Q: Cannot connect IPhone 4S to Macbook Pro

This worked for me. I had a iPhone 4s running IOS 5 and a black MacBook running Lion and tethering worked fine. When I changed to a MacBook Pro mid 2012 tethering stopped working and it wouldn't tether even when using USB cable and the personal hotspot showed as active. Upgrading to IOS 6 didn't help but turning off personal hotspot and Bluetooth on the phone, deleting the phone from the mac and turning off both devices seemed to do the trick. What is it about turning these **** things off and on again that still seems to work?!

Thank you Jake Glascock, your response resolved the issue for me. To clarify; I wanted to pair my iPhone 5 to my MacBook Pro for iTunes synching (I know I could have used a cable but USB ports are precious on MacBook Pro's!) and along with changing the port settings as per Jake Glascock's post, I also ensured that personal hotspot on my phone was on (doesnt need to be Wifi personal hotspot, Bluetooth and USB only will work) and my phone is paired any synching happily.

Thanks so much for your time Jake Glascock, funally got to connect to internet on my mac using iphone's 3g connection

My pleasure!  Just glad I could help.

I got the IPhone 4S because I thought it would work better with my Mac Book Pro than my Droid did.. I was wrong.. I was able to transfer files between my Mac and my Android.. I cant do that with Mac / IPhone 4s.

That is Pathetic.

I used to be a proud MAC person, I have Mac Stickers on my car and truck.. Guess what sickers I will be REMOVING in the morning.

I want to be able to Bluetooth Transfer files between the two. I want to Sync everything up.. CANT do BASIC FILE TRANSFERS.. THAT is PATHETIC. MAC USED TO BE AWESOME.. user friendly, alot smoother than the Windows World. Lately Windows is making things better than MAC and MAC is trying to Milk every penny, nickle and dime they can out of it's "Fans". I am no Longer a MAC fan.

I guess, as time goes by, when it is tiem to replace my devices I will be RETURNING to the Window's World.

Another thing...My Android could get TONS OF AP's FOR FREE... IPhone Nickles and Dimes EVERYTHING they can.. I am VERY DISAPPOINTED.

I will Be Facebooking my Disappointment with MAC.. I will warn my friends. Go with Droid, Stay with WIndows MAC is a SINKING SHIP. Looking at all of the MAD MAC CUSTOMERS in this THREAD.. I see I am not alone.

MAC- Please fix these BASIC issues. I USED to be a PROUD and HAPPY Customer.. Not Anymore.

Yes, it's pretty unfortunate. All the solutions people have found are by using personal hotspot-type connections. They seem to have "upgraded away" bluetooth file transfer itself. I was impressed when I saw how easily the MBP transferred with my Droid (easier than my Windows laptop) but even more "impressed" when I saw the iPhone would not do it.

As for apps, Apple & developers keep saying how much more $$ people spend on the iOS app store compared to the Android app store. But you hit right on the counterpoint - there's more useful and good stuff available for free on Android, which is good for the users.

Thanks!  This totally fixed my problem.

Unfortunately nothing here worked for me!

I cannot connect my iPad2 or my iPhone 4S to my MacBook Pro no matter what I do. the devices see each other and after going through the serial port change they claim they are connected but are not.

Also unfortunately, the internet sharing of my MacBook pro will not connect anything whether it was a wifi internet or ann ethernet connection, I cannot share it with the "iPad USB" or "WiFi", the iPhone and any Android phones or the iPad do not seem to be able to get an IP address from the MAC!

This takes me back to the good ols days of the PC and early windows where a simple bluetooth or wifi connection took a PhD in computer science and a masters Degree in networking!

Shame on Apple how low they have stooped! Steve Jobs must be turning in his grave watching how the new Assh%$s are destroying his company and his vision! Is this the simplicity of Apple???

SHAME on you Apple.

I'll seriously think of buying a Leonovo and maybe activate my SS GSII and do away with the Apple gadgets which are becoming just useless gadgets!

Hello, I have Iphone 4s, Macbook Pro and Logitech wirelss headphone. I want to connect to each other by bluetooth. But  i am not able to connect Iphone to Macbook Pro niether Logitech headphone. My iphone is discovering but that is not able to find devices and two times my macbook pro discovered the diveces but that is not connecting. Please help me.

Thanks for your solution, it worked, this should be way more intuiative.

Thanks, turning off the wifi on my iPhone 4S solved my problem.

Everyone i had the same problem with iPhone 5 and Macbook pro non of this worked for me till at the end i saw it connected to easy in this way:

1) Go to System Preferences >> Bluetooth

2) Click the "+" button to add a device

3) Add the iPhone and click "Pair" when asked to pair

4) DO NOT try to connect at this point or the iPhone will ask you to forget (restart this process if you did this)

5)Make sure your iphone is not conected to the any WIFI !

6) on the system preferences conect your iPhone in this way:

and done! for me conected as well and nothing wrong happened again

that is the 1st thing I've done that worked. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Cant describe how ridiculous it is to not be able to connect two major apple devices as an iphone 4s and a macbook pro..

How lame it is to have the most innovative company to create products that wont work?

I did pair the two devices but when I try to browse the iphone from the mbp it just says the device does not have the service. So i CANNOT browse it.

LAME

Blearhg !!!!

l2eza,

This was very helpful, thanks!  I am able to get my iPhone and MBP paired but I cannot connect to the iPhone network.  When I try and do as you demonstrate and connect to the network.  Nothing happens.  HOWEVER, when I "updated services", it briefly connects and then turns itself off again.  Can you share what your settings are in Advanced, and Edit Serial Ports under the gear icon > show more info?  I am sure I have screwed something up.

Additioally, when, on my iphone, I click on my MPB in my settings > bluetooth, it still says that my MBP is incompatible with this device and then I am made to forget that device (the MBP).

Thanks for your help.