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chuckfresh Author

Level 1

11 points

Any fix for the iPhone 6 "incorrect password" WIFI error?

Began shortly after iOS 9 update. We have several customers experiencing the same issue with iPhones and iPads.

Yes, we have been meticulously entering the correct password. We are aware it is case sensitive.

Apparently, this is a some sort of strange intermittent issue. My kid's MX5X2LL/A iPhone 6 will connect to WIFI for a week or two, then completely "forget" the passwords to every single wireless network it ever connected to with no notification or no warning. Then, a week or two later, miraculously connect to WIFI once again. This bizarre bug is driving us bananas - especially with all the data overages. It all seemed to begin upon upgrading to iOS 9. Here's what we've done since September:

• upgraded to iOS 9.1 and subsequent 9.1 updates

• re-upgraded to iOS 9.3.1

• erased and reset network settings at least 12 times

• erased and reset entire phone three times

• reset all wireless routers, changed SSIDs, changed passwords

A few things that did seem to give us at least some sort of progress, yet still unacceptable:

• disabled find my iphone - connected to WIFI immediately, then lost it again about a week later

• connected to Bright House public WIFI hotspot, although not through typical WIFI interface

• connected to two 5G wireless networks, even though it would not connect to the same network's 2G with same or different passwords

Signal strength is great everywhere. I've checked all the obvious and not so obvious stuff. Running a hotspot with no password is dangerous and not an option. It's not thermal, because this happens from a cold start. The only thing I can come up with is a firmware discrepancy in authentication in the WIFI chip used on MX5X2LL/A. Vendors are swapped mid-model in all cell phones, computers, and tablets, and it's usually transparent, so there may be a vendor-specific problem Apple is not aware of.

Apple support has been unhelpful and unfortunately pompous as usual, repeatedly declining there is a problem, and requesting that I send my phone in for a paid out-of-warranty service or replacement, which is NOT a solution, thanks. There are at least hundreds if not thousands of people posting here who have the SAME EXACT PROBLEM. My last post was deleted because some Apple genius somehow surmised there was funny business going on, but I can assure you and prove it has NOT EVER been hacked, cracked, unlocked, or jailbroken, whatever that means. Perhaps they have a mandate to delete posts that indicate their hardware may not "just work."

iPhone 6, iOS 9.2.1, null

Posted on Apr 19, 2016 6:24 AM

26 replies

elcpu

Level 7

31,506 points

Apr 23, 2016 5:27 AM in response to chuckfresh

No Hail Marys here but for whatever they are worth....

1) I have read through your posts and unless I misunderstood you are saying that all your iPhone sixes cannot connect to any 2.4 GHz network. None. Is that correct? If so there is something unique to your phones. Considering that the iPhone 6 holds 30% of the iPhone market and there are many millions in service, your experience, even if thousands are also encountering it, is not common. So what makes your devices different? That is the Hail Mary question. I don't have a 6 but my next door neighbors have two. They are not having any issues connecting on that band to any network so what makes yours different? Did you by happenstance buy a batch of sixes with a defective wi-fi chip ??? If 9.3 triggered this, why did it not trigger it on the other millions?

2) Long shot... try disabling Bluetooth on the phones. As you know BT also operates on the 2.4 band and ties some of that crowded spectrum. See if they connect with BT off just to test. You may have to reset network settings yet again to properly test.

3) If I were you I would call AppleCare and ask to speak to Level 2 Support. Yes you would have to be patient and go through the process to get there. Persistence and politeness helps. If this is a bug they would have to escalate it to Engineering. I had an issue with my iPhone 5 and even though it was past warranty AppleCare replaced it for free - and it solved the issue. Again persistence and politeness helps (sorry for the redundancy).

4) Apple used to use a networking routine by the name of mDNSResponder in iOS 7 and also in older versions of OS X. With the advent of iOS 8 Apple replaced mDNSR... with a new routine called DiscoveryD. This routine was rather problematic and Apple ditched it in OS X 10.10.4 and iOS 9.0. They reverted to mDNSResponder again in iOS 9. Many users including myself were helped (I could not leave BT on in iOS 8). iOS 8 was not a problem for the vast majority of users but it was a problem for many. If you are so inclined you can read my post on this thread, page 219, have way down the page.

iOS 8 Wi-Fi problems

This will not solve your problem but it may help you with the history of networking routines in iOS.

