Q: iPad2 not connecting to 2.4Ghz Wireless Networks

I tried a bunch of fixes, but your steps 3 and 4 above (Changed to WPA with AES & switched my router from Channel 11 to Autoselect) followed by forgetting the network and then basically selected my WiFi network again and retyping the password fixed it.  HUGE pain in the butt (thanks Apple) but it was a relatively painless fix using your instructions.  Thank you for your post!!

Hi,

I'm just adding another one to this pile. Just happened a few days ago. After investigation, can only connect to 2.4GHz if ipad sitting on top of router. No issue connecting to 5GHz. I end up relegating the device permanently to my AV room which fortunately have a 5GHz signal.

Device - iPad mini 16G WiFi bought June 2013

Router - Asus RT-N56U dual band

Product is 3 months out of warranty.

Regards.

Hi all,

Just to warn you. I just updated the iPad mini to the iOS8 GM as I was hoping it would possibly fix the connection issue.

On iOS8 the iPad mini's WiFi does not work at all anymore! I can still connect to 5GHz WiFi but it won't load ANY data and it disconnects all the time only to hopelessly try to reconnect.

I will try another restore, settings reset, etc. But at this moment the mini is no more

If it persists I will take it to Apple again and hopefully get better support this time despite being out of warranty. That only 5GHz worked was acceptable, but without any WiFi the mini becomes pretty much useless.

So beware, it may be unrelated to this issue and be another issue altogether, but know that it can happen..! Any others that have tried iOS8 betas or the GM and have seen different results?

Sorry for the 'false' alarm: after resetting the network settings after the sync completed it is working again. Well, only 5GHz is working, 2.4GHz still isn't... So much for hoping they fixed it.

I have just come across this problem (I think) with my daughter's IPAD2. The only difference is that it seems to work OK when within 3-4 feet of the router (not right on top of it as stated earlier).

The IPAD is well out of warranty, and as I live in the West of Ireland a visit to the Genius Bar isn't really an option either. I have scanned this thread and think I am right in concluding there is no known fix - I did try the IOS8 upgrade, and that hasn't fixed it (or made it worse )

So maybe my only option is to get a 5GHz router in the house (I currently have two wireless routers, but both at 2.4GHz). Is there a WiFi extender maybe that can be configured to receive at 2.4GHz and transmit at 5Gz?

Any suggestions welcome

Hi all,

I found a solution to my problem but let me first explain what my problem was.

I have an iPad 2 and never had a problem before but after upgrade to iOS 8.0 I started to experience slowdowns and decided to downgrade to 7.1.2 using iTunes. Since then I cannot connect to my 2.4 GHz router if I'm not in the same room.

I tried everything I found on internet but no success until I performed the following steps:

- Upgraded to iOS 8.0.2

- Turned off iPad's wifi

- Changed iPad's name

- Switched the router to WPA2 with AES

- Switched the router to channel 6

- Switched the router to 20 MHz

- Set the router's wifi access control to allow only the MACs I added (and I added my iPad's MAC)

- Set the router's DHCP server so my iPad gets a fixed ip address

- Restored iPad's network settings to default

- Restarted my router

- Reconnected my iPad to my home network

I wish this can help someone else.

Rergards

It's never to late to give up

So I decided to let this issue RIP! We had the Ipad2 brought to the store where it was bought, and they said they would send it to Apple.... not sure what happend after this, but fast forward 4-6 moths and the IPad was returned, without any further comment, still just as wonky as before! Not sure it it ever left the store or not. Never mind... I find the way Apple handles this issue somewhat strange, offering a refurbished IPad for almost the same as a brand new unit on sale... this for an item that only slipped out of the 12 months warranty by a few months and still with-in the 24-months "grace" period.

Still beeing an engineer myself, I really would love to know the root cause, as I am curious. I'll try to remember to check the net and see if there is any new information popping up, but the faith in Apple products are, well not just there!  The way that noone here in Sweden seems to have the knowledge or the possiblity to get it, regarding this issue is stunning. I honestly beleive that those I have spoken to do not know a squat, and are kept out of the loop.

