iPhone XS Max Weak 5GHz WIFI Reception

George Mcgee wrote:

I am extremely happy with the response I have received and I know Apple is putting forth some great effort here. The concern some people are having relates to the 14 day return window that will be closing soon if they purchased on launch day. If it is a hardware or software issue that would be nice to know so that those decisions whether to return can be made.

I am curious, though, how you know you are not experiencing the WiFi issues for sure? In my case I know because I can directly compare my XS to my X and previous iPhones in the house which get max throughput from my ISP and maintain their WiFi connections. I can also see on my router that my XS is almost always connected to 2.4 GHz, whereas my other devices stay connected to 5 GHz band. And as an example, even when I am connected to 5 GHz I sometimes have weird connection issues such as no throughput

Well for me my last few iPhones 6plus, 7Plus and X all had issues with staying on 5ghz, and I was constantly resetting it back. I think that the greater strength of the 2.4 band just is what all my iPhones defaulted to as I moved away from my AirPort Extreme and the 5ghz band was weak. Even my AppleTV's over time would jump to the 2.4ghz and would not stay on the 5ghz. I have a older laptop a 15 inch MacBook Pro I use for my photography work and it is as far from the router as you can get in the house and it too will go to the 2.4ghz on time. The 5 signal is just too weak. But I can put the devices back on and they stay for awhile. the Xs for sure stays less reliably and falls to the 2.4ghz more often but it still works fine for my calls with the weak LTE I have at and around home, and I can do most of what I want with the 2.4ghz when I am outside with my Xs.

Mattdouglas96 wrote:

I have you also noticed a problem with the Bluetooth connection?

Many times in my car my Bluetooth breaks up when playing music or even when using my AirPods...

Not here my new Xs works as well as all my iPhones have with the bluetooth in my Mazda 6. I have had issues with bluetooth on several iPhones especially after updates to the iOS. I had to resync because the Xs was a new iPhone but not any problems since

They should just extend the 14 day warranty with all these issues. No way I want to be stuck with a phone that might be a possible hardware issue. I only run 5ghz frequency in my house because there are tons of 2.4 ssid's around me.

Just return your iPhone to apple get a refund then buy another one. I had problems with the XS max returned it and then got an XS this one works well so far as I’ve only had it 1 day. We will see if it’s ok before the 14 days runs out.

Yeah chris. I’m doing exactly the same thing. I’m on my 3rd swap (new) and no hope. As much as I pray that there is actually a fix, there’s too much evidence that this is hardware and nothing can be done. Usually, with stuff like this it’s 50-50 chance, when the X rolled out, they were similar issues that eventually got fixed hopefully this gets pushed through. I’m keeping the most recent XS and boxing it until an update comes. I’m just not happy about reading the story of this being an antennagate and the only fix is waiting until iPhone 11.

When I originally posted here, back when there were only 2 or 3 pages of posts I thought I was having an issue with my Max. With the cell connection I did see frequent drops from LTE to 4G to no service. That was the first few days but then att pushed out a couple of carrier updates and haven’t had a problem since. With WiFi I was seeing greater fluctuation in the WiFi icon bars with this phone. I have all our iOS devices set to use only the 5GHz band of our network. I have them named separately on our Apple Time Capsule router. In my area with all the 2.4 networks around interference is high on 2.4 with dramatically reduced download speeds on all devices.

With the Apple router you can use Airport Utility to actually look at a numerical indication of a device’s connection strength. It gives you a one time number. I’ve been using that while placing my active iPhone 7, a second line, and my Max in a couple areas in my apartment that I know have weaker penetration of that 5 band. It’s not scientific proof but the results have been the same for both phones. Because of the weaker areas of 5 band reception I’ve been looking at possibly getting a new router later on. I’ve been looking at the newer mesh versions where I could put one of their satellites in the weak spots. Looking through many reviews and videos I’ve seen many displays of people not getting the download speeds that their isp service is set for over WiFi. Especially if the device has been switched over to the 2.4 network which many of these new routers do automatically as you move into an area where the 5 band starts to falter. So even the routers have to be brought into the determination of whether the phone or any device is performing properly.

So even though a one time number of signal strength on that Airport Utility isn’t scientific proof of anything it;s good enough to make me think there isn’t anything wrong with my Max. Now the charging issue, another story. I have had a couple of instances of that not working the way it should.

rbrylawski wrote:

George Mcgee wrote:

I am extremely happy with the response I have received and I know Apple is putting forth some great effort here. The concern some people are having relates to the 14 day return window that will be closing soon if they purchased on launch day. If it is a hardware or software issue that would be nice to know so that those decisions whether to return can be made.

