I am now running two routers - N for the rest of my PCs, and g for my Playbook.
I find that my signal is fine, and then for no reason, it just drops down to 1 bar and is unusable. A few minutes later it pops up to full strength again.
It's really strange !
I started a similar thread on this subject this morning. My WiFi connection goes out if I go upstairs in my house or move to my kitchen on the same floor as the router. I can't be too far from it or I get no signal. Works great so long as I'm near the router.
My wifi has been pretty stable since the previous os update (the one before 3312) but today it has been a royal pain. Wifi on and off and on again randomly. I had my home network at the top of the list of wifi connections, but for some reason it ended up halfway down the list. Since I moved it back to the top it has improved.
I doubt if it has anything to do with RIM's bbm and email issues today, but it seems very coincidental.
With me it's completely off and on... I can be in the same place and have full signal one day and zero the next. If I restart my PB I'll have full signal yet again in that same spot... both of my BB's have wifi connectivity and they're in the same place as the playbook.
Just like we need to battery pull on occasion I think we have to restart our playbooks every once in a while. It's been the only think to help some of my browser hang issues and also wifi connection issues.
As we're all saying hopefully OS2 will help. I am also hopeful that the issue isn't a hardware shortcoming and can be fixed with a nice OS update.
the wifi radio is on the top right of the pb. avoid holding that part.
I heard it was top left.
Just cover a corner with your hand and observe the signal strength number, using the Wi-Fi Information dropdown on the "Wi-Fi Status" page (under the main Wi-Fi page in the settings).
It's clearly top left. GPS is bottom right. Covering either is bad when you want it to work.
I brought my Playbook at school for the first time. Sadly, it wasn't my best experience with the PB =/
At home, the Internet is fine.. no problem. My router's in the basement, and my room's on the second floor.
At school however............................. well the signal is good (full or missing 1-2 bars occasionally). The signal is always great.
However, I'd lose my connection to the Internet (while having a good signal) every minute or so. The connection loss usually lasts a minute or so.
My friend had stable internet with his iPhone. I never had a problem when I brought my netbook.
Perhaps the school router has issues recognising the device, or could even have problems with internet on the network. I installed a wireless router in our facility a few weeks ago and while the signal strength is good, it's connection to the internet is very haphazard. This morning there is no internet connection, but I can still access my folders on the network. Aside from being asked to do a few things every now and then our IT management is outsourced and I have a feeling that the tech guys are having trouble with allowing the router access through our firewall.
Perhaps the school router has issues recognising the device, or could even have problems with internet on the network. I installed a wireless router in our facility a few weeks ago and while the signal strength is good, it's connection to the internet is very haphazard. This morning there is no internet connection, but I can still access my folders on the network. Aside from being asked to do a few things every now and then our IT management is outsourced and I have a feeling that the tech guys are having trouble with allowing the router access through our firewall.
Ah yes. The firewall. I am really hoping that the PB's firewall is the issue here. At least that would be something that could get fixed with an update.
Ah yes. The firewall. I am really hoping that the PB's firewall is the issue here. At least that would be something that could get fixed with an update.
I believe he was talking about the routers firewall.
I find that in my travels it seems that the PB wifi needs more than a half scale signal. Seems to work good with a strong signal but something less is questionable. I hope rim addresses that issue
The playbook in the back is mine after getting it back from RIM for a stuck pixel issue. The one in the foreground is my wifes. 2 hours later I finally have another RMA. I am not very happy with RIM right now. I could have lived with the stuck pixel but next to no wifi... and they tried to punt me to my ISP to troubleshoot my internet connection!
Recently my PB software corrupted. After numerous efforts I reloaded software-complete wipe and reload. It is working but where the wifi previously was excellent now it is very weak. I cannot be more than 20ft away from the router. The laptop works fine. Before the reload I could go anywhere in the house. We have a tenant on our 3rd floor with the router in the basement and she has no problems with her laptop on wifi. There is no signal on the main floor as far as the PB is concerned. Any ideas?
Recently my PB software corrupted. After numerous efforts I reloaded software-complete wipe and reload. It is working but where the wifi previously was excellent now it is very weak. I cannot be more than 20ft away from the router. The laptop works fine. Before the reload I could go anywhere in the house. We have a tenant on our 3rd floor with the router in the basement and she has no problems with her laptop on wifi. There is no signal on the main floor as far as the PB is concerned. Any ideas?
Before this incident, did you already have the latest OS for the pb or were you still on an older OS? I know some folks have complained that the newest OS has changed their wifi strength but I'm not sure if this has been confirmed.
Thanks for responding. There was excellent wifi before the reload. Now I have the latest software and the wifi is only useable if I am in the basement very close to the router. It's an unfinished basement. I'd rather not be banished.
Further to my previous post. I have reloaded software, as advised by BB Support, and checked signal strength before restoring. No change. In fact I have reloaded software about 4 times over the last 2 weeks. Had minor improvements by boosting Gateway 2wire at home to level 9 output. Helped but still very limited-20ft drops off to 1 bar or nothing. Changed the PB setup to single 2.4GHz channel. It finds the network faster now if I am within 10 ft. The useful limit since my software reload has always been about 10ft. Previously anywhere in the house, at Gateway power 4, was always full strength. Its the same story at work, the d-link router is about 20 ft from my desk. I cannot access it. The Wifi is weak now. I have not gotten anywhere with any solution others have tried to help me with. I use the PB on wireless about 95% of the time. It is now virtually useless. Please RIM, address this issue. It has been very weak only since update 1753. Please correct it or allow us with Wifi troubles to load the old version software. By the way, I have one of the older 32Gb playbooks without LTE. Ron.
Last edited by ron morey; 11-02-13 at 08:43 PM.
Reason: Clarity
For me, the issue is the router. My uncle always seems to pick out hardware that drops connection frequently, or fails within a year, because he never reads product reviews. My PC also frequently loses connection. Even though the living room is directly under his office, the reception is weaksauce downstairs.
Well, there's a chance Comcast is staggering our service.
Since the latest update my WiFi has been disconnecting sometimes within 5 feet of the router. This was NEVER the case with previous releases. When I hear its your router I want to laugh. What are the odds that everyone's router is going bonkers vrs a software update that has a WiFi issue?
Works great so long as I'm near the router.
