My son got an iPad a few years ago from Comet and even from new the damn thing can't connect to the wi-fi unless the iPad is in the same room as the wi-fi. As soon as he goes into the kitchen or upstairs it loses all signal.

Is this a common problem with iPads and can anything be done?

Like most houses we have loads of gadgets like laptops, another tablet, phones etc and have no problems at all walking round the house and staying connected.

No iPad (or iPhone or any other gadget!!) I have owned has had any similar symptom (including an iPad 3 at one time!)

Unless the router is on a channel which clashes with another one very nearby it sounds like a fault.....but it should be possible to see (from the Settings menu) what WiFi networks it is seeing at various locations.

Just changed the channel on the router a few times but it's still the same. I'm pretty much 5 or 6 metres away from the router now and the ipad can't connect.

Sounds like perhaps the (internal) aerial may have come lose. Presumably the Settings->WiFi menu item - which lists the available networks - can not then see the network name either?

Had it been new it should have gone straight back! If you have a local Apple Store they might help you diagnose the problem (even though it is out of warranty) - they are often extremely helpful!

Yes, stupidly when we got it I put it down partly to our broadband which was quite slow and unstable.

I've just had another Google of the symptoms and like you say it seems that the internal aerial is knackered. I've done a couple of wifi network resets but they did nothing.

It didn't bother us too much for the past 3 or so years as the router was in the living room which is where my son did all of his browsing but we've been having problems with our phone line and today the engineer had to put the wireless router in another room.

Whilst it's not a direct fix for your ipads poor wifi ... A cheap wifi range extender could provide an easy solution.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...3Awifi+booster

I've just this minute got a message back from a local phone & tablet repair place and they've quoted £35 to change the internal aerial which doesn't sound too bad. I've often thought about the range extender but to be honest the iPad is so bad that even if the router is in front of me and I stand 3 metres away with no obstructions the wifi will go down to two bars. As soon as I turn a corner it'll be one bar.

£35 doesn't sound too bad really seeing as a range extender is gonna set you back £20+ anyway.