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Level 1

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iPhone 3GS WIFI Connection Instability Problems

Hi guys

I have just recently purchased an iPhone 3GS 32GB Black, and I am experiencing problems with connecting to WIFI networks. I have a wireless connection at home and one minute I am connected to the network just fine and the next it has just totally disappeared. At first I suspected that the issue may be down to my router, as I have never previously experienced this problem with my first gen iPhone or my iPhone 3G.

But it seems that the router is working fine as I have been browsing the internet on my laptop while my iPhone 3GS is still not acknowledging the existence of the same network. However, sometimes suddenly it will decide to connect to the network at it's own will, so one minute I'm on edge and the next on the WIFI.

What is also annoying is that when I do manage to get a connection I can be sitting on the same spot and initially I may have three bars on the WIFI icon at the top of the screen, and this will fluctuate between two and one bars when I am not even moving so the connection shouldn't be disrupted.

Just to make sure that it wasn't a problem with my home wireless connection, I have tried this out at my friend's house who has WIFI and I still have the same issues. I have even tested to see if I would have the same problem on a public network so I attempted to connect to the network at my University. Although I managed to connect to the network, it did not take long for my iPhone 3GS to decide that that connection was no longer available.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues. I'm just curious to know whether it's a general fault or maybe it's just my handset or possibly some sort of settings/software problem. Either way it is quite odd that I am experiencing these problems with my iPhone 3GS as I did not have any such issues with either of the first gen iPhone or the iPhone 3G.

Please can somebody get back to me on this. Look forward to reading your comments.

Kind Regards

Anees Younis

iPhone 3GS 32GB Black, iPhone OS 3.0

Posted on Jul 4, 2009 1:30 PM

89 replies

Jul 13, 2009 4:50 PM in response to 4Fabulous

i as well started having problems with my wi-fi...it tells me it's unable to connect to my router which it has before...what's going on!!!!! it doesn't connect to any wireless network!!!!!

Jul 13, 2009 8:28 PM in response to Miss Saigon

I'm having the same problem, and I've been having it since I downloaded the 3.0 software onto my 2G iPhone. Just got home with my 3G S, I've entered in the key for my network, and it'll connect for a moment before returning me to 3G. When I try to go online in Safari, it asks for my network password again. This is... on the irritating side. I've got to conclude, since I was experiencing the same problem with the 3.0 OS on my 2G, that it's a software issue and not a hardware issue. As such, I'd hope that Apple gets it fixed. I'm not surfing the 'net on my phone very often at home (I have a laptop and desktop for that), but it doesn't remove the fact that there's an issue here.

Apple, please fix?

davechir

Level 1

9 points

Jul 13, 2009 11:41 PM in response to 4Fabulous

I, too, am very frustrated with wifi connectivity. My phone "discovers" my home network repeatedly and asks me to enter my password. It behaves well for a while an stays on wifi, then I change to a new app, say Safari and it happens all over again.

Often, I'll enter my very long password, just to have the connection fail.

Background - I just upgraded from and 3G to a 3GS. Before, I could rely on wifi without thinking about it.

Jul 14, 2009 12:51 AM in response to 4Fabulous

where is the **** fix?!?!

Jul 14, 2009 6:33 AM in response to k_laurent02

*Possible fix???*

I have the 3Gs and as well have the wireless problem. My wife has the 3G and side by side her iPhone keeps the connections as mine loses it. I went to the Apple store and the Genius ran diagnosis on my phone and found nothing wrong with it. There wasn't a wireless connection at the store to connect to. He mentioned since the 3Gs phone just came out, there isn't much feedback yet. So, he said to give it a few weeks and come back. I found these post yesterday and tried some of the suggestions on how to maybe fix the issue. I tried setting a static IP as mentioned by SteveCWatkins. That didn't work for me. I continued to play with the phone and I noticed I had *bluetooth off and and data roaming off*. I put both of those on and left the static setting for the wireless connection. So far, it has worked. It's only been a day, but it has maintained the wireless connection. I don't know if it was the combination of settings or which one did it.

