From Apple’s web site: “iPod touch finds wireless networks and connects you to the Internet”. That can be a little misleading to some people…

Question: I own the iPod touch but am having difficulty getting a wifi signal. How do I get around this?

Answer: The iPod touch gives you wireless access to the web, but only if you’re in range of a wifi access point.

From Apple’s web site: “iPod touch finds wireless networks and connects you to the Internet”. That can be a little misleading to some people, especially since not everyone knows that most wireless networks only have a range of a few hundred yards.

Not all wifi networks allow free Internet access either. Many wifi centers like Starbucks or McDonald’s charge you 2 or 3 bucks for the connectivity, which can add up quickly!

Here’s how to connect to the Internet with an iPod touch:

Assuming you have a wifi network at home, or are near a wifi hotspot, go to Settings and then Wi-Fi on your iPod touch.

Choose your Network, and enter a Password if prompted, and you should be connected to the internet. Note: Make sure the password you enter is the password for the wifi network and not the password for your computer.

If you don’t see a network in the list of networks, then you might not be in range of any wifi access points.

Connecting to Commercial Networks (hotels, cafes, etc)

If you’re trying to connect to a cafe wifi like Peet’s Coffee, or a hotel wifi network like The Hilton, then you’ll usually need to agree to their Terms & Conditions before they’ll let you access the internet or check email.

Open Safari and try to visit a web site like google.com and you’ll see their terms and conditions page. Accept the terms (and pay any usage fees if applicable) and you should be able to get online.

Try renewing the DHCP lease

If you are having issues connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot, like at an airport or coffee shop, try renewing your DHCP lease.

1. Tap Settings >> Wi-Fi Networks, then tap More Info () next to the network.
2. In the DHCP panel, select the Renew Lease button.

Try forgetting the network

Sometimes it’s possible to resolve itouch/iphone network issues by removing the network connection and letting the device recognize the network from scratch.

Follow the same steps above for opening network settings, but click “Forget Network” to delete the connection.

Wait for your iTouch to disconnect and then reconnect.

Additional Tips:

UPDATED: Check out the first comment on this post that discusses DNS settings for getting your iTouch working using OpenDNS (and thanks a million to the person who posted it – you’ve helped thousands of readers get their iTouch connected!)

Here are a few other things to try (taken from Apple’s support page):

  • Check the website for the manufacturer of your router/Wi-Fi access point to see if you have installed the latest firmware/software update for your router/Wi-Fi access point.
  • If you have more than 1 WEP key configured on your router/Wi-Fi access point, try deleting the other WEP keys and just have 1 WEP key configured on your router/Wi-Fi access point.
  • Try resetting your router.
  • Try turning OFF wireless security on the router/Wi-Fi access point such as encryption and enable your SSID to be broadcast to try and isolate the issue.
  • As a last resort, consider performing a factory restore/reset of your Wi-Fi access point.

215 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    What worked for me after
    What worked for me after trying everything was turning off wifi on the ipod then rebooting the router. After router has rebooted I then turn on my wifi on the ipod and tada! it worked….but

    I turn off the wifi on the ipod BEFORE turning off my ipod every time. For some reason when I turn off the ipod with wifi on it locks up my router every time.

    HTH

  2. Anonymous

    wifi on my itouch
    okay i have never before expirienced trouble with the wifi on my ipod but now when i go to connect to my wifi it doesn’t give me the option to join it…it’s really frustrating!

  3. Anonymous

    ok. my pod touch says that
    ok. my pod touch says that it is connected to the internet but whenever i pull up safari or the app store, it says that it isn’t connected the internet. i look at the ip address on my ipod and it starts with 169, then i look at the one on my macbook and it says that it begins with 192 and it works fine. please help!!!!!

  4. Anonymous

    internet connection
    my problem is after i connected to my wifi and went to my yahoo page on safari.it tells me Safari cannot open the page.
    the erro was “Operation could not be completed.Invalid argument.

  5. Anonymous

    My Ipod touch
    I’ve tried changing the DNS to that code you showed but it still isn’t working, I’ve been looking everywhere for a solution and everyone says similar things as each other ๐Ÿ™ everything is connected it shows it’s connected, the signal bars are up, but when I go onto safari and try to connect to internet it says “safari cannot open the page because it is not connected to internet.” though I check it everything is fine I’ve reset everything I don’t know how many times due to following everyone’s advice nothing is getting it to work I’ve even restored it on itunes. any advice would help, thanks ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Anonymous

    I am right next to a Wifi
    I am right next to a Wifi router, yet I still can’t access it. I go to Settings -> Wifi -> (wifi name), it shows 2-3 bars, I type in password but I can’t get in. Help?

