Apple (Kinda) Acknowledges iPad WiFi Issues, (Sorta) Suggests Workarounds

[Paul Daniel Ash]

Some iPad owners began reporting WiFi problems after bringing their new iPads home on Saturday, but Apple has been silent on the matter until today. In a new Knowledge Base article, Apple notes that iPads may have connectivity issues and offers ways of dealing with it. However, the workarounds mentioned have not solved all problems, and at least one user found that a replacement iPad worked fine.

Several different WiFi-related problems have been reported so far. The most common appears to be weak and/or unstable connections. Many users that tried to reconnect to to home or hotspot networks after waking their iPads from sleep found that the device wouldn't reassociate. Apple issued a Knowledge Base article Saturday ("Troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks and connections") that many users found… well, kind of lame: it offered generic advice such as "Move closer to the Wi-Fi router or hotspot" and "verify the Wi-Fi router is connected to power and turned on."

The Knowledge Base article posted today acknowledged that "under certain conditions," the iPad does not reconnect to a wireless network after waking from sleep. The problem is limited, according to Apple, to multiple-band a/b/g wireless gateways where the same network name is used for multiple bands. The suggested workaround is that users set up separate network names for each band and make sure the same encryption methods are used for the different bands.

Some posters to the support forums noted that the problem went away when they set the iPad's brightness above minimum. And one iPad user took their problematic iPad back to the Apple Store for exchange, and didn't experience the problem with the replacement unit, suggesting that this is a manufacturing issue with certain iPads.

[Jerzdre]

that what happens when ppl rush to buy something...you all were just testers...thats why you have to wait!!!! til they fix the bugs

[steve-z17]

Mine's been having the connectivity issue, kind of gets annoying. Oh well, still love everything about it!

[Jerzdre]

as u should..im just saying...that normally happens when ppl rush

[StealthBravo]

as u should..im just saying...that normally happens when ppl rush

That's just dumb. The wifi issues are just on a small percentage of iPads. If it continues to have an issue, take it into an Apple Store and they will replace it. They have the best customer server when it comes to fixing these issues.

[MJedi]

I wonder if it's due to the aluminum back. With the 3G version having that plastic top for the 3G antenna, I hope it will improve WiFi reception.

[Mes]

That's just dumb. The wifi issues are just on a small percentage of iPads....

I hate to disagree with the boss ..... but I will

History proves early users experience more problems. This applies to almost any new product.
Exceptions do exist, but they are rare.

[reznor9]

I don't have bad wifi signal. But do experience the ipad sometimes not automatically reconnecting with wifi after waking from sleep. I have to manually reconnect from settings. Hopefully a firmware patch will fix. As I bought from best buy and there is no apple store here.

[waheedtarin]

@ mes true the ipad feels like it was rushed and needed to wait until 4.0 and probly new feature were expected like camera and newer processors but it feel like ur just testers and there will be and version 2 coming soon with iPhone

[T4R06]

did you guys did a full restore? when i receive mine a experienced. i decided to do a full restore and so far so good!

[Poseidon79]

Mine is working great. I have a dual band g/n Netgear router with separate names for each n band and the same encryption for both bands.

[Mes]

@ mes true the ipad feels like it was rushed and needed to wait until 4.0 and probly new feature were expected like camera and newer processors but it feel like ur just testers and there will be and version 2 coming soon with iPhone

The iPad is a great idea --- and I want one . But I've learned from experience to wait. Wait for bug fixes in software/firmware, wait for the second generation of a new model car, wait for almost everything. I like to be on the cutting edge, not the bleeding edge

The 3GS was an exception to my 'wait rule'. Waiting allowed Apple to update their iBoot and further restrict jailbreaking/restoring/unlocking.

[kickerman65]

I wonder if it's due to the aluminum back. With the 3G version having that plastic top for the 3G antenna, I hope it will improve WiFi reception.

I believe the black apple logo on the back is the antenna cover. Its made of plastic. It appears to be chrome at a quick glance but if you inspect it closely you'll find that its actually black plastic.

[StealthBravo]

I hate to disagree with the boss ..... but I will

History proves early users experience more problems. This applies to almost any new product.
Exceptions do exist, but they are rare.

I agree but I could never be one of those guys who waits a couple years for the DVD format to prove itself

[Mes]

I agree but I could never be one of those guys who waits a couple years for the DVD format to prove itself

A couple years!!!
With Apple software, wait a month or 2, with new H/W, one year max!

With Blue-Ray ----- I'm still waiting (hahaha)
[Blue-Ray === don't need it, don't want it, can't use it]

[StealthBravo]

I love new technology and gadgets too much to wait unless its from a crappy manufacture. With Apple, I feel like I am not really gambling. I have always had good luck with their products.

I bought a PS3 on launch day and started my blu-ray collection.

[dbizzy1]

So what do you guys think? WiFi or 3G+WiFi

[Melech518]

3G+wifi for sure...but for now I can handle my wifi only model

[eg6motion]

So what do you guys think? WiFi or 3G+WiFi

Wifi since the cost is ridiculous for a 3G antenna. You can simply tether to get a connection anywhere.

[adrian1480]

mine is affected.

and no amount of saying, "only a small % are affected" will make mine less affected or make me feel any better.

she's going back just as soon as I decide for sure if that product is worth replacing in my computing world.