ios 6.1.3 WIFI problem

I'm an IPad user. It worked perfectly, till I upgrade to IOS 6.1.3 and my wi-fi conection workws only very close to the router. Is there any way to go bac to ios 5?

Not to my knowledge, otherwise I would go back. And apple tech support didn't offer to roll my iPad back to the version that worked. It seems like a way for apple to sell more devices. They won't even respond to my complaint that I filed. I foresee a class action lawsuit from angry users who have lost their ability to use their devices on iOS 6.1.3. If I get any response back I will update my posts.

This issue now reported in the mainstream media.

http://techland.time.com/2013/06/06/apples-ios-6-1-3-update-can-knock-out-wi-fi- bluetooth-and-cost-you-200-to-fix/

My one year warrenty just expired. Two weeks later my Wifi, and Bluetooth expired. Looks like this is known issue. My future with Apple depends on how they handle this issue.

Going back (even if you could) won't fix it. And, if you check the forums over the past few years you will find posts exactly like this subject ("iOS 6.1.3 WiFi problem") for every version that has ever been released; i.e.:

iOS 6..0 WiFi Problem

...

iOS 5.1.1 WiFi Problem

...

iOS 4.1 WiFi Problem

....

iOS 3.1.3 WiFi problem

The problem is not in the version. If it was I would have it on my 2 iphones and 1 iPad. Sometimes doing an update (regardless of what you update to) will break WiFi. And usually there is a way to fix it in software. On rare occasion it is a "sleeper" hardware problem that was awakened by the update process. There are tips in the message thread about how to fix it. So go back and read and try them, no matter how bizarre they sound (including the "freezer trick" and the "hair dryer trick").

I've been seeing posts defending Apple at every opportunity for months now and I'm not sure why they do, but finally we seem to be acknowledging that Apple have caused a serious issue. The previous issue and the current one are unrelated. Simple empirical evidence among long-time i device owners in my friend circle was enough to convince me that 6.1.3 is flawed in a way that previous updates have not been.

There is a common (including my own) belief and indeed being stated by Apple staff in private in Genius bars around the world, that the 6.1.3 update seems to fry something in the hardware. I don't believe any of the previous versions have done that - later iOS versions have fixed those problem.

As a a software and hardware engineer of over 20 years, and coming from a family of microelectronics designers, I can fully assure everyone here that it is very easily possible to destroy hardware with bad software (e.g. up the power to a given component or overclock it so it operates outside thermal boundaries acceptable where it is utilised, etc.).

The SHEER NUMBER of complainants and the SIMPLE FACT that there has been no single way to reliably fix the issue once it has arisen, plus hints that freezing your iPhone might work, all points to the same cover up.

Apple HAS trashed the hardware via the 6.1.3 update.

<Edited By Host>

Sid Harper wrote:

I've been seeing posts defending Apple at every opportunity for months now and I'm not sure why they do, but finally we seem to be acknowledging that Apple have caused a serious issue.

I'm confused. What part of my post sounded like I was defending Apple?

The SHEER NUMBER of complainants and the SIMPLE FACT that there has been no single way to reliably fix the issue once it has arisen, plus hints that freezing your iPhone might work, all points to the same cover up.

Sheer number? There are 300 million iPhones. There are 230 posts in this thread, and many of them are repeats from the same people. That's a vanishingly small number. Even if you add in the other threads on the subject the number doesn't get that much larger I can show you threads with 15,000 posts about a problem.

There is a common (including my own) belief and indeed being stated by Apple staff in private in Genius bars around the world, that the 6.1.3 update seems to fry something in the hardware. I don't believe any of the previous versions have done that - later iOS versions have fixed those problem.

As a a software and hardware engineer of over 20 years, and coming from a family of microelectronics designers, I can fully assure everyone here that it is very easily possible to destroy hardware with bad software (e.g. up the power to a given component or overclock it so it operates outside thermal boundaries acceptable where it is utilised, etc.).

Everything you stated in the paragraphs I quoted has been said over and over for other releases. And for every one there were knowledgeable people (hardware engineers, software engineers) who said that it is certain that version x.x.x broke my WiFi on my iPhone. And Apple Geniuses sometimes agreed with them. And the next update did NOT fix the problem, nor did going back to a previous release.

