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Posted

A quick one to chuck at Mac Fans out there - I know NOTHING about Apple and I don't want to know anything about Apple stuff as I hate them.

We have a teacher who got an ipad for Xmas - will it join our wireless network ? Will it hell - we have two Aurba 800's with AP60's scattered over the site.

I have over 200 laptops connecting to this without a problem - the ipad gets an ip address, I can ping it, and then it drops - it goes through this all the time.

Rang up Apple [ well the gap year student did ] and was told [ after much faffing around with the ipad ] that it must be a hardware compatablility problem with the ipad and our 'router' - yeah right.....

We use WPA-PSK and TKIP encryption - anyone else experienced similar problems ?

 

As I said the ipad gets an IP address, sees both the DNS servers I setup but then proceeds to drop off the network. I have nix PCs on the wireless network [ various distros ] which have never had a problem and of course XP / Vista and Windows 7

 

Have to say when I do ping the ipad [ when it is on the network ] the TTL times can vary from 5ms to 2000ms !!!

Posted

I have an Aruba 800 controller - can't remember what AP's we have off top of my head.

 

We have 2 IPAD's on our wireless network here (mine and the heads) and have only had 1 problem with it (similar to what you said).

 

Try soft reseting the IPAD (press the power button ontop and hold down home button) and try reconnecting.

 

Might also be worth changing the WKIP passphrase to itself on the aruba box and then re-connecting.

 

Jason

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Posted (edited)

I think it may be to do with WPA-PSK and TKIP encryption as I use this at home and the moment there's a lot of wireless traffic the iPad starts stuttering. Believe it or not one of the recommendations I came across on the Apple site was to turn the screen brightness up to max as this may solve the issue.

 

I must admit that since the last ios software upgrade things have been a lot better. Is your user using the latest ios 4.2?

 

At school we use .11a with WEP (don't laugh - a certain well-known company who advertises on this site is responsible for managing it) and there's no problem when I use my iPad. We've got three more iPads on-site now so it'll be interesting to see how they fare when the kids start using them to stream iPlayer content.

Edited by tech_guy
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Posted

Hi

 

The iPad does support WPA-PSK TKIP/AES and works with most WAPs/Routers/Firewalls. There must be something else going on? Possibly an ACL that queries the Computer Objects Container in AD? You may have to add the iPad's MAC address? Try changing to AES and see if that makes a difference? I've never heard of Aruba so it's possible there's another setting buried somewhere specific to the unit/manufacturer? Perhaps a call to the developer/manufacturer might get you somewhere?

 

It's your choice if you don't want to know anything about Apple but to say on a Public Forum like this you 'hate' them is irrational and childish. You're an adult, grow up and deal with it.

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

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Posted
I have an Aruba 800 controller - can't remember what AP's we have off top of my head.

 

We have 2 IPAD's on our wireless network here (mine and the heads) and have only had 1 problem with it (similar to what you said).

 

Try soft reseting the IPAD (press the power button ontop and hold down home button) and try reconnecting.

 

Might also be worth changing the WKIP passphrase to itself on the aruba box and then re-connecting.

 

Jason

 

I don't really want to start re-setting any pass phrase as I already have 200 other laptops and devices on the wireless network. Another reason is I have two 800 controllers and over 20 APs - getting them to balance and to get APs reporting to the correct controller is a black art !!

I'll certainly try and soft re-set and will see if that works.

Posted
I think it may be to do with WPA-PSK and TKIP encryption as I use this at home and the moment there's a lot of wireless traffic the iPad starts stuttering. Believe it or not one of the recommendations I came across on the Apple site was to turn the screen brightness up to max as this may solve the issue.

 

I must admit that since the last ios software upgrade things have been a lot better. Is your user using the latest ios 4.2?

 

At school we use .11a with WEP (don't laugh - a certain well-known company who advertises on this site is responsible for managing it) and there's no problem when I use my iPad. We've got three more iPads on-site now so it'll be interesting to see how they fare when the kids start using them to stream iPlayer content.

