The Apple iPad is one of the most popular tech devices for business and personal users alike, due to the fact that it is rugged and easy to use, and that there is an app available for virtually everything. Like all tech however, there will come a time when you run into problems and your device doesn’t work properly. One of the more common issues is when the iPad is not able to connect to a Wi-Fi network.
Here are six troubleshooting tips that you can try if your iPad isn’t connecting to Wi-Fi.
First: Check if your iPad can see Wi-Fi networks
Grab your iPad and move near to the Wi-Fi router, then tap on the Settings app. From here tap on Wi-Fi (it is located in the leftmost list, near the top). Look to see if the network you want to connect to is listed under Choose a network… If it shows up, try tapping on it and entering the password, if required.
If your iPad doesn’t ‘see’ the network, try turning Wi-Fi off and on again by sliding the button beside Wi-Fi at the top from On (green) to Off (grey). Wait a few seconds then turn it on again. If you still can’t connect, try restarting your iPad.
Second: Try restarting the router
If your iPad is picking up the network but not connecting to it, there may be a problem with the router. Turn the router off for at least 30 seconds, then turn it on again. Believe it or not, this solves the vast majority of Internet problems.
Once the router has restarted, try connecting to the network again, or if you have connected to it before, the iPad should try to connect automatically.
Third: Check if your password is correct
Another common problem is that users have entered the password for the Wi-Fi network incorrectly, or another user has changed the password and not informed everyone else.
Go back into the Settings app and tap Wi-Fi. Try tapping the ‘i‘ icon and selecting Forget this Network. Restart your iPad then go back into the Wi-Fi settings. You should see the network pop back up under Choose a network… within a few seconds. Tap on the network name and enter the password again. If you are sure the password is correct, try asking other people who connect to the network, or the administrator, if the password has been changed.
Fourth: Try other devices
If you have other devices like a phone or laptop, try connecting these to the network and seeing if it is possible to connect to the Internet. By doing this, you will be able to see whether the problem lies with the network, router or the iPad itself. Should the other devices be able to connect and access the Internet, it’s highly likely that the problem lies with the iPad.
However, before you jump to conclusions, check to see if other people are connected. Some routers can be configured to only allow a set number of devices to connect at the same time. Another common connection problem occurs when someone is using a high amount of bandwidth with an activity such as downloading torrents. This can cause other devices connected to the router to experience incredibly slow Internet speeds – slow enough that websites may time out instead of loading, causing the browser to display an error message.
If possible try asking another user to disconnect from the network for a few minutes to see if your iPad can get online.
Fifth: Reset your Network Settings
If the previous options are not working, try resetting your network settings to the default settings, as if the iPad was brand new. Don’t worry, your whole iPad won’t be reset, just the settings related to network connections, like Wi-Fi and LTE/3G.
Here’s how to reset your Network Settings:
- Tap on the Settings app from the main screen of your iPad.
- Select General followed by Reset.
- Tap on Reset Network Settings.
- Hit Wi-Fi and select the network you wish to join.
- Enter the password again.
Once you have followed these steps, try opening your Web browser again and loading a website.
Sixth: Contact us, or Apple Support
Finally, if the other options don’t work, try contacting Apple Support to see if they can help. Of course, you can also get in touch with us so we can help get you connected.