Jul 14, 2009 7:59 AM in response to 4Fabulous

I have the new iPhone and just started having wifi issues yesterday. At first it was going in and out, now I've lost it completely.

I hope a fix comes out soon. This is causing me to rethink purchasing a anything else from Apple.

Jul 14, 2009 9:02 AM in response to Buhhhh

I also have an iPhone 3GS (32Gb) and am getting problems with WEP connections. Our corporate wireless uses a Cisco wireless router and it won't connect.

At home, my Netgear router connects fine using a 128bit passphrase.

Very annoying.

Is there an expected release date for 3.1? My MD is getting an iPhone 3GS in the next week or so and won't be best pleased if this doesn't work for him 🙂

Jul 14, 2009 9:32 AM in response to 4Fabulous

I am having the same issue but only on my home network. At home I have to log into my corp wpa2 hidden network EVERYTIME whereas before my iphone 3g (now a 3gs) would find it and log me in and stay connected.
The strange thing is that at work with the same hidden network (same name, setup and everything), it works constantly.

Jul 14, 2009 1:30 PM in response to gmalcangi

I have a new 32gb G3S and im stuck out on the road with no WiFi connectivity at all. It sees the available WiFi networks and u can join them. The signal strength appears fine in the display, but I just get a message saying I'm not connected as soon as I launch Safari. Rebooting doesnt help, nor hard reset. This is a joke, Apple! I am returning this phone and going back to my 3G with the older operating system. Very disappointed in quality control at Apple these days.

Jul 14, 2009 2:30 PM in response to Bill Zampino

"Very disappointed in quality control at Apple these days."

Me too...

DMILETTE

Level 1

20 points

Jul 14, 2009 3:00 PM in response to monkeywithagun

Agreed... 3.0 is bad in many ways.... I loved my iphone 3g up until installing 3.0 now it's plagued with bugs! I've done Reset Network settings numerous times, reset All settings as well a boat load of times, erased and reset my Exchange profile. Tried with Bluetooth on and off.... Wifi is flakey at best, my Exchange server sometines simply stops pushing emails among many other annoyances....

I've even went as far as doing the Erase all Content and Settings option, waiting the hour for it to wipe the phone and then restore as new 3.0 and the issues persist..... This phone was FLAWLESS up until I installed 3.0 Firmware. Apple NEEDs to acknowledge this widespread issue plaguing many users and get it fixed. Right now this tool is costing me way too much time everyday simply troubleshooting things that should just work. I want a 2.2.1 rollback plan or a 3.1 release soon.

Jul 14, 2009 3:41 PM in response to 4Fabulous

I get inconsistencies with my wi-fi connection. im using a netgear wpn824v2. this never happened on my 3G. im really starting to feel i wasted a lot of money on the 3G S. Every upgrade for me in iphone has been a pain in the ***. I'm starting to think i should just sell this and get the original 2G which i had 2 years ago. it had no problems what so ever. ever since 3g i have been in apple store genius bar every month. yellow screens, dropped calls on 3g network, battery dying, cracks developing on the back and touch sensors dying. Didn't have 1 issue with original iphone. The only advantage on 3G S is its speed. thats it.

Jul 14, 2009 10:08 PM in response to 4Fabulous

to the top

Steelbom

Level 1

0 points

Jul 15, 2009 12:09 AM in response to k_laurent02

Joetherod, it's possible with Data Roaming on, your using the 3G network of other networks... and building up some fee's (it might be using that instead of trying to use wifi)... I could be wrong, but just thought I'd mention it.

Kind Regards

Jul 15, 2009 6:11 AM in response to joetherod

Hi I tried that method and it sadly didn't work for my 3GS.

iPhone 3GS WIFI Connection Instability Problems