standby/sleep mode. I think this just started spontaneously, not with a system update. I never had this issue with my iPhone 3GS which I only used as an iPod, wifi only. The iPod 5 was fine too, but not any more. I just tried the "forget network settings" and then reconnect idea, will see if that helps. This is a huge problem.

I just tried Muji_23's steps to fix this, hopefully that works. I don't believe I ever did the steps that he says cause this problem, I haven't turned wifi off but I do put it in airplane mode on a regular basis and now that I think about it I've recently started using the Do Not Disturb feature occasionally, which I had never used in the past.

Those fixes didn't work, it appeared to be working last night but it isn't now. I turned on airplane mode overnight, I don't think that should cause this but who knows.

Hallelujah!! worked perfectly. thanks a ton!

Look guys, I finally found the solution. Just follow these steps:

1) Go to your Settings and tap on Wi-Fi

2) Find your Wi-Fi connection and tap on the little blue arrow

3) Select, "Forget this Network"

4) Then ReBoot your iDevice by holding the sleep/wake button & the home button until the Apple logo appears

5) Go to Settings and go to your Wi-Fi and tap on, "Other"

6) Enter your Network Name and choose your Security (If you have a password lock for you Wi-Fi) if so, continue by entering your password

7) Tap, "Join", and whenever you put your iDevice to sleep, Wi-Fi should remain on and you will be able to recieve your push notifications (FaceTime calls, iMessage, Facebook, Instagram, etc.)

Hope That Helps ツ

After trying everything, I found a real 100% Solution.

I changed my router to an Apple AirMac express, now everything works as it once did on iOS 5.

I get all notifications, Facetime, viber, tango and Skype etc, without fail, no matter how long it has been in sleep mode,  no disconnections at all, I know it's not ideal for everybody, to buy a 100$ router, but, it works for me 100% of the time, the Apple router virtually sets itself up.

For me this is the only thing that has actually worked 100% of the time.

Now I like my iPhone again. 

This sounds like a sales pitch. Still no cure for me. Why should I try to solve the problem by giving more money to the company who created the problem in the first place?

Just reboot device with wifi on. Doesn't matter if it's connected, just leave it on and reboot

Yep, this is what worked for me. Posted the same answer a long time ago but was told I was wrong. Glad someone else has figured it out too.

Just stating  what has worked for me,  if I reinstall my old router, it keeps disconnecting, if I go to the Apple Store and try to replicate my problem, it stays connected, why do you think that is ?

YMMV.

I agree and understand your point, why should we have to sink more money into another Apple product to rectify an issue that was caused by them in the first place with a really poor iOS 6 release, I would have preferred to roll back to iOS 5.

Yet we cannot do that, so we look for solutions, I have an old DLink router that keeps my connection alive in one location, yet in my office, my SMC router did not keep the connection alive, so I thought I'd buy another DLink router, which I did, took it to my office, and could not get it to work properly.

I could connect to the App Store and the native Apple weather app, but I could not use Tango or Line or Facetime or Skype, there is something I am not doing right probably, but being an impatient type of guy, I went out to Ginza and bought an AirMac express, problem solved.

I didn't want to spend 9,800 Yen, but it was the solution to my frustration.

This solution only works for certain users / routers. It is not a catchall panacea. For others the problem remains intractable, with the worst affected being workplace wifi which deauthorises as soon as the device goes into sleep.

I find my own home Netgear works fine but the Cisco work wifi doesn not. So it's not compulsory to have an Apple Airtime to maintain connectivity.

It's disappointing that a global solution to this issue, introduced at the launch of iOS 6, is still to be found.