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Apple genius just told me wifi issue is software related...

C

Coukos34

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 20, 2009
339
0
Hello everyone,

I had a problem with my launch day iPad (32GB), where it had no download throughput. I would average under 1Mbit down, while my upload speed would be very fast depending on the network I was on. I brought it back to apple and showed the genius and we were able to easily reproduce the problem. They promptly swapped it out for a new one. Well, I was quite happy and then brought it into work today and noticed that my connection was weak and would fluctuate between adequate and poor/no data. All the while I have my iPhone 3G next to me which is showing a full signal. Pretty depressing. I stopped by the apple store on my way home and a genius took it out back and (supposedly) ran some tests. He said the hardware checked out fine and that it was a software issue. He told me to just hold on and that apple is working on something to resolve the issue.
Now let me just say that if someone posted this I would pass it off as a genius just blowing smoke. He seemed to be quite adamant that it was a software issue though, and was fully aware of the issue. I don't know if I totally believe him but I wonder if this is really true. I tend to believe it is not because you would figure that someone would have leaked this info by now.
I am leaving for a vacation and will monitor this issue closely. If they don't have a fix by the time I return next week, this thing will def be going back and I just may hold off for now. It's to bad because I really like the device, I just wish it performed as rock solid as my iPhone has for me (then again I didn't get a launch unit).
Take this for what you will (I know I will), but I hope the genius is right
 
Well, I remember people here were convinced that the "negative blacks" issue with the first iPod touch back in 2007 was a hardware problem, but then a firmware update fixed it.

So who knows, I guess we have to wait and see.
 
Ljohnson72 said:
Neh... The small wifi antenna on the back surrounded by aluminum cant help thats for sure.
Click to expand...

I really don't see how it could be a design flaw like some people seem to think. Most people are having no problems. Do you really think something that simple would get past R&D? You'd be crazy/ignorant to think that. I think apple would have an idea of signal strength from their device.
I also re-read my post and realized that I didn't mention that at times my iPad would show full reception. How can it fluctuate from full to null, if it was a design issue and the iPad did not move an inch?
It's either a hardware issue with "some" units, or it is software. We will find out soon I guess.
 
The fact my iPad works perfect with my router with one set of settings and craptacular with another set of (router) settings tells me the problem is software.
 
Coukos34 said:
I really don't see how it could be a design flaw like some people seem to think. Most people are having no problems. Do you really think something that simple would get past R&D? You'd be crazy/ignorant to think that. I think apple would have an idea of signal strength from their device.
I also re-read my post and realized that I didn't mention that at times my iPad would show full reception. How can it fluctuate from full to null, if it was a design issue and the iPad did not move an inch?
It's either a hardware issue with "some" units, or it is software. We will find out soon I guess.
Click to expand...

I didn't say it was a design flaw. Just an observation. I hope it will be fixed with a software update.
 
I agree, my iPad works flawlessly everywhere except with one stinkin' verizon router (which happens to be at my home). My iPad loses wifi about every 15 minutes and I have to put it to sleep and wake it again to fix the problem. I may try to get a replacement one from verizon and see if it helps.
 
I've been reading all this stuff and am experiencing the same issue.
But I found it's a false indication by the wifi icon. I ran SpeedTest.net on it while showing 1 bar and when showing 3. Same result 10 to 15 MB sec. :)
 
I heard it may be due to the iPad trying to reserve power and therefore not using the wifi at full. That would be an easy fix though, just gave a warning like when on 3G on the iPhone "using wifi at full power may reduce battery life"
 
The iPad contains some familiar silicon and an antenna design Apple has used before in the current iMacs and, IIRC, the latest unibody MacBook Pros (though I'm less sure about that).

The software is the biggest piece of new stuff--even the A4 is basically a new configuration of familiar bits--so a subtle problem in the software is the way to bet. They'll fix it, and probably quickly.

In this case, Apple's ability to maintain absolute secrecy surrounding new products is biting them a little. They couldn't very well seed the marketplace with beta units to wring out all the bugs arising from all the possible permutations of possible connection configurations and possible conflicts out there.

They've already issued a technical bulletin to advise users that if they have a WiFi access-point that does both 2 and 5 GHz frequencies, not to name both with the same SSID. Well, sure, that would be asking for trouble, anyone should know that, and anyone they'd trust enough to send out with a preproduction unit would probably know enough not to do that, too, so such a whoops would never get tested, given the way they do things. So now they get to test with networks set up in a suboptimal way... by selling to early adopters. (I'm not saying that's your problem, just illustrating that there are things going on that they didn't see pre-production.)

