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iPad Mini question.

ks.234

ks.234

Half way to Infinity
I have recently swapped from iPad Air to iPad Mini, which meets my needs better but keeps dropping out of web pages.

Done the google things and reset, but no change.

Any clever people out there?
 
The Mini can be atricious with wi-fi. Have you tried this?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4450?viewlocale=en_US
If the network has a common name, the iPad mini will exhibit this behavior. So in short, if your network name is Netgear, or Linksys or whatever the default is for your router, change it. This is done in the router settings.
If your network name is not the default, or a common name, proceed to these steps:
Go to Settings > Wifi, make sure you are connected to your network, then tap on the blue circle to the right of your network name. If you do not see "Forget this network" at the top in BLACK letters, or if you do see it but the letters are grey, then you will want to try this next step...
  1. Go to Settings > General > Reset and choose "Reset Network Settings"
  2. When the iPad restarts, go back to Settings > Wifi, make note of exactly how your network is spelled and capitalized, but DO NOT connect to your network. We need to do it a different way.
  3. Tap on "Other..." At the bottom of the list of networks.
  4. Enter in the info, Network name first (spelled and capitalized exactly as it was in the list)
  5. Select the security type. I recommend trying WPA2 first, then go back one screen and enter in the password.
  6. If it fails to connect, start over from step 3, then choose WEP as the security type.
Once this is finished and you have connected, tap the blue circle next to the network name once more and see if "Forget this Network" is now in black letters. If it is showing in black letters, you are done and this should take care of the issue.

Also, if your security is indeed WEP, you should switch to WPA2 in the router settings.
 
Mike Hughes said:
The Mini can be atricious with wi-fi. Have you tried this?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4450?viewlocale=en_US
If the network has a common name, the iPad mini will exhibit this behavior. So in short, if your network name is Netgear, or Linksys or whatever the default is for your router, change it. This is done in the router settings.
If your network name is not the default, or a common name, proceed to these steps:
Go to Settings > Wifi, make sure you are connected to your network, then tap on the blue circle to the right of your network name. If you do not see "Forget this network" at the top in BLACK letters, or if you do see it but the letters are grey, then you will want to try this next step...
  1. Go to Settings > General > Reset and choose "Reset Network Settings"
  2. When the iPad restarts, go back to Settings > Wifi, make note of exactly how your network is spelled and capitalized, but DO NOT connect to your network. We need to do it a different way.
  3. Tap on "Other..." At the bottom of the list of networks.
  4. Enter in the info, Network name first (spelled and capitalized exactly as it was in the list)
  5. Select the security type. I recommend trying WPA2 first, then go back one screen and enter in the password.
  6. If it fails to connect, start over from step 3, then choose WEP as the security type.
Once this is finished and you have connected, tap the blue circle next to the network name once more and see if "Forget this Network" is now in black letters. If it is showing in black letters, you are done and this should take care of the issue.

Also, if your security is indeed WEP, you should switch to WPA2 in the router settings.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
Apologies. Otherwise engaged for 24 hours.

If you have the blue link then the Mini is finding and is logged into your network. The question is then why it’s not staying there. Could be multiple answers to that including how many hot spots, repeaters, bridges you have. Our iOS devices are periodically grumpy since I installed a repeater just for the streamer. With some you can white list and tell the repeater to ignore connections from anything bar the thing you want it to connect to so, if applicable, this might be worth exploring.

If it’s not that then it’s back to the first suggestion. First question there is whether your network does have a generic manufacturer mentioning name/SSID. If it does then change the name completely; get all your devices to attach to the renamed network and see if that makes a difference. If it does not then pursue the above steps next.
 
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From what has been posted above I guess that the iPAD Mini connects to the SOHO network and then every now and again drops the connection. I also assume that the Air didn't exhibit this behaviour. So I ask myself what is the difference between the Mini and the Air. The first observation is size - the Mini is smaller. The case is a clever design similar to smart phones in that it is the aerials for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Does the OPs router have a separate SSID for each band? If not I would configure the router to have separate SSIDs. Of the two bands the 2.4GHz has better penetration and longer range but is prone to interference as a lot of none WiFi devices use this band and cause interference e.g a Microwave oven, baby alarm etc Since the aerial of the Mini is smaller its going to be more susceptible to interference due to a weaker signal strength pickup and when it happens the link drops until the interference goes away. The 5GHz band doesn't suffer from this but it has poorer penetration and a shorter range. There again with 5GHz bands make sure you use a 'safe' channel such 48 as some higher channels are shared with other services and by design will drop the connection to give priority to an emergency service.