If you have a Mac, open Activity Monitor, sort by process name and look under the M. You will see mDNSResponder there. Prior to 10.10.4 you would have seen DiscoveryD.

http://9to5mac.com/2015/06/10/ios-9-os-x-10-11-discoveryd-mdnsresponder-network- bugs/

5) There may well be issues with the current mDNSResponder and about your only choice is to pursue this up the ladder with AppleCare. Good luck.

chuckfresh Author

Level 1

11 points

Apr 22, 2016 3:09 PM in response to elcpu

Thanks for the tips. iOS 8 was perfect for us, no DNS problems, even with a substitute DNS. In iOS 9, can't even connect to the dang wireless 2.4 GHz network to get to DNS, so unfortunately, that's a moot point. It's the password or encryption authentication that's got everything jacked up. What's weird is they worked for a week or two with iOS 9, then pooped out. I didn't know there was an issue until I saw my cell plan data usage spike. Kids don't use BT or find my iphone. We reset network, reset phone, reset router, reset earth's magnetic field, nothing worked on any of these phones. 5G WIFI is still working at home, so we've got a temporary fix until the kid heads back to Mom's jacked-up 2.4 GHz WIFI.

We have three exact models bought the same day from the same Apple store. Level 2 probably can't fix this - it's most likely a hardware thing. I'd be really surprised if they replaced all 3 MG5X2LL/A phones. But again, thanks for the tip. You've been the most helpful yet.

elcpu

Level 7

31,506 points

Apr 22, 2016 3:26 PM in response to chuckfresh

You are welcome, good luck... 🙂

chuckfresh Author

Level 1

11 points

Apr 27, 2016 6:11 AM in response to chuckfresh

Apple support responded to my tweet, so I patiently tried them again. They verified that I had the correct version of iTunes (irrelevant) and told me I'd have to take it into an Apple store for diagnostics, which may result in a repair of up to $299 since it's out of warranty. (I have THREE of these that have the same problem). And again, there is no way to roll back to iOS 8, which would fix this.

Anyone want to trade my iPhone 6 for an iPhone 5S or even a 5C?

chuckfresh Author

Level 1

11 points

May 19, 2016 4:33 AM in response to chuckfresh

Updated to iOS 9.3.2 last night, and still no connection to 2.4 GHz wireless networks.

Still no tips, words, or a fix from Apple. Still no way to roll this phone back to iOS 8, because apparently that is a crime.

And no, "pay $299 and trade your phone in" is NOT a solution.

elcpu

Level 7

31,506 points

May 19, 2016 7:08 AM in response to chuckfresh

Sorry to hear. I was hoping that by now you had solved your problem. I would not expect a "fix" since I am not aware of other posts here with this issue. Any possibility of a hardware?

chuckfresh Author

Level 1

11 points

May 19, 2016 7:46 AM in response to elcpu

I have at least a dozen, maybe more, customers in my repair business who have experienced a similar issue. Some have resolved, others have given up and upgraded. My kids tried my Samsung Gear VR on my S7 Edge, and it looks like they'll be skipping the iPhone 7 and leaving the Apple ecosystem. I really hoped Apple would step up to resolve this hardware conflict, but they didn't. Oh well.

Does anyone know why 5G wireless would work when 2G encryption fails? That's the really interesting thing.

Csound1

Level 9

60,033 points

Mar 26, 2017 3:59 PM in response to chuckfresh

Have you tried an erase and restore on one of the phones yet?

chuckfresh Author

Level 1

11 points

Mar 27, 2017 6:50 AM in response to Csound1

That was one of the first things we tried. Unfortunately, the folks at Apple won't let you go back to a prior iOS without "hacking," so that wasn't an option.

Csound1

Level 9

60,033 points

Mar 27, 2017 6:53 AM in response to chuckfresh

I did not ask you to rollback (because it is not possible)

Dec 23, 2017 5:18 AM in response to chuckfresh

I am facing the same issue and apple support tried everything but no luck.was their any resolution for your case?

Any fix for the iPhone 6 "incorrect password" WIFI error?