TS1398: iOS: Troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks and connections

Learn about iOS: Troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks and connections
Dave Apple 1969

Q: My new IPad mini has poor wifi reception. Goes in and out.  My IPod, IPhone, Ipad1 and Ipad2 work finer. I think it has wifi antenna issues.  Does anyone else have this problem?

My new IPad mini has poor wifi reception. It goes in and out.  My IPod, Iphone4, Ipad1 and Ipad2 work fine. What can I do?  Does anyone else have this problem?

Posted on Nov 4, 2012 12:21 PM

Close

Q: My new IPad mini has poor wifi reception. Goes in and out.  My IPod, IPhone, Ipad1 and Ipad2 work finer. I think it has wifi ... more

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

first Previous Page 3 of 6 last Next
  • by Heavyhasso,

    Heavyhasso Heavyhasso Nov 17, 2012 6:20 PM in response to LoBridge
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 17, 2012 6:20 PM in response to LoBridge

    Snap, exchanged first mini still got the issue.

     

    It appears to me that it is fine for standard surfing etc. when I do a download of a bid album for example it gets overloaded processing the files. The consequence is that it drops the wifi. Looks like it is getting overwhelmed. So I am hoping that it is an OS problem but doesn't kind of make sense when other devices don't have this problem running the same OS.

  • by suwitcha,

    suwitcha suwitcha Nov 18, 2012 9:18 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 18, 2012 9:18 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969

    Have same issue here, It is not about poor signal (iPad, Macbook work fine) and also not about poor receiver as iPad mini can join network. Problem only when it just stop receive the data. Hope Apple fixed it soon.

     

    Tunning WIFI router or Access Point is not a good idea because iPad designed for remote user. It should be able to work with all access porint, public WIFI.

  • by Heavyhasso,

    Heavyhasso Heavyhasso Nov 19, 2012 11:20 PM in response to suwitcha
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2012 11:20 PM in response to suwitcha

    This is the solution. At least for

     

    Reset the network connections on my mini and so far, so good. Go to Settings, General, Reset, Reset network settings. I also changed my network channel to one less clogged locally identified through iStumbler.

  • by LoBridge,

    LoBridge LoBridge Nov 21, 2012 7:10 PM in response to Heavyhasso
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 21, 2012 7:10 PM in response to Heavyhasso

    This was the first thing tech support had me try and it didn't work for me.  Hope it holds out for you!

  • by vincelam,

    vincelam vincelam Nov 26, 2012 4:41 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 26, 2012 4:41 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969

    i have the same problem. the mini is so much slower than my iphone. i have to keep reseting settings and restarting it. Is there a way to fix this problem? though i have full bars sometimes its slow and sometimes it has the wifi sign but there is no internet connection. can i replace it or is there a way of fixing it?

  • by GastonGaldames,

    GastonGaldames GastonGaldames Nov 27, 2012 7:11 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 27, 2012 7:11 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969

    I have the same problem that all of you. Sometimes, my mini ipad works great on internet.... quite fast... but in just a matter of minutes, it drops the wifi connection and it takes me a lot of time to connect it again. sometimes I have to reset the router and the wifi setting on the ipad. I don´t really thinks it is a hardware problem, since it actually is able to connect to internet. I hope this is a software issue that is strangley affecting only the preformance of Ipad Mini. I really expect that Apple fix this issue.

  • by BruceJ1,

    BruceJ1 BruceJ1 Dec 1, 2012 9:55 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Dec 1, 2012 9:55 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969

    My mini was fine for about 2 weeks... until today. WiFi dropped, lost the connection icon competely. All other devices including iPhones, and my Macbook pro still working fine on wifi. I reset the router, the mini, the network settings on the mini, and forgot and reset the network but still no connection. I discovered that the only way I can still connect to Wifi is if the mini is held within a few feet of the router. Max range is about 3 feet for the mini. Synced to USB and did a backup. Looks like this unit has to go back to the store.

  • by SkySwimmer,

    SkySwimmer SkySwimmer Dec 2, 2012 11:36 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 2, 2012 11:36 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969

    I agree with suwitcha - The suggestion to reset the router or acces point is moot because I can't do that when I'm at airports, on public transportation, or visiting family.

     

    I bought mine just before a Thanksgiving trip to 3 European countries, and in I found that my Mini couldn't connect as well as other Apple products -- my husband would be right next to me using a MacBook Air, and he would be flying on the Internet (pun intended). 

