iPad Pro 9.7 constantly drops WiFi

Question

Level 1

23 points

iPad Pro 9.7 constantly drops WiFi

I'm desperately looking for some help, before returning my second brand new iPad Pro and going back to my iPad Air 2. My iPad Pro 9.7 simply refuses to maintain a consistent WiFi connection. I have other Apple devices in my home, including an iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4, iMac 5K, MBP Retina 15 and two Apple TVs. None of my other devices have any connectivity issues whatsoever. For my wireless network, I am using the newest Apple Airport Extreme AC.

I've contacted AppleCare telephone support, spending a combined 4-5 hours with different technicians. Sadly their advice was to return my iPad Pro. This issue is a regular problem. The iPad Pro drops the WiFi connection every 30 seconds to 1 minute, which is most noticeable using FaceBook Messenger--it constantly drops and reconnects. I'm just stumped on this one. I thought Apple Care support would want to run a diagnostic or other tool as this problem is consistent and would be easily observable by such tools. Unfortunately, the only suggestion was to return it. This is the first time I've ever personally had Apple Care support fail to resolve a serious issue, leaving me with no path forward. I returned the first iPad Pro I bought from Apple. The second new iPad Pro I purchased from Costco and have the same issue. I suppose an argument could be made that it's my wireless network that is the issue as two consecutive new iPad Pros have had the same issues. However, I do not have any issues with any other wireless devices on my home network. My iPad Air 2 works flawlessly via WiFi.

I can put my iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro side by side. My iPad Air 2 maintains a WiFi connection, receiving regular notifications from Gmail, Outlook, FaceBook Messenger, and iMessage. When I leave my iPad Pro at home during the workday, I come home and it's been offline all day (easily noted in Apple Mail app--"last updated" time), and the WiFi icon is not present at the top left of the screen. It usually takes a minute or two to reconnect, then all the notifications come flooding in. When I travel for work, usually Hilton-family hotels; I also have this same WiFi issue at these hotels--the iPad Pro will not maintain a WiFi connection.

I have a simple home wireless network provided by my Apple Airport Extreme AC. I am not using VPN connections, port forwards or anything else that might complicate the situation. I have an absolutely rock solid 200 MB cable internet connection.

iPad Pro, iOS 9.3.1

Posted on Apr 29, 2016 1:51 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 29, 2017 1:40 AM in response to codelo

Dear All.

I brought my brand new IpadPro a few weeks ago. I came with IOS11.

But I still have a same problem with my wifi! The last weeks I used that in a Hotel, and every 30 second the router is drop me out, nad after the Ipad can not connect back automaticly! Every 30 second I need to go in the wifi setup and connect back by manual. Today I tried what “zonfor“ wrote here. I switched off my Bluethoots and after its worked! 🙂 Now for me its the time to decide: I wan to use my pen or my wifi?! I think its a joke if I buy an expensive Ipadpro for work, and I need to choose what I want to use, because the bluetooth and the wifi is not works in a same time!!

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Answer 2

Oct 29, 2017 1:45 AM in response to darope_vertical

Hi

You may have a bug.

Go to iCloud make sure iCloud back up is on Then backup now over your wifi

Then go to settings down to reset Restore ipad back to factory settings.

Set back up over your wifi when it asks if you want to use iCloud backup Say yes to get your apps and data back this will get rid of any bugs.

Cheers

Brian 🇬-1F1E7;

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Answer 3

ShagCA

Level 5

6,335 points

Apr 29, 2016 2:02 PM in response to codelo

I would listen to their advice especially if I'm within their return policy window. It's just not worth my time trying to get a device to work when it should work out of the box.

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Answer 4

Apr 29, 2016 2:03 PM in response to codelo

Hi

Go to settings reset network settings after reset enter your router wireless key .

Take your ipad to a friends house or another WiFi hotspot see if you lose connection if you do

Its an iPad problem if you don,t it your home wifi.

Hope this helps .

Cheers

Brian

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Answer 5

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

Apr 29, 2016 2:10 PM in response to codelo

Below are some general suggestions for Wi-Fi issues. Please try them in this order, they have helped many in the past. If not return the device as advised.

1) Perform a Forced Restart: Hold down the Home and Wake/Sleep buttons at the same time for about 15-20 seconds until the Apple logo appears. Allow device to restart.

2) Reset Network Settings: Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Rejoin the Network again.

