AirDrop iPad 4th gen and iMac 10.11.5

[PDilly]

we have 2 iPhones, 2 iPads and a 2015 retina iMac.

Handoff and airdrop works where it should (most of the time) except for the iPad 4. iOS to iOS is fine but it and the iMac have issues!

To cut a long frustrating saga short, I found by accident that I can only airdrop from iMac to iPad 4 and vice-versa, if I disconnect the iPad from my wifi network but leave its wifi on. AirDrop connection in both directions is then both instantaneous and flawless.

With the iPad connected to my wifi network, the connection is both nigh impossible and when seen, data transfer almost always fails. My other three newer iOS devices have no such problems.

The iMac is ten feet from my router connected by Ethernet cable. The iMac wifi is on but not connected.

Anyone know why I should have a wifi issue with the iPad 4?

UPDATE
If I turn wifi off on my router, AirDrop works on iPad 4.
With router wifi on AirDrop still works with iMac on iPhones SE & 6S and iPad Air 2

 

[ososX]

AirDrop is crap, or in short AirCrap ... it never works when you need it !!! The only way to try and correct an AirCrap problem is to reboot both devices and, if possible, the router.

 

[ericwn]

That's a rather simplistic view, and in my experience not the case at all.