[SOLVED] iPad's Wifi Bars Getting Stuck at 2 Bars, Then Losing Connection.

[XBlitz15]

Hi,

I have an iPad from 2011 and it is running the latest iOS software. Around 25% of the time, when I use my iPad upstairs or in my basement, I get this glitch. Pretty much, what happens is my WiFi Bars (top left), get stuck at 2 bars. It still says I have WiFi connection, but whenever I try to use YouTube or Safari, it doesn't load anything. On YouTube for example, I click on a video, and it loads, the title, and ratings buttons (doesn't show dislikes or likes). Then it says tap to retry in the comments section, related section (right side) and on the video area. I tap it, and it loads nothing (while my iPad still says I have WiFi connection). This never happens on my main floor (where my modem and router are), and it always occurs in my basement and upstairs. Does anyone know why this happens?

 

[Solandri]

Normally I'm pretty critical of Apple, but this is actually one of the things they're really good at. They tend to use good wifi hardware.

My guess would be that the problem is actually with your router, not your iPad. Your iPad may be showing 2 bars of signal, but the router also has to be receiving a good signal from the iPad for there to be a good connection. It's possible the router's wifi hardware has a higher noise floor than the iPad, so the signal it's getting from the iPad is getting lost.

Since the problem occurs upstairs and in the basement, it's probably related to the antennas on your router. The little whip antennas that come with most routers are actually only omnidirectional in the horizontal axis. When pointed straight up, their coverage pattern forms a donut, with almost no signal directly above and below.

http://www.mpantenna.com/omnidirectional-antenna-radiation-patterns/

If your router has two or more antennas, you may be able to solve your problem simply by tilting one antenna 45 to 90 degrees, so the meat of its signal strength donut intersects the places upstairs and downstairs where you use the Internet the most.

 

[XBlitz15]

Normally I'm pretty critical of Apple, but this is actually one of the things they're really good at. They tend to use good wifi hardware.

My guess would be that the problem is actually with your router, not your iPad. Your iPad may be showing 2 bars of signal, but the router also has to be receiving a good signal from the iPad for there to be a good connection. It's possible the router's wifi hardware has a higher noise floor than the iPad, so the signal it's getting from the iPad is getting lost.

Since the problem occurs upstairs and in the basement, it's probably related to the antennas on your router. The little whip antennas that come with most routers are actually only omnidirectional in the horizontal axis. When pointed straight up, their coverage pattern forms a donut, with almost no signal directly above and below.

http://www.mpantenna.com/omnidirectional-antenna-radiation-patterns/

If your router has two or more antennas, you may be able to solve your problem simply by tilting one antenna 45 to 90 degrees, so the meat of its signal strength donut intersects the places upstairs and downstairs where you use the Internet the most.

Ok, I will try that, and I will respond back and see if that works.

 

[jsmithepa]

A new neighbor has turn on his WIFI and causing more "air pollution."

Move your WIFI router to a better location, doesn't hurt to reboot it too, so it can "re-configure" itself after seeing your noisy neighbor.

 

[XBlitz15]

A new neighbor has turn on his WIFI and causing more "air pollution."

Move your WIFI router to a better location, doesn't hurt to reboot it too, so it can "re-configure" itself after seeing your noisy neighbor.

There's one problem. I don't have a router. My ISP provided me with a Modem + Router combination (pretty much it's just like a modem, but there's also a router inside of it). So I would have to completely remove the modem from it's current location, and move it somewhere else. As well, I think it may be from my new neighbour next door and their wifi. There hasn't been wifi in that location for many years. Just this year. They have pretty strong Wifi, too. So that might be the problem?