Q: iOS 8 Wi-Fi problems

Ever since i updated my ipad air to iOS 8.3 wifi has been a huge problem. Pages documents would not upload to icloud drive, wifi connection is too slow, this has rendered my device unusable.

Finally I gave up and bought a new router. And my WiFi issue is resolved.

So just as I expected there is incompatibility of iPhone (or iOS) and some routers.(which otherwise works well with other 4 android phones and 3 laptops in house)

So those who think that they have not had issues with their iphones/ipad have most likely not come across incompatible router.

Which routers are incompatible? Well probably only Apple can give a list. (based on complaints received)

But well I had Beetel 480TC1 and it seems incompatible

One of my relative also has same router and at his place too my iPhone was not having stable WiFi.

Good for you. I talked about this (router incompatibility) about 100 pages ago but this thread is full of Apple bashers (obviously). When you claim to have a problem with iOS 8 and don't bother to write down your router make, model and firmware version you've lost credibility with pro members of this community right off the bat. People should know that.  I've taken the liberty of recording your personal Wi-Fi connectivity success story via router replacement and will continue to post all similar success stories going forward periodically.

Glad you got your problem sorted, but I don’t think it is as simple as just the router just the device or even just the software.

If the problem only started with IOS8 it seems it is the interaction (if that’s the right word) between device and router. What type of router have you bought as that would be good to know for anyone looking to replace their one.

It would be interesting if you could try a device still running IOS7 with your old router and see if it’s stable.

I’m not an “Apple basher”, if I was then I wouldn’t have spent money on buying their products. But if I buy something (from anyone) I expect it to work properly

Are you saying I have not provided the info? If yes, then in that case you are wrong.

I have posted long detailed analysis within week or so after I bought iPhone, in this group as well as to apple engineer via e-mail and their online LOG upload links (which they sent to me). Also filled big questionnaire they asked (router info etc etc)

And my success story is not a success of APPLE OR neither it is proof that it is NOT apple bug.

It is indeed Apple bug, admitted by them and they have failed to fix it.

And if you are going to take liberty of posting my so called success story then you should also take responsibility to mention that it is a workaround to Apple bug which will cost you money. I hope that you do not post half info which pretends as if it is not APPLE bug.

I bought new router because I got it for huge discount and I took risk and got lucky (I was not sure if this new router will work)

And point is even if I got router at discount - it was still a waste of money for me which Apple will never reimburse to me. (inspite of acknowledging that its their fault)

Umm, when I bought iPhone it already had iOS8 to I could not test with iOS 7.

And while I still have old router - I do not have any Apple other device to test with.

Well said. I have found iOS 8 to behave inconsistently over wifi with quite a few routers. And buying a new one, even the latest and greatest, is no guarantee of success. It's like playing Russian roulette. Many users can ill afford to spend and spend on routers just in the hope of hitting the sweet spot. Even people with apple routers have had problems. Apple changed the wifi interaction between iOS 7 and ios 8. It didn't need fiddling with but they still saw fit to implement change. I'm not an apple basher either, I want to enjoy their products but iOS 8 just broke too many things. My wifi works ok but not as well as iOS 7 but this added to a number of other well documented glitches has made me very disillusioned with them. I know they love to add new stuff but when it takes precedence over glitches it's frustrating.

Thanks, but what is the brand of new router?

Scottyboy99 wrote:

 

Well said. I have found iOS 8 to behave inconsistently over wifi with quite a few routers. And buying a new one, even the latest and greatest, is no guarantee of success. It's like playing Russian roulette. Many users can ill afford to spend and spend on routers just in the hope of hitting the sweet spot. Even people with apple routers have had problems. Apple changed the wifi interaction between iOS 7 and ios 8. It didn't need fiddling with but they still saw fit to implement change. I'm not an apple basher either, I want to enjoy their products but iOS 8 just broke too many things. My wifi works ok but not as well as iOS 7 but this added to a number of other well documented glitches has made me very disillusioned with them. I know they love to add new stuff but when it takes precedence over glitches it's frustrating.

Scottyboy99 is right.  Apple changed a lot of things in WIFI with IOS8 so that's why people's routers/APs were working with 7 but not 100% properly with 8.  It was the apple device that changed when the problems started so it must be the apple device that is the problem.  Saying it's 100% the router/AP is like me saying the road has more potholes once I got new tires.  It's accurate to say that the new tires I got are stiffer and I can feel the road more.  You focus on what changed, not everything around it. 

