I'm only getting 1 bar on iPad (AT&T) in house after IOS7 update. I have a booster system with an antenna 80 feet up in tree pointed at cell tower with an amplifier and boom antennas in house so normally I get a strong ATT signal. Can't tell yet if the indicator is just not reading right or if reception is really degraded. Anyone else notice this after update?
Is that happening everywhere you go ? Have you checked for carrier settings updates ?
Thanks for your response. I'm not sure what you mean by carrier settings update. My ipad software is up to date. I don't see anything under "cellular data" in settings that would permit me to update something. Is there something else I should be doing?
In response to your first question, I got 2 or 3 bars driving around this morning. Inside the house I'm locked on one bar (dot), that has never changed since update. Wifi seems to work fine but if I turn it off I have trouble accessing internet on ipad.
ok, sorry Sophaki7, I actually did some work on my own and learned how to check for carrier settings update -- go to settings, general, about, and wait for prompt for updater, but nothing shows up. My ipad shows AT&T 15.0 and IOS7 version 7.0.2
Hmm it could show up when you connect your device to iTunes ( sometimes when a carrier releases a new update and you connect your device to iTunes it says something like "there is an update on your carrier settings, would you like to update?"unless it's already updated :/
Generally speaking I would follow http://support.apple.com/kb/ts3780 to see if it improves anything.
Thanks for your help, very much. I tried your suggestion as well as all of the procedures listed in that article and my ATT signal strength is still locked on one bar, it never varies at the house. Very weird. But, to further add to the confusion, since I reset network settings I don't have wifi (simply because I haven't yet re-entered the network password), so I tried accessing several web sites using only cellular line and so far it seems to work fine. Maybe the signal meter is just not reflecting the actual strength. Going to do some more checking outside the home today.
The problem for you poor people trying to help dummies like me is you don't get accurate, reliable info from us. I've found it is very difficult for me to pin down and accurately describe what is happening to me so that a tech person like you can try to give useful, relevant advice.
Hehe no worries we've all been there :) . The best way to explain a technical issue is really to say in simple words what doesn't work or describe the issue , in the same way that you would describe to a doctor a pain symptom or something. So like you would say what symptoms you have , when they occur (what move for example do you have to reproduce in order for the symptom to show- in example a back pain ) , when did that pain start , has it happened in the past , what were you doing before it occurred (in example you could have tried to lift a heavy object etc ) , did you try anything to resolve it (ex. Did you take any painkillers , rest , etc) .
In the same way with the addition of a couple more questions you can describe a technical issue - regardless of the issue.
- what is the issue?
-when did it start happening?
- what were you doing before it occurred? (Of course must be relevant to the issue :p)
-what would you do to reproduce it ?
-has it ever happened before ?
-(depending on the issue ) you could add the question "where it occurs" ? (In Example if you have signal issues (any type of - wifi , cellular data , etc you'd need to be certain if the issue occurs only at one spot or everywhere you go etc)
-have you tried to follow any troubleshooting steps and if yes which ones?
-(again depending on the issue) - have you tried any other devices in the area ? Do they work properly ?
:)
If the cellular data signal shows low only at your place then it could be just the area having a low signal. After making sure it doesn't happen anywhere else , you could always call your network carrier and let them know - ask them about it. You can describe them what troubleshooting steps you followed ,if you followed the steps listed in the article and ask them if there's anything additional you can do. Also, i do wonder have you tried a different phone or anyone else's phone at your place with cellular data ? And if yes was that other device working as intended?
Ah I wrote an essay there :p
I very much appreciate your thoughts on this.
I did some testing yesterday and my ipad data line reception ranged from 1 dot to 4 dots over 12 mile drive in Atlanta, mostly at 3 or 4. So the strength of signal indicator clearly works.
At the house it registers at 1 dot or "searching for service," never higher. My 80-foot high antenna and amplifier setup (which did not come cheap, by the way) is pointed at the nearest ATT cell tower and gives me average of 3 dots on cell phone. Can't swear what I previously showed (prior to IOS7 update) for Ipad data line reception but I'm pretty certain it was better than one bar. I would have thought my antenna set-up would boost the ATT data line signal the same way it boosts the cell phone signal, but I don't have the technical background to know. I may call the guys who installed it and see.
The reason I started noticing this is because since the update, when I go to certain weak wifi areas of the house, I often lose all ability to go to the internet -- but not always, sometimes it appears to shift over to the data line. So this problem may not be related to IOS7 at all, but I sure felt like it was related.
In case anyone is interested, I think I solved my ipad cellular data signal strength issue ...I found out that my cellular signal amplifier is not designerd to boost the 4G (LTE) signal. A newer model does but I don't have it. I then went to settings, celluar data and disabled LTE on the ipad. Immediately my signal strength jumped to the same level as my iphone 5S, which is four or five bars. Mystery solved. I now am skeptical that IOS7 update had anything to do with this, although I don't recall noticing the poor cellular data signal on ipad before the update.
Poor cellular data line strength on New Ipad after IOS7
