iPhone 3g doesn't show up in find my iPhone

Question

Level 1

8 points

iPhone 3g doesn't show up in find my iPhone

I currently have 3 devices set up on mobile me account (iPhone 4 and two ipads). I just re-activated my old iPhone 3g. I restored the phone to factory settings and installed the latest OS (that's available for that phone). The phone is fully functional (ie, make/receive calls, use 3g internet,etc).

Under the mail, contacts, I added my MobileMe account and enabled Find My iPhone. However, when I login to find my iPhone, it only finds my original 3 devices. I've tried disabling, then re-enabling it. I've tried deleting the account, then adding it back. All to no avail.

Any ideas what the problem is, or what else I can do to try to fix it?

iPhone 3G, iOS 4.2

Posted on Aug 15, 2012 8:58 PM

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Answer 1

modular747

Level 6

19,656 points

Aug 15, 2012 9:05 PM in response to barbja

MobileMe no longer exists, and neither does the MobileMe version of Find My iPhone. MobileMe was replaced by iCloud, which requires iOS 5. Unfortunately, the last iOS for the iPhone 3G is 4.2.1. The only "fix" is to upgrade the phone.

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Answer 2

roaminggnome

Level 10

106,365 points

Aug 15, 2012 9:04 PM in response to barbja

There is no more mobileme. It was discontinued months ago.

"To use Find My iPhone, you need to set up Find My iPhone on each iOS device and Mac before it is lost. Requires iOS 5 or later or OS X Lion v10.7.2, respectively."

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2580

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Answer 3

barbja Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 15, 2012 9:21 PM in response to roaminggnome

Ah, I knew that...I was following the instructions in this link: http://lifehacker.com/5696311/how-to-enable-and-use-find-my-iphone-for-free-on-i phone-3gs-and-other-pre+2010-devices . My device being pre-2010 and all. However, I didn't notice that the article was written in 2010 until just now.

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Answer 4

ckuan

Level 10

120,680 points

Aug 15, 2012 9:24 PM in response to barbja

For iPhone 3G with IOS 4.2.1, you have to download Find My iPhone from the App Store. Use the same Apple ID you are using for iPhone 4 then you're good to go.

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Answer 5

roaminggnome

Level 10

106,365 points

Aug 15, 2012 9:26 PM in response to ckuan

The find my iphone app has nothng to do with making an iphone locatable via find my iphone.

It only allows you to loocate other idevices from the iphone.

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Answer 6

ckuan

Level 10

120,680 points

Aug 15, 2012 9:38 PM in response to roaminggnome

I meant locating it through the computer browser. The Find My iPhone app is just a beacon.

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Answer 7

modular747

Level 6

19,656 points

Aug 15, 2012 11:28 PM in response to ckuan

No, it is not. It is only to locate other devices.

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Answer 8

ckuan

Level 10

120,680 points

Aug 16, 2012 12:34 AM in response to modular747

Well, how do you explain that I can locate my 2 other iPhones 3G, 2 iPods 4 gen. iPhones 4S and my Mac using the computer.

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Answer 9

modular747

Level 6

19,656 points

Aug 16, 2012 2:46 AM in response to ckuan

I wouldn't try "explaining" you're perceptions, but this is how the app explains itself, from the Setup Instructions (on the app logon page):

"Set up Find My iPhone

Before you can use Find My iPhone to locate your iOS device or Mac, you need to turn on Find My iPhone on each device. Be sure to use the same Apple ID (iCloud account) on each device you set up.

Note: If you already set up iCloud on your devices, Find My iPhone may already be turned on. To make sure everything is set up correctly, or to turn on Find My iPhone on another device, follow the steps below."

As you can see, the device has to have an iCloud account with FMiP activeated - it's not the app that "sends a beacon."

As already explained in this thread, you need iOS 5 for the devices in order to have an iCloud account on them. Any computer or browser can be used to locate devices.

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Answer 10

ckuan

Level 10

120,680 points

Aug 16, 2012 4:00 AM in response to modular747

The reality is, once I downladed FMiP on the 3G and sign in with my Apple ID, I can locate it using computer browser. Without that, there's no way I can locate it using iCloud.com.

What's true is you need an iCloud account which I have on my 4S and Mac.

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Answer 11

barbja Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 17, 2012 10:28 AM in response to ckuan

ckuan, do you have an iPhone 3G or 3GS? I know it'll work with a 3GS with iOS5, but when I download FMiP on my 3G, all it can see, and all my others can see are my 3 iOS5 devices. No iPhone 3G.

Looks like my son will be getting an iPhone 4 sooner than he ever thought possible. It'll cost me the same to upgrade my iPhone 4 to a 4S as to purchase a refurbished 3GS. (And no, I don't want to wait for an iPhone5, I already complain about my phone being too big. Why would I want a bigger one? )

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Answer 12

arodecap

Level 2

215 points

Aug 17, 2012 10:29 AM in response to barbja

iPhone 3G or earlier are not compatible with iOS 5, therefore are no longer support by FMiP.

iPhone 3GS and later that are updated to iOS 5 or greater, are compatible with FMiP.

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Answer 13

ckuan

Level 10

120,680 points

Aug 18, 2012 4:33 AM in response to barbja

I have 2 iPhone 3G, 1 iPhone 4S and 2 iPod Touches 4th generation.

The iPhone 3G have FMiP app version 1.4 installed.

Poster arodecap and the others above are wrong. I just tested all of them to be sure.

If you have IOS 5 devices and have FMiP app installed, you can also locate youself with the same Apple ID used in Settings > iCloud > Account.

You can also use FMiP app to locate other Apple devices if you login with their Apple account.

Since iPhone 3G does not support iCloud, you must have another newer Apple device (IOS 5.x) to create an iCloud account which I did using iPod Touch 4 gen., iPhone 4S was not available that time when I did the configuration.

Now, if I login to FMiP in iPhone 3G using my Apple ID (which is the same for my iCloud account), I can locate the 2 iPhone 3G, 1 iPhone 4S, 2 iPod Touches and my Mac as well.

Hope this help.

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Answer 14

tburger

Level 1

0 points

Nov 1, 2012 3:36 PM in response to ckuan

ckuan, I tried this with my iPod Touch 2nd generation with IOS 4.2.1 and it does not work for me.

I have had the Find My Phone app on my touch forever.

I was able find my touch back when MobileMe was still alive, but nothing I have tried will work now that MobileMe is gone.

Please tell us what IOS version you have on your iPhone 3G.

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Answer 15

ckuan

Level 10

120,680 points

Nov 1, 2012 6:26 PM in response to tburger

I have 2 iPhones 3G with IOS 4.2.1 and cannot update further because it's the latest and greatest.

Don't you have iCloud or ME (not MobileMe) account?

Do you also have devices with IOS 5 or above (iPad, iPhone)?

I got iCloud configured using IOS 5 devices.

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