But 20-goal striker Jason Roberts was desperately unlucky not to hit the winner in the second half when his shot beat keeper Generoso Rossi, but hit the foot of the post.
Latics boss Paul Jewell sent on 23-goal Nathan Ellington in a desperate bid to snatch the points, but in the last minute of normal time he blazed over from six yards.
Wigan had the better chances in the first half, with Roberts and his strike partner Brett Ormerod both failing to cash in.
Ormerod tested the keeper early on, forcing a diving save with a close-range shot, but he should have done better when midfielder Graham Kavanagh played a great ball into the box only for him to blast the shot over from six yards.
Roberts lashed another wide and late in the half Scottish international Lee McCulloch missed the target with a free header.
Rangers had Shabazz Baidoo operating all alone up front, but he still managed to cause Wigan problems on the break.
He hit one just wide and forced a save from John Filan with another and Wigan were fortunate to escape punishment when Kavanagh gifted Adam Miller possession with a disastrous pass.
But Ian Breckin spotted the danger and reacted quickly to get in the block.
Roberts had another chance early in the second half when he controlled the ball superbly but again his luck was out when he fired just inches wide.
It was all Wigan in the second half with Roberts coming nearest only to be denied by the woodwork.
But Rangers hung on grimly to grab an unlikely point in the absence of manager Ian Holloway, who was away on a scouting mission.