At least 80% packet loss on the wireless network

[ffredd]

Hi. I have problem with a new iPod touch. The wireless network is working perfectly with my laptop. It's also working perfectly with the iPod for a few seconds, but then the response times and packet loss get ridiculously high.

This is what happens when I ping the iPod from the laptop when the iPod is connecting to the network (I configured the router to always assign the .4 address to the iPod):

ping -w 100 -t 192.168.1.4

Pinging 192.168.1.4 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=7ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=51ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=477ms TTL=64
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=89ms TTL=64
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.4: bytes=32 time=484ms TTL=64
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.4:
Packets: Sent = 35, Received = 10, Lost = 25 (71% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 484ms, Average = 111ms

It's of course impossible to use the browser or anything else that needs the wireless network. I would very much like to know if this is a hardware problem or something that can be fixed. I'm using 64 bit WEP encryption, but I have tried it without encryption too. I have also tried stuff like changing the channel number in the network configuration on the router, and nothing seems to work.

Does anyone else have the same problem? Have you been able to solve it?

[DerekVOF]

I was really surprised to see the results you had. I ran the same command and was expecting to get zero dropped packets, but I actually am getting about 5% packet loss. Unfortunately, I don't know the reason...

[ffredd]

Bump. Doesn't anyone else have this problem?

Derek, thanks for answering.

I have discovered that the wifi communication will sometimes work well enough that we can use the browser and watch youtube videos, but this has only happened twice so far out of 100 or so tries. Almost every time, we start losing packets immediately, or a few seconds after connecting to the network.

[deftdrummer1]

so are you referring to the slight lag that iPod has on a wifi network and if this can be fixed? Sorry, just trying to clear it up for us laymrns. I too have wondered why iPhone is slower than my laptop.

[DerekVOF]

Well, some things you may or may not have tried. First, an alternate channel - many wireless routers are set to a default of around 6 or so, and if there are others in your neighborhood all using their wireless routers at the same channel, might get some bad interference.

Second, you may also want to try to turn off mixed mode (e.g., the setting which provides backwards compatibility with 802.11b or forwards compatibility with 802.11n) - try to set it (if your router lets you) to just 802.11g mode..

Finally, a restart of the router helps at times too... depends on the router...

[ffredd]

Thanks for answering. I tried all of those things before posting here, and those changes had no effect. And no, I'm not talking about a slight lag. Almost all packets that are sent are dropped, so a web page won't show up in the browser even if I wait several minutes.

[Desides]

Try setting up a static IP for the Touch on your router, and then set the Touch's Wi-Fi options to use DHCP.

[ffredd]

I did that a few days ago. I feel like I've tried everything.

But...today I called Apple's support. After going through most of the usual stuff, they gave me the name and addresses of one of their resellers in this town, and suggested I go there and verify that it doesn't work on their wireless network. (I had of course thought about trying another network, but I didn't have access to any other). So I went there, and it worked perfectly the first time we tried. I switched it off and on again a couple of times, and I could use the browser without problems every time.

So it seems that this is some sort of incompatibility issue between the iPod touch and the router! The iPod seems to be working perfectly with other routers, and the router works perfectly with my laptop, but the iPod doesn't work with the router! Weird.

The router is a Gigabyte GN-BR01G. I will try to find out if there's any way to work around the problem, but for the moment I would advise everyone to stay away from this particular router.

If anyone here is using the same router, let me know.

[minde]

The same problem for me with GN-AP01G access point. 90% packet loss..

[tezza80]

did you end up replacing the router? If so did it solve the problem? I am having the same issue with a netgear dg834pn..

[Zentaro]

Could anyone direct me to some instructions on how to ping my iPod Touch?

I couldn't figure it out by myself. Sorry!

[DerekVOF]

Turn on your iPod Touch. Set it so it doesn't go to sleep and make sure Wi-Fi is on. Go into Settings > Wi-Fi and tap on the blue arrow next to your connection. Write down the IP address.

On Windows, go to the Start menu, select Run... Type in "cmd" and press return. You'll open a command window. Just type "ping <YOUR IP ADDRESS>" (no quotes and enter your IP -- so for example, ping 192.168.2.1)

On Mac or Ubuntu, open Terminal. Type "ping <YOUR IP ADDRESS>"