Apple admits iPad can't do wireless well

Apple has admitted that its much-hyped iPad has difficulty connecting to the internet, one of the main reasons for the device's existence.

Since it came out last Saturday in the US, Apple message boards have been full of people complaining that they have difficulty getting a WiFi signal if they take the tablet a short distance from the router.

Now Apple has provided a list of guidelines for those who bought the iPad which includes such helpful advice as "stand closer to your router".

In a support bulletin, Apple admitted that there are problems with the iPad connecting to the Internet, not finding a connection or dropping connections using WiFi.

Jobs' Mob gives helpful advice such as "Move closer to the Wi-Fi router or hotspot" and "Make sure the power to your Wi-Fi router is turned on". However this is the only advice given about a problem that was first admitted on Monday.

This seems to be an issue specific to dual-band WiFi routers, which are those that are compatible with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrum bands.

"Under certain conditions, [the] iPad may not automatically rejoin a known Wi-Fi network after restart or waking from sleep. This can occur with some third-party Wi-Fi routers that are dual-band capable when: Using the same network name for each network, [or] Using different security settings for each network," Apple wrote.

Dual-band routers transmit both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands as one network with the same name and password.

Apple recommends splitting the bands into two separate networks, naming them differently and making sure that both networks use the same type of security (WEP, WPA, or WPA2).

Apple's advice is not exactly helpful as it does not include software or hardware fixes. In short Apple is telling its early adopters "you bought it and are stuck with it, stand closer to the router or forget Internet connectivity".