I received some info back from Meridian today (yay!) confirming the awareness of the issues with the app on all iOS8 devices with a fix forthcoming but no timetable. With that said they pointed me with a link to Core Control for iPad in the app store (not Control:PC/MAC) that only works with the iPad (tried on my phones and message says iPad only) and I can now connect with the iPad and function. I guess it is different than what I had already installed.

In response to the other responses (thanks!) I had not changed hardware or anything else, simply updated to iOS8 on my devices. The computers in my network (1 PC laptop, 1 iMac, 1 PC desktop all wired and 1 Macbook Pro wireless) all work fine and have all along so I was convinced I do not have a network issue and that has now been confirmed with the use of Core Control on my iPad working.

BUT... what is odd is now my iphones and older iPod now connect again albeit I still have the "i" issue. Seems like maybe it was "hung" in some way and using Core Control for iPad to connect freed it up but that doesn't make much sense.

Well at least I'm back to ground zero and functional again.

This is the link they provided if it helps anyone and I can post it iTunes - Meridian Core Control

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Ensemble