    • Anonymous

      I’ve tried the way of
      I’ve tried the way of changing DNS. It doesn’t work. After searching, I found another way:

      1. go to settings—safri
      2. change the fraud warning, JAVA script and BLOCK pop-ups from”on” to “off”
      3. then you can successfully link to website

      but I don’t know if it is the most correct solution.

      try it!

  7. wifi problem

    I’ve tried the way of
    I’ve tried the way of changing DNS. It doesn’t work. After searching, I found another way:

    1. go to settings—safri
    2. change the fraud warning, JAVA script and BLOCK pop-ups from”on” to “off”
    3. then you can successfully link to website

    but I don’t know if it is the most correct solution.

    try it!

  8. Aiste

    Hi guys I just did it my
    Hi guys I just did it my self after 2hours of trying. So to Wi-Fi ,then pres OTHERS put your network name,then select security on WEP put password and you done. Good luck..;)

  9. Anonymous

    Netbook charging
    When I try to charge my netbook (ASUS EEE-PC),it will not take the charge. I have to wiggle or hold the cord so the computer recognizes it. The blue light is lit on the charger so there is nothing wrong with the charger. I’ve even tried my extra charger and I am still having the same problem. Why is this doing this? Do I need to buy a new battery?

  10. Anonymous

    I read through all the
    I read through all the comments and tried on my itouch, but nothing worked. I had internet access fine this morning, but once I got to campus, I had the blue connection waves, but it kept saying that I was not connected when I used Safari. Even when I came back, it recognized my connection, but wouldn’t let me access the web.

    BUT. This worked for me. ๐Ÿ˜€ (Source from apple support)

    Reset network settings by tapping Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

    * Note: This will reset all network settings, including passwords, VPN, and APN settings.

    Hope that works for some as well? ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. Anonymous

    go to bottom of screen where
    go to bottom of screen where it says local area connection go to support click on details and there should be 3 different dns numbers, the one thats on your ipod you can change to a diffrent one that is on your computer enter it in you dns field in setttings on ipod you should have internet acsess on ipod now

  12. Anonymous

    how come when i am
    how come when i am connenceted to the internet at my house it wont let me go on the app store or itunes or anything please help

  13. Leanna Kysar-Mercer

    To the first commenter: I
    To the first commenter: I have a variation on this that worked for me, SO FAR. Just changing the number from one setting to the other didn’t work at all, so I had it forget the network and re-entered the information for my network under “other”. Then I looked at my DNS number, and it was actually two DNS numbers. The first one was followed by a comma and and a space, and then the second one was entered. I tried just adding another comma and space, then your OpenDNS number, and saved that. Now everything on the entire iPod 4G is working faster!

    I saved the number as a safenote in my RoboForm app, both on my computer and on the iPod.

  14. Anonymous

    hi when i type in my
    hi when i type in my password it says unable to join network my dad has tryed everything and it just wont work but it works at the local library i need help please what do i do????

  15. Anonymous

    I’m having the same problem.
    I’m having the same problem. I changed my dns # to 8.8.4.4 and it worked great for a couple of days now its not working again. I wan’t my money back , this sucks. To those of you who say you have been dealing with this issue for a year , why did’nt apple refund you ,replace your product or fix it? I hope they do not give me a hard time.. I want to return it tomorrow.

  16. Anonymous

    THANKS!
    Thanks SO MUCH! This really helped alot!
    Thanks x100000!!

  17. Lauren

    :/
    Hi erm,
    I have done what you said about changing the DNS, but it won’t let me click IP adress, unless you mean the IP adress as the DNS?

    Anyways, I’ve had my ipod touch for quite some time now, and I’ve never been able to connect to the internet, but all the dudes I know can connect and its just me.. its really frustrating!

    It has the tick at the side of linksys, my connection, when I clicked it,
    but at the top it didnt have them bars people are talking about at the side of the word iPod, top left hand corner.. yea mine doesnt have them freaking signal bars god dammit!

    Help? I would really appreciate it, I cant even download apps or anything without this internet! Please help!xx

  18. Anonymous

    everything i try to get
    everything i try to get connection doesnt work. i have 4 out of 5 bars and a full connection on my ipod. and when i enter in safari, it will say “cannot connect to the internet….” please help!!

  19. Anonymous

    The very first thing I would
    The very first thing I would try is rebooting the router. AKA unplugging it, waiting 30 seconds,and plugging it back in. I hope this works for you. People go erasing everything on their Ipod but DO NOT do this. This will not work and everything will be gone. Please follow this advice and you’re Ipod might just connect. Good luck!

  20. Anonymous

    iPod connection
    I can connect wirelessly to the internet, but can’t connect when it’s actually connected to my computer. I’m trying to update my music, but it keeps saying it can’t recognize it because it’s not connected to the internet. I definitely have a strong signal, and am connected through my router.