 

Not sure what ios is being used but will check - thanks for the heads up on that one. I'll also whack up the brightness to see what happens then. Interesting note about the traffic and the ipad stuttering because on looking at the TTL times this sort of indicates what is going on. The only other thing I have not done is given the ipad a static address - something else I may try.

Posted
It's your choice if you don't want to know anything about Apple but to say on a Public Forum like this you 'hate' them is irrational and childish. You're an adult, grow up and deal with it.

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

 

Before the abuse starts flying, could I advise you to moderate your language. Us edugeek regulars are familar with mattx and his views on all things apple... it's become a running joke! I'm not saying this just to stick up for mattx... he fairly regularly gets himself into trouble for his ways, but he is a very regular poster and we know what to expect!

  • Thanks 1
Posted
Hi

 

The iPad does support WPA-PSK TKIP/AES and works with most WAPs/Routers/Firewalls. There must be something else going on? Possibly an ACL that queries the Computer Objects Container in AD? You may have to add the iPad's MAC address? Try changing to AES and see if that makes a difference? I've never heard of Aruba so it's possible there's another setting buried somewhere specific to the unit/manufacturer? Perhaps a call to the developer/manufacturer might get you somewhere?

 

It's your choice if you don't want to know anything about Apple but to say on a Public Forum like this you 'hate' them is irrational and childish. You're an adult, grow up and deal with it.

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

 

Hey Matt,

 

I think you've just been hit with a handbag.

Posted
Hi

 

The iPad does support WPA-PSK TKIP/AES and works with most WAPs/Routers/Firewalls. There must be something else going on? Possibly an ACL that queries the Computer Objects Container in AD? You may have to add the iPad's MAC address? Try changing to AES and see if that makes a difference? I've never heard of Aruba so it's possible there's another setting buried somewhere specific to the unit/manufacturer? Perhaps a call to the developer/manufacturer might get you somewhere?

 

It's your choice if you don't want to know anything about Apple but to say on a Public Forum like this you 'hate' them is irrational and childish. You're an adult, grow up and deal with it.

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

 

I do hate them, and I am childish and very irrational. I'm certainly not an adult and don't ever intend on growing up or dealing with it.

There is no authentication with the wireless on the AD side - everything is done via the two 800 controllers. I've kept our wireless simple for the very reason of getting devices on to it. My crappy Samsung phone can connect to it and that has a terrible OS. Why an ipad is having problems is to me [ and this is my own opinion ] laughable. But to me anything that has anything to do with any Apple product is laughable as it's all looks and no functionality. The person has to E-mail their photos to the ipad, there is no USB slot and no video out. Again my own opinion but to me it's nothing more than a glass coaster. I know Tech_Guy loves them, but everyone knows he is deeply in love with Steve Jobs and is actually donating part of his liver for him.

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Posted
Before the abuse starts flying, could I advise you to moderate your language. Us edugeek regulars are familar with mattx and his views on all things apple... it's become a running joke! I'm not saying this just to stick up for mattx... he fairly regularly gets himself into trouble for his ways, but he is a very regular poster and we know what to expect!

 

Don't worry, I'm quite thick skinned - both my kids constantly tell me how childish I am......

Posted
Don't worry, I'm quite thick skinned - both my kids constantly tell me how childish I am......

 

I'm well aware of that :D

 

It's impossible to please your own kids... my youngest thinks you're the best thing since sliced bread for sorting out which cables he needed for his xBox and wii...

 

Me? I'm just his mother! I don't know anything useful EVER * insert slammed door, sulk, etc * :D

Posted
I don't think Steve Jobs would want part of my liver - it's been pickled in Jack Daniels. He's got £500 of mine, isn't that enough?

 

And all those bodily fluids you have swapped. You really make me sick Tech_Guy - just the thought of you and him and even giving him money is enough to turn my stomach.

BTW - if the screen brightness thing works I will give my eyes to Stevie wonder. ;)

Posted

Hi mattx

 

LOL! Fair comment and I agree with a lot of what you say. I was not trying to start a flamed thread or throw abuse either. I was trying to help. When consulting with Educational sites looking at Apple hardware for the first time, the first thing I always ask is: "What do you think these things are going to give you that you can't already achieve with what you already have at half the cost?" Most of the time the answer is "I haven't a clue but they look nice". Once you go beyond the looks, there is actually something worthwhile there. If you can be bothered to look? You may not agree with it but Apple do seem to provide what most people seem to want? Form with Function. It can't more than coincidence that many other manufacturers copy what Apple start. It can't all be rubbish - can it?

