# Can't connect my iPad to BT home wireless



## maestegman

Just bought a new 32Gb 3G iPad 2 and although it recognises my BT Home Hub 2 (on BT Infinity) it will not connect - I've typed in the passcode and I get the spinning "waiting to connect" graphic.

I have another iPad, a couple of iPhones and various other wireless devices that connect and work perfectly.

Help welcomed as this is doing my head in.


----------



## Avanti

IIRC a router will only support 5 or so devices, if you have several devices connected or paired at present, then that may be why you cannot connect the new device?


----------



## maestegman

Thanks. What a nightmare that'll be! Tried ringing BT and Apple and eventually got bored of going through endless automated lines.

Tried some technical forums too and it seems as though this is a common problem (but devoid of solutions).

Avanti - by the way, I tried your dumplings last week (with beef bourguignon of all things!) and they were fantastic.

If only I had the same success with my new Apple toy . . .


----------



## empsburna

Try this if you haven't already; http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1398


----------



## maestegman

Many thanks. Unfortunately, I've tried all the steps on the Apple Support site and attempted some of the "fixes" on on the Apple forums - no joy yet!

Currently 36 minutes into a call to BT . . .


----------



## Avanti

maestegman said:


> Thanks. What a nightmare that'll be! Tried ringing BT and Apple and eventually got bored of going through endless automated lines.
> 
> Tried some technical forums too and it seems as though this is a common problem (but devoid of solutions).
> 
> Avanti - by the way, I tried your dumplings last week (with beef bourguignon of all things!) and they were fantastic.
> 
> If only I had the same success with my new Apple toy . . .


I know my Mifi dongle will only support 5 devices and my phone car kit, on some BT routers there is a button to press to add another device.
Does the IP2 connect to other wifi routers? Could be a setting on the device .

Also reboot the router could be tried.


----------



## maestegman

LOL. BT put me through to a Technical Service line that wanted £30 to fix the fault. I don't so think so!

I guess it's back to the forums . . .


----------



## maestegman

Avanti said:


> I know my Mifi dongle will only support 5 devices and my phone car kit, on some BT routers there is a button to press to add another device.
> Does the IP2 connect to other wifi routers? Could be a setting on the device .


My brother lives across the road. I'll pop over shortly to see if my IP2 connects over there. He's on BT Infinity too.

The device is picking up networks so wireless is "working" - it just doesn't want to connect.


----------



## maestegman

I've rebooted the router three times and hard reset the IP2 twice. It's an odd one this as, in my experience, Apple gear connects first time, every time.


----------



## Avanti

maestegman said:


> I've rebooted the router three times and hard reset the IP2 twice. It's an odd one this as, in my experience, Apple gear connects first time, every time.


Have a look here


----------



## andy monty

try altering your wireless security settings had it with my touch on a home hub cant remember what i changed it to think it was WPA


just turn wireless security off for a few mins and see if it works then (at least then you know what it is)


----------



## maestegman

Thanks both. The reason I've been offline is that the "workaround" BT suggested knocked my Broadband connection off for a while. Great!

The general consensus (as Andy says) is that it's a problem with WEP and WPA. 

I'll have a play with that option.


----------



## maestegman

I've been six hours at this bloody thing today and still no joy.

Help!


----------



## Avanti

maestegman said:


> I've been six hours at this bloody thing today and still no joy.
> 
> Help!


Have you checked that the setting (WEP) are the same on the connected devices as on the new device?


----------



## maestegman

Avanti said:


> Have you checked that the setting (WEP) are the same on the connected devices as on the new device?


Thanks Avanti. Yes.

I switched to WEP (which wasn't easy to find at first in Vista) and all of the devices connected except for my iPad2.

My son's iPad2 connected via WPA and WEP.

This one has got me really stumped. I've done the Apple forum rounds and sought advice from various technical sites but to no avail.

I can't believe I have a £600 new toy sitting here that I can't play with.

Gutted.


----------



## Avanti

maestegman said:


> Thanks Avanti. Yes.
> 
> I switched to WEP (which wasn't easy to find at first in Vista) and all of the devices connected except for my iPad2.
> 
> My son's iPad2 connected via WPA and WEP.
> 
> This one has got me really stumped. I've done the Apple forum rounds and sought advice from various technical sites but to no avail.
> 
> I can't believe I have a £600 new toy sitting here that I can't play with.
> 
> Gutted.


I meant the WEp/WPA settings on the new device, did you try the device with another router? If that fails , sounds like the device is faulty


----------



## maestegman

Not yet. My brother is around tomorrow. I'll try it with his IPad then. Really frustrating.


----------



## maestegman

His router I mean


----------



## mjd

http://community.bt.com/t5/BB-Speed-Connection-Issues/ipad-amp-BT-home-hub-2-connection/td-p/294113

Have you tried a static IP address?
If you are not being repeatedly prompted to enter the passphrase then the logical point of failure would be obtaining an IP address. Try entering a static address and see how it fairs.


----------



## maestegman

Thanks mjd. Yes - I tried this earlier. No joy with a static IP address.

The iPad recognises my router, asks me for a password, it accepts it then I get the spinning "waiting to connect" graphic.


