Hi Mark and Others,
I've read about the WiFi signal problems, and thought I would respond
to this with a tip for a way I've worked around a problem with WiFi on
my iPod Touch, which turns out to be due to bug introduced in the OS
3.0 or 3.1 firmware, and may be related to some of these problems. I
found this in the Just Another iPhone Blog web pages:
http://justanotheriphoneblog.com/wordpress/iphone-tips/workaround-for-one-of-the-iphoneipod-touch-wifi-bugs
("Workaround For One Of The iPhone/iPod Touch WiFi Bugs" by JOE T on
NOVEMBER 14, 2009)
What seemed to happen for me, was that the iPod Touch would drop its
connection in locations where the WiFi signal was low, and where I had
WPA encryption enabled. If I didn't start using the connection right
away, the reported signal level would drop, and the connection would
break. I tried checking the various recommendations listed in the
article -- and I was using Apple equipment (AirPort Express) that was
updated to the latest firmware, etc. The problems only happened where
the signal was weak (as reported by WiFiTrak, and other WiFi stumblers
no longer available in the App Store).
The way I now have my iPod Touch working in these circumstances is
that I've switched my connection from DHCP to Static IP address by
simply copying the entries in the five fields for DHCP input to the
corresponding fields for the Static IP address. This works for my
home network, and I don't get dropped connections. Also, the number
of bars reported on the status line stays high.
Here's what I think is going on and why the switch to Static IP
address works. Apple has set iPhone, iPod Touch, and presumably also
the iPad to save power, so when a WiFi signal is not detected, or
when you're not actively using the internet to transfer data, it turns
things down or off. This turns out to be a timing issue -- if it
takes longer to make a connection because you're going through
encryption, or if it takes longer to resolve the address of a web page
through a domain name server, your WiFi gets turned down before you
can make the connection, and the signal reported drops. My first work
around was to play a low bit rate stream in background in Safari with
ooTunes or WunderRadio. As long as there was active data flowing, the
connection wouldn't drop, and I could use other apps (that required an
internet connection, but didn't use Safari).
The article mentions speculations in the Apple forums that the problem
was related to the DNS lookup. When you change the WiFi connection
from DHCP to Static IP address, instead of taking longer to look up
your address and the DNS address, your iPhone or iPod Touch simply
reads them off the Static setting and saves time. That is, the
information in the IP address and DNS address fields that are reported
under the Settings > WiFi menu under the "More Info" button for your
selected network are "discovered" values under the DHCP setting.
Since they usually won't change for a home network, you can switch the
button from "DHCP" to "Static IP" simply copy them into the same
fields. Then, the iPhone/iPod Touch/ iPad doesn't spend extra time
trying to resolve these by looking them up, and doesn't have time to
drop your signal.
It's a little more complicated than this, because very occasionally
your DHCP address will change. In those cases, just set the button
back to DHCP, make your connection, note the new address, and copy the
new values into the "Static IP" fields. This works for home networks,
but you're more likely to have your addresses change if you connect
via DHCP to a large network.
There are some accessibility issues, in that the Static IP fields are
not announced. Just copy the numbers in order. (And I don't mean
copy as in copy and paste -- just type in the values).
This works for me. Incidentally, I never had problems with low
signals in networks where there is no encryption, and possibly not
even WEP encryption. The other telling feature is that the difference
in signal is only on the new model devices -- someone who has an older
model iPod Touch with the same content will, in the same location, not
see the same level of low signal level. Also, when the signal is
dropped, and I was prompted to reconnect I'd be asked to retype my
network password. The WiFiTrak app (that is no longer available)
allowed me to just reconnect with my previously entered password, but
it would have a timer countdown for how long it would take. That's
why I think it is a timing issue, with the antenna set to power down
too fast in the case of encrypted or low signal networks.
Just my thoughts, and I obviously can't test this on a iPad. But this
works for my issues. I hope Apple fixes this.
Cheers,
Esther
On 7 Apr 2010, at 05:13, M. Taylor wrote:
Hello Everyone. The following is from PC Magazine.
