iPhone 5 wifi issues

Just went back to the apple store for a third time (I'm on my second iphone 5). Apple has changed their tune, they no longer just replace the phone outright even if it is a hardware issue. The only troubleshooting they did was turn on WIFI in the store. Lo and behold, it worked. they said because it works in the store, then as far as they are concerned there's no issues.

However, it doesn't work at my home, or at work. So unless I'm at an apple store, WIFI is useless to me. I'm very close to going over my data limit because of all the non-wifi downloads I've done just to get it back to the way it was.

I'm seriously considering just returning it and getting a Samsung Galaxy.

Just got off the phone with a level 2 tech at apple care.

They had me erase my phone, and set it up as a new phone, NOT from a backup. I had the same wifi issues after setting it up as a new phone. This means one of two things. It's either an ios6/iphone5 issue, or a iphone5 hardware issue.

They are sending me to the apple store to get a replacement phone.

I don't have high hopes, but at this point, I don't have many options either. I'll let you know how this goes...

When I turn off cellular for ipad 3 and iphone 4; they work much better. I think there is a pattern here with cell & wifi. I have used all iphones at some point and my conclusion is a conflict with data, cell & wifi; and of course the OS!!!

Phil -

Also of note is that in the beta build up until the release there was a setting for balancing cellular & wifi connections. My understanding is it's a new iOS6 is to select between wireless data options to get the best data rates.

The overt toggle to enable this appears to have gone away either between GM and Release, or with the GM. The Level 2 tech I spoke with made specific reference to this option, though he did not know why it went away. More info: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2012/09/25/wi-fi-plus-cellular-missing-in-ios-6/

It is a reasonable narrative that the feature may be always enabled, and there are issues with its implementation. WiFi may be too sensitive to lost packets, switching away to cellular data to easily, but not maintaining a solid connection overall. Perhaps these issues are amplified by iPhone 5 hardware.

Just a good story, we'll have to see.

Also on my second phone, week 36 foxconn. Apple user since 1984, kinda annoyed but guys it's just a phone. Sanity check from Louis CK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk

Werent there plans to add a wifi+ cellular option to ios6 at some point? I don't see that option available under cellular but I wonder if there's still some code trying to do that even though the option is disabled in the front end...

Same issue with on my 4S (running on iOS6). Wifi drops, inconsistent speed and suddenly dies lol its probably a software bug. I cant connect if to home wifi or the one at our office 😟 worked fine on iOS 5

Very interesting. A switch that went away, and something smart to take it's place.

Thanks. I just read a Bufferbloat paper by Jiang regarding Cellular and WIFI networks and it appears the phone engineers are currently using a "hack" to get around the problem by limiting the receive buffers for the cellular side of the phone where the system has massive over buffering which fools TCP-IP into sending more data than it really should into this apparently huge pipe, and when it then does not back off, (because it is being buffered) it eventually drops entirely after overshooting the mark. At that point it would be "no soup for you".

I would think that strategy would tend to favor the cellular network over the wifi since there's no intervening router and the phone is a captive endpoint that is very busy exchanging differerent kinds of status information back to the system as a device, handing off to different towers, etc. There's no data revenue stream for supporting WIFI.on a phone.

WIFI on the other hand doesn't rely on a similar smart layer for management so I don't know if that hack of limiting the receive buffers somehow got carried over to the WIFI side by the lack of being able to logically isolate the two, (at least without turning off data plan service for a while).

At first, this solution appeared to work for me. however, after a minute or two, WIFI access to the internet drops completely, just like before.

So far, no access to WIFI after 6 days of ownership, two complete DFU's and one complete unit warranty swap.

My won't stay connected unless wireless security is completely turned off (WEP doesn't work either). A hard reset (holding both buttons down 10 sec) will allow it to connect for a little while, but then it stops again. Must be software in my case. Have tried manual DNS, clearing cache, proxy to auto, etc. but none of those worked for me.

Guys, its not the phone its IOS6. I have the iPhone 4 does the same thing, I can "fix it" by turning off the cellular data. Keep screaming at Apple OR threaten make more noise, just what they need another Antenna Gate.

I am now convinced that this is code related to the wifi+cellular option in the IOS6 beta that is being called accidentally. I just checked my data plan and i have now used 3.3gb of data since i got my iphone 5. I have NEVER gone over 1GB and have done nothing on cellular that would explain that. I think the release they went with for IOS 6 gold master is still using pieces of wifi+cellular accidentally and it is causing all kinds of issues with DNS resolution, latency, wifi, etc.

I think it's the OS as well, but Apple is forcing us to jump through all of these hoops in order for them to troubleshoot it.

Also I can NOT fix my problem by turning cellular data off, turning LTE off, using a UN-encrypted network, etc.

At this point, I'm not even sure what to do...

Go to Settings, General, About

Scroll down till you see Modem Firmware

Reply Back with your Modem Firmware

Modem Firmware: 04.12.02

I have plastered the problem all over Apples Various forums and also logged a BUG Report

Go to Settings, General, About

Scroll down till you see Modem Firmware

Reply Back with your Modem Firmware

Modem Firmware: 04.12.02

IF your Modem Firmware is lower than the above on Iphone 4S, this is why your WiFi isnt authenticating.

The problem is already hitting CNET and other Tech websites.

I have 5 staff members of mine personally, all have iphone 4s, all updated to IOS6 and all connecting to my WiFi at the office. Some work and some done.

The only difference i have discovered by comparing all these phones is the Modem Firmware difference as per above comment.

Some shops over seas have already begun to swap / replace phones, however Australian users at this point dont seem so lucky. Only if you have Iphone 5, you could be fortunate to get a new replacement.

Ack! After turning off LTE, I can stay on wireless longer, but it still drops after a while. I had better success turning cellular off altogether. I've also noticed the wireless router makes a difference. My corporate Cisco router at work drops all day, but my Time Capsule at home is fine.

I see why my 2 iPhone 4S's have the issue they are having it is because they both have Modem Firmware 3.0.04. I mean when they work they work, I get BLAZING FAST WiFi Speeds. Anywhere between 37.50 Mbps Downland and go up to like 4.1.50 Mbps and get like 5.0 Mbps Upload up to like 6.25 Mbps. So when I get it to stick on WiFi I get it to go good for me but when it is not its not it seems not to grab the signal. And both of my $S's were manufactured in week 44 of 2011. So, I know I have done enogh complaining but I will wait to see if and when Apple does a update to iOS 6 to see if they resolve most of the issues we all are experiencing.