3) Reboot Router/Modem: Unplug from power for 2 minutes and plug again. Update Router Firmware (check manufacturer’s support website for a newer FW). Also try different bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and different bandwidths (20 MHz recommended for the 2.4 band).

4) Change to Google's DNS: Settings > Wi-Fi > Click on the Network, Delete all numbers under DNS and enter 8.8.8.8 or alternatively 8.8.4.4

5) Disable device prioritization on the router if this feature is available.

6) Determine if other Wi-Fi devices on network are working well (other iOS devices, Macs, PCs).

7) Try device at another Network, i.e., neighbors’, public coffee house, etc.

8) Restore the Device (ask for additional for details if desired).

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201252

9) Go to an Apple Store for hardware evaluation

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Answer 6

codelo Author

Level 1

23 points

Apr 30, 2016 9:51 PM in response to elcpu

Hi elcpu,

Thank you for the information. My original post was deleted, but I did try everything, and a few other things, that you listed. Unfortunately none of them worked.

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Answer 7

May 1, 2016 12:28 AM in response to codelo

Hi

Make an appointment at apple store ipad is still under warrenty .

Cheers

Brian

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Answer 8

MichelPM

Level 10

80,980 points

May 1, 2016 2:48 AM in response to codelo

Life is too short to deal with a device that should be working flawlessly out of the box.

Bring it back to Apple, ask for another new unit and this time set it up in the store using the Apple Store's Wifi to see if the Wifi issues happen with the new iPad Pro in the store.

If no issues in the store, but still experience issues with new iPad replacement with your local home wireless network, then you will know that your issues lie with your home MODEM/WiFi router setup and is NOT an issue with the new iPad, at all.

If you had your problem iPad sync'd to iTunes on a computer, make sure you deauthorise it from your system/Apple iTunes account before totally erasing and resetting the iPad for return.

Good Luck!

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Answer 9

codelo Author

Level 1

23 points

May 1, 2016 10:14 PM in response to MichelPM

Just a quick update. I have determined where the problem is. There is some incompatibility between my Airport Extreme AC and my new iPad Pro. I can watch the Airport Utility and easily see that my iPad Pro keeps bouncing between 2.4 GHz (b/g/n) and 5 GHz (a/n/ac). This has been a perplexing issue as I only have the problem with my iPad Pro. My other Apple devices (iMac 5k, MBP, iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4) have no issues whatsoever.

I've eliminated my home network as the cause. I've also followed the troubleshooting noted herein, including a full wipe and restore of both iPad Pros, wipe and not restoring iCloud backup, etc. Each step I still had the same issue--my iPad Pro refuses to maintain a solid connection to my Airport Extreme AC. I even wiped my Airport to see if that would fix the problem--it didn't.

I did return my original iPad Pro I purchased directly from Apple. I then purchased a new one from Costco. This one had the exact same problem. I borrowed my friend's Netgear AC wireless router to test my theory as my iPad Pro maintained a solid connection at his house. Just to be safe, I wiped the config and returned the Netgear to factory settings. Configured the appropriate settings, and my iPad Pro worked flawlessly on the Netgear. When I plugged my Airport Extreme AC back in, the same Wifi problems returned to my iPad Pro. I also had Wifi issues at hotels I travel to for work--exact same issue I experienced at home.

So, the efforts have been exhaustive. I don't see any option other than giving up on the iPad Pro at this point. I really need a iPad that I can rely on due to the nature of my job. At home it's certainly not as critical, but an annoyance for sure. I can't justify purchasing a new Netgear AC router just to address an isolated wifi issue with the iPad Pro.

I may call Apple Care one last time on this iPad Pro before I give up, as I have now isolated the specific issue and the consistency of it. Perhaps they know of something. I did buy this Airport AC right when it first came out, so perhaps some of the "innards" were of the first batch and had issues.

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Answer 10

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

May 2, 2016 7:58 AM in response to codelo

You have done extensive troubleshooting and I commend you... 🙂

I cannot tell you how many posts I have replied to in the past regarding routers and wifi issues. Even in my own case I had to return a Linksys router and get a TP-Link as the Linksys would not connect properly with my iOS devices even though it did with Windows computers.