This sort of behaviour is difficult to pin down remotely but my guess from the info above is that this may be the problem. So set up the router with a separate SSID for each channel and connect to the 5GHz band on channel 48.

Its going to be a process of elimination but I have seen this behaviour when people outside use power radios such as the emergency services that sometimes use the 2.4GHz band. When they use their radio the 2.4GHz WiFi connection breaks and comes back once they have finished.

Its worth trying.
 
Many thanks chaps. This is all far more complicated than economics and I’ve had a couple of beers.

I will respond tomorrow.

Give me time to re read your posts 2 or 3 times and warm up my left brain with black coffee
 
Darth Vader said:
From what has been posted above I guess that the iPAD Mini connects to the SOHO network and then every now and again drops the connection. I also assume that the Air didn't exhibit this behaviour. So I ask myself what is the difference between the Mini and the Air. The first observation is size - the Mini is smaller. The case is a clever design similar to smart phones in that it is the aerials for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Does the OPs router have a separate SSID for each band? If not I would configure the router to have separate SSIDs. Of the two bands the 2.4GHz has better penetration and longer range but is prone to interference as a lot of none WiFi devices use this band and cause interference e.g a Microwave oven, baby alarm etc Since the aerial of the Mini is smaller its going to be more susceptible to interference due to a weaker signal strength pickup and when it happens the link drops until the interference goes away. The 5GHz band doesn't suffer from this but it has poorer penetration and a shorter range. There again with 5GHz bands make sure you use a 'safe' channel such 48 as some higher channels are shared with other services and by design will drop the connection to give priority to an emergency service.

This sort of behaviour is difficult to pin down remotely but my guess from the info above is that this may be the problem. So set up the router with a separate SSID for each channel and connect to the 5GHz band on channel 48.

Its going to be a process of elimination but I have seen this behaviour when people outside use power radios such as the emergency services that sometimes use the 2.4GHz band. When they use their radio the 2.4GHz WiFi connection breaks and comes back once they have finished.

Its worth trying.
Click to expand...
Sensible point but there are of course some key home products which rely on the two bands being merged so separating them causes instant issues. Sky Q is an obvious one which springs to mind.
 
Mike Hughes said:
Sensible point but there are of course some key home products which rely on the two bands being merged so separating them causes instant issues. Sky Q is an obvious one which springs to mind.
Click to expand...
O have Sky Q if that makes a difference
 
Mike Hughes said:
Sensible point but there are of course some key home products which rely on the two bands being merged so separating them causes instant issues. Sky Q is an obvious one which springs to mind.
Click to expand...
We are trying to identify the current issue. If this raises other issues we'll tackle them one-by-one. Also I doubt the veracity of your statement. More likely its due to people who have no (or very little) understanding of how computer LANs work. It is under the hood a complex subject. For example the two WiFi bands are not being 'merged' whatever that means. Rather the router xmits both bands with the same SSID. Its then up to the router and how its been configured that determines how this works. The BBC1, BBC2, BBC3 and BBC4 channels could all be called BBC but you'll never know which one you'll actually get if its left to a shared server to decide.
 
My guess would perhaps be that your wifi router is set to Auto for channel selection. Some older Apple devices do not 'see' Channel 14 on the 2.4GHz waveband, and so when your wifi presents /cycles to this channel then connections can drop. Try setting a specific Channel for 2.4GHz, say 8 or 4.
 
Mike Hughes said:
I’m an MCSE and was trying to keep the language simple.
Click to expand...
Yes, and I need it simple.

Just read everything through but still have questions .


Later on I will take some screen shots of my router settings as they are now, which might help me ask better questions.

Dog needs walking first.
 
Sorry to be a pain chaps, but I am still nervous about cocking something up.

Below are screen shots of my router setting. I also have 3 x bt wifi discs.

Where should I go first?

53804052020_762f8a370b.jpg


53802681232_dd86c905ca.jpg


53803614911_76bd6bef17.jpg


53803858738_53ef42913a.jpg
 
Unfortunately I don't know your router and I'm not in front of it so can't have a play. But somewhere under the 5GHz or 2.4GHz setting will be the option to untick the 'Synchronise 2.4GHz and 5GHz settings' or words to that effect. Once you have saved this the router should reboot and both bands will be separate but with the same SSID. You can now rename one of them such as put a 5 on the end of the 5Gbps SSID.

Its a case of having a hunt around.
 
I remain unconvinced this is the first step but note that you shouldn’t need to rename anything. When you find the box to untick most modern routers will rename each one with a default including the appropriate number.

I would rename your network and immediately change your security level before doing anything else.
 
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