     

    Interestingly, most of the time my Internet access DID work, but it was puzzling that at random times or locations, it wouldn't.  Sometimes I would get one or two bars (but still no connection). Other times, I would get nothing (even if I toggled the WiFi or Airport mode or switched the mini off, or if I walked around trying to find a better signal). Sometimes I would return to the same location where it worked one day, then didn't work later that day, then it worked again the following day. Once connected, downloading speed appeared to work fine.

  • by larjim,

    larjim larjim Dec 4, 2012 8:05 AM in response to Dave Apple 1969
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 4, 2012 8:05 AM in response to Dave Apple 1969

    Similar issue.  In wifi environment in my home, iPad2's have 4 bar signal strength; iPad mini generally at 2 bars, occasionally spike up to 3 or 4, with obviously slower response times.  In cellular coverage at my cottage, iPad 2 (and iPhones) have 2 bars 3G reception; mini has 1-2 bars, no 3G.

  • by calvingsc,

    calvingsc calvingsc Dec 8, 2012 6:45 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 8, 2012 6:45 PM in response to Dave Apple 1969

    My iPad Mini 32GB wifi only running on 6.0.1 had this issue too. I was troubleshooting and streamlined it to two issues.

     

    First, I swapped out my existing router with an older one. No connectivity or speed issues.

     

    Next, I tried a restore of my existing router to out of the box state, and connected my ipad mini to it, no connectivity issues at all. Full signal and full speed.

     

    I discovered when the connection was good, the router was operating at Channel 2 (TP-Link TL-WR841ND). When I switched the channel to Auto (it randomly picked 1 and 6) and while it was operating on those channels, the iPad Mini had connectivity issues. Full signal but slow speeds.

     

    For my case, I discovered that my iPad has incompatibilty issues with my existing router.


    So I deduce that my iPad Mini doesn't have hardware issues.

  • by MarkOnMac,

    MarkOnMac MarkOnMac Dec 18, 2012 10:43 AM in response to MarkOnMac
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 18, 2012 10:43 AM in response to MarkOnMac

    UPDATE:

    On December 2, I contacted Apple Support, and sent my iPad mini to their service center. (It took over a week just to get the box, and it didn't have the return label, so it was emailed to me.) Yesterday they tried and failed to duplicate the issue and it is being sent back.

     

    EDIT:

    Maybe today's 6.0.2 software update will solve this problem ("Fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi.")

  • by Oliver S.,

    Oliver S. Oliver S. Dec 26, 2012 11:16 AM in response to MarkOnMac
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 26, 2012 11:16 AM in response to MarkOnMac

    I updated to 6.0.2 but it did not fix the problem. The signal is still weak compared to my other devices as iPhone 5 and MacBook Air. Actually much weaker. Also the bars are far from being consistent. From 1 to 2, then full bar and back to 1 in just seconds. Very odd. I have iPad mini 32GB wifi & cellular.

  • by mianesva,

    mianesva mianesva Dec 26, 2012 11:59 AM in response to Oliver S.
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Notebooks
    Dec 26, 2012 11:59 AM in response to Oliver S.

    6.0.2 solved all the issues for me.  Perfect and super fast and consistent wifi.  I was using Airport Extreme.

  • by NhatPhan,

    NhatPhan NhatPhan Dec 27, 2012 5:44 PM in response to mianesva
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 27, 2012 5:44 PM in response to mianesva

    Many members don't want to buy airport to fix this problem. :)

    my ipad mini still got slow wifi issue after upgrading to 6.0.2. Sometimes it cannot load data from iTunes or YouTube.

    I am very disappointing with this product. Recommending my friends shouldn't buy this product until apple have an answer for this issue.

    I guess this is a hardware issue because ipad mini using a new ultra fast wifi adapter. They didn't tested it carefully before releasing to customer.

  • by cafe65,

    cafe65 cafe65 Dec 31, 2012 2:29 PM in response to NhatPhan
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 31, 2012 2:29 PM in response to NhatPhan

    As a side, this same issue is plaguing my new iPad 4th gen.  I have an airport extreme with time capsule for the home network and everything up to date.  Our MacBook Air, iPhone 5, iPhone 4s, and MacBook Pro Retna all have no issue throughout the entire house.  The iPad 4th gen loses connectivity or cannot even see the network if more than 20ft. away from the base station on the same floor of the house.  Completely bummed.

first Previous Page 3 of 6 last Next