Trying looking at the router's settings if you are using a Verizon router, also routers drop speed in blocks, ex 10 to 5, etc, when having problems with distance.
On a Verizon router it is buried about 3 sub menus down from the Wifi configuring. Google your router and the words Fragmentation Threshold and RTS Threshold for info on your router. Would be nice if there were some configuration fields on the mobile device, although not sure what fields might be available on the client size or if this would be useful at all. More useful would be an app showing how well the Wifi is doing at the packet/hardware level. An app like this should be a default app supplied by the vendor.
Anyhow
Log into your router as the admin and set the Wifi Fragmentation Threshold to 2004 and the RTS Threshold to 500. This will help with fringe range, especially with two or more wifi devices that can not see each other but just the router, yes this is a problem, each device will try sending at the same time. Ex a wifi device to the far right, router, wifi device to far left.
Also, don't put your hand over the Apple logo on the back of the iPad, this is where the Wifi hardware is. You will not notice a problem sitting next to an access point, aka strong signal, but you sure will at the fringe of the range, where those threshold values you changed now help. That is what those settings are for, you add a little network overhead, for better more consistent long range performance. Try going to where you lose one bar in Wifi, put your hand over the Logo, wait a few seconds, see a major drop in the Wifi bars, speed drop, to rock bottom. Test this via of going where you lose a bar on the Wifi Icon, get the FCC Broadband app test, hold the iPad on its edge or place it on the table, test the speed, now test it with you hand over the Apple Logo in the center of the IPad, or it sitting on knee or lap.