Nintendo Gamepad Disconnect

[Attiq]

Hey Guys and Gals.

 

So I have My Wii-U and while I can use it its great....

 

However generally anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes of starting the console up my Gamepad disconnects and the only 2 buttons that continue to work is the Powerbutton which lets me reset the Controller to work again ( between 20 seconds and 2 minutes before disconnecting again) and the TV button and the touchscreen which works only when the TV inputs are onscreen.

 

So far I have turned off my PS3, Wii, iPhones, Landline, Wireless Modem.

 

I have taken my Gamepad to my friends where it has worked for an hour without any problem, I brought his to my house where it disconnected after 25 minutes. I have taken my console to my friends place to test there.

 

I dont know if it's a Hardware, Software or Environmental problem. I would ask if anyone else has had this problem and solved it to step off their console for a few minutes to help fellow gamers out.

 

I know I'm not the only one to have this problem. But so far no one has a conclusive idea whats going on...........

[-Dem0-]

Ah man, that sucks. I haven't had that problem but have you Googled it? Seen any other places where this problem has been mentioned? Maybe contact nintendo and hear what they say about it.

[Attiq]

Yeah I've googled it and thats how I know I'm not the only one out there that has the problem........ I can't contact Nintendo cause it's the weekend and they aren't available till monday =-(

[solfan]

I'm surprised Nintendo didn't figure that out during testing.

Do you think maybe its interference from outside your apartment?

[Guy]

Start looking for common factors. The fact your friend's game pad did the same thing at your place indicates it's either a problem with the Wii U console or the issue is environmental.

 

Is there any way to change the channel the Wii U broadcasts to the gamepad on? It may be some kind of funky interference. Some players suggested that the issue could be related to the sensor bar not being plugged in all the way.

Edited December 2, 2012 by Guy

[Rummy]

@Attiq, what happened when you took your own console to your friends and tested it there? Did it still happen? That will help determine if it's the console or your environment, I think?

[Attiq]

Hey Guys.

 

Thanks for the answers....

 

Yeah I took it to my friends and after about 25 mins it disconnected from my pad and then he connected his pad and about 15 mins later it disconnected as well.... Also he plugged in his sensor bar and it still disconnected too

 

So Environmental is discounted....

 

So comes down to either a software problem or a Wii-U console problem.....

 

Wish I'd waited to transfer my Wii data like I originally planned..... LOL I got excited and couldnt help myself and just HAD to do it lol.....

 

I haven't figured out if there is an alternative bandwidth for the gamepad.... I'll go looking soon....

[Rummy]

Sounds like the console then; talk to Nintendo about it on warranty? Shame you'll otherwise lose your wii data, actually. Hadn't thought about that and faulty consoles.

[Attiq]

Nah if I send it back to them I wont/shouldnt lose my Wii data. I will be without my console for a while tho

[boxofmoons]

I'm experiencing the same problem, I was going to start troubleshooting it today which is how I came across this thread.

 

It's interesting, because neither the console nor the gamepad actually crash and become unusable - the (local) WiFi module (or some level of it) just (seemingly) stops responding.

 

When the gamepad is connected to the console, the power button functions as the console's power button; when the gamepad is not connected to the console, the power button is local to the gamepad. This is why when the problem occurs the power button still works, but only shuts off the gamepad; the gamepad seems to have disconnected from the console

 

The TV function on the gamepad still executes because as stated already, the gamepad does not crash (nor the console). It's just that, the image you see of the Wii U on the gamepad is purely a stream, it's like looking at a TV. The only local software on the gamepad is the TV program, and the power button which is hard-coded into the firmware.

 

The issue here is distinguishing which module stops responding. The one in the gamepad or the one in the console, or both.

 

Resetting the gamepad seems to fix the issue, which suggests that the gamepad module is the problem, and works after being rebooted. That is, unless resetting the gamepad module requests for the console module to re-establish the connection, in which case it would be the console. However, in order for the console to receive the request it would have to be responsive to begin with.

 

What's really strange about all this though, is that when this all happens while you're playing a game, the 'unable to communicate with gamepad' message is still streamed, constantly, to the gamepad! How is that even possible if either module has stopped responding?

 

However, when you're not on a game and the 'freeze' occurs, no message appears on the gamepad or on the TV. It appears to continue to stream, but without the controller being registered as connected. It's beyond strange.

 

I doubt it's software, as everybody would be having the same problem otherwise.

 

I've looked at the Wii U teardown on ifixit, and the antennae for the local WiFi route to the back of the Wii U. I'm sure you can guess where... Right behind the port for the Sensor Bar.

 

Try putting the Wii U on its side (with the stand) and face its back toward you. See what happens.

