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iOS 8 Wi-Fi problems

WI-Fi problems on iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina display and iPhone 5S after upgrading to iOS 8.

Typical results from OOKLA Speedtest before upgrade: Ping 17 ms, Upload 21 Mbps, Download 4.4 Mbps

Typical results after upgrade: Ping 39 ms, Download 2.9 Mbps, Upload 0.47 Mbps

iPad 2 with iOS 7.1.2 get 15 Mbps download and 4.4 upload on the same network.

Resetting network settings on the iOS 8 devices did not improve the performance.

Changing band on the router from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz did give me back the speed on all devices.

However the speed occasonally drops on the iOS 8 devices, and the signal strengt can go from full til lost connection without moving the devices.

Also sometimes the Wi-Fi SweetSpots app report 0 mbps when the signal strenght is indicated as full and then suddenly go up to around 58 Mbps again.

It is almost like the device is trying to use cellular network that I do not have on the iPads before it suddenly switches back to Wi-fi nettwork again.

I am thinking about going back to my iPad 2 with iOS 7.1.2 that is working perfectly until the Wi-Fi issues are resolved.


Any help will be very much appreciated!

iPad Air Wi-Fi, iOS 8

Posted on Sep 20, 2014 9:17 AM

Reply
3,343 replies

Aug 14, 2015 3:16 PM in response to Insiderinformation

InsiderInformation wrote:

So if it's not an IOS problem, what is it?


Please note my post on page 206. As I mentioned, Apple used a networking routine called mDNSResponder in previous versions of iOS and OS X. With the advent of iOS 8 and Yosemite, Apple switched to a new routine called DiscoveryD which has been associated with some of the Wi-FI issues reported here. DiscoveryD was not used in iOS 7 nor in Mavericks. On June 30 Apple released an update to OS X, 10.10.4, and replaced DiscoveryD with the former mDNSResponder for "improved networking reliability” as listed in their release notes. I updated my MacBookPro to 10.10.4 at the time and I am pleased to report that I have had no Wi-Fi issues whatsoever. iOS 8.4.1 still uses DiscoveryD. According to Apple, iOS 9 will be released in the fall and hopefully will include Wi-Fi improvements as well.

Aug 17, 2015 12:42 AM in response to elcpu

Updated last week, hasn't given any improvement


For me 8.3 did resolve some of the problems but 8.4 (and 8.4.1) have gone back to drop-outs. Also will not connect automatically to any router - get home & no wi-fi shown, go to wi-fi settings, can see router with full signal but have to select before it connects. This happens at any location, so with a variety of different routers.



Guess I'll just have to wait for September & hope IOS9 sorts it out

Aug 17, 2015 6:04 AM in response to E-2043

Pff the wifi signal gets worse and worse(8.4.1 now). Every other device I have has great speed throughout my house but even right next to one of the routers the speed drops to zero in about 30 seconds even though the iPhone (6) still displays full signal. My girlfriends iPhone 6 has the exact same problem. Our old iPad 3 which is still on iOS 7 works much much faster.

Aug 17, 2015 7:15 AM in response to pim1986

Hi Pim, welcome to this thread. And also hello to old_chap and wobbly_bob. As you may be aware I have been keeping up with this issue since November 2014. Please take a look at my post on this other thread (about half way down the page), the latest summary I can offer. My iPhone 6 suddenly cannot connect to all type of wireless networks, I mean sometimes it does not see the available wireless network nearby but my other smartphone can!


Yesterday I read about a user who had solved his problem by buying a new Airport Extreme. His previous Airport was very old and he was ready for a new one. No way to know if his improvements have continued or not. While we could do the same, that is hardly a solution for all who have up-to-date Wi-Fi certified routers with the latest firmwares and working well on all but iOS devices. As Apple has mentioned, iOS 9 will be out in the fall. Here is the official Apple preview. https://www.apple.com/ios/ios9-preview/

It looks very nice - let's hope it includes networking improvements as well. Hang in there folks.... Cheers 🙂

Aug 17, 2015 8:25 AM in response to Philly_Phan

I am aware that you and the other expert have never experienced any problems and I'm glad you haven't


But just for a moment consider this; a number of people have ongoing difficulties. Of these they have various different devices (iphone 5, 5S, 5C, 4S, different ipads), they are using numerous different routers. In fact the only constant factor is IOS8


So does this not suggest the problem could be caused by software?

Aug 17, 2015 8:38 AM in response to Csound1

So it is not fact that people with different devices have problems? It is no fact that people with different routers have problems? It is not fact that all those who have reported problems are using IOS8?



Whether or not there were problems on IOS5, 6, 7 and Android is not the subject being discussed - IOS8 is


(and is it not fact you are replying to a comment addressed to someone else, something you have objected to others doing?)


Perhaps you should again use your status to report my comments and get them removed

Aug 17, 2015 9:08 AM in response to Csound1

In fact this also has been reported on IOS7, iOS6 and iOS5 (in this forum, look around for others), as well as Samsung and HTC devices


There will always be people posting about Wi-Fi issues.... On any iOS, any Androids, any Macs or any PCs.... However, while your statement above is indeed correct, it is worth noting that this thread on iOS 8 Wi-Fi contains 3,150+ replies whereas the thread you mentioned earlier regarding iOS 7 Wi-Fi contains 255 replies. - a good indicator of the difficulties some are having with iOS 8 vs. 7.


I am delighted that you are not having issues, the vast majority are not, but those that are have significant problems indeed. Apple is well aware of this. They have contacted many here who are having issues, myself included on two occasions over 2 hours long. Apple has collected logs, router/ISP configurations, and other data of relevance. As I have also mentioned, the problem existed on Yosemite as well prior to 10.4.4. With the return of mDNSResponder in 10.4.4 most of those issues were resolved. And yes again, there will always be some complaining about 10.4.4 as well... nature of the beast!!!


Toodle pip... 😎

iOS 8 Wi-Fi problems

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