iPhone 3G / Wifi problem / 4.2.1

Thanks dynamicave..."Erasing all contents and settings" and setting it up as a new phone worked for me....

Erasing all contents & settings and then setting up as a new phone did NOT work for me. Still no wifi and the best upgrade it will accept is 4.2.1.

My iphone4 is using version 4.3.5.

My 3G is not being used as a cell phone. I'm starting to wonder if it had an active cell subscription if it wouldn't upgrade to 4.3.5; as that version states it upgrades 3G too.

Could the inablity to upgrade & the lost wifi be associated with no cell service after was upgraded to 4.2.1? I'm starting to think so because prior to that upgrade I had wifi.

The wifi should work IMO, regardless of cell service, but that's the only associated variable I can find. Any thoughts?

Dynamicave, how do you erase without using "restore?"

What are the erasing steps?

Can anyone upgrade this phone past 4.2.1?

settings

general

reset

erase all content and settings

Did the person who created this thread on Nov. 2010 ever find a resolution? It's nearing a year later and the latest post to this thread is dated Aug. 6th, 2011. I'm experiencing the same problem on August 21st, 2011.

@adnixon Any ideas what's happening when Settings > Wi-Fi is greyed out and reads No Wi-Fi? And in Settings > General > About > Wi-Fi Address is greyed out and reads N/A. This is a 3G verison 4.2.1 that has never had any wi-fi problems in two and a half years.

My wife's 3G has had this Wifi problem since I upgraded it to 4.x.x. It also s-l-o-w-ed it down to an unacceptable point. My 3Gs has had no problems with the iOS 4 upgrades.

I've been periodically searching for a solution on the Apple forums, both offical and non-official, and there is none. In spite of this widespread problem, Apple IS ignoring it, which is both humorous and galling since this is the #1 thread on this forum. Apple won't acknowledge that they have created a problem, much less come up with a solution or patch for it. And what's more annoying is that there is no way to go back to iOS 3.x.x.

I read a couple months ago that a woman in NYC is filing a class action lawsuit against Apple claiming that iOS 4 turned her iPhone into an iBrick. Once the suit is open to class claims, you can bet I'M joining it.

My 3G is no longer used as a cell phone. I'm wondering if that's the problem. I wonder if it was still being used with cell service if it would upgrade past 4.2.1? It will not accept any upgrades past 4.2.1 but my other iphone 4s continue to upgrade. That's now, many months later, my best guess.

Now I'm wondering if this might not be a hardware problem - does the wifi in these 3G iPhones eventually just stop working? I ask because I just downgraded to iOS 3.1.3 on my old 3G, which I have now replaced with a refurb 4 and no longer use as a phone. Still no wifi - I had hoped that 4.2.1 was the problem, but apparently not. I wanted to use the old iphone to play music and Pandora through our stereo. I'll be able to do the former, but not the latter. Also had hoped it could be a dedicated Remote for iTunes.

If it's greyed out, it means that the software can't find the hardware. On an old 3G it likley means that the solder connecting the 3G module to the board in the iPhone has broken.

There are ways of diagnosing and even fixing the problem, but it means disassembling the phone.

Google "iPhone WiFi Repair: Oven Fix".

This might work, but you're on you own if it doesn't.

coop

Would resetting all contents and settings work for a unlocked, jailbroken 3g 4.2.1 iphone? I use T-Mobile as my carrier. It was an AT&T phone and the wifi was greyed out before I unlocked it. The funny thing is I can still go on the internet with it but some apps won't work like the Directv Remote app... Any help would be deeply appreciated. Thanks!

same problem here.

my 3g couldn't detect any wifi connections, so yesterday i had it updated (IOS 4.2.1), rebooted it and all. i checked out the the wifi button on settings and it is unclickable! i mean it's on gray color. hope apple can fix this soon

I fixed it!!!!

ok before i tell you how im gonna describe the mission i went thru.

My iphone couldnt find and or connect to any network. not even manually

As soon as the wifi stopped working I went to the forums on every page possible to see there was no solution.

then I did all the (reset-restore-restore as new iPhone-reset all settings-delete everything-rescue mode....) several times and nothing.

I changed sim cards with other working iPhone and restored as a different user and the result again was nothing.

Took the iphone to the genius bar so they could try everything again (maybe since its an apple store with apple equipment and apple trained geniuses they could fix and or find the problem). what happened?: they said this problem wasn't that common and the only solution was to buy a new device. A brand-refurbished outdated iPhone 3g for only $199. and the best part is that I don't need a contract with this deal =)

Next step... call the costumer service 1800 and act like a disappointed costumer until I find and answer to this issue. The lady mention all the (reset-restart-turn on and off-restore......) list possible solutions and since I had no success then it was a hardware problem so the only think they could help me with was to hook me up with a refurbished unit for only $199 or send the iphone for repair.

HERE COMES THE SOLUTION:

The night before I was resetting my router (belkin n1 vision). changing all kind of features and options but nothing worked. Today as my sexy wife was driving home I go once more thru the iphone hoping to see the matrix and find what's up with the wifi. In the "About" section under the iPhone's settings I saw the matrix code!!! On wifi address you see the mac code for the iphone. its a bunch of letters and numbers (i think its on hex code) that works like an ID on ur wireless network. I know very little about network configurations and MAC addresses. But what if the iphone (for some reason) blocked itself from my network without getting disconnected. I think thats why the wifi was on but couldn't find any networks. It was still connected but blocking itself at the same time been unable to disconnect. like an infinite loop.

"To the desktop!!!!" I said pointing to the pc.

NO MORE STORY, THIS IS HOW I FIXED IT

1.Go to your wireless router setup: open explorer. type in the ip address for your router's setup

2.Go to MAC ADDRESSES. In my router its under the WIRELESS tab. I dont know on other routers, just find it.

3. On my router there is an option that says something like "you can block or allow devices from the network manually" and there is a list. Mine was empty.

4. I typed in the MAC ADDRESS for my iPhone and then clicked on ALLOW.

5. Save changes

6. Try once more on the iphone (you are almost there). turn on your wifi and then............

Boom beehyotch. on your face!!!! a list of available wireless networks. select yours and see if it works.

I hope it works for everybody

The router didn't show any blocked devices, never!. what I think happened was that somehow the iPhone grounded and punished itself for not connecting properly to my network and blocked itself from wifi. Maybe the WPA security on my network made it do that or maybe it was a solar flare that aimed for my iPhone and made it act re-re

for now Im happy and hope this works for everybody.

what i cant understand is that apple doesn't give a **** about this and didn't find a solution for so many costumers with the issue.

my iphone 3gs problems
no wifi, bluetooth, 3G helpp plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I have the same problem with my 3G except I do have bluetooth. I took mine to a local technician and he said he could not fix it because it was either a software problem or a problem with the motherboard. He said it could be as simple as the wifi module needs to be re soldered (not sure if I spelled that right) anyway he suggested that I take it to Apple for resolve. But here's the thing, when I added data to my Tmobile month to month plan, I could get on the internet with it and download apps from Itunes so I'm not sure exactly what's up. It still says I have no wifi and it is greyed out yet I'm able to function on the internet.

Not sure if this will help you or not but I can't take mine to Apple because I had it jailbroken and unlocked and I really don't want them messing with it...

Good Luck with it, you and me aren't the only ones with this issue...