Why Does My iPad Keep Asking Me for My Wi-Fi Password?

Built for portable computing, one of the major advantages to owning an iPad or an iPad2 is the built-in Wi-Fi connection. Having Wi-Fi built into the tablet means you're able to access the Internet any time your iPad detects a Wi-Fi connection. Sometimes you find that your WI-Fi constantly refreshes or turns off, requiring the entry of a password several times. Understand what's causing this small glitch and how to work around it to stop the problem.

Your iPad has Wi-Fi settings whether or not you purchased a model with 3G connectivity or not. When your Wi-Fi is turned on, your iPad constantly searches for a signal to use to connect you to the Internet. Often this is wireless in your own home, wireless at work and occasionally free wireless at various establishments around town. When a wireless network is password protected, your iPad might ask for the password multiple times during usage. Some of your own settings could be responsible for the problem.

Various Wi-Fi settings mean your iPad must ask your permission and for the password before joining a Wi-Fi network. This could mean a disruption of your work, play or functionality as you authorize the connection. To make it easier, tap "Settings" then "Wi-Fi" and switch "Ask to Join Networks" to the "Off" position and ensure that the general Wi-Fi connection is in the "On" position. This should make it so your iPad needn't ask your permission to join a network that it drops and reconnects to again.

Apple has acknowledged a problem that its iPads have when it comes to dual-band base stations for wireless routers made by manufacturers other than Apple. When a router puts out a signal at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, the device recognizes them as separate connections altogether. If, for instance, you have two signals being transmitted from one device and they have the same name, yet different passwords, the iPad often has trouble keeping the signal or reconnecting after going to sleep. Give separate names to separate connections to make each distinct connection easier for your iPad to recognize.

Some iPads have the most difficulty reconnecting to a Wi-Fi connection after going into sleep mode. The connection is dropped so that when you wake your iPad again, it asks you for the password to reconnect to a network you're already supplied the security key for. By toggling your sleep settings, you can stop the iPad from going to sleep when you want to use the Wi-Fi continuously, such as streaming a movie or listening to music. Touch "Settings," then "General" and "Auto-Lock." You can then adjust your settings so that your iPad takes longer to lock or sleep, or never sleeps at all by selecting anywhere from "2 minutes" to "Never" as your settings.