FWIW, with the advent of iOS 8 Apple replaced its long standing networking routine (which when by the name of mDNSResponder) with a new routine by the name of DiscoveryD. DiscoveryD proved to be problematic and Apple reverted back to mDNSResponder in iOS 9 (and also OS X). If you have a Mac you can use Activity Monitor and see that mDNSResponder is now being used whereas in the past you would have seen DiscoveryD. There may be bugs with this routine affecting the iPad Pro even though most are working ok. You could try escalating your issue with AppleCare to see if it helps. Good luck.

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Answer 11

May 18, 2016 7:34 AM in response to codelo

Codelo, I have been having the same problem. Wifi Drops, no signal issue. I replaced the router thinking it had gone flakey to no avail. FWIW - one router was Netgear one was Linksys so I don't think it's a branding issue. Your second post about bouncing between 2.4 and 5 struck a chord though. I have noticed that, at least several times when it has dropped, the wifi is on the opposite of what it was before. I am trying forgetting my 5Ghz network on the ipad and just setting up the 2.4. If this doesn't work I will shut it off at the router level. If this doesn't work I will reverse it and shut off the 2.4, first at the ipad level, then at the router level. I will repost if there is any change based on this.

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Answer 12

May 21, 2016 3:13 PM in response to codelo

I am having the same issue.

we just bought new linksys wrt1900Acs router instead of 6 year old d-link, with which ipad pro worked flawlessly.

linksys have dual band configured to mixed and 5G . Ipad pro connected to both networks fine , but the connectivity drops / slows almost immediately so both networks cant be used.

after reading this post and other similar i didnt reset any ipad or cloud settings except of the network , which of course didn't help.

what did help is setting the wireless mode to G only instead of mixed.

I also tried to change the mode to N only , but same as the original problem. Our previous router was also configure to mixed mode

All other apple device e.g. Ipone 5,6 , ipad 2, ipad mini didnt had any issue with the mixed mode on the new router.

as a total workaround if there is no option to change the router settings it is possible to connect thru other apple device Bluetooth / hotspot

of course it is totally not perfect, but if you stuck in hotel without any connection it is better then nothing

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Answer 13

codelo Author

Level 1

23 points

May 23, 2016 9:24 PM in response to LisaAlisssa

I've discovered a work around that allows near-persistent connectivity at home. I enabled the 5 GHz network on my Airport Extreme AC. I can keep a generally reliable connection on my iPad Pro if I connect to the 5 GHz network. I still had serious connectivity drops when I traveled for work, mostly at the Hilton-branded hotels (usually stay at Hampton Inns). I understand that Apple sources chips from different manufacturers in product lines (meaning the iPad Pro 9.7 can feature wireless chip sets from different manufactures) which would explain why some iPads experience these issues and others do not. Unfortunately my iPad is problematic. For the time being I have returned my iPad Pro 9.7 and went back to my iPad Air 2, which does not have the connectivity issues at home or travel that my Pro did.

Really, I am at a complete loss here. It's clear there is an issue specifically limited to the iPad Pro 9.7 connected via my Airport Extreme AC, as none of my other iPads or Apple devices have connectivity failures. I'm going to give it a few months and try to buy another iPad Pro, in hopes that Apple will discover the problem and resolve it.

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Answer 14

echo59

Level 1

4 points

May 25, 2016 1:22 PM in response to codelo

I am on my second ipad pro 9.7 and having the same issue! connects just fine -- anywhere. but cannot hold a signal very long. it's not my router as this happens no matter where i am. i guess another trip to the apple store is coming for me. something is wrong, very wrong. but when i call support i get the "never heard of this one" or a ton of "instructions" that i've already done before. they want my crash logs so an engineer can have a look. but i'm not going through that. first pro was one day old when i took it back. kept this one a bit longer just hoping.

but it should work. period. here's hoping i get lucky with the 3rd pro 😟

the last "senior" advisor i was speaking with was going to email info, etc. nope. never did.

every device i own is apple -- phone, a mini, pro, mac air, apple tv. i'm starting to think apple has lost it's customer satisfaction ability.

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Answer 15

kfunk01

Level 1

12 points

Jul 8, 2016 7:26 AM in response to codelo

PPlease call and share your findings but I find it odd that primarily the issue for me surrounds running in app videos. "Heavier" stuff. So like I am running safari and I am on a website and i see a video I play it my wifi turns off and on by itself and then shuts down. The same happens on Facebook... I too am on my second iPad and have tried all the troubleshooting items and am very disappointed. I wonder if it is a faulty software issue or a compatibility issue when running heavier programs... I don't know but it is frustrating and I await ios10 With hopes of this just being a software fix....

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