Judging from our
recent poll, a sizable number of folks have had problems with their iPad losing its WiFi connection, and Apple has now confirmed that such an issue does exist -- although it's not exactly saying there's any problems with the iPad itself. According to a new knowledge base article, the issue is known to occur with some third-party dual-band WiFI routers, and tends to happen if you're the same name for each network or different security settings for each network. To ensure your iPad automatically rejoins WiFi networks, Apple suggests (you guessed it) giving the networks different names, and making sure that they're using the same security settings. Of course, that doesn't explain why other devices are able to work just fine with said routers, but this looks to be the most we'll get out of Apple for the time being.
P.S. At least some users have also
reported some success in fixing the issue by simply turning up the brightness on their iPad (of all things), but Apple doesn't seem to be recommending that as a solution.
[Thanks, David]
posted April 7th 2010 3:14PM
as much as i dont feel for the ipad, i hope apple gets this sorted out. id hate to have wasted 500+ on an internet device that can hardly get on the internet :\
@skyblaze
thats too harsh. How many devices do you know that had no issue on its launch.
@ashu2411 I think he's being more passive than harsh, and I agree; having issues like this out the gate does suck.
@skyblaze Yeah but it has the Brushes app, so you really don't need a strong WiFi signal.
BRUSHES, man.
@Mister Warmth
LMAO
I bet all those WiFi-only enabled iPad people are PISSED. The one feature that their device is dependent on and it already has problems? lol
@skyblaze
it's all good, my mom still loves her ipad
@GadgetMadness No problems here so loving my iPad :).
@ashu2411
Many devices have problems out of the gate, but how many have their core functionality crippled? I mean, Apple says this provides the best internet experience EVER. You'd think they would have made sure that claim could be backed up right out of the gate.
@Missing Matter
Snow Leopard causes me to drop my Wi-Fi signal all the time, i wonder if this has anything in common with it
@GadgetMadness
Yeah, those 3G iPad dudes must be mocking them hard.
Oh wait...
@skyblaze Dont blow this out of proportion how often does your average user setup a dual band network. I have one but mine are already named different things thus I haven't had any problems. The brightness fix is a cause for concern I don't like the idea that something completely unrelated could fix the issue reeks of buggy code. However I have had zero problems with my iPad
OK got it, Some apple engineer connect the Wifi antenae wire to the brightness control. The brighter the screen the stronger the signal.
@bigdonny
According to the article update:
Did you try turning up the brightness?
Seriously... wtf? Turning up the brightness? Sounds like an epic electrical engineering snafu...
@staticjethro The ipad target market isn't "techy" enough to know the difference and thus buy a dual band router, so they figured this wouldn't be an issue. Oddly, all other products seem to have no issues with dual band though including apple's other products, yet this isn't a fault of the ipad, it's your fault for buying a better quality router.
@ytilanigiroon
Dear Steve,
Just replace all the broken ipads. No big deal.
Consumer.
Sent from my iPhone (ipad not connecting).
@skyblaze
I'm pretty sure no one has wasted $500. You know most products have issues like this on launch.
It's called a bug. Bugs like this get fixed
@Missing Matter - Does this mean the JooJoo is better as an internet device than the iPad?
@Missing Matter
nah, that's cuz it's a GAMING device. GAMING. remember that. GAMING.
/s
@Missing Matter
I think SOME reported wifi issues (not widespread) is a small snafu, and easily fixable. If you want to talk about deficient core functionality, let's talk about the JooJoo.
But hey, I mean, clearly the iPad is a failure. Only 300k units in a day? Pssh. Just another flash-in-the-pan "fad" product from Apple, right?
@skyblaze
I have two iPads with no wifi problems whatsoever. And if all it takes to remedy the issue is a quick reset who cares.
It could have been worse, there could have been a joojoo in the box when I opened it...
@jonyah
you're a fool. You may be right about the "target market" for the iPad, but the early adopters are gadget people and/or apple diehards. Not the average consumer, who the iPad is ultimately aimed at. The people who bought the iPad this weekend, I bet, are quite aware of what dual-band routers are.
@suicidebob
IT'S NOT A BUG. It's a feature.
This feature has just been announced as part of the Gen-3 release of the iPad.
Coming in Gen-2 is the ability to charge via USB on devices without an Apple logo.
Gen-3 will introduce a revolutionary concept of being able to connect to the same WiFi spots that every other device ever made can connect to.
In the meantime Apple would like to remind everyone that the iPad is still the most magical device ever created. Features slated for future generations are not deemed critical or important ... that is until they are released. For now, be happy knowing that you have the most advanced and important piece of hardware ever created by mankind.
@TomSawyer
Do sales numbers help us differentiate true success and failure? Do they tell the story of device superiority?
Using your logic the iPod line and iPhone are wildly amazing devices and really best in class for their categories. Unfortunately, Apple desktops/laptops/OS must then be considered a total and utter failure.
