M1 iPad Pro Dropping WiFi Constantly

[Tech9]

This is a rare case most folks will never see on 2.4GHz. In my house I can't get anything over 90Mbps on 2.4GHz, for instance. In my downtown apartment 40Mbps is quite optimistic. 4-stream @40MHz @1024QAM sound like manufacturer marketing specs, AX11000 router, etc. Instead of trying hard 2.4GHz connection I would explore options to wire this desktop or at least move to 5GHz closer AP. Sorry, but there is a HUGE difference in speed between N on 2.4GHz and AC/AX on 5GHz. It may not make a big difference with 100Mbps ISP, not 500Mbps.

 

[dlandiss]

I’m also doing video chats with people half way around the globe, so I want any networking edge I can get.

My wife teaches 16 university students (at the same time) over Zoom. I watched the Traffic Monitor report while she was teaching and it rarely exceeded 2MBps (about 16Mbps). At that speed I would opt for the range of 2.4GHz instead of the bandwidth of 5GHz.

 

[sbsnb]

It may have something to do with the Asus PCE-AC88 WiFi card. The RT-AC88U reports it's connecting with 802.11ac even on 2.4 GHz. Might be some non-standard thing.

Either way, 100 Mbps or 500 Mbps will make zero difference in video streaming or video calling, or in cases like my devices as recent as a Surface Book 3 which is limited to 100 Mbps on either band.

 

[Tech9]

The RT-AC88U reports it's connecting with 802.11ac even on 2.4 GHz

There is no AC on 2.4GHz. Error in reporting.

Either way, 100 Mbps or 500 Mbps will make zero difference in video streaming or video calling

Your original statement was "no matter what you're doing". My family often streams HD content on few devices simultaneously. With the available 2.4GHz bandwidth around streaming services lower the quality. It all depends what do you need/expect. I would like to have fast access to my NAS, for example and 5GHz band gives me 60MB/sec speeds. In general 2.4GHz is good only for longer distance slower connections.

 

[sbsnb]

There is no AC on 2.4GHz. Error in reporting.

Probably. Either way it's able to go much faster than other wireless devices that are more "modern" than it is.

Your original statement was "no matter what you're doing".

My original statement was that if your Internet speeds are less than 500 Mbps you're not going to see any difference no matter what you're doing. I still think that will be true for OP who has an 802.11ax device. I can't imagine what you'd be doing on a tablet where the difference could be perceptible.

My family often streams HD content on few devices simultaneously. With the available 2.4GHz bandwidth around streaming services lower the quality. It all depends what do you need/expect. I would like to have fast access to my NAS, for example and 5GHz band gives me 60MB/sec speeds. In general 2.4GHz is good only for longer distance slower connections.

2.4 GHz has plenty of bandwidth to handle 30+ HD video streams simultaneously, even if your device is limited to 100 Mbps. Not to mention that even if your device is limited to 100 Mbps, the router will be able to deliver more than that to multiple devices. I still speedtest 10 Mbps on my 2016 phone from 200 feet away on 2.4 GHz - enough for 2 HD video streams.

If you have a fixed device really close to the AP of course there's no reason to use 2.4 GHz, but if you've got a device regularly on the move I'm hard pressed to find a reason why you would want 5 GHz. If you're more than a room or two away 2.4 GHz will likely beat 5 GHz in speed and stability.

For the longest time I couldn't understand the booming market for repeaters and mesh networking devices because I'm able to do video calling, HD video streaming, and WiFi calling without issue from anywhere on my property ... and even a couple houses up the street with nothing other than my solitary router. Now I've finally figured out that I think people are just trying to get all their devices on 5 GHz for some reason, which would probably require all that equipment to get similar coverage to 2.4 GHz.

 

[Tech9]

2.4 GHz has plenty of bandwidth to handle 30+ HD video streams simultaneously

Not true - simple math. HD video streams use 6-40Mbps, depending on resolution and compression ratio. Let's assume the video is streamed on mobile devices only - phones/tablets with 720p resolution (higher is not needed on a small screen). Who has a steady >180Mbps throughput on 2.4GHz? Anyone around, SNB folks? How many can run 2.4GHz @40Mhz in their Wi-Fi environment? It takes almost the entire 2.4GHz spectrum.

