DIT Triage - iPad Disconnected
Symptom: iPad has lost its connection to Capture One. Capture Pilot shows “Searching for Server,” Live for Studio shows “Session Not Found” or a disconnected state, or the iPad simply stopped receiving new images.
Note: This triage assumes a wireless iPad setup. For wired-only configurations (Ethernet-to-iPad via adapter), see SOP_DIT_Wired_Only — the network topology is different and most Wi-Fi-specific steps here do not apply.
1. Is the router powered on and broadcasting?
Check: Can you see the DIT router’s Wi-Fi network name on any device (phone, laptop, another iPad)?
Router is off or not broadcasting — Check the power cable and power source. Unplug the router, wait 10 seconds, replug. Wait 60 seconds for full boot (travel routers take longer than you expect). Once the SSID appears, reconnect all devices — laptop first, then iPads.
Router is on and broadcasting → Next.
2. Is the iPad connected to the correct Wi-Fi network?
iPad Settings > Wi-Fi. Verify it shows the DIT router’s network name — not the venue’s guest network, not a personal hotspot, not “iPhone.”
Wrong network — Tap the correct DIT network. If the network doesn’t appear in the list, check that the iPad is within range of the router and that the router’s 5 GHz band is active (some travel routers default to 2.4 GHz only after a reboot).
Correct network → Next.
3. Did the iPad auto-lock (screen went dark)?
iPads aggressively power-manage Wi-Fi when the screen is locked. The Wi-Fi connection may have dropped during the lock period, or the DHCP lease may have expired while the radio was in low-power mode.
Yes — Wake the iPad. Wait 5-10 seconds for the Wi-Fi connection to re-establish. If Capture Pilot or Live for Studio doesn’t auto-reconnect within 10 seconds, force-close the app (swipe up from bottom, swipe the app away) and relaunch it.
Prevention: For the duration of the shoot, set iPad Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock > Never. Keep the iPad plugged into power to prevent battery-saving Wi-Fi throttling.
No (screen was on the whole time) → Next.
4. Can the iPad reach the laptop on the network?
First: If the router rebooted or you restarted Capture One since the iPad was last connected, re-check the laptop’s current IP and port before testing — they may have changed.
On the iPad, open Safari and type the laptop’s IP address with the Capture Pilot port — for example, http://192.168.8.10:51234. Find the port in Capture One: Capture tool tab > Capture Pilot tool > Mobile tab > Port field.
How to find the IP and port for the browser test
IP: On the Mac, System Settings > Network > select network connection > IP Address Port: In Capture One, Capture Pilot tool > Mobile tab > Port field. The web port is in the Basic tab (set Publish To to “Mobile and Web” or “Web Browser”).
Web interface loads — The network path is fine. The problem is app-level. Force-close the Capture Pilot or Live for Studio app on the iPad and relaunch. If still disconnected, restart the Image Server in Capture One: Capture One menu > Image Server > Restart (or toggle the server off and on in the Capture Pilot tool tab).
Web interface does not load — The network path between iPad and laptop is broken. Continue to question 5.
5. Are there IP conflicts on the network?
Symptom: intermittent connectivity — devices sometimes reach each other and sometimes do not, with no pattern.
Check the laptop’s IP: System Settings > Network > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) > Details > TCP/IP. Check the iPad’s IP: Settings > Wi-Fi > tap the (i) icon next to the connected network. If both devices show the same IP address, there is a conflict.
Conflict detected — Assign static IPs to remove DHCP from the equation. Recommended assignment:
- Laptop: 192.168.8.10
- iPad 1: 192.168.8.20
- iPad 2: 192.168.8.21
- Router gateway: 192.168.8.1
For full static IP configuration on both router and devices → EC - Router Config Checklist
No conflict → Next.
6. Is Bonjour/mDNS working?
Capture Pilot uses Bonjour (Apple’s mDNS implementation) to discover the Image Server on the local network. If Bonjour is blocked or the mDNS daemon has crashed, the iPad cannot find the server automatically.