  21. Yasmin

    ipod
    i can go on settings then find my connection so it has a lock on it so i type in the code from the side of my box press enter but it still dosent work !

  22. Jason

    Thanks!
    Simply forgetting my secure network fixed the problem. Thanks man.

  23. jill

    No Internet Connectio
    My ipod touch has all of a sudden stopped connecting to the internet. I’ve had my ipod touch for 6 months and its worked fine until now. It appears to connect to my home wi-fi, with all the bars showing, although when I go into my settings and click on my wi-fi network, it only has an ip address & subnet mask filled with numbers? I have tried resetting the network and also all settings, plus I have tried putting in what you have suggested (IP Address 208.67.222.222) and still there is no improvement. Can you please help, this is so frustrating, I cant understand why or what has stopped this from working all of a sudden??

    Ive just been out & My ipod touch seems to work outside of my home as I logged onto my sisters wi-fi and it worked fine but once back home it keeps saying there is no internet connection even though the wi-fi appears active!

    Please help!

    many thanks

  24. Anonymous

    If all else fails, turn off
    If all else fails, turn off your router’s wireless security, then connect with your itouch. Doing so enabled me to discover the correct ip address, dns, etc for my router. Then I turned wireless security on and connected again. There was still a bogus ip address listed on the itouch, and it had a wireless connection but would not show a web page,etc. I then instructed the itouch to forget this wireless connection, and voila, the correct ip and dns addresses appeared, and safari and mail worked.

    Can’t really say why this worked and resetting all network info did not.

  25. Anonymous

    ok so in my internet
    ok so in my internet connection settings (when i click the blue arrow), it shows the “IP Address” box with numbers in it, the “subnet mask” with numbers in it, then the “router” box is EMPTY, the DNS i have it set to 208.67.222.222 like you said. then the “Search Domains” box is EMPTY, and the “Client ID” box is also empty. and i cant connect to the internet even after doing those things. is it because those boxes are supposed to be filled in? please e-mail me at fireballbigman65@live.com

  26. Anonymous

    ok so in my internet
    ok so in my internet connection settings (when i click the blue arrow), it shows the “IP Address” box with numbers in it, the “subnet mask” with numbers in it, then the “router” box is EMPTY, the DNS i have it set to 208.67.222.222 like you said. then the “Search Domains” box is EMPTY, and the “Client ID” box is also empty. and i cant connect to the internet even after doing those things. is it because those boxes are supposed to be filled in? please e-mail me at fireballbigman65@live.com

  27. Morgan

    I have had my iPod Touch
    I have had my iPod Touch since Christmas and have been able to use the wireless at my home just fine. Earlier today I shut the WiFi on my iPod off because the Internet was slow on my laptop. After turning the WiFi back on I am unable to connect to the internet. I type in the password (which i know for a fact is correct) and it says ‘Unable to join the network’. What should I do?

  28. Carlos

    WiFi
    i changed the DNS to 208.67.222.222 but still dont work, i forget the network and still dont work, i do the renew lease and nothing happened, i restored my ipod and nothing happened(my ipod was jailbroken until i get this message from wifi) please help me! i’m having this trouble since yesterday and i was almost all day trying to fix it but it doesnt work, all my other apps run perfectly.

  29. Anonymous

    i just got a new ipod and i
    i just got a new ipod and i have a wifi network but when i put the password in it worked. i tried to go on an internet using app but it says that im not connected to the internet. i clicked the blue arrow in settings but it wont let me select the ip address and change it. plz help me…

  30. Cynthia M

    I am clueless about wi-fi. I
    I am clueless about wi-fi. I recently (May 2011) purchased an iPod touch.

    When I choose settings, and then wi-fi – usually about 5 to 6 choices come up (I live exceptionally close to two cell phone towers..is that why?) Right now my choices are: 103, Bridgette Buntin’s (listed twice), Claptrap, Moser and sometimes I see one that starts with PS3 followed by a bunch of numbers.

    In any case, when I choose one, it asks for a password. What password? I have no idea what to enter as a password. I’ve never dealt with wif-fi before. Help!

  31. Anonymous

    I have my wifi at
    I have my wifi at home….Ican connect but when i go to safari it says ‘Cannot Open Page’ but my signal is 2 bar…
    Please Help Me!!!!

    • Anonymous

      same with mine but i have
      same with mine but i have all bars … PLEASE HELP ME !!???

      • Anonymous

        Same here i have all bars
        Same here i have all bars too!

