Apple iPad Networking Problems: Are Routers The Culprit By: Samara Lynn
Apple has enjoyed a very successful iPad launch, moving 300,000 units in a single weekend, but that doesn’t mean that all is well. Shortly after the iPad’s release, reports started to pour into Apple’s discussion forum that the tablet was unable to maintain a strong, steady Wi-Fi connection, and that it often prompted users to re-authenticate, even after a successful, initial connection. I decided to do some testing of my own to see just what the experience was like, and to see if I could replicate the reported problems. My results were surprising.
Apple has addressed the problem in its support area by stating that the iPad may have trouble connecting to third-party, dual-band routers after restarting or waking up from sleep. That could mean trouble for anyone not using one of Apple’s own Airport Extreme or Time Capsule routers. (Unfortunately, there has also been some grumbling about the iPad’s ability to connect to that piece of its own hardware, as well.) I applied Apple’s suggestions to my testing procedure.
Tweak Your Network for the iPad
Apple has suggested several fixes for iPad’s networking issues; these include creating a separate Wi-Fi network name for each band, ensuring both bands have the same security type, and making sure that the router’s firmware is up to date. Still, there’s some wake rippling over the iPad ‘s Wi-Fi connectivity issues, which culminated in the Israeli Communications Ministry banning Apple’s tablet from Israel.
iPad Versus Non-Apple Routers
I tested the iPad’s ability to connect to six mainstream, non-Apple 802.11n wireless consumer routers. The goal was to recreate the issues that some iPad owners were reporting, and perhaps find a solution.
First, each router was updated with its latest firmware (if available). WPA2-personal security was configured on each; it’s the highest security level for wireless routers. When applicable, TKIP+ AES was also set. For the dual-band routers, the iPad’s connectivity was tested on both the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz band. Each band was assigned a different SSID, as per Apple’s recommendation.
The routers were left to auto-configure to a channel. Meraki’s Wi-Fi Stumbler was the tool we used to confirm what channel was used. Mixed Mode (b/g/n) was supported on all and was used as the default setting.
Before connecting each router to my cable modem, I gave it a hard reset. I tested the iPad for initial connectivity, how well it held the connection during 30 minutes of browsing (at 5 feet and then 10 feet away from the router), and its ability to resume the connection after being rebooted.
The verdict? You’ll have to read on.
Cisco Valet Plus
$129.99-$149.99 Retail
It came as no surprise that the Editors’ Choice winning Cisco Valet Plus worked almost perfectly with the iPad. The router auto-configured to channel 1. The iPad connected to the Cisco Valet Plus within seconds, and browsing was noticeably peppier using this single-band, 2.4-GHz router than with any of its competitors. There were no issues with the initial connection or coming back from Sleep mode. After a reboot, though, the iPad asked for re-authentication to the wireless network. After entering the passphrase, Safari was unable to open any Web pages for about 5 seconds. After that brief hiccup, I was able to browse with ease.
D-Link GamerLounge DGL-4500
$199.99 Retail
This pricey gaming router, which debuted in the Fall of last year, didn’t disappoint. The iPad shook hands with the DGL-4500 when it was set to the 2.4-GHz band on channel 1, and it deftly handled connecting to the 5-GHz band, also on channel 1. Security was configured with WPA2 with TKIP and AES. The iPad successfully connected to a Wi-Fi signal after a reboot.
Netgear WNDR3700 RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router
$189.99 Retail
Netgear’s RangeMax routers also passed the test. The iPad connected to at both the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands set on channel 2, without any issues. In fact, after switching from 2.4-GHz to 5-GHz the iPad picked up the new SSID right away, prompting for the passphrase. The iPad picked up the Wi-Fi signal after a reboot.
SMC Networks – Barricade N – Draft 11N Wireless 4 Port GigaBit Broadband Router SMCWGBR14-N
$113.99-$125.15 Retail
The Barricade N (launched in 2008 without 5-GHz support) is somewhat dated, but the iPad connected to the single-band, 2.4 GHz router signal on channel 11 without any hiccups. Security was configured with WPA2-AES. The iPad discovered the Wi-Fi signal after a reboot.
Cisco Linksys E2000 Advanced Wireless-N Router – Selectable Dual-Band
$119.99 Retail
This router is so new that we haven’t had the chance to do a full, hands-on review yet, but the iPad flawlessly hooked up to it on both the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands on channel 1. The E2000 has an additional internal antenna designed to work in larger homes (making for a total of three antennas), which may have assisted in the maintaining a strong signal. The iPad successfully connected to Wi-Fi after rebooting.
TP LINK Wireless-N Router TL-WR941ND
$60.00 Retail
The single-band TL-WR941ND didn’t receive rave reviews when we reviewed it back in 2008, but the iPad picked up its signal and jumped on the Web without error. It was set at the 2.4-GHz band on channel 11. The iPad successfully connected to a Wi-Fi signal after a reboot.
The Verdict
Aside from the very brief time it took for the iPad to reconnect to the Cisco Valet Plus, I experienced no connection issues with any of the tested routers. So the question must be asked: why didn’t I experience the same issues that many iPad owners are complaining about on Apple’s Support Forum?
The problem may lie in a faulty batch of iPads. It seems plausible considering that I could not recreate the very real issues iPad users are having, and the recommended fixes seem to help some users and not others. It’s also possible that the problems stem from router incompatibilities, but in my combing through the forums, I was unable to find a commonality among router hardware in the complaints. It would be immensely helpful if Apple culled information from every iPad user who has logged a support ticket, or paid a visit to an Apple Genius, in order to find any possible commonalities. We’ll keep investigating, but in the meanwhile, please share your iPad networking experiences in the comments section.
This entry was posted on Friday, April 30th, 2010 at 11:34 am and is filed under How to !, Products. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
here in Irland!
…nice publish 
