wifi needed but not internet - ipad connecting issues

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martyyn

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#148630 25-Jun-2014 12:45

I wasnt sure if this was a network or apple issue so I'll try here first.

I have a friend in a rural area who just uses an ipad on a 3G sim. There is no phone line or broadband into the building and he would like to be able to print from his ipad to a wifi printer he has bought.

I'm just playing with an old thomson router I had lying about. I've reset it, setup a basic wifi and I can connect and configure it with my laptop and my GNex connects to it ok as does the printer.

But his ipad wont retain the connection longer than a couple of seconds. What appears to be happening is that it connects but then disconnects after it tries to access the internet.

Is this standard behaviour for ipads or am I missing something obvious ?

I have managed to print a test page from the ipad, but it lost the connection when I sent it, but resumed when I reconnected it.

Inphinity

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#1074204 25-Jun-2014 12:47

Typically the device will expect the wifi to provide internet access, and when it finds it doesn't, will switch back to 3G.

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Dynamic

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#1074210 25-Jun-2014 12:49

I've never seen/tried this but the behaviour does not completely surprise me.

Try setting a Static IP address on the iPad for this network. JUST enter an IP in the same range but out of the way of the normal DHCP range (e.g. 192.168.1.135 or something similarr suitable for that network) and a subnet mask, leaving the gateway and DNS lines blank.

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martyyn

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#1074215 25-Jun-2014 12:51

Thanks, that's what I was afraid of.

I'm trying to find something specific on google, but can only find people who cant access a 'normal' wifi/internet connection.

trig42

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#1074222 25-Jun-2014 13:01

My iPad stays connected to my router if the internet disconnects.

After the storms two weeks ago, our phone lines took a bit of damage, and whilst they were going, the internet would frequently lose sync. The iPad WiFi symbol was still up, but no internet. I could get to the routers setting page no problem though, and AirPlay was working (not that there was anything to play, but screen mirroring worked).

Maybe with a 3G iPad if it detects no internet on the WiFi it drops that connection and keeps using 3G - can you turn off the 3G and see if it stays connected to the WiFi?

Coil

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#1074223 25-Jun-2014 13:02

Multicast DNS might be having fun here.

martyyn

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#1074228 25-Jun-2014 13:05

Dynamic:
Try setting a Static IP address on the iPad for this network. JUST enter an IP in the same range but out of the way of the normal DHCP range (e.g. 192.168.1.135 or something similarr suitable for that network) and a subnet mask, leaving the gateway and DNS lines blank.

This appears to be working. I can turn the wifi off and back on again and it still connects to the internet via 3G and I can print websites, etc.

Thanks Dynamic :)

Dynamic

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#1074230 25-Jun-2014 13:09

martyyn:
Dynamic:
Try setting a Static IP address on the iPad for this network. JUST enter an IP in the same range but out of the way of the normal DHCP range (e.g. 192.168.1.135 or something similarr suitable for that network) and a subnet mask, leaving the gateway and DNS lines blank.

This appears to be working. I can turn the wifi off and back on again and it still connects to the internet via 3G and I can print websites, etc.

Thanks Dynamic :)

Pleasure to help. I did wonder whether the iPad knew it had 2 options for internet access and kept the connection the one it knew was working. By not having the Gateway on the wireless connection this stopped the two connections 'competing' because you can only have one active Default Gateway on a computer.

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cr250bromo

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#1074266 25-Jun-2014 14:01

Apple idevices try to retrieve the following URL http://www.apple.com/library/test/success.html which contains the word "Success" to determine if they have internet access or not. Though statically assigning your IP as mentioned above gets around this issue. I think it was sometime around ios6 that the above URL was accidentally removed for a short time which caused all sorts of problems.

Dynamic

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#1074268 25-Jun-2014 14:04

Thanks for that footnote portunus - I found that strangely interesting. Must be a geek. :)

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