Touch fails to connect, then forgets password

[DTM]

I have a 2G Touch with 3.1.1 software. This problem was happening with 3.0, but it is happening more frequently since the 3.1.1 upgrade.

There are several Wi-Fi networks I connect to regularly, but have a problem with only one. That is the one at my office, which uses an older D-Link router. It's not unusual to have to try a couple of times before connecting, and I blame the router for that. However, sometimes when it fails to connect, the iPod then forgets the password. That is, the connection fails and when I try again, it asks for the password. That works, and it continues to work on subsequent tries until a day or two later when it fails and demands the password again. Only the password is forgotten; it still remembers the static IP address, router address, subnet mask, etc.

Not much I can do about the router, but it seems to me that the iPod should remember the password, even after a failed connection. I've tried resetting the network settings, restarting the iPod, forgetting the network and re-entering it. Nothing improves the problem.

The router is broadcasting its SSID and uses WPA encryption. It has the most recent firmware installed, and part of my daily routine is resetting it. No other device in our office is seeing the same problem.

Any suggestions?

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[r0k]

I've seen a similar issue when there was something wrong with my Airport Extreme. I rebooted it and all our devices started working again. I have app wifitrack to find wifi and it doesn't play well with system preferences. I use wifitrack when I'm at a hotspot and I use system preferences for networks I want my 'touch to remember.

[questionfear]

If the reboot doesn't work, try restoring the iPod Touch. 3.1 has apparently caused some weirdo issues for people. Hopefully if the router reboot doesn't fix it a restore will, and if not then maybe 3.1.1 will...

[crlgllsp]

My D-Link router sometimes gives me problems with my Touch, too (3G, 3.1.1). It looks like the Touch can't get an IP address from the router. Rebooting the router usually fixes this.

There is a wireless HP printer somewhere in my neighborhood that shows up as "hpsetup". I must have automatically joined tried to join that when I was having trouble connecting to my D-Link. When I realized that, I "forgot" that network, and mine started working again.

Maybe some clues in there for you.

[DTM]

I reset the router regularly and that doesn't seem to help. There are other networks that show up around the office, but I've never attempted to connect to them (I swear!), so when I checked, there was nothing to forget. I have not done a restore; maybe it's time to try that. I'll give it a shot this evening and see what happens tomorrow.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

[RobbM]

I can't substantiate this, but I recall Apple software, especially recent versions of OS X and the iDevice OSes, not playing well with older D-Link access points & routers.

Likewise, the new saved credentials function, which I was stoked about, doesn't work for Bluesocket authentication. Guess Apple wasn't paying close attention to the education crowd, as every school I've worked for uses that system for WiFi authentication.

[Guest]

It's not exactly forgetting your saved password - I think it is trying to log in with your stored password and getting a "login failed" response, prompting you to enter a "new" password. So the real question is why you are sometimes wrongfully getting logins denied. Unfortunately, I don't know exactly what to say about that, since it sounds to me like your router is a bit loopy, and iPod touches are notorious for WiFi glitches too (although mine's works pretty well).

[DTM]

...it sounds to me like your router is a bit loopy...

Oh, it's more than a bit loopy.

I was thinking along the same lines as you at first, but as it started happening more frequently, I've noticed that sometimes I can get two or three failed attempts in a row, and then success without re-entering the password. Then, on other occasions, it fails just once and asks for the password.

Strange.

[DTM]

I restored my Touch over the weekend. Now I can't connect at work at all. Forgetting the network and re-entering everything didn't help. Will try to do some more fiddling and see what happens.

[Varjak]

When you say you rebooted your router, did you UNPLUG it entirely and wait a full 30 seconds or so? I had this kind of problem with my older DLink/TMobile router and my LifeDrive.