Mark
Apple Confirms iPad Wi-Fi Problems; Try These Fixes
thread entitled "Weak Wifi Pages" already has over 10,000 views -
remarkable
since it's only been 48 hours since the official iPad launch. Here
are a
couple of user statements:
I have also noticed very weak wifi signal in my 16GB iPad. Even when
standing in front of the wlan router the signal fluctuates from
strong to
very weak. The router has very strong signals as every other
computer here
has full signal strength, even 20-30 meters from the route[r].
and:
Let me add my voice to the throng. I'm getting one or two bars on my
iPad in
rooms where my iPhone, iPod touch, both Macbook Pros, Apple TV and
Playstation all get full service.
Users are speculating that the weak signal strength may be caused by
poor
placement of the Wi-Fi antenna; others ponder if the problems are the
symptoms of a software issue. The latter appears to be the culprit
evidenced
by the fact that most users on the forum who are running completely
Apple-based networks are not having the same issue:
I noticed that this was happening at my mother in law's with the
ActionTec
Verizon FiOS router. However, here at my house, where Time Capsule and
Airport Extreme rule the house, I have 0 problems.
No problem here either, my wireless network is run by apple devices
too.
Yet there are also grumblings about weak signals from those using
Apple's
Airport Extreme routers.
Another issue being reported is the iPad's continuous request for
re-authentication to a secured wireless router, even after a
successful,
initial connection to it.
Apple Weighs In:
On Monday, Apple posted a Knowledge Base article, pertaining to these
issues. Not only does the article make suggestions for a remedy, it
gives
legitimacy to the fact that Apple considers this a very real issue.
The
article states that having a third-party Wi-Fi router that supports
both the
2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands may be subject to a connectivity problem. It
suggests that users can setup different SSID's for each band's
network and
to ensure that each network uses the same security type (WEP, WPA or
WPA2.)
What You Can Do:
If you're an early adopter experiencing connectivity issues there
are a few
things you can do to until Apple comes up with a more definitive
explanation
and fix for this problem:
Update Your Router's Firmware. Before attempting to connect an iPad
to a
home network, make sure that you have the latest version of the
firmware to
ensure that the router is functioning at full capability. This is
usually
done within the router's included software.
Change The Router's Location. Do you have your router positioned in
close
proximity to equipment that could be causing interference? Microwaves,
cordless phones, baby monitors, wireless keyboards, and Bluetooth
devices
can muddy a W-Fi signal.
Set Your Router To Operate On One 802.11 Standard. Most current
routers
support not only 802.11n, but a, b, and g as well. Set your router to
operate exclusively on the greatest standard available, and do the
same with
the wireless devices on your network. The iPad ships with support for
802.11n, so you should have your router match that if possible.
Change Your Router's Security Encryption. Typically, security isn't
something that should be experimented with, but when attempting to
boost
network performance, it may be necessary. There's no question that
WPA and
WPA2 encryption is more secure than WEP, but the jury's still out
about
which encryption method can slow a network down more (some believe
it's WEP
and others WPA). If you have either currently deployed in your home
network,
try changing to a different encryption setting and see if that makes
any
difference in your connectivity. Apple also recommends that you use
the same
security settings across the entire network.
Rename Your Networks. Apple makes the somewhat odd suggestion that
users
rename their networks. "Create separate Wi-Fi network names to
identify each
band. This can be done easily by appending one or more characters to
the
current network name. Example: Add a G to the 802.11b/g network name
and an
N to the 802.11n network name."
This is surely the so-called pea in the princess' mattress, at least
where
the iPad's launch is concerned. It's hard to know where the blame
lies at
this time. While it's understandable that Apple is bearing the brunt
of the
complaints for their device's perceived connectivity issues, the
problems
could very well be an issue with third-party router vendors not
releasing or
pushing out firmware updates in time for the iPad's release. Here's
hoping
for a true fix from router vendors and/or Apple in the immediate
future. In
the meanwhile, try the tips above, and let us know if they helped you.
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