@skyblaze The issue is that the iPad has an N wireless capable of 5GHz frequency. Most people that unknowingly buy a dual-band router only use 2.5 GHz devices so they never set up their 5GHz properly. It's only when they buy a new device that they end up seeing this issue. You see the same issues when people buy new laptops and complain about not being able to connect to their routers. It's just that in this case it's Apple, so all news is big news.
@skyblaze This is in no way related to the iPad specifically
goto http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge#Instructions
and search for "[NOTE]" under Step 5. This is an issue with all wireless devices, and is not new
@TomSawyer I do enjoy when Apple fans talk about how many sold meaning it's the best product. By this logic, windows is the best OS ever. And for the record, I've liked Apple since my first Apple //+ many years ago, but I'm not a kool-aid drinker.
300k people buying a product sight unseen doesn't mean that the rev. 1 version of said product is perfect, or that the bugs it has will be easily fixable. It could, after all, be a hardware bug that is not fixable without opening the case and firing up a soldering gun. That's why I don't typically buy rev. 1 devices, no matter who is making them.
@skyblaze
Don't worry they got that covered! They will sort it out with a new iPad release next year! Jokes, should be fixed in the next OS update! I think the safest way to go is the wifi-3G combo! When one goes down, the other still runs!
@Missing Matter like really I don't really know of any devices having problems connecting to WIFI on the first launch.
@Narutogrey
I've never had this same issue with new equipment....
On a side note, I know this is a big issue for some people, but im sure apple will come out with a fix soon.
@staticjethro Pretty slow of them...
So the brighter the screen, the more power you waste and better WiFi you get. The more WiFi you use, the less power. So problem solved, except the battery last like what? An hour using all the things you want?lol
@BrandonHarris , you serious? Resetting your device every time it drops signal is 'no big deal'? Really? I would be demanding a refund.
@EVERYONE
Just stating the obvious here that if you don't have a multi-band router you PROBABLY won't have any wifi issues.
@skyblaze
This sounds like a bug in the way ipad handles channel and security information.
So this should fix the connection drops, but wont fix the low signal strength or slow file transfers.
@EggoEspada Haha...I actually ran that test. Wifi, Full brightness, Push, while streaming video to my iPad. Results were 9 hours 22 minutes before dieing. I'm actually running the opposite test right now. Lowest brightnest, wifi off, Push off, playing a local video. Let's see if it can hit 15 hours...not that anyone would ever use this config.
@GadgetMadness
So just as I begin to read this article I get an email from a friend asking about this exact issue. Brightness control isn't working and he is trying the whole renaming strategy now. I'll let u guys know how it goes.
@suicidebob
it might be a bug, but god is it a big one, that and the other bugs that the ipad are suffering at the min.
boy would i be pissed if i had even one of these bugs, but to get more than one, youd feel like youd wasted your money big time
@skyblaze Oh snap, anyway, right now, I think what we should be concentrating are those apps from ipad. Some good apps- http://bit.ly/app-from-ipad-good
@skyblaze
I don't have any issue with connectivity to my 3COM OfficerConnect 11a/b/g
Figures, They can't even fix their own problems. And wtf does the brightness level have to do with people's WiFi connection? Sounds like a buggy OS.
@KIrish18 Kinda feels like pressing the button harder on the remote when the batterys near dead...
@KIrish18
BTW - Apple is telling ppl in their forums that it's their router - and that they should buy an AirPort...
No thanks Apple, I dont need to spend any more money on your overpriced accessories for the iPad...
@KIrish18
300,000 iPads sold in the first day. 250,000 iPads returned in the first week.
@Phenom
Seriously?? I need a link to the thread that they're suggesting this. I need to convince my CEO that we don't need this device in the organization... All he sees is "OH MY GOD SHINY TOY!!"
@KIrish18
Buggy? More like mediocre. If it has been under development for quite a while already (even if it's a first-gen device), it must've had that as an actual feature, not an obstacle. If Apple was aiming for smooth wireless-N capabilities, this wouldn't had happened. Well, nothing's perfect on a first try, but it really is a failure (not such a big one, anyway) since it's their ads' bottom line. Oh well.
@KIrish18 By default, the iPad is too dim to figure anything out--so you have to make it brighter.
what i don't understand is if the ipad and iphone run iphone os which is basically a mobile OS X, shouldn't they all have the same networking stack? mac os x in my experience has always been pretty epic at connecting to wifi networks. i wonder why the ipad would be any different?
@spasewalkr
It could be that the location of the wifi (supposedly behind the apple symbol on the back) is less than ideal.
@spasewalkr
I believe it's just a problem with N routers, the iPhone doesn't have 802.11n the iPad does.
@hajile
The FCC pictures place the antenna at end of the aluminium backplate, not middle. That would explain the reception problems.
@jonshipman
YOu gotta be effing joking... Why do Apple fanbois always come to blame it on some other device. Even if the other device is the issue, which is a standard by the way, Apple should have done their homework since the main feature of the device is Wifi.