iPad won't connect to WiFi - but other devices do

Question

iPad won't connect to WiFi - but other devices do

My husband installed a new router 3 weeks ago and 3 of the 4 iPads in our house plus all the Macs and PCs and laptops connected instantly. For some reason my iPad did not. My iPad had all the most recent updates and was not the newest or the oldest iPad. I triple checked the password. I shut down. I turned wifi on and off and forgot the old networks. Nothing worked and none of the user forums were useful. None of the tech people in my house or at work could figure this out.

Today, I noticed that my laptop had a wifi security setting of WPA2. So I went back into the ipad to give it a try. IT WORKED!!!

Here's exactly what I did

1. Go into WiFi.

2. If the network comes up, Do NOT select it.

3. Go into Other Network and type in the name of the network.

4. On the line that says Security, click the arrow to the right. The choices will be

None
WEP
WPA
WPA2
WPA Enterprise
WPA2 Enterprise

Select WPA2

That's it. You're done. It should work beautifully now.

If this saves even one person my 3 weeks of agony, it was worth the 5 minutes it took to write it.

Good luck

To any Apple employees reading this - please - for the love of your customers - fix these kinds of things. I love my apple products, but this brought me close to the edge.

iPad, iOS 9.3.1

Posted on May 6, 2016 7:26 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

aek310

Level 1

9 points

Oct 3, 2017 5:28 AM in response to FringleFroggy

I have this same problem except that nothing is new in my house. Same old router, iPhone ip and iMac. But just a week or two ago my iPhone stopped connecting with my wifi. Everything else works.

I have tried to re-set my connection as suggested above and in the distant past that has worked. Now nothing.

this is the err message I get : Could not find the network "Livebox-edcc". I have double checked the name of the router and triple checked the password. I tried WPA and WPA2, which are what has worked in the past. My system is up to date. iPhone 5 - 10.3.3

please help...

Reply

Answer 2

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

May 7, 2016 6:44 AM in response to FringleFroggy

Below are some general suggestions for Wi-Fi issues. Suggest starting from the top and working down, maybe they will help....

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.

User Tip: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-9892

Reply

Answer 3

May 9, 2016 4:21 AM in response to FringleFroggy

Wow! Thank you all for trying to help. I am thrilled to report the problem has been solved. I bought a new router (Linksys EA8500) which supports 12 or more devices at multiple GHz. I wanted to repost below what happened though in case anyone else has the same issue.

Question: How can I get my iPad to connect with Wifi when it is more than 5 feet away from the router?

When I try to connect I either get a message that I have used the incorrect password, or I get a message asking for the password over and over again.

iPad Facts:

iPad Model MD517LL/A
Version: 9.3.1 (all updates current as of 5/8/16)
Firmware: 10.01.00

Additional Information:

Router: ubee DVW3201 from Time Warner Cable
iPad connects to WiFi automatically when it is within 5 feet of the router (so the password I have in there IS correct)
iPad connection drops when further away with and without a leather cover on the iPad. Initially I can move to the other end of the house and it will reconnect one time successfully, but after that it doesn't work.
iPad Mini, iPad (version 5.1.1 model MC496LL), iPad (version 9.3.1, model ME276LL/A),PC, Mac all connect to router regardless of where they are in the house
my iPad has the same IP address, subnet mask, router, & DNS as the others

Solutions Tried:

Forced Restart
Reset Network Settings
Reboot Router (router and firmware are new and updated)
Change to Google's DNS - tried both 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 several times
All other devices are connecting
iPad works fine connecting to other wifi networks (e.g. work, public)
Comparison of network setting in devices that were working to devices that were not working - all the same

My son's device was having no issues at all, so I finally decided to walk around the house myself with his device and see if the network ever dropped and what happened. Sure enough it dropped in the same spots as mine. However my neighbors' private network instantly picked up. My son had been at their house several months back playing games on his iPad with their older son and the network password had been put in at that time.

I had looked up our router online and saw that folks had trouble connecting phones to the wireless but no reported trouble with iPads. In my research I found that Ubee, the manufacturer, no longer supported the router (never a good sign). Come to find out, we hadn't purchased the router, it had been provided as a "new" router by Time Warner.

As soon as we took that router off and installed the new one, every device in the house worked perfectly. Yeah!!!

Reply

Answer 4

May 7, 2016 6:16 AM in response to FringleFroggy

Hi

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

Cheers

Brian

Reply

Answer 5

May 7, 2016 5:30 AM in response to FringleFroggy

So after 10 hours, the solution above stopped working. 😠

I'm so frustrated at not being able to access the internet. Now I just get an endless request for my password. Nothing indicates I have entered an incorrect password (I've had that before though, even when the password was correct and several people tried it). Ugh!!

Help!!

Reply

Answer 6

May 7, 2016 6:19 AM in response to FringleFroggy

Hi

Also try a reboot on your iPad press & hold power button & menu button hold both down until

You see apple logo .

This can take 30 seconds .

Cheers

Brian

Reply

Answer 7

live2mow

Level 1

4 points

Apr 17, 2017 9:49 PM in response to FringleFroggy

Thanks heaps

Worked a treat

Reply

Answer 8

TMHahn

Level 2

460 points

May 6, 2016 7:31 PM in response to FringleFroggy

1. This is a user forum. Apple engineers and programers do not run these forums.

2. This will not work unless your router is set up with a WPA2 password. The person who set up the router should have been able to tell you this.

3. What is your question?

Reply

Answer 9

Aug 29, 2017 4:30 PM in response to FringleFroggy

OMG, I think it worked! Thanks so much.

Reply

Answer 10

Sep 6, 2017 2:25 PM in response to FringleFroggy

I have just had the same problem. I followed your advice and obtained an immediate connection. Thank you - I would never have worked it out on my own!

Reply

Answer 11

gyrolen

Level 1

4 points

Oct 3, 2017 1:56 AM in response to TMHahn

This worked for me.

Login to your router

Change the DHCP leasing time from Permanent to something else e.g 1 minute, save settings.

Bob's your uncle as they say.

Reply