Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

0 points

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 22, 2009 6:54 PM in response to 4Fabulous

I have a iPhone 3GS 16 that bought just 2 weeks ago and the wifi never works properly for my home Netgear DG834PN. But it just works fine in office with a Linksys.

Tried MAC filter off, WPA-PSK off, both off. all attempt with 1-2min connection then wifi just become unusable with youtube, apps store, or download a pdf from webpage. Web browsing in general seems fine though.

Arostal

Level 1

0 points

Jul 22, 2009 9:37 PM in response to 4Fabulous

I just got a iphone for the first time, coming from a T-mobile G1. I was having the same problems with not being able to log in to my router and it asking for the password no stop.

What seems to be working for me at this point is that I change my router to only send out signals in G, before I changed it I was broadcasting in N,G, and B.

Jul 23, 2009 7:03 AM in response to aaron.wolske

FOUND A SOLUTION!!!

The problem I was having with WiFi:
I could connect to the router, but it would not receive an IP address, DNS information, Subnet mask, nothing (even though the router showed the iPhone in the list of connected devices with an IP address). After sitting on the line with Apple Support for 20 minutes (Katie was a great rep!), we agreed that I should try changing the IP address range.

My router allows me to pick from three subsets. I chose a different subset and after about 20 seconds, it finally worked. It continued to work all evening. After waking up this morning to the clock alarm, however, my iPhone is dead. :P I highly doubt it's related, but still, it seems like if it's not one thing, it's another.

Frozo

Level 2

289 points

Jul 23, 2009 7:40 AM in response to aaron.wolske

Thats great news. Hope it helps others here.

However there are 2 issues on this thread from what I can tell. One where people cant connect to ther network, like you... the other is network stability (where you can connect but the signal fluctuates, stalls, and even drops out occasionally).

I think the 2 are unrelated. From what I can tell, the 3GS is just not getting the wifi reception range that my previous EDGE and wife's 3G have been getting.

Jul 28, 2009 12:14 AM in response to aaron.wolske

changing subnet doesn't help for me.

Gramuldy

Level 1

0 points

Jul 28, 2009 3:58 PM in response to Jeroen Groener

SOLVED

Hi guys,

I may have fixed the problem, it's not nice but working.

I have an Airport Extreme and i changed the WiFi channel selection from automatic to manual.

After this modification my iPhone WiFi is stable!!!! (for the last 4 hours instead of 1/2 minute)

Apparently the iPhone 3GS or OS 3.0 cannot handle automatic channel selections.
I currently have selected channel 6 for the 2.4GHz and 36 for the 5.0 GHz

Kind Regards,
Jeroen Groener
new mac user

Worked for me on my Netgear. Thanks Jeroen.

Frozo

Level 2

289 points

Jul 28, 2009 4:20 PM in response to Jeroen Groener

Whoooooah, easy down there... lol

I use a manual channel and my 3GS drops out all the time.

Gramuldy

Level 1

0 points

Jul 28, 2009 4:41 PM in response to Frozo

Yeah, maybe I spoke too soon. Lasted ages until I moved rooms then lost connection.

Re-made connection and it's not doing too bad. I definately have a much stronger signal when it decides to connect though.

Might be just a fluke. I'll keep the settings for a while to see if my wifi stress levels drop.

Aug 2, 2009 10:15 PM in response to 4Fabulous

Hi,

The solution that has been working for me on my Netgear Wireless Router has been to reduce the Wireless Mode to 130Mbps instead of the max of 270Mpbs (300Mbps). Since applying my solution, I have been actively connected and achieving steading transfer rates for over a week. My issue seemed to be with the wireless 802.11n protocal, I do not have any issues with AP of the 802.11b/g variety. On a seperate note, I have been having issues with downloaded apps crashing. My solution that has been working is not to sync to iTunes which has seemed to solve my problems.

My 2 cents

cdbsti

Level 1

0 points

Aug 7, 2009 3:31 PM in response to 4Fabulous

I just noticed that when I look at the connected devices on the router my 3G shows the name of the phone and with the 3GS it shows unknown. Does anyone know why?

Aug 12, 2009 6:35 AM in response to cdbsti

Well I'll contribute my issue as well. I have three 3G phones that work fine on the home wireless but the new 3GS prompts me for my net. password everytime I attempt to connect. At times it will connect but when it does, it goes back to 3G within a few minutes. Most of the time I try to connect it says "unable to connect". I have tried resetting all network connections. I'm using a Linksys router with WEP (sorry) encryption.

Message was edited by: rstoomanyhobbies

Aug 12, 2009 12:51 PM in response to Buhhhh

just disabled netgear router's auto108mbps and gave it static channel 6 at 54mbps b/g and so far I get full bars indoor and ok signal outdoor. no lost connections so far. and speed tests results doubled.

Aug 13, 2009 1:29 PM in response to 4Fabulous

I've been having the same problems, ever since I got my new iPhone 3GS. My old first-generation iPhone never had problems connecting to WiFi. I noticed that my old routers always worked great, but my new LinkSys router always had problems. It would initially connect at full strength, then get lower and lower until it completely lost WiFi. Then it 'found' it again, and went through the same process all over again. I couldn't view web pages with the phone 12 inches from the router!

From the looks of it, it sort of sounds like some dynamic power level feature gone awry. I turned off a feature called "Frame Burst" and it got somewhat better. It still does it, but not as bad. I can leave the phone on the desk and watch the WiFi level go from 3 (full) to 2 to 1. But, since disabling "Frame Burst" (and the N features) it seems at least usable.

detholm

Level 1

0 points

Aug 16, 2009 2:54 PM in response to Norman Franke

i'm having the same problem.

I watch the bars go down on the iphone 3gs i've had the phone for a few days now and this problem just started today.

Would love a solution.

Aug 18, 2009 11:07 PM in response to 4Fabulous

latest test
2 3G 16GB iPhones
1 2nd Gen 16GB ipod Touch
1 Dell XPS 1530
1 Dell SPS 1730
2 3Gs 32GB

1 Apple Airport Extreme
1 Linksys WRT610

Both Routers were set up with WPA, Auto channel select, dynamic static address for the devices (cool feature).

Same file was pulled down and was about 200MB.
2 3G 16GB iPhones *(450 to 480 KB/sec)*
1 2nd Gen 16GB ipod Touch *(395 to 420 KB/sec)*
1 Dell XPS 1530 *(575 to 650 KB/sec)*
1 Dell SPS 1730 *(580 to 650 KB/sec)*
2 3Gs 32GB *(ran up to around 400KB then quickly dropped to around 130KB down to around 40KB, about 25 to 35% of the way into the download, the download stopped.)*
Two routers from different companies 6 devices that provide decent consistent downloads and then there are the 3Gs.
I am just not convinced that any router setting is going to make the issue better.

iPhone 3GS WIFI Connection Instability Problems