Another example is when the iPhone 3G came out. Suddenly, with thousands of iPhones suddently on-line, 3G towers started kicking connections off. Turned out there was a programming issue in the iPhone baseband code that was demanding high-power attention when it wasn't needed. It hadn't been recognized as bad programming practice before, because never had so many 3G devices pounded a network so heavily as the iPhone did as it flooded into the market. Again, that sort of stress test isn't possible until you have a bunch of product in the field being used by actual users. Not even an extensive beta test would have exposed that problem. In any case, they fixed it, with a quick firmware update, once the problem had been diagnosed.

As to your WiFi issue: Be patient, I'd doubt it'll take more than a week or three for an update to pop up in iTunes. Meanwhile, enjoy your cool new digital companion.

As to Geniuses blowing smoke, that hasn't been my experience. With only one exception, I've gotten better service and support from our local Geniuses than with any other product I've ever owned. Besides, if the Genius says Apple is working on software improvements, you can take that to the bank, because that's what they do 24/7.
 
In my experience the "Geniuses" rarely know their feet from their a**es. Sorry (but I hope he's right).
 
Ljohnson72 said:
Neh... The small wifi antenna on the back surrounded by aluminum cant help thats for sure.
Click to expand...

Don't you think that they would have figured this out in the R&D process? It isn't like this is their first wireless device. From what I have read the iPad doesn't have any issues with Apple brand routers.

Apple has stated that if you have a router that has 2.4GHZ and 5.0GHZ bands that share an SSID that you should break them up into 2 separate networks with different SSIDs. This is unreal! I hope for their sake that the issue isn't related to a bad lot of components.

I can understand the power requirements of the iPad relative to the USB charging issue and can live with that one, but the WiFi issue is giving me pause about purchasing a 64GB + 3G in a couple of weeks.

If Apple can't fix the issue by the time the 3G units come out I predict that it will hurt sales.:eek:
 
This MacBook Pro seems to have issues from time to time using WiFi no matter how close the base station. I have seriously had issues with it with the AEBS sitting two feet above it. Right now the AEBS is maybe 50 feet away and I have 3 out of 4 bars on the menu bar. I have no idea WTF the matter is, but Apple must have a tradition of wacky WiFi issues. Neither of my dad's iMacs ever had an issue, be it the G5 or latest model.

Considering the lockup trouble I've been having plus the seemingly hot CPU temps (it's at 150 degrees and all I have open is iTunes music and this forum), I think Apple had a hardware hiccup about three years ago.
 
I originally was having no problems, but then I guess I wasn't using the device at home that much. Over the last 24 hours, I've had a lot of issues with the network at my home, but at work, I have zero problems. I'm pretty sure its software related.
 
Nash Bridges said:
Don't you think that they would have figured this out in the R&D process? It isn't like this is their first wireless device. From what I have read the iPad doesn't have any issues with Apple brand routers.

I use Apple's AEBS and am experiencing wild fluctuations in signal reception even though the iPad remains stationary. We have a number of Macs on the network w/o any wireless reception issues.
Click to expand...
 
I have a feeling this has to do with three things 1) Apple not testing the iPad with third-party routers (many of which are cheaply made and have poor quality radios like the 2Wire wireless routers AT&T used to ship to customers with their DSL), 2) power management and 3) differing implementations of the 802.11n spec in pre-N routers.

There’s no doubt Apple will attempt to fix the problem in a future software update.
 
jaw04005 said:
I have a feeling this has to do with three things 1) Apple not testing the iPad with third-party routers (many of which are cheaply made and have poor quality radios like the 2Wire wireless routers AT&T used to ship to customers with their DSL), 2) power management and 3) differing implementations of the 802.11n spec in pre-N routers.

There’s no doubt Apple will attempt to fix the problem in a future software update.
Click to expand...

It's not just 3rd party routers. I have a Timecapsule and Airport and both have issues with 2 different iPads. The don't have the issue where you re-enter passwords but both have ridiculously slow connection (1.3 - 1.5 Mbps) right next to routers. They also drop connections constantly. I troubleshooted with phone support for a long time before they gave up and told me to make an appointment.
 
jaw04005 said:
I have a feeling this has to do with three things 1) Apple not testing the iPad with third-party routers (many of which are cheaply made and have poor quality radios like the 2Wire wireless routers AT&T used to ship to customers with their DSL), 2) power management and 3) differing implementations of the 802.11n spec in pre-N routers.

There’s no doubt Apple will attempt to fix the problem in a future software update.
Click to expand...

If other devices that people own some of them Macbooks aren't having problems but the iPad is, how is that a problem with the router? The problem would be with the iPad.

Your number 2 one may be correct, this is the reason why I have not bought any N routers, the spec was not finalized yet everyone was pushing them.
 
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