Phoebe56

Q: Safari cannot open page because your iPhone is not connected to the internet

I have a 3 month old iPhone 6S running 9.2.1 OS. After my phone provider Vodafone sent a text saying "It looks like you've swapped your Sim or updated your software. If you want to continue using data, you'll need to update your settings. We'll send you these by text shortly." I had no problem and had not switched my SIM, and was all okay nothing wrong, but I did follow the text to the weblink to download the updated phone settings thinking Vodafone needed me to. Later I discovered, when I left my house so NOT on wi-fi, I could NOT get online via Safari. Safari shows a blank page saying above (my subject line). After several calls to Vodafone, 2 techs telling me to change my APN settings, force phone to reboot (hold home button and off button together) still no results. Further call to Vodafone, was advised to go into their store and test my SIM card in another phone. I went in, the advisor didn't do this, just swapped my older SIM with a new one, said restart and wait half an hour, should all be okay. Still had same message. Returned to store, got the manager to put the new SIM into another phone, that phone DID get the internet. So now my phone seems the suspect. However, following day, my engineering husband, not an Apple user asked me to try a different browser on my phone. I downloaded Firefox and yes, I can get cellular data and websites using this browser. My question is, What happened to my Safari? Can I reload it, or how do I fix the Safari browser to make it work again. I can use Firefox but Safari is a native app, how should I restore it to working order or must I take it to Apple to fix? I followed one advise on this support website to turn off Safari and reboot phone holding down home and off button simultaneously, but it did not fix Safari.  Should I sync my phone with iTunes, can iTunes remove the app and replace it? Any advise welcome please.

iPhone 6, iOS 9.2.1, cellular data

Posted on Mar 15, 2016 8:13 AM

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Q: Safari cannot open page because your iPhone is not connected to the internet

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  • by Demo,

    Demo Demo Mar 15, 2016 8:21 AM in response to Phoebe56
    Level 10 (95,884 points)
    iPad
    Mar 15, 2016 8:21 AM in response to Phoebe56

    Clear Safari, close it again, force restart the phone. No data is affected.

     

    Go to Settings>Safari>Clear History and Website Data

     

    Press the Home button two times quickly. You'll see small previews of your recently used apps. Swipe left to find the app you want to close. Swipe up on the app's preview to close it.

     

    To force restart your device, press and hold both the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons for at least ten seconds, until you see the Apple logo.

  • by ManSinha,Helpful

    ManSinha ManSinha Mar 15, 2016 10:45 AM in response to Phoebe56
    Level 6 (10,257 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 15, 2016 10:45 AM in response to Phoebe56

    You can try a couple of options

    If you have a recent iTunes backup from when Safari was working you can restore to that point (you may lose everything between then and now)

    Else

    If you have some time and are keen on Safari

    Back up your phone to iTunes

    Restore as NEW
    See if Safari is working again - it should

    Then if it is - restore backup

  • by Phoebe56,

    Phoebe56 Phoebe56 Mar 15, 2016 8:44 AM in response to Demo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 15, 2016 8:44 AM in response to Demo

    Unfortunately this did not resolve my problem. Safari still reads the same message of not being able to connect to the internet.

    I will try ManSinha's suggestion.

  • by Phoebe56,

    Phoebe56 Phoebe56 Mar 15, 2016 10:50 AM in response to ManSinha
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 15, 2016 10:50 AM in response to ManSinha

    Hi ManSinha,

    Your solution solved my problem. I ended up backing up the iPhone, restore to factory settings, then restored from last backup. It took about 2 hours altogether but my icons are back for Safari and Safari is now working on the cell network. However, when I noticed that my backup was from an earlier iPhone, so I went to the last backup of my iPhone, which I did just before I followed your instructions, and the problem came back. So unfortunately the Safari problem on my last backup came back. So I will have to restore to factory settings again. I went to the last backup because it had the latest photos on it, wheras a previous back up had old photos on it. I want to have the latest photos on it. Can you recommend how to do that from the factory settings backup? Sorry about these questions. At least I feel like I am getting somewhere.

  • by Demo,

    Demo Demo Mar 15, 2016 10:57 AM in response to Phoebe56
    Level 10 (95,884 points)
    iPad
    Mar 15, 2016 10:57 AM in response to Phoebe56

    You will, have to import the photos from the corrupt backup to your computer and then sync them back to the phone after restoring the old backup. You can not remove the photos from one backup and put them into another one and then restore that backup.

     

    Import the photos first.....

    Import photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer - Apple Support

     

    Restore the old, but usable backup.

     

    Sync the imported photos back to the device using iTunes.

    Sync photos from your computer to your iOS device using iTunes - Apple Support

  • by ManSinha,

    ManSinha ManSinha Mar 15, 2016 10:58 AM in response to Phoebe56
    Level 6 (10,257 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 15, 2016 10:58 AM in response to Phoebe56

    So there is something embedded in your content that is causing Safari to behave the way it is

    This procedure is also a diagnostic test of sorts

    Well - if it is music / pictures / email that you need to get off the phone - now is your chance

    If you want texts / messages - you may have to look at a software called TouchCopy

    I would recommend that you get what you want - off the phone and then start from scratch

    But that is just my recommendation

    Please ask if any more questions / concerns

  • by ManSinha,

    ManSinha ManSinha Mar 15, 2016 10:58 AM in response to Demo
    Level 6 (10,257 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 15, 2016 10:58 AM in response to Demo

    Thanks Demo