It's not the routers/APs fault that the device's OS changed because the router/AP's firmware is the same and worked fine before.  That would explain why people where having issues when IOS 8 was rolled out.  Both the router/AP and device were tested and certified to work but when a firmware upgrade is done on an Apple device tests are not ran again by 3rd parties to make sure it's comptable.  A new router/AP MIGHT fix SOME people's problems but it's not a guarantee.  It also doesn't fix the problem of what to do when you're at locations like hotels and coffee shops where the router/AP is beyond your control. 

If you look at the WIFI Alliance they have a list of devices that they test.  If you look at Apple devices they do not test each IOS version of IOS so it's possible that older devices with IOS8 might not pass the WIFI Alliance's testing. 

I'm not saying a router/AP is to blame but with some of our issues it is not the router/AP as it was working fine with IOS7 AND we have other Apple devices using the same router/AP that work fine.  That would lead us to believe it's not the router but something in our individual Apple device but not our others. 

If the router is not to blame than what is (bearing in mind that the majority of user have no problem) what other factor(s) could it be?

baldy1983 wrote:

 

Thanks, but what is the brand of new router?

Netgear D500.

Csound1 wrote:

 

If the router is not to blame than what is (bearing in mind that the majority of user have no problem) what other factor(s) could it be?

Thats because they may not have come across incompatible router. Since no. of incompatible router must be low and hence majority people do not have issue.

Test 1) Old Router + iPhone = not working properly - either router is bad or iPhone is bad

Test 2) Old Router + Android / Laptop = working - router not bad

Test 3) New Router + iPhone = working - iPhone wifi chip is not bad

Conclusion - iPhone is incompatible with old router.

amishmm wrote:

 

Csound1 wrote:

 

If the router is not to blame than what is (bearing in mind that the majority of user have no problem) what other factor(s) could it be?

 

Thats because they may not have come across incompatible router. Since no. of incompatible router must be low and hence majority people do not have issue.

 

Test 1) Old Router + iPhone = not working properly - either router is bad or iPhone is bad

Test 2) Old Router + Android / Laptop = working - router not bad

Test 3) New Router + iPhone = working - iPhone wifi chip is not bad

 

Conclusion - iPhone is incompatible with old router.

That is of no use unless information is kept in order to identify what is a 'bad' router and what is not a bad router, can you tell me which router to use, yes or no

Csound1 wrote:

That is of no use unless information is kept in order to identify what is a 'bad' router and what is not a bad router, can you tell me which router to use, yes or no

Which router to use? Well as I said earlier only apple can tell us which routers are incompatible. (based on complaints they received till date)

If you still ask me then as I said in one of the posts earlier - new router which works is Netgear D500

If you want to try / test incompatible router with your iphone / ipad - try one that I already mentioned - Beetel 480TC1. I am not sure if you will find it in your country though.

Csound1 wrote:

 

If the router is not to blame than what is (bearing in mind that the majority of user have no problem) what other factor(s) could it be?

That's the unknown.  Maybe the WIFI/Bluetooth chip in some devices were made by a different company where the specs are a tad off?  Maybe that didn't show in IOS 7 and /or IOS8 when Apple tested it on their devices because we all know we're the small minority of people experiencing these issues.  I don't think I have "bad" hardware as with older versions of IOS8 I would have slow WIFI speeds when my bluetooth was turn on but now I just have slow WIFI speeds when I'm streaming to bluetooth.  I would think if it was a bad chip and/or hardware the results would have been there consistently with IOS6, 7, and 8 but not only with me but others started noticing WIFI issues when IOS8 came out when IOS7 worked fine with our APs/Routers.

Getting a new AP/Router MIGHT permanently fix it for some because their AP/Router is garbage and for others it might be a temp fix as when I reset my network settings and/or reset defaults it works for a while then the problem comes back.  It seems like it works fine for a bit on fresh APs/Routers but it may or may not freak out.  My Girlfriend's Apple device and my iPhone don't do what my iPad does. 

The last Apple engineer out of Austin that I spoke with mentioned that this is being taken very seriously.  He said that because looking at the names assigned to this they are very high level. He called me after 8.3 came out to see if 8.3 fixed my problem when my case was opened with IOS 8.1.something?  I once again sent him my logs and haven't heard back from him.  I'm sure they'll call me after I install 8.4 or whatever comes out next to see if it fixed it.  Heck I'll mail my device to them along with my AP if they want. 

With conversations like that with Apple I still feel the ball is in their court.  I can use my iPad as long as I don't WIFI and stream audio to bluetooth but others it's much worse.