I am curious, though, how you know you are not experiencing the WiFi issues for sure? In my case I know because I can directly compare my XS to my X and previous iPhones in the house which get max throughput from my ISP and maintain their WiFi connections. I can also see on my router that my XS is almost always connected to 2.4 GHz, whereas my other devices stay connected to 5 GHz band. And as an example, even when I am connected to 5 GHz I sometimes have weird connection issues such as no throughput

I guess the answer is simple. A problem to me is one which reduces the usability of the phone. If for example, I have difficulty accessing websites, or streaming music, or watching a YouTube video. That's an issue and would be a problem. Since getting my XS Max, I have had no issues whatsoever doing anything with my Max that I did with my X. I stream music fast. I watch a video without interruption. I open a website quickly. Apps update immediately. I'm just not having any issues using the phone. So I haven't performed a speed test because to me they are unreliable and what would the point be if I'm having no issues using the phone. I also have zero Bluetooth connection issues. In fact with my Max, I'm able to go further from my phone with my BT headphones than I could with my X.

I do find it somewhat amusing the comments about not having great range with 5ghz internet. That's actually normal. In a good and relatively close proximity to a 5ghz signal, the phone should do well. As you move further from the router, it would be expected behavior to lose signal. 5ghz is faster in a shorter distance from the router. 2.4ghz is slower, but goes out further. Now, if you want me to point out an issue, my Max does prefer to join my 2.4ghz band at home. Well, so did my X. So long ago, I simply had my phone forget the 2.4ghz band and my phone connects to the 5ghz side immediately and strongly.

Well said, like you I am doing the same things I did with my X and with 7plus before. So its totally usable and I get to use the new features as well -- the camera being one of my reasons to use my upgrade program.

Same behaviors with my 2.4 and 5ghz as you describe not much new. Only difference is if I am outside it would do this on X and earlier phones but now 5ghz is almost too weak in same areas of yard (pretty far from my router) outside so I just have to let it use 2.4ghz there and all is well.

Have not had it forget the 2.4 yet since that is so much stronger and it cannot see it outside -- wondering about the aluminum siding on outside doing something based on what someone told me recently. But that would work great inside for sure.

Interesting on bluetooth I never have tested how far I can get from my iPhones but like you see no problems

"In a good and relatively close proximity to a 5ghz signal, the phone should do well."

Key Word here being "Should"... And it's not. using my iPhone XS Max right next to my iPhone X, and speeds are much slower, some web pages aren't loading at all..

Out of curiosity, did you get yours on Launch Day or after? Preorder? I'm still wondering if the initial preorder phones had issues in assembly or manufacturing that were worked out.. Might explain why some people are having issues and most are not. Also might explain why restores and resets don't work but some saying they've received replacements DO work..

There's a huge difference between "not having great range with 5ghz wifi" and not having any kind of range whatsoever. My XS Max will only stay on 5ghz wifi if I'm sitting at my desk with my router 3 feet away. As soon as I walk to the kitchen (line of sight to the router, approx 15 feet away) it stutters and eventually drops back to 2.4ghz network. My incoming internet speed from ISP is 400+ Mbps and other devices, including my previous iPhone 7 plus, are able to access nearly all of that in most areas of my home. My XS Max was getting 14Mbps in the kitchen this morning. That's a problem.

MidwayFlux wrote:

"In a good and relatively close proximity to a 5ghz signal, the phone should do well."

Key Word here being "Should"... And it's not. using my iPhone XS Max right next to my iPhone X, and speeds are much slower, some web pages aren't loading at all..

Out of curiosity, did you get yours on Launch Day or after? Preorder? I'm still wondering if the initial preorder phones had issues in assembly or manufacturing that were worked out.. Might explain why some people are having issues and most are not. Also might explain why restores and resets don't work but some saying they've received replacements DO work..

My phone is a launch day delivered phone.

rbrylawski wrote:

MidwayFlux wrote:

"In a good and relatively close proximity to a 5ghz signal, the phone should do well."

Key Word here being "Should"... And it's not. using my iPhone XS Max right next to my iPhone X, and speeds are much slower, some web pages aren't loading at all..

Out of curiosity, did you get yours on Launch Day or after? Preorder? I'm still wondering if the initial preorder phones had issues in assembly or manufacturing that were worked out.. Might explain why some people are having issues and most are not. Also might explain why restores and resets don't work but some saying they've received replacements DO work..

