Wireless technology is a wonderful thing. It gives us the ability to communicate with each other and between devices without the clutter of wires. While convenient, it is not without potential issues. While things may look physical clean and uncluttered, the invisible radio waves that surround us can get very cluttered and noisy. This can wreak havoc on wireless systems, especially for those on digital bands.
OnSong Connect is used on iOS or iPadOS devices that are connected to a local area network or LAN. Because iPads and iPhones are mobile, it's not something you would plug into a network. This means that they connect to an access point on the network using WiFi. These access points operate in bands of frequencies that are permitted by the FCC for consumer use and include 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and some newer bands with 6 GHz and 10 GHz speeds.
The issue is that nearly every consumer device on the market uses these narrow ranges of radio frequencies on the spectrum. The cell phone in your pocket uses the 2.4 GHz band to connect to WiFi networks and to communicate with Bluetooth devices. The 2.4 GHz band is also used with digital wireless microphone systems and other wireless audio technology. Even the microwave oven you use to cook your food uses the 2.4 GHz band!
If the venue where you are playing is in an urban area, there are likely dozens or even hundreds of wireless networks that your devices can reach. The trouble is that there are a limited number of channels that are available in this band. Channels are designated slices of the 2.4 GHz band that can be used to establish clear communication without interference. But what happens when there are dozens of wireless access points set to full power that your device can "hear"? What if you had a couple of 2.4 GHz wireless mics on top of that. What you get is RF noise. There is too much chatter and your device may have a very hard time "hearing" the network. Think of it like trying to talk to someone across a crowded room where everyone is yelling.
In crowded RF environments, your wireless frequency use needs to be managed. This means you may need to go into the router/access point you are using and ensure it is set to a channel that is not in use by other nearby access points. Since the 2.4 GHz space is often crowded, it's recommended that you exclusively use your access point on the 5 GHz band to avoid dropouts. While you may not be completely immune to those, it could help resolve issues. Depending on the venue, you may also need to use more robust network equipment that can adapt to the changing wireless environment once cell phones and other devices enter the space.
While wireless interference is the most likely problem, you can also experience issues if too many devices are connected to a single access point. You'll want to make sure you are using a secure access point where the SSID is not visible and that requires a password to access. This will ensure that your access point is not experiencing undue traffic. If too many people attach to an access point, especially a consumer-grade one, it can cause other devices to be kicked off of the device since it can only handle so many devices. In addition, the IP address that OnSong Connect uses to communicate between devices, may be changed during this process. That also can cause connections to be lost as devices are trying to stay connected to the access point.
Of course the most surefire way to ensure a stable connection is a hard-wired Ethernet connection.