So good luck to you all, and I sincerely hope we will see a happy ending for those who keep on pushing, trying to get this issue resolved.

I simply roll over and give up.... Sigh

I am having the same problem. I have the iPad 3. Two days ago I took it to the official Apple reseller and they offered a new iPad 3 for 406 eurov (mine is already out of warranty). I just laughed, but they were nice and gave me an address for an unofficial service. So I went there today and the guy was trying to connect to different routers. All of a sudden it connected and he said that that was his 5 Ghz router and that something is probably wrong with the chip but he cant replace that.

I dont have a 5 Ghz router at home, so I have pretty big coster lying on the table. I tried everything, from resets (of everything) to reboots, changing channels, passwords, security type.

The problem is, I still don't know for sure if this is a hardware malfunction or really just an annoying software bug. Is it possible to check somehow for sure?

@igl85, sorry to hear about your trouble... It seems noone outside Apple do know for sure what is going on, if it is hardware or software malfunction.

Given all the facts collected in this thread, it looks as if it is software related, but it could also be a faulty wi-fi chip, but if I had to bet money on the issue, I'd go for s/w or rather firmware related.

It seems a normal factory reset will not cure, it needs to go way deeper. The problem is that the 2.4 GHz transmitter part has lost most of it's power and we do not know why. Part of the chip do work, you still can connect to a 2.4 GHz network but only in extreme proximity of a router. 5 GHz seems unaffected. Now, the chip could have its internal registry wrongly programmed and thus have the power shut down/reduced OR it could be a hardware problem.

After going over the information I have collected, and beeing an engineer myself, everything points towards the wi-fi chip or something closly related. And without any assistance from Apple it seems impossible to solve. The iPad is really not intended for repair, beeing glued but it would be interesting to hear if someone managed to swap out the chip/wi-fi ciruits.

Getting a dual band router for home is a lot cheaper than a new iPad... but then you still have problems when away from home.

Hi,

I have the same issue with my iPad mini running latest iOS 8.2. My model is more than two years old and worked flawlessly. Two days ago the issue started that the iPad was not able to connect to well known wifi access point.

I am glad to find this thread. Now I am sure that the described problem here is also mine. 5GHz is OK and 2.4GHz only works in close distance to the access point.

I live in Germany and will show up tomorrow at an Apple shop to see what they say.

regards

spachner

Hi gloede99,

thanks for your post. This morning I went to an Apple store in Munich and explained the Genius my problem in very technical way to convince them that there is nothing else to do than replacing my iPad mini. Surprisingly he believed my elaborations and showed really understanding. Not surprisingly he was not allowed to follow my with and simply replace my 2 years 5 month old iPad without consulting the local store manager. This guy however was really rough talking, unsympathetic and arrogant and simply explained that Apple's law is never to replace such an old device independently of the failure. The only he offered was a replacement with the very same (old) model they still have on sock for such kind of problems, but I need to pay about €140,- ! No wonder that I declined.

Now I am sure about what I often read in blogs that Apple do not care about their customers. I will not go further on this issue since I own a 5GHz Wifi access point I can still use the iPad at home. I am not sure whether I will by another Apple product in future...

regards

spachner

Hi all,

today a bought a dual band Wifi range extender (WN3500RP, from Netgear, http://www.amazon.de/Netgear-WN3500RP-100PES-Wall-Plug-Edition-Universal/dp/B00A N50BSS) which is (so far I know) the only device which allows to repeat 2.4GHz input data at the 5GHz band. This allows me to connect my half broken iPad to the 5GHz band while the data is repeated to a legacy 2.4GHz Wifi access points. This mode is called "Fast Lane" by Netgear. Works great.

Costs about €70 and is better than purchasing a new iPad.

regards

spachner