RIM’s Blackberry Playbook WiFi dropping? Here’s the fix until Feb ’12

Looong story short, if you have a RIM BlackBerry PlayBook and your WiFi connection keeps dropping…

  1. Switch the WiFi routers you connect to (and that are under your control) to 802.11g (no B or N), and set the security to a WPA2 \ AES combo (Don’t choose TKIP!).
  2. On the PlayBook go to WIFI settings (under the drop-down GEAR icon)
  3. In the WIFI settings, next to the SELECT A NETWORK, click the pop-up and go down to SAVED NETWORKS.
  4. In the SAVED NETWORKS list, click on the Pencil icon and hit the trash can icon (DELETE) every saved network you have.
  5. Turn OFF the WIFI by moving the slider button to OFF
  6. Now hold down the power button on top of the PlayBook until the black “POWERING OFF” icon appears (keep holding it past the three-color TURN OFF, STANDBY and RESTART buttons and let the PlayBook turn off by itself.)
  7. Once the PlayBook is off, let it sit for 60 seconds.
  8. Turn on the playbook and re-connect to the network you tweaked in step one.

The PlayBook won’t drop one bit of data from then on!

A little inside scoop I got today told me that Blackberry Playbooks are “really finicky” about their network connections, and even though this workaround is rock solid, “a Playbook update in February (2012) will take care of ALL of the WiFi connection problems”.

I’m glad RIM realized not all WiFi networks are 802.11g / AES.  WiFi that doesn’t drop is a absolute must if you want to be a contender.