If you're more than a room or two away 2.4 GHz will likely beat 5 GHz in speed and stability.

Also not true - real life experience. My wife's desktop has 2 internal walls to closest AP. It has 2x2 usual AC client. Link speed on 2.4GHz is 144Mbps, on 5GHz is 585Mbps. You can do the math what the expected throughput is. Desktops don't move around. Your desktop with 4x4 client is an exception from the rule. How many folks here on SNB have 4x4 clients? How many phones/tablets have 4x4 Wi-Fi? None. They do have 5GHz AC/AX though.

 

[sbsnb]

Not true - simple math. HD video streams use 6-40Mbps, depending on resolution and compression ratio. Let's assume the video is streamed on mobile devices only - phones/tablets with 720p resolution (higher is not needed on a small screen). Who has a steady >180Mbps throughput on 2.4GHz? Anyone around, SNB folks? How many can run 2.4GHz @40Mhz in their Wi-Fi environment? It takes almost the entire 2.4GHz spectrum.

The actual data from my RT-AC88U streaming is:

• Youtube HD ~1 Mbps
• Netflix HD ~ 3.5 Mbps
• Amazon Prime HD ~1.5 Mbps

Also not true - real life experience. My wife's desktop has 2 internal walls to closest AP. It has 2x2 usual AC client. Link speed on 2.4GHz is 144Mbps, on 5GHz is 585Mbps. You can do the math what the expected throughput is. Desktops don't move around. Your desktop with 4x4 client is an exception from the rule.

What's the actual throughput on those bands? I see the same thing you see for reported connection speed even though download test show no speed difference.

How many folks here on SNB have 4x4 clients? How many phones/tablets have 4x4 Wi-Fi? None. They do have 5GHz AC/AX though.

Even though 802.11ac has a theoretical 4 streams, all of the devices I have on 5 GHz do not achieve that.

Those devices with -84 dBm are less than 20 feet from the router.

 

[Tech9]

Youtube HD ~1 Mbps

YouTube HD 1080p requires 5Mbps sustained speed. Netflix HD 1080P also requires 5Mbps minimum. Information from Google and Netflix. I have 2x 4K capable TVs at home (like many folks around), both need 20-40Mbps for streaming UHD. Why I need to limit myself with 2.4GHz N networks? They are obviously slower than 5GHz AC/AX. Instead if trying to catch the signal, I expand the network with more APs. This is what everyone else is doing - AiMesh, Eero, Orbi, more APs, etc. Please, don't say we are all wrong and there is no difference.

Even though 802.11ac has a theoretical 4 streams, all of the devices I have on 5 GHz do not achieve that.

AC devices on the screenshot can't get 4-streams because they have 2-stream Wi-Fi radios. Your signal levels are very low at -84dBm and -95dBm. You're on the edge of usable reception. 20 feet away from the router doesn't say much, it depends what your walls are made of. The reason I use 3x APs is to provide better 5GHz Wi-Fi coverage. My devices connect at 866/866 20ft away from APs. The house is a standard North American wooden sticks and drywall structure. You perhaps have brick/concrete walls. In your case multiple low-power APs will provide much faster/reliable network.

 

[sbsnb]

YouTube HD 1080p requires 5Mbps sustained speed. Netflix HD 1080P also requires 5Mbps minimum. Information from Google and Netflix. I have 2x 4K capable TVs at home (like many folks around), both need 20-40Mbps for streaming UHD.

All I can tell you is that I start HD streaming on my Roku device, XBox, or PC and let it run for about ten minutes on an action scene and get the average bandwidth reported by the RT-AC88U's Traffic Monitor. Those are the values. If your devices require 5x as much bandwidth I don't have any explanation for it.

AC devices on the screenshot can't get 4-streams because they have 2-stream Wi-Fi radios. Your signal levels are very low at -84dBm and -95dBm. You're on the edge of usable reception. 20 feet away from the router doesn't say much, it depends what your walls are made of. The reason I use 3x APs is to provide better 5GHz Wi-Fi coverage. My devices connect at 866/866 20ft away from APs. The house is a standard North American wooden sticks and drywall structure. You perhaps have brick/concrete walls. In your case multiple low-power APs will provide much faster/reliable network.