[Rummy]

Nah if I send it back to them I wont/shouldnt lose my Wii data. I will be without my console for a while tho

 

That's what I meant, normally you could just take it back to the shop for another one, now you have to survive without it for a while! It's quite bad considering, I never thought about it before this! Luckily I most likely, if I do get a Wii U, won't bother transferring across.

[boxofmoons]

I've done a bit of testing. I think the controls may (not completely sure) register through bluetooth, the streaming through local WiFi, and the internet through the standard WiFi LAN module.

 

So, the controls and the image you see on the gamepad seem to go through different channels if true. It could just be a faulty bluetooth module.

 

I'm not sure of this yet though. Might have to open up the console tonight and diagnose this properly. Maybe it'll help all future cases of this annoying issue.

[Rummy]

The original wiimote worked through bluetooth, and I'd highly suspect the controls of the gamepad do too. Wifi for the image, whilst I'm in no real way aware of the tech, would make sense I guess-I'd wonder what frequency it is on? Don't standard(802.11g) wifi and bluetooth run on the same freq of 2.4GHz? Would it, too, run on that frequency? Again, I don't know the tech, but don't they all need to be different to avoid interference and also allow them to run at the same time? Wireless typically is half duplex, is it not?

[Ike]

It's happened to me a couple of times were the gamepad suddenly loses connection for no reason. It's crashed more than that as well. It's been random for me though, not after a fixed time period. Really hope they sort that out soon.

[boxofmoons]

It's happened to me a couple of times were the gamepad suddenly loses connection for no reason. It's crashed more than that as well. It's been random for me though, not after a fixed time period. Really hope they sort that out soon.

 

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(replace with http)

 

If the above is what you're receiving, it's definitely interference from other devices or objects.

 

The problem i'm experiencing is different. And I believe many other people are experiencing it too, but simply do not realise what is happening, so they brush it of as a simple 'crash' or 'freeze'.

 

Also, to those who are experiencing the same problem as me. Press sync on the console when it happens and the controls should start working again. A message will appear on both screens about synching, just hit 'b' or press the back button and continue playing. Atleast this way you can still play while deciding whether to send it to Nintendo or return it to the place of purchase, or even wait for news on a fix.

 

I want to know if this is more widespread than is currently reflected though. If you think your Wii U has crashed, press the sync button on the console. If it all suddenly starts working again then you're in the same boat as me i'm afraid.

 

I should be receiving another Wii U tomorrow. I'll test in whatever ways I can to get to the bottom of this.

[Ike]

Nah, it was a different one. Like I said it's only happened twice, just had to turn the gamepad off and on again.

[boxofmoons]

Attiq, Nintendo have just released an update addressing 'stability and minor interface adjustments'. I'm no longer at my house so I can't download it. Get on your Wii U, download it, and update us on whether it fixed your problem, please.

[Attiq]

Boxof...... You won't believe me but 1 hour before the news of the update hit , I took my console to the post office and posted it to Nintendo to fix it..... WAAAAAAAAAAAA I hate it all....... Its just my luck......... But from what I've been trying to find out the update has nothing recorded to do with the Gamepad connection problems....... I'll have to wait too see..... and by then it wont matter I dont think I can go back and get it back out from the post office....

[boxofmoons]

Boxof...... You won't believe me but 1 hour before the news of the update hit , I took my console to the post office and posted it to Nintendo to fix it..... WAAAAAAAAAAAA I hate it all....... Its just my luck......... But from what I've been trying to find out the update has nothing recorded to do with the Gamepad connection problems....... I'll have to wait too see..... and by then it wont matter I dont think I can go back and get it back out from the post office....

 

That's okay, it was good timing in fact. After discussing this problem a lot more with other people. It does seem to be hardware related, of which, I presume from my earlier post, that it is indeed a faulty bluetooth module, either that or it simply isn't connected properly. It's also definitely the console module.

 

I would say to test the problem with the old Wii remotes while the gamepad is connected, and see if the wii remotes disconnect too. Having a Wii remote in may negate the disconnect. But frankly, it really doesn't matter what the problem is, because it's definitely hardware and we shouldn't have to deal with such problems.

 

Attiq, just hope that if they send you a new unit (like they have been doing for every other hardware repair service) that it is not another faulty one. I mean, the fact that there a quite a few people with the problem suggests that these faulty consoles are out in the wild. I wish you luck. And maybe we'll bump into each other on the Miiverse.

[Attiq]

If they send me a new one thats fine so long as it has all my Wii Gear on it.... which should be a case of switching memory and the WiiU code and then its all good

 

I HOPE lol

 

 

Darksiders is here WAITING FOR ME...... Waaaaaaa lol