I don't think that anything I've said is defending Apple. I'm pointing out the obvious, that sometimes updating an iPhone breaks WiFi.

Update:

On my 2nd replacement 4S since early May.

Sticking with IOS 6.1.2, I have had ZERO problems with wifi since May 17th.

My suggestion to anyone with a 4S who has not updated the IOS to 6.1.3: do not do it. It isn't worth the risk.

If you have updated and the bluetooth or wifi broke, kindly ask the genius bar support to acknowledge the likelyhood of the OS update triggering the problem. If you had purchased Apple Care Plus they should replace the phone for free. Then do not update to 6.1.3.

I have the opposite view. If you just got a replacement DEFINITELY update to 6.1.3. Because the replacement has a minimum 90 day warranty (longer if you sitll have AppleCare), so if the update breaks it again you can get another free replacement. If you wait and then update to some future release and it breaks you may be out of warranty.

Sorry Lawrence I was not referring in particular to your post(s) but many posts not just on this thread. It was a generalisation and one describing the underlying sentiment rather than outward statement in the posts necessarily. If I am honest I have felt that vibe from some of your posts - my apologies if that has been misread.

Again generalising, previously there has been a distinct feel from many posters of 'God (synonymous with Apple) will fix it ye of little faith' but that faith seems now to have gone. And Apple have kept officially schtum on the matter too.

I am happy to be seeing the tide turning on this point. It is intriguing also to be seeing replacements from Apple stores coming with 6.1.2. If 6.1.3 worked and was reliable, you would expect that to be on the hardware to save future support issues when upgrading to that version.

"I smelt a rat before. Now that rat is rotten and I smell it even more!" (c)

Yes that is what I thought the first 2 times. It made sense then to update to the latest IOS. However, since I had two replacement phones break and a trip to the Apple store takes up at least 2.5 hours of my life not counting the time to restore, I choose to stick with what works for me. Even though you have 20 iphones in your ofice that haven't had the 6.1.3 wifi issue, my luck and many others luck has not been so good.

Hey guys.

Now I have the same problem. 4s running 6.1.2 for a long time. All of a sudden wifi greyed out. My phone is out of wartanty, 1,5 yrs old. I talked to the apple support and he told me that it's broken, repair is 211,- €. (I live in Germany). Ummm...no thanks, the 4s was expensive enough and I'm a student. So I decided to update to 6.1.3 but it was still broken. I openend it, and used a hot air gun to heat up the wifi chip. I put it together and voila...it worked! I was able to activate the wifi again, but hold on...it worked for some minutes only, then I got kicked out of the network. I tried it a few times, somerimes I couldn't even connect, just saw the spinner. Then I restored 6.1.3 and...mh, wifi greyed out! I openend it again - put it together - wifi worked.

Right now it's greyed out again....I'll wait for IOS 7 now, and be sure...this was my last Iphone I bought. Thanks Apple.

I got the same problem this week. After upgrade to 6.1.3, the WiFi was failure, then I have to pay for swap for replacement. (mine one is out of warranty). as the same time, when I turn on iPhone, the software version still 6.1.2. Technican does not have confidence that v6.1.3 is ready on default iPhone 4S?

I want to point out that, if Wifi failure before software upgrade, I have to bear to pay for swap.

But the failure is NOT my fault, and more than 1 users (you and me) are sufferring WiFi failure by software upgrade, this is NOT fair to customers. Steve Job allow the deal can be happen? I have to pay for your fault ?

I have to pay to support your bug fix? is that ridiculous?

Update: after it was greyed out I decided to disassemble it again and used the hot air gun. This time I heated up the wifi chip only, for about 1 minute...it almost sizzled and I wondered if the iphone will start again.

Result: my Iphone is still alive and the wifi works...5 hrs now without any issues, not even a disconnect. I hope this fixed the problem.

I bet this is the same issue as the xbox rrod.

EmBee82,

Since these people at Apple aren't serious about this issue and I would buy a Windows phone faster than paying them $200 to fix a phone that they broke w/ their updates, can you be more specific about the process that you followed to fix this issue? Did you also have bluetooth connectivity problem?

Thanks