It's just wood studs and drywall. There is one wall between one device and the router and two walls between the other, but it is a little closer.

 

[Tech9]

What's the actual throughput on those bands?

Most of my clients are 2-stream, a few are 1-stream. My 2.4GHz network is 20MHz wide channel, usable throughput is about 90Mbps. I have only few devices on 2.4GHz and a Guest Network. My 5GHz network is 80MHz wide channel, usable throughput is about 480Mbps. Theoretical maximums are higher - Ruckus R610 AC Wave 2 APs with 3x3 radios. They are pricey, but very efficient in non-optimal Wi-Fi environments.

It's just wood studs and drywall.

Something is wrong there, I believe. AC88U is not that bad router for Wi-Fi. You may want to investigate what's going on.

 

[sbsnb]

Something is wrong there, I believe. AC88U is not that bad router for Wi-Fi. You may want to investigate what's going on.

I don't know what it could be unless the router is defective. It's been this way since I got it, which is why I almost never use 5 GHz. My phone sitting on my desk in front of me is -96 dBm at the router on 5 GHz and -66 dBm on 2.4 GHz. Which is somewhere around 1,000 times more power if my math is right.

 

[Tech9]

Doesn't sound right. My wife's PC is 2 walls to the nearest AP, connected to 5GHz at -58dBm (468/702, 2-stream AC). There is a printer on her desk, connected to 2.4GHz at -63dBm (65/26, 1-stream N). I have perfectly usable 5GHz 3 walls to the AP, a Samsung tablet in far bedroom, connected at -72dBm (150/6, 1-stream N, in power saving mode). I would say my 5GHz network is actually stronger than 2.4GHz in some places.

 

[sbsnb]

Even the desktop with the PCE-AC88 shows -54 dBm on 2.4 GHz and -80 dBm on 5 GHz. When I put the Surface Book Pro 3 about 8 feet from the AP with no walls in between it registers -61 dBm on 5 GHz and -51 dBm on 2.4 GHz. I have to be 8 feet from the router on 5 GHz to register the same power as 50 feet on 2.4 GHz.

 

[Morris]

Have you tried moving one or both of your routers to better cover your home?

 

[sbsnb]

I only have one router. There's nowhere I can put it that will put it within 8 feet of everywhere in the house. Besides the 2.4 GHz performance is more than adequate.

 

[Tech9]

When I put the Surface Book Pro 3 about 8 feet from the AP with no walls in between it registers -61 dBm on 5 GHz

Something is not right with your router. About 8 feet line of sight to AP I'm getting -40dBm on 5GHz. I would replace this AC88U with the newer AX86U. It has newer gen radios and better range than good AC88U. It will make a night and day difference for you. Don't torture yourself chasing 2.4GHz Wi-Fi.

 

[marclafountain]

In case it matters for anyone dealing with a similar issue, adding the Asus WiFi 6 AiMesh network extender has completely solved my problems. My theory remains that the 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro was the only device able to get 5 in that bedroom, but it was a very precarious connection that dropped often. The extender seems to have resolved this issue, improving both the 2.4 and 5 signals in that bedroom. Thanks for all your suggestions!

 

[Tech9]

One drawback with extenders/repeaters is the maximum throughput cut in half. This happens when the same radio is used to communicate with connected clients and parent router in the same time. Not a big issue for phones, tablets, printers, IoT, etc. They don't need very high bandwidth anyway.

 

[marclafountain]

One drawback with extenders/repeaters is the maximum throughput cut in half. This happens when the same radio is used to communicate with connected clients and parent router in the same time. Not a big issue for phones, tablets, printers, IoT, etc. They don't need very high bandwidth anyway.

My understanding is that my ASUS routers and ASUS extender have a second 5GHz network used just for the backhaul communication. Either way, I am very happy with the stability and speed now.

 

[Tech9]

ASUS extender have a second 5GHz network

Sorry, I don't see the model number for this device.