Wifi on 4.1.2

[peweuk]

I have just received my first Tablet which is a 10.1" Ampe running Android 4.1.2

It is well spec'd and includes built in Wifi - to which my question relates.

When I turn on the wifi, it seems to take an age to lock and obtain an IP address from the router.
My windows laptop connects in about 30 seconds, but the tablet takes about 2, sometimes 3, minutes, and once connected the signal seems to come and go regularly (most times getting weaker, but occasionally dropping out completely).

The route is in the same room as the tablet, if I move to another room the signal dies completely - my laptop maintains the signal so the problem is not the router.

I have seen various comments about weak wifi in 4.1.2 but is this the case or have I just got a bad one.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

 

[patruns]

It's not an Android issue. More likely the tablet. Several reviews on Amazon UK indicate problems with wifi connecting and dropping off.

 

[peweuk]

It's not an Android issue. More likely the tablet. Several reviews on Amazon UK indicate problems with wifi connecting and dropping off.

I did do some research before buying and saw a couple of comments regarding problems a couple of years ago with earlier models, but nothing more recent than early 2012. Do you have any links to anything recent?

The most recent reviews I found said things like
- Speed and graphics is great and no issues. Wifi range is good, I'm able to connect all over the house (there were some reports with previous firmware that the signal was lousy but this seems to have been fixed.
(This particular review having been done in Dec 2012).

Other than the wifi, everything else is great, and as I bought it for mostly 3G data use, I am hoping it will serve me well.
However as I do have to contact the supplier about a totally different issue and will point out the wifi issue, anything references you do have to any recent comments it would be appreciated

 

[patruns]

I can't find any recent reviews of this tablet. But if you are having issues right out of the box I would suggest an exchange for one that works.

 

[peweuk]

I can't find any recent reviews of this tablet. But if you are having issues right out of the box I would suggest an exchange for one that works.

Thanks patruns.
They may well be replacing it as there is has a couple of chips in the frame under the laminate, so hopefully, if they do, the replacement will be OK.

 

[Keith425]

I have a similar problem and I believe it IS an android issue.
I have a Samsung Galaxy Note II phone and a Motorola Xoom Tablet. Ever since I upgraded to 4.1.2 I can not connect to my home wifi. I keep getting authentication errors.
My laptops and netbook have no problem.
Is it possible to revert back to an earlier version?
I hear Xoom may not get anymore updates and the Note II is not getting 4.2

 

[peweuk]

I have noticed an improvement in the wifi connection over the last couple of days. It improved when I inserted a sim card in the tablet sim port (which is built in) - with or without the 'data' turned on and if flight mode is on or off.

However what is very strange is this.
I have a router in the kitchen (where the incoming telephone connector box is).
As we live in an old cottage the walls are a solid 15 inches of stone, so the signal does not reach the lounge which is an extension the other side of what was an outside wall.
So I put a wifi extender in the lounge which somehow picks up the weak signal from the router, improves it and transmits it throughout the lounge and the bedrooms above.

Here's the weird part.
The tablet sees and connects to the extender in the lounge, but when I go through to the kitchen it loses the extender signal, sees the router and next doors router, but will not connect to it. So the only place I get a signal is in the lounge.

 

[dart4605]

It probably is Android. JB broke WiFi. Many routers that worked great on ICS no longer work on JB. A different router or a firmware update to the router MIGHT help.

 

[peweuk]

It probably is Android. JB broke WiFi. Many routers that worked great on ICS no longer work on JB. A different router or a firmware update to the router MIGHT help.

Thanks Dart.
I managed to fix the problem over the weekend. It was the router which was supplied by my Mobile Phone Company (Orange UK) who also supply my Broadband.

It as been so long since I connected any new wifi devices that I had forgotten that to connect them directly to the router (as opposed to via the extender) I have to first press a 'connect' button on the rear of the router.

So it is now sorted.

Thanks for the input.