Quick test: On the laptop, open Terminal and run:
dns-sd -B _http._tcp
If you see the Capture Pilot service listed in the output, Bonjour is broadcasting correctly. If nothing appears after 10 seconds, the service is not being advertised.
For full Bonjour diagnosis — including killing and restarting mDNSResponder, checking multicast routing, verifying firewall rules for port 5353, and dns-sd query commands → EC - Bonjour Diagnosis
Skip Bonjour entirely: If you don’t have time to diagnose, go straight to manual connection — Manual Connection Fallback
Bonjour is working → Next.
7. Did the DHCP lease expire?
On long shoots (2+ hours), the router’s DHCP lease (the temporary IP address assignment) can expire, giving the iPad a different IP and breaking the connection. DHCP is the system that automatically assigns IP addresses — when the “lease” expires, the device must request a new one.
Try this regardless — it takes 5 seconds and can’t hurt: On the iPad, Settings > Wi-Fi > tap (i) next to the network > Renew Lease. Or toggle Wi-Fi off and back on.
Prevent recurrence: Set the router’s DHCP lease time to 24 hours, or assign static IPs to all devices on the DIT network. → EC - Router Config Checklist
Still disconnected → Next.
8. Is AP isolation or client isolation enabled on the router?
AP isolation (also called “client isolation” or “wireless isolation”) prevents devices on the same Wi-Fi network from communicating with each other. It is a security feature designed for public hotspots — and some travel routers enable it by default.
Fix: For model-specific login instructions and exact menu paths → Router-Specific Notes. General steps: Log into the router admin panel (GL.iNet: 192.168.8.1, TP-Link: 192.168.0.1). Navigate to the AP Isolation setting and disable it. Save and reboot the router if required. If you can’t log in (changed admin password), see the factory reset instructions in the Router Config Checklist.
For full router configuration including AP isolation, DHCP, static IPs, and band selection → EC - Router Config Checklist
AP isolation is already off → Next.
9. Did the router firmware crash?
Travel routers (GL.iNet, TP-Link, Netgear mobile) have limited RAM and processing power. After 4-6 hours of sustained mDNS broadcasts, DHCP renewals, and NAT traffic, some firmware versions silently crash. All wireless connections drop simultaneously.
Distinct from power loss: The router may still show a power LED, but Wi-Fi is down and no SSIDs are broadcasting.
Fix now: Power cycle the router (unplug, wait 10 seconds, replug). Wait 60 seconds for full boot. Reconnect all devices.
If it crashes again within 10-15 minutes after rebooting: The router may be overheating, not crashing. Move it out of direct sunlight and ensure airflow. GL.iNet travel routers are rated for 0-40°C — outdoor summer shoots in direct sunlight easily exceed this. Place the router in shade on the equipment cart.
Prevent recurrence: Proactively reboot the router during lunch breaks or between setups. Keep the router in shade with airflow. If the router model is consistently unstable, consider replacing it with a more robust unit.
Router is stable → Next.
10. Multiple iPads with conflicting connections?
Capture Pilot: Supports multiple iPads simultaneously, but each additional iPad increases Image Server load and network traffic.
- If one iPad works but another doesn’t → Verify both are on the same Wi-Fi network and same band (both on 5 GHz, or both on 2.4 GHz — mixing bands can cause discovery issues on some routers).
- If adding a third iPad causes all connections to drop → The router or Image Server is overloaded. Reduce preview image quality in Capture Pilot settings (smaller previews = less bandwidth), or limit to 2 iPads maximum.
Live for Studio: Each iPad needs its own unique share link. If multiple iPads use the same share link, rating and selection conflicts can occur (one iPad’s selections overwrite another’s). Generate a separate link per iPad from the Live for Studio panel in Capture One.
If iPad connectivity remains unstable after all steps, the wireless network may be fundamentally unreliable in this venue (interference, congestion, distance). Consider switching to a wired iPad setup if hardware is available. → SOP_DIT_Wired_Only