We are using the iPad to make an ad-hoc wireless connection to our proprietary device. DHCP is not available, so we are using addresses in the Auto-IP range. The user selects the device from the list of wireless networks on the iPad and about twenty seconds later, DHCP fails and an Auto-IP address is assigned. The device has a fixed IP address of 169.254.20.10.
The problem we are having is that from time to time, the iPad loses it's ability to connect with the device. This issue appears to happen much quicker with the iPad 4th generation and iPad Mini. Usually a combination of switching to another wireless network on the iPad and then back to the ad-hoc network and/or turning Wi-Fi off then back on again fixes the issue, but sometimes the iPad needs to be restarted.
When it gets in this state, the errors when we get when we try to unicast to 169.254.20.10 or broadcast to 169.254.255.255 are either 'Host is down' or 'No route to host'. This is confirmed by using an app such as IT Tools to ping the device.
Any ideas what might be going on or how we fix this issue?
