wifi password incorrect after iOS 8 update

updated 2 devices to iOS 8 using iTunes at home. iPhone 4s and iPad air 2014. Both no longer connects to my home wifi. Both devices keep saying password incorrect when the password is correct. I have a work iPhone 4s which i updated to iOS 8 at work and this work iPhone 4s connects fine to my home wifi network. i am using an iMac at home as our wifi router. The iMac is connected my cable modem through ethernet cable. Have tried powering off the devices, reset network on iPhone and iPad, still keeps saying "password incorrect". HELP!!

iPhone 4S, iOS 8

Posted on Sep 21, 2014 7:48 AM

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163 replies

Apr 16, 2015 5:52 AM in response to michael18284

You may be onto something because for some reason on my son's ipod (same incorrect password crap) it doesn't seem to connect unless I'm right next to the router then if I connect and move away when the signal drops and the device tries to reconnect it constantly asks for a password and gives the error each time you enter it. This was all after the latest update to OS8.3 since before that it would connect perfectly.......very frustrating to say the least. Apple needs to get a hold on fixing this issue asap or customers are going to start going elsewhere.

Apr 20, 2015 8:09 AM in response to MacLionUser10.7

Spoke with another person who works in a tech store fixing their hardware/software issues and it was suggested to set the device (via iTunes) back to factory defaults (as though you were going to sell it) and verify if the issue is still there or not. If it fixes the issue then obviously watch for issues as you reload items back on. If not, then the item has a hardware issue and needs to be repaired or replaced.

Apr 23, 2015 4:56 AM in response to itgirl33

I tried several networks including home, work, inlaws and McDonalds and the result seems to be the same (always incorrect password) so I don't think messing with the network is the cause of the error at least on mine. Not sure if it was coincidence or the wifi issue was related to the OS (ie did Apple modify something in wifi security to cause this issue or is it really hardware related). I've done full restores and even set it back to like new yet the issue still remains for some reason. Just seems really strange this would occur right after an update to OS 8.3 yet be totally unrelated. I'd be curious for those that fixed the issue at home on the dual band, do you also have issues with other wifi networks elsewhere (ie other people's houses, restaurants, hotspots, etc)?

Apr 23, 2015 7:17 AM in response to MTL4runner

I'm with you. It doesn't seem likely that the hardware was bad since it happened right after the 8.3 update. Sounds like software especially since you're not the only one this is happening too.


In my situation a client couldn't connect to his new wifi with his ipad so I tried my iphone 5 on 8.3 and it wouldn't either.


I haven't noticed any problems with other networks but I haven't connected a lot out side of home since the new 8.3 update came out. I'll connect at a few places and see.


Did you restore from itunes or icloud? I've heard icloud is better because it uses Apple's ios files. If you restore from itunes and there's a problem with the os you'll restore it back with the same problem.


Did you

  • reset your network settings?
  • turn off wifi networking?
  • change password on your router?
  • mess with security settings on your router?

Apr 23, 2015 10:12 AM in response to rainwater01

I may have found something of interest as to why exactly the new OS 8 is causing so many issues (it's related to AWDL).


Note it says: "At any one time, the wifi chip can only communicate at one frequency. Thus, both interfaces would need to be on the same channel when attempting to use both interfaces at the same time. This typically works well when 2 devices are near each other, as they are more than likely connected to the same access point using the same channel."


This sounds exactly like my issue because when I'm close to the router itself then it will connect fine but move away and it suddenly won't connect and gives you the mysterious "incorrect password" error.


To answer your questions:

1) Yes, have reset both network and all settings on ipod

2) Yes, have turned on/off wifi in settings many times

3) No have not done anything with the router since I have 5 other Apple devices that connect fine

4) No did not touch my security settings but tried on multiple networks to verify the issue isn't with my home router.


I did a restore from itunes and will try doing it from icloud instead but I have a feeling AWDL is the root cause and unless Apple addresses it in the next OS version, our devices will continue to have issues with wifi connectivity. At the very least apple should allow an advanced option to disable this in the OS so that people can remove this feature if they are having issues.

Apr 24, 2015 5:45 AM in response to MTL4runner

That's interesting that it works close... Are your other devices on 8.3? I wonder if They are interfering with each other. Would it connect at a distance with other devices off?


As far as the network is concerned I figure it's the easiest variable to change which may help you figure out what's wrong with your ios device. It's likely that you can make a change to the wifi and all the other devices plus your dysfunctional one will work.


The mystery is why so many other networks aren't working!


Good luck.

May 5, 2015 4:30 AM in response to alohapple

well, once red all the posts in this tread, it seems that "incorrect password" is more a syntom that an illness. I mean, a lot of reasons may produce this unique error message.

I will explain my own problem and its solution: I have 2 iphone 6 plus and 4 ipad (1,2,4 and air 2). My router is dual band: 2.4 and 5G: different SSID´s but same password on both bands. All on ios 8.1, except ipad 1 of course,which is in ios 5 (thanks, Apple). Problem arises when i checked out that all devices (even ipad 1, LOL) were connected to 5G band, except ipad 2, which was connected to 2.4, and refuses connect to 5g: "incorrect password". Tried all possible solutions: reset router and ipad network settings, WAP2 mode, turn both off and on, chage password, change SSID, checked out MAC filtering, reset ipad general adjust settings, with no results at all. Even got no results when i turn off security of my wifi, with free access, which at last gave me the beginning of the possible solution: if it was not mater of passwords, should be the wifi itself. And then i found out the solution: the channel on the 5G band, (which was set on 100 mHz). I changed it to 40, not the lowest, but near., and problems went out. All devices connected.


So, my solution: change you wifi channels to low values in 5G band, and checked out interferences on 2.4 band.



one question remains: why 3 ipads and 2 iphones do connect to 100 channel on 5g and 1 ipad doesn´t

May 5, 2015 1:31 PM in response to Yaenclo

You are exactly right, the error is more a symptom of what's going on. It could be that you actually have the incorrect password but for those of us who have ruled that out long ago then the issue that remains appears to do with hardware limitations on certain Apple hardware and how the OS makes use of it. Older hardware (esp those limited to earlier OS, ie pre OS 8) seems to avoid this issue entirely due to the way AWDL was first implemented (ie single vs dual channel transmission). Interesting that you have an iPad 2 that won't connect and I have an iPod 5th gen exhibiting the same problems (not sure what hardware is on the motherboard but I would be curious if there was something in common with them both). Regardless it is definitely related to changes made to the OS and I would expect in the next couple of revs Apple will hopefully get this fixed once and for all.

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wifi password incorrect after iOS 8 update

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