iPhone/iPad users (actually, anyone with a wifi enabled phone, this may apply to you) - WiFi Help

Anyone with a wifi network and an iPhone would have at some point come across some sort of drama when dealing with their wifi network which may have worked seamlessly for them in the past.

I myself was having problems with my network shortly after getting an iPhone until azza told me to turn off my iPhones wifi. I didn't understand why I would need to do that as wireless networks can run multiple vices at once but I turned off the wifi connection on my iPhone and presto, problem solved.

What was happening is my access point (also called a range extender) was losing it's connection not long after I was turning on my iPhones wifi.

After a bit of stuffing around I think I have come up with a solution.

The iPhone connects to a wireless network using DHCP which basically means it will find the next available IP and use it for you. No biggy, most portable wifi devices do this.
However, with a DHCP connection the IP is only 'Leased', meaning that IP does not belong to the iPhone.

So with DHCP the The leases are renewed every so often and if the device is still connected then it will keep the IP it was assigned.
If the IP is no longer being used then that IP is free for another device to use.

The iPhone has a problem where it will not release the leased IP when the screen is turned off. As it is no longer talking to the network (the phone is designed to save as much battery life as it can, so basically everything shuts off when the screen is locked)

So as a result of the iPhone not talking to the network the network will then assign the next available IP to another device (usually the one the iPhone was using).
When the iPhone is turned back on the IP will be in use by 2 different devices causing the network (or rather both devices connection to the network) to drop.


There is a solution - a real easy one.

Assign your iPhone/iPad/other a static IP (not through the router though, that is too complex for most and not necessary)

As the DHCP will assign the next available IP you just need to make the IP one number higher than the maximum amount if devices in your network.

Eg: 4 wireless devices then make your IP xxx.xxx.x.5

I made mine a really high number just to be safe, I'll upload a picture.




To make it super easy, just write down everything that appears in DHCP and copy it exactly except for IP. Change the last number to a value at least higher than the amount of devices in your network.


Hope this helps everybody!

I have pretty much assigned every device on my network (wireless or wired) a static IP - that way leasing is not an issue for me. Any adhoc wifi connections e.g. a visiting iPhone simply gets assigned an available IP for short-term use.

Thanks mate

driftpig222 wrote:Thanks mate

No worries, hope it works!

Sounds good...

cheers cap will give it a try.