iPad 2 Won't Sync Over Wi-Fi

[BulkHedd]

I just got an iPad 2 yesterday (my very first iPad) and upgraded it to iOS 5.
I connected it to my MacBook Pro to sync and checked the wi-fi sync box but when I unplug the cable the iPad disappears from my iTunes sources.
When I go into the iPad settings I do have the option for wi-fi sync but when I click the "sync now" button it just says "Looking for MacBook Pro" and never finds it.
Now, I also have an iPhone 4 and it is able to sync just fine over wi-fi to the same computer on the same wireless network. Also, the iPhone 4 automatically shows up under iTunes sources when I'm connected to my network.

I'm running the latest versions of everything (Lion, iTunes 10.5, etc..)
It's just weird that one device works fine and the other doesn't.

I did try quitting and re-launching iTunes and that did not help.

 

[HazyCloud]

You need to make sure "open iTunes when this device is connected" is checked. It really fixed my issues. You may also need to connect the iPad via USB and select "sync this iPad over Wi-Fi".

 

[Mr.C]

Once you've connected it once with the cable and checked the Wi-Fi sync box you have to close iTunes and then re-open it. When you do that the iPad should show up under devices and you should be able to enable Wi-Fi sync.

 

[BulkHedd]

Once you've connected it once with the cable and checked the Wi-Fi sync box you have to close iTunes and then re-open it. When you do that the iPad should show up under devices and you should be able to enable Wi-Fi sync.

I did that and it didn't work. Strangely enough, when I restarted iTunes my iPhone 4 did an automatic sync, even though it wasn't plugged in to power.

 

[Mr.C]

I did that and it didn't work. Strangely enough, when I restarted iTunes my iPhone 4 did an automatic sync, even though it wasn't plugged in to power.

Mines the other way around. My iPad 2 will connect automatically but iTunes doesn't recognise my iPhone 4 over Wi-Fi.

 

[GraphicsGeek]

Also make sure you click Apply after checking the Sync over Wifi box.

 

[wmcy]

Where is "Devices"

I did that and it didn't work. Strangely enough, when I restarted iTunes my iPhone 4 did an automatic sync, even though it wasn't plugged in to power.

Where is the "Devices" option in iTunes?

 

[GraphicsGeek]

I did that and it didn't work. Strangely enough, when I restarted iTunes my iPhone 4 did an automatic sync, even though it wasn't plugged in to power.

This isn't strange If the checkbox to sync when device is connected is checked. When iTunes first opens it looks for connected devices and if that option is checked, it'll start syncing as soon as it detects your idevice on the network.

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Where is the "Devices" option in iTunes?

Left column where your playlists are located. If your device isn't connected or on the network, Devices won't be there

 

[wmcy]

This isn't strange If the checkbox to sync when device is connected is checked. When iTunes first opens it looks for connected devices and if that option is checked, it'll start syncing as soon as it detects your idevice on the network.

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Left column where your playlists are located. If your device isn't connected or on the network, Devices won't be there

Thank you GraphicGeek.

 

[BulkHedd]

This isn't strange If the checkbox to sync when device is connected is checked. When iTunes first opens it looks for connected devices and if that option is checked, it'll start syncing as soon as it detects your idevice on the network.

Except I thought it was only supposed to automatically sync when it is plugged into power.

 

[GraphicsGeek]

This isn't strange If the checkbox to sync when device is connected is checked. When iTunes first opens it looks for connected devices and if that option is checked, it'll start syncing as soon as it detects your idevice on the network.

Except I thought it was only supposed to automatically sync when it is plugged into power.

It is but when iTunes first boots up and finds your iPhone and the option to sync when it's connected is checked, it'll sync if its plugged in or not. It'll also sync when you plug it into power or you can manually sync it with or without power under the settings.

 

[tonyr6]

Don't disable the Bonjour service. Watch out for certain utilities programs that might want to disable it. Even if you rein-able it and start it up it will not sync with the Wifi until you restart your computer.

 

[BulkHedd]

Well, this morning, after a reboot of my MacBook (for another reason) the iPad suddenly shows up in iTunes and I can now sync wirelessly.
I guess that's all I needed to do.

 

[wmcy]

Help!

Just to be clear, if I've properly set-up my iPhone and iPad in iCloud, I should be able to see them in iTunes under "Devices", correct?

If so, I am doing something wrong. The left column in iTunes only has a "Device" category only when I connect my iPad or iPhone with a cable.

Any advice on what I am doing wrong?

Thanks for any help.

 

[BulkHedd]

Just to be clear, if I've properly set-up my iPhone and iPad in iCloud, I should be able to see them in iTunes under "Devices", correct?

If so, I am doing something wrong. The left column in iTunes only has a "Device" category only when I connect my iPad or iPhone with a cable.

Any advice on what I am doing wrong?

Thanks for any help.

When you have each device connected to the computer, you should see a check box under the summary called "Sync over Wi-Fi connection".
Make sure that box is checked and it should work after that, though you may need to relaunch iTunes and/or reboot your machine as I did.

 

[wmcy]

When you have each device connected to the computer, you should see a check box under the summary called "Sync over Wi-Fi connection".
Make sure that box is checked and it should work after that, though you may need to relaunch iTunes and/or reboot your machine as I did.

Thanks BulkHedd. That makes perfect sense. I appreciate the clarification.

Wm.

 

[GraphicsGeek]

Just to be clear, if I've properly set-up my iPhone and iPad in iCloud, I should be able to see them in iTunes under "Devices", correct?

If so, I am doing something wrong. The left column in iTunes only has a "Device" category only when I connect my iPad or iPhone with a cable.

Any advice on what I am doing wrong?

Thanks for any help.

iCloud has nothing to do with syncing your iDevices with the media on your computer.

 

[Mr.C]

Just to be clear, if I've properly set-up my iPhone and iPad in iCloud, I should be able to see them in iTunes under "Devices", correct?

If so, I am doing something wrong. The left column in iTunes only has a "Device" category only when I connect my iPad or iPhone with a cable.

Any advice on what I am doing wrong?

Thanks for any help.

It has nothing to do with iCloud. I don't use iCloud right now but my iPad 2 does show up. My iPhone 4S doesn't. It did in the beginning when I first got it though.

 

[trenfro]

how do i get my iPad to show up under devices in iTunes? after i disconnect it-it dissapears. Please help!

 

[bdizzlefizzle]

One thing I've learned about iDevices - settings appear to be right, but the device doesn't seem to follow them. For instance, I have photos or songs that are set to be on the device, and I can sync it 10 times, and they still won't be there. So, I have the same issue with my iPad 2, and also had some music that wasn't coming over.

I unchecked the Sync Over Wifi check mark, and also unchecked for it to sync music. I did a sync. Detached it, reattached it, and then checked both of those boxes. It's now syncing over WiFi and the music I wanted on it is actually on it.

Hope that helps some folks.