  32. Anonymous

    what if i already press the
    what if i already press the renew lease on the ipod and it still did not let me on the internet

  33. Anonymous

    my internet has worked every
    my internet has worked every sine today and the electricity went out and when it came back on i could not get on internet i changed my ip adress it worked for a little while then i went to take a shower and when i got out i could not get on it anymore and i tried to change it again but now it dont work can somebody help me

  34. Steph

    HELP
    So I’m trying to get into “safari” on my ipod touch. But everytime I press the app, this pops up…. “Increase Database Size? Do you want to allow http://help.apple.com to use up to 25MB of storage on your iPod touch?”

    The options are “cancel” or “increase”. If I press “Increase” it does nothing… But even if I press “Cancel”, it still does nothing.

    I need some help please :/

    Thanks

  35. Anonymous

    Please Help! ihave a new
    Please Help! ihave a new ipod touch but when i try to connect to the internet it says it cannot find the server although it is recognising it in the wi-fi settings and the signal is strong.i can pick up a neighbours router which is not password protected and connect to the internet no problem.i also have a laptop which also work fine.any suggestions?

  36. Anonymous

    Please Help! ihave a new
    Please Help! ihave a new ipod touch but when i try to connect to the internet it says it cannot find the server although it is recognising it in the wi-fi settings and the signal is strong.i can pick up a neighbours router which is not password protected and connect to the internet no problem.i also have a laptop and ps3 which also work fine.any suggestions?

  37. Booshka

    i still cant get on and i
    i still cant get on and i dont know my password soo…. HELP MEEEEEEEEEE

  38. Anonymous

    ‘unable” to connect
    sometimes my iopd will say unable to connect wen i am in the same room as the router. why does this say that????

  39. Anonymous

    so many probs with the
    so many probs with the itouch wi-fi that i cant beleive Apple is not even able to get a fix on these issues, they’re too busy counting cash than worrying about our bleating, screw Apple

  40. Hiya:)

    Rite. My IPod Touch 3G is
    Rite. My IPod Touch 3G is connected to router, got all bars at top left of the screen but when I go on anything that requires internet on it, anything related to itunes will just have the loading sign and safari says: Cannot open Page
    safari cannot open the
    page because it is not
    connected to the
    internet
    and you tube says:Cannot Connect to YouTube
    can anyone help me please :'(

    • Anonymous

      ya
      mines to but i cant find a solution did you get yours yet if you did please help me

  41. Anonymous

    ipod touch wi fi
    ok so in my internet connection settings (when i click the blue arrow), it shows the “IP Address” box with numbers in it, the “subnet mask” with numbers in it, then the “router” box is EMPTY, the DNS i have it set to 208.67.222.222 like you said. then the “Search Domains” box is EMPTY, and the “Client ID” box is also empty. and i cant connect to the internet even after doing those things. is it because those boxes are supposed to be filled in? please e-mail me at
    kathywaterman@aol.com

  42. jaded

    ipod not connecting
    My sons Ipod touch will not connect to the internet. when u click on our wifi router the ip address is empty along with the rest of the items are empty. its not picking up the wifi anywhere. i have reset my router any ideas? Thanks

  43. Anonymous

    I did everything that you
    I did everything that you said like I connected to my wifi and put in the password…but when I select youtube or the safari it says “unable to connect because ipod is not connected to the internet”. Why is it doing this???

  44. Anonymous

    help
    my ipod is at full wifi but it sais i am not connected to the internet witch is so any help will be welcom thanks :):):):)

  45. Anonymous

    Internet connection
    my ipod connected to the internet from downstairs for like two years and now that i got the new update it will only connect from about five feet away

  46. Why can’t I connect to the Internet with my iPod touch?
    I have an i Pod touch. I have a problem, I couldn’t connect to the internet even at my house with full bars, whenever I try to open safari it says that “safari cannot open page because it is not connected to the internet” please help me at anwarpk4@gmail.com

  47. ipod touch wifi
    I have a problem, I couldn’t connect to the internet even at my house with full bars, whenever I try to open safari it says that “safari cannot open page because it is not connected to the internet” please help me at varisps1@gmail.com

  48. Anonymous

    Wireless
    I am trying to connect my sons ipods to the internet. It says that I am connected with full bars, but when I go to Safari I get a message saying that It can’t open the page because it is not connected to the intenet. I tried entering the 208.67.222.222, but it would not work. What am I doing wrong. please email me at stgermains@bellaliant.net Thanks

  49. Anonymous

    Hi I just got an ipod touch
    Hi I just got an ipod touch about a week ago and earlier today i was on the internet and all of a sudden it said that is couldn’t open it cuz i want connected to the internet so i tried a few times and still nothing so i powered it off and when it came back on i went to settings to click on a wifi network and where is says wifi next to it says no wifi and it wont even let me click on it. Please help… Im lost on how to fix it.

  50. Cheezley

    my ipod it wont even pull up
    my ipod it wont even pull up the networks once i go to settings beside of wifi it says no wifi when i can get on my laptop with ease! What do i do?

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