Wi-Fi signal issues are often tied to network outages, account-related problems and firmware issues on the router or router. There are also some cases where the problem is attributed to software problems on the connected device from incorrect network settings to bad updates. The worst possible cause would be hardware damage to either the network equipment or the connected device.
Tackled in this post is a pertinent issue on the iPad Pro 2018 device. It’s about the iPad Pro that’s getting poor Wi-Fi reception or weak Wi-Fi signal. Feel free to refer to this walkthrough whenever you bumped into a similar issue on the same Apple device. The following workarounds will help you rule out software-related attributes. If none of these works, then that’s when you need to consider rushing to a service center.
But before anything else, if you have another issue with your phone, drop by our troubleshooting page as we have already addressed hundreds of issues reported by the owners. Odds are that there are already existing solutions on our website or at least, there are similar problems we already fixed. So, try to find ones that are similar or related to your problem. If you need further assistance, however, feel free to contact us by filling up our iPad issues questionnaire.
First solution: Reboot (power cycle) the router/modem.
If you have other devices that are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and are experiencing similar symptoms, then it’s likely the router or modem that’s at fault. Like any other electronic devices, routers and modems also give into firmware crashes. Oftentimes, the transpiring symptoms are just minor and therefore easily remedied by a power cycle or reboot on the network equipment. Hence, it’s considered among the very first workaround to try when dealing with Wi-Fi connectivity issues in computers and mobile devices. If you can access your wireless router or modem at the moment, then start by restarting or power-cycling the router/modem with these steps:
- Locate the Power or ON/OFF switch on your wireless router or modem and then press on that until the device turns off.
- While the router/modem is turned off, unplug its AC adapter from the power source and leave it like that for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Then plug it back into power and then turn it on again.
- After rebooting the wireless router/modem, perform a soft reset on your iPad Pro.
Wait until your phone re-establish Wi-Fi signal and see if your iPad Pro is already getting better Wi-Fi reception. If the signal is still weak, try the following methods to rule out software-related issues on the phone.
Second solution: Restart your Wi-Fi connection on your iPad Pro.
If the problem continues after power cycling the router/modem, then move on and troubleshoot your Wi-Fi network. Symptoms like this may also occur if the wireless network in use is experiencing random glitches or acting up. The simplest possible solution to this is to turn Wi-Fi off and then back on. Here’s how:
- From the Home screen, tap Settings.
- Scroll to Wi-Fi then toggle the Wi-Fi switch to turn it OFF.
- Restart/soft reset your iPhone while Wi-Fi is turned OFF.
- Wait until it boots up then head back to Settings-> Wi-Fi menu.
- Then toggle the switch to turn Wi-Fi ON again.
Wait for your iPad Pro to re-establish Wi-Fi connection and then see if the Wi-Fi reception gets better.
Third solution: Forget Wi-Fi network on your iPad Pro.
For wireless connectivity issues that are attributed to a corrupted Wi-Fi network. In that case, you will need to delete the corrupted network from your device and then set it up again as new. Here’s how to forget or delete Wi-Fi network on an iPad Pro 2018 device:
- From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
- Select Wi-Fi. Make sure Wi-Fi switch is turned on. Otherwise, toggle to turn it ON and view the list of Wi-Fi networks available.
- Select your Wi-Fi network then tap on the blue “i” or information icon next to it.
- Then tap the option to Forget this Network.
The selected Wi-Fi network will be deleted. If you see any other unused Wi-Fi networks, forget/delete them too so none of them can cause conflict with your Wi-Fi network.
Restart your iPhone after deleting Wi-Fi network(s) then follow these steps to scan and connect to your Wi-Fi network again.
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Select Wi-Fi. Then tap to turn on Wi-Fi switch.
- Tap to select your Wi-Fi network to connect to.
- If prompted, enter your Wi-Fi password to continue then tap Join.
See if that fixes the slow Wi-Fi reception problem on your iPad Pro.
Fourth solution: Reset network settings.
Network settings errors or invalid network configuration on the device must also be ruled out. If your iPad Pro is still getting poor Wi-Fi reception after forgetting and re-connecting to your Wi-Fi network, then the next option would be a network settings reset. Doing so will erase all your current network settings, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, APNs, and other relevant information. Any erratic network settings or invalid options set will likewise be cleared out in the process. Here’s how to carry out network settings reset on an iPad Pro 2018:
- Tap Settings from your Home screen.
- Select General.
- Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
- Select the option to Reset network settings.
- If prompted, enter your passcode to proceed.
- Then the on Reset network settings again when asked to confirm.
After the network reset, your device should restart automatically. Allow it to boot up completely and then reconnect to Wi-Fi and then see if the problem is fixed.
Fifth solution: Update your iPhone software to the latest version.
Installing the latest iOS version available for your iPhone may also be the key to solving the problem if malwares and bugs are to blame. Updates typically embed bug fixes to get rid of the associated symptoms and to keep the device at its optimum performance. You can check for OTA updates through settings, if you still can connect to Wi-Fi Internet. Here’s how:
- From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
- Scroll down and select General.
- Tap Software update.
Your device will now search for available updates. You will be prompted with a notification that tells whether or not your iPad already has the latest software version. If a new version is available, you will be prompted to install the software update. Just follow the onscreen instructions to continue.
Alternatively, you can use iTunes to manually install iOS update for your iPhone. This should be considered an option if you cannot install iOS update wirelessly due to signal issues. Just be sure to connect your computer to the Internet either via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
Other options
- System restore. You may opt to resort to system reset and restore if the problem persists. Doing so will help clear out complex firmware issues like fatal system errors that might have caused conflicts to the Wi-Fi system of your iPad Pro. But before doing so, be sure to back up all your critical files to prevent losing them permanently. Note that performing a system reset or iOS restore also denotes wiping all added files and customized settings on the device. On the positive note, more complex system errors are rectified by these methods. In that case, you can try a factory reset first through your iPhone settings. If that fails, then you can use iTunes to restore your iPad Pro via recovery mode or DFU mode.
- Contact your ISP. If all else fails, then call for help. You may opt to contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to report the issue and ask them to check their outage system for you. There may be some temporary network outages that cause Wi-Fi reception to become unstable at the moment. Also verify your account status and ensure that it’s provisioned with the correct data speed or plan.
If you suspect if the router or modem is at fault, then contact the device manufacturer or service provider to fix it. You can ask them to reset your router/modem remotely. Most service providers have dedicated software (router/modem provisioning system) to serve such purpose. If the wireless router or modem isn’t the problem, then you could be dealing with a major system issue on your iPad and that’s what you need to resolve. In that case, you can call Apple Support for further assistance and official recommendations.
I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!
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