----------



## mjd

maestegman said:


> Thanks mjd. Yes - I tried this earlier. No joy with a static IP address.
> 
> The iPad recognises my router, asks me for a password, it accepts it then I get the spinning "waiting to connect" graphic.


Hmmmm? Did you try fixing the wireless channel? Cant see it would make any difference, but possibly worth a go.


----------



## maestegman

Thanks again. That was one of the things BT suggested this morning. It didn't make any difference.

I'll try the iPad on my brother's router tomorrow. If it doesn't work, it'll be trip to Apple on Monday.

I've booked a telephone support call for 9.45am on Monday in any case.


----------



## mjd

Sorry, I'm a network tech by trade so can get a bit carried away when I get my teeth into a problem. 
Seems to be a bit of a grey area with BT passing the buck to apple and vice versa, so will be interesting to hear how you get on.

Good luck!


----------



## maestegman

Oh yes. There's been a lot of that going on today.

BT even wanted £30 to provide a fix! I appreciate that it's probably a problem with iPad however.

It's just strange that everything else connects fine (including another iPad 2) but, for some reason, my iPad doesn't want to play ball.


----------



## griffin1907

try changing the security type when setting up iPad. When i got my iPad 2 i set it up the normal way, when asked for security type i put in wpa psk as everything else is, didn't like it, changed to wpa, sorted!!


----------



## maestegman

Thanks. I wasn't asked for a security type during set up. I've changed the router from WPA2 to WPA to WEP and back again (a few times) with little success.

I tried to connect my iPad to my brother's network earlier and was faced with the same problem.

I hope our friends at Apple will be able to help out tomorrow morning.


----------



## maestegman

*UPDATE*

Following a completely wasted hour talking with a member of Apple's "Technical" Team, I took my iPad into the Apple store in Cardiff this afternoon.

Although the iPad connected to the store's wi-fi, the Apple guy said the connection was slow and gave me a replacement unit.

Great - thought I.

I've now returned home, updated the software to 5.0.1 and the bloody thing still won't connect.

Obviously now, there's something wrong with the iPad connecting with my BT Home Hub 2.

Really, really frustrated.


----------



## Avanti

maestegman said:


> *UPDATE*
> 
> Following a completely wasted hour talking with a member of Apple's "Technical" Team, I took my iPad into the Apple store in Cardiff this afternoon.
> 
> Although the iPad connected to the store's wi-fi, the Apple guy said the connection was slow and gave me a replacement unit.
> 
> Great - thought I.
> 
> I've now returned home, updated the software to 5.0.1 and the bloody thing still won't connect.
> 
> Obviously now, there's something wrong with the iPad connecting with my BT Home Hub 2.
> 
> Really, really frustrated.


Now you have us all stumped, I'm out of ideas


----------



## maestegman

Thanks - it's quite comforting, in an odd way, that I'm not alone here.

I genuinely don't know what else to do. I've posted a help thread on one of the BT Community Forums and I'm currently awaiting a reply.

I've probably now exhausted all obvious (and not-so obvious routes).


----------



## maestegman

Another update. BT Forums have come up with another one:

Take the router down from b/g/n to b/g.

Well, I tried it and guess what . . . 

Nope.


----------



## Avanti

maestegman said:


> Another update. BT Forums have come up with another one:
> 
> Take the router down from b/g/n to b/g.
> 
> Well, I tried it and guess what . . .
> 
> Nope.


Newer devices work on g or n , thought that was mentioned already, still fear it's something simple just over looked


----------



## Buck

Have you tried the obvious one of turning off wireless on all other items so that it is literally the iPad2 and your router?

Did you take it over to your brother's to check if it works there?

Have you had your son's iPad2 side by side and checked each individual setting?

I know the above is sucking eggs but sometimes these frustrating issues are simple to solve in hindsight!


----------



## maestegman

*SOLVED!*

Click on Settings > Wi-Fi > ﻿ > Static and input the following:

"IP Address" enter: 192.168.1.100 (check you're not already using it!).﻿

"Subnet Mask" enter 255.255.255.0

"Router" enter 192.168.1.254

"DNS" enter 192.168.1.254, 192.168.1.254

Tapped on the Wi-Fi Networks button and then went back to Home screen﻿.

Nice to see BT and Apple making things so easy. What a nightmare!


----------



## Buck

Yay!

Well done mate - bl00dy annoying this technology that's supposed to make our lives easier !!


----------



## empsburna

I wonder of it will only give out a couple of IP addresses through DHCP.

Very strange.


----------



## mjd

Apparently the HH2 has issues with the DHCP table. Whilst it has sufficient scope to cope with most situations, it clearly has a undefined limit. (Hence my previous recommendation)  Glad you got it sorted!


----------



## maestegman

Thanks everybody. My iPad is now flying on BT Infinity!


----------



## Russ and his BM

Great stuff, and I hope your settings above help others in the same place! Cheers!


----------



## maestegman

Just a quick update on this thread. 

I've just bought an iPhone 4S and I experienced exactly the same issue when attempting to connect to my BT Home Hub.

I used the settings illustrated above and it connected immediately.

Simples.


----------