 

I hope you find a solution but it does seem odd you're having a problem as all of the sites I support that use iPads have little or no problems connecting wirelessly to a wide variety of devices.

 

Sorry I could not help.

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

Posted
Hi mattx

 

LOL! Fair comment and I agree with a lot of what you say. I was not trying to start a flamed thread or throw abuse either. I was trying to help. When consulting with Educational sites looking at Apple hardware for the first time, the first thing I always ask is: "What do you think these things are going to give you that you can't already achieve with what you already have at half the cost?" Most of the time the answer is "I haven't a clue but they look nice". Once you go beyond the looks, there is actually something worthwhile there. If you can be bothered to look? You may not agree with it but Apple do seem to provide what most people seem to want? Form with Function. It can't more than coincidence that many other manufacturers copy what Apple start. It can't all be rubbish - can it?

 

I hope you find a solution but it does seem odd you're having a problem as all of the sites I support that use iPads have little or no problems connecting wirelessly to a wide variety of devices.

 

Sorry I could not help.

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

 

Hey don't worry - you were not chucking abuse at all - even if you were it's water off a ducks back to me. And you never know you may have helped as I will be checking AD OUs in the morning to see if anything weird is going on.

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Posted

Just another thought, have you tried checking for any firmware updates for the wireless controller. It maybe worth updating it if there is. Also tkip is probably something you want to look at changing in future as it is outside the WPA spec and much less secure than AES.

 

There's also the option of just leaving it as it is not school harware and as such their problem tatthey did not buy compatible hardware.

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Posted
Just another thought, have you tried checking for any firmware updates for the wireless controller. It maybe worth updating it if there is. Also tkip is probably something you want to look at changing in future as it is outside the WPA spec and much less secure than AES.

 

There's also the option of just leaving it as it is not school harware and as such their problem tatthey did not buy compatible hardware.

 

Both controllers have the latest firmware - so no problems there - in regards to encryption then this is something that will be changed when we move over to N - I don't think our APs and controllers can be up-dated to N so it may mean a whole new setup.

And I totally agree in regards to the fact that the equipment has nothing to do with the school and because staff and even some students are bringing in equipment I have stated a proper procedure be put in place and a VLAN for 'outside' equipment. I certainly don't want any device riddled with illegal music / movies, viruses and hacking tools near our network.

People expect their kit just to work but when I explain that it's a bit more complex than that and pass on the article written the other day about why the network is not the same as your home's, then sometimes they understand, but the majority of the time they don't.

Posted

Hi mattx

 

"in regards to encryption then this is something that will be changed when we move over to N"

 

This may well be where the problems lies? There were issues with the latest N capable offering from Apple with older G-rated WAPs. It seems WPA-PSK TKIP/AES on a G-rated WAP is not quite the same as WPA-PSK TKIP/AES on an N-rated one. Even this can vary from Manufacturer to Manufacturer notwithstanding they should all be using the same RFC. The iPad Forum over on Apple's Support site may help?

 

Apple - Support - Discussions - Wifi doesn't stay connected ...

Apple - Support - Discussions - Cannot join network ...

Apple - Support - Discussions - wifi problem with version 4 on iPad and ...

Apple - Support - Discussions - iPad connects to WPA2 but not to WPA ??? ...

Apple - Support - Discussions - Cannot connect to WLAN ...

Apple - Support - Discussions - I think the wi fi is fixed ...

 

Most if not all of the above list issues not really specific to your environment. I list them only to offer you a possible insight into tracking down your specific problem.

 

"People expect their kit just to work. But when I explain it's a bit more complex than that and pass on the article written the other day, about why the network is not the same as your's at home, then sometimes they understand. But the majority of the time they don't."

 

Absolutely!

 

HTH?

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

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