My phone is a launch day delivered phone.

FYI to add to this: My phone is also launch day Xs. I can see my 5ghz nearly 20-25 feet away inside house and not line of site (walls are not that thick FYI). it has weaked from "full bars" whatever that means in signal strength down to 2 of three fluctuating to 1 some times but mostly in house I can get same speed (max of my ISP) even when signal bars less.

That is a good idea. My XS Max was received on release day and I got a swap 2 days later. Both phones have horrible 5ghz reception unless I am right next to my router. Then it is is excellent.

In my basement my iPad Pro and XS (both IOS 12) work so completely differently. My iPad gets a strong 5ghz signal and my XS none at all (2.4ghz works but slow).

dino_russ wrote:

rbrylawski wrote:

MidwayFlux wrote:

"In a good and relatively close proximity to a 5ghz signal, the phone should do well."

Key Word here being "Should"... And it's not. using my iPhone XS Max right next to my iPhone X, and speeds are much slower, some web pages aren't loading at all..

Out of curiosity, did you get yours on Launch Day or after? Preorder? I'm still wondering if the initial preorder phones had issues in assembly or manufacturing that were worked out.. Might explain why some people are having issues and most are not. Also might explain why restores and resets don't work but some saying they've received replacements DO work..

My phone is a launch day delivered phone.

FYI to add to this: My phone is also launch day Xs. I can see my 5ghz nearly 20-25 feet away inside house and not line of site (walls are not that thick FYI). it has weaked from "full bars" whatever that means in signal strength down to 2 of three fluctuating to 1 some times but mostly in house I can get same speed (max of my ISP) even when signal bars less.

And that aptly illustrates the issues with being a couch engineer, relying on an app provided speed test to tell you there's an issue with your phone. If it works, who cares what an app generated, and often unreliable speed test says.

Now, if it doesn't work and some are saying so, that's definitely a problem. And one Apple will surely figure out why and via the magic of a software update fix.

rbrylawski wrote:

dino_russ wrote:

rbrylawski wrote:

MidwayFlux wrote:

"In a good and relatively close proximity to a 5ghz signal, the phone should do well."

Key Word here being "Should"... And it's not. using my iPhone XS Max right next to my iPhone X, and speeds are much slower, some web pages aren't loading at all..

Out of curiosity, did you get yours on Launch Day or after? Preorder? I'm still wondering if the initial preorder phones had issues in assembly or manufacturing that were worked out.. Might explain why some people are having issues and most are not. Also might explain why restores and resets don't work but some saying they've received replacements DO work..

My phone is a launch day delivered phone.

FYI to add to this: My phone is also launch day Xs. I can see my 5ghz nearly 20-25 feet away inside house and not line of site (walls are not that thick FYI). it has weaked from "full bars" whatever that means in signal strength down to 2 of three fluctuating to 1 some times but mostly in house I can get same speed (max of my ISP) even when signal bars less.

And that aptly illustrates the issues with being a couch engineer, relying on an app provided speed test to tell you there's an issue with your phone. If it works, who cares what an app generated, and often unreliable speed test says.

Now, if it doesn't work and some are saying so, that's definitely a problem. And one Apple will surely figure out why and via the magic of a software update fix.

Ha sure does, all us couch engineers so funny. Anyway I had not really paid much attention to my iPhones typically dropping from 5ghz to the stronger 2.4 as it still did what I wanted at home where my cell signals with AT&T have never been good (calls work fine though as does text with Cell -- or Wifi of course). Was fun to learn a bit more about my setup still using my AirPort Extreme (with another in box as backup) that does me fine. But I am a happy customer personally and now its been nearly 2 weeks. but your right some seem to be having worse issues than those of us who seem to be getting same things we always did.

Don’t use your iPad Pro as a comparison. My 12.9 Pro could pull a WiFi signal out of a rock. It gets great reception on 5Ghz all over my home. I have a 2nd phone, iPhone 7, and it and my new Max perform almost identically to each other on that 5 band. All devices are set to use only that band. The new XS and Max seem to switch more quickly from 5 to 2.4 as the signal degrades. That could be by design or an iOS 12 “feature”. I don’t run into this because my devices have been made to forget my 2.4 band so there’s no switching. But again my 7 and new Max perform identically. Neither loses a connection anywhere in my apartment. But I do have a couple weak areas where download speeds are impacted. If I used my iPad Pro as a comparison then every phone out there from every manufacturer is defective. Oh, my Max is a launch day phone.