Worse WiFi Reception with iPad Pro

Hello there jimpal!

Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities! It sounds like you are having an issue with the Wi-Fi signal on your iPad Pro. I know how important it is to be sure the Wi-Fi signal is strong when connected to the iPad pro. Check out this article with information about Potential sources of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth interference. It sounds like your iPad might be best served by following these steps and tips to see if it helps you with the connection.

Cheers!

FWIW, I recently replaced my iPad 3 with an iPad Pro (smaller model) and do not experience any issues with Wi-Fi connectivity compared to the earlier device.

Has anything changed with your Wi-Fi network?

As far as Wi-Fi interference is concerned, wireless network designers concentrate more on antenna design (both transmitter and receiver), distance between the two, building materials, and other competing RF sources in the same bands.

Weather typically does not get considered. However, weather does factor in somewhat with temperature having more of an influence than humidity. Humans, being mostly water, actually contribute more to interference, than humidity. 😉

What I believe you are experiencing is basic antenna design and its limitations. More so on the receiving side (iPad) than the transmitting side (Time Capsule).

Some advocate using higher transmitter power, but this does not solve the problem. What is really required is to improve the antenna's gain. For example, increasing the power of the Time Capsule Wi-Fi radio alone does nothing for the receive sensitivity of your iPad. Whereas increasing the antenna's gain improves both transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) ends. Wireless clients rarely have problems hearing the wireless access point, but they have relatively weak Wi-Fi radios (aka, less power) and low gain antennas ... so they more often have more problems being heard by the same access point.

Some options are:

1. Take signal quality measurements of the Time Capsule at the locations where you want to use the iPad.
2. Use an application, like NetSpot to perform a RF site survey to determine areas with little or no coverage.
3. Use the AirPort Utility on the iPad to take signal quality measurements, as follows:
   1. On the iPad, tap on Settings > AirPort Utility > Wi-Fi Scanner (enable)
   2. Exit Settings.
   3. Tap on the AirPort Utility > Wi-Fi Scan
   4. Leave Scan duration at Continuous.
   5. Tap on Scan.
   6. Let the scan run for 15-30 seconds, then tap on Stop.
   7. Note the RSSI values. This value represents how "strong" the Wi-Fi signal is at the location of the iPad. It is measuring the strength of your Time Capsule Wi-Fi radio signal at that same point. The lower negative the value is the stronger the perceived signal is.

The iPad Pro shows a RSSI of about -40 dBm when I hold it right by the Time Capsule. Does this seem OK?

That should be fine.

It is using wifi channel 1. Is there a better one I should try?

The channel any wireless client will use will depend on what the wireless access point is providing. By default, the AirPort base stations will broadcast on the "clearest" channel possible and choose this channel automatically. Unless you live in an area with a high concentration of other Wi-Fi network, there really shouldn't be any reason to try another channel. However, if you do, there are basically only three channels on the 2.4 GHz band that do not overlap. Those are 1, 6, or, 11.

I experienced poor reception only after I tried to pair my IPad Pro with a non-apple wireless keyboard. Perhaps the timing was coincidental. I upgraded my internet speed. Pages don't fully load. The wifi signal goes in and out. I can never access the App Store.

incorrectly blamed the pro for weak wifi. I discovered the interference.