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October 22, 2008 12:00 AM PDT

iPhone 3G Cannot Find/Connect to WiFi Networks

by Ben Wilson
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Several users have reported an issue in which the iPhone 3G fails to find and or connect to otherwise valid WiFi networks. A sampling of reports from this Apple Discussions thread:

  • "My laptop can find my router network fine. I reset my router and iPhone but my iPhone still cant find any routers. I reset the network settings too. If I try to put in the name and password manually it just says 'Joining InsertNetworkNameHere' Over and over, with no results."
  • "Suddenly my iPhone 3g can't find any wifi network. I have restored factory configuration but still the same. Yesterday my iPhone could find 4-5 wifi networks including my own now not even one."
  • "My brother and sister have iPod touches and theirs each work fine on my home network. I got an iphone last Tuesday, had to get update to start, won't connect to my home network."

An Apple support document entitled "Unable to use Wi-Fi with iPhone or iPod touch because there's no Wi-Fi address listed for the device" has a list of potential solutions, though most have proven ineffective for readers. Among the listed fixes:

  • Reset network settings (Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Setting)
  • Erase all settings (Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings)
  • Restore the iPhone

Users posting to the aforementioned thread have had little success with any of these fixes.

If you are experiencing a similar issue, please let us know at http://www.iphoneatlas.com/contact.

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Add a Comment (Log in or register) Showing 1 of 2 pages (40 Comments)
by skaorsk8 October 22, 2008 7:25 AM PDT
I'm so glad I found this site! I'm having the same problem with my iPod Touch 2G - when I turn on wi-fi, I can select a network (I always choose my home network, which gets a check mark) ... and then nothing. No IP address. If I exit the WiFi connection settings, I don't have a WiFi icon in the top corner.

My workaround is to turn off WiFi, then turn it back on a second later. It works, but it sure is annoying to have to do. I was thinking about returning it to the Apple store and telling them that it's defective, but it seems to be a software issue more than a hardware issue (although I could be wrong about that).
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by daniel4510_dotmac October 22, 2008 8:58 AM PDT
This happened to many people, including myself, after updating the original iPhone to 2.0+. There were dozens of threads about it on Apple's support forum but the thread was eventually closed in mid-stream. Because of this, in addition to very poor AT&T service in my area--especially Edge--it really crippled my iPhone. When the iPod Touch 2G came out, I bought one and went to Verizon and the LG Dare, with the three features missing on the iPod Touch: voice GPS, bluetooth, and a camera. It means carrying around two units, but I'm a happy camper now. Oh. And oddly enough, triangulation with the original iPhone's pseudo GPS would put me MILES away from where I was actually located. The iPod touch is always spot on.
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by sccsocal October 22, 2008 9:57 AM PDT
This can also happen in some locations when "3G" is turned on. Before restoring the iPhone, try just turning off "3G". This solves the problem in many cases.
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by pwarrener February 9, 2010 12:19 PM PST
I almost have this issue. If I turn off 3G it picks up the wireless for about a minute and then drops out, so I turn it on again it picks it up for about a minute and then drops out again - very strange. During this minute though I cannot connect to anything, so it is like it is showing it has connected by not really! Any thoughts? Thanks
by October 22, 2008 11:54 AM PDT
My iPod Touch can find many more hotspots than my iPhone. I think Apple has done a bad job with iPhone 3G
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by wiggums1 October 22, 2008 12:53 PM PDT
Voice GPS? Is that a feature where you can pinpoint where your words are coming from?
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by rob010 October 22, 2008 11:10 PM PDT
The iPhone 3G is only capable of seeing wireless networks that are using b/g as n is not able to be seen or even used with the iphone.

I have an iPhone 3g and it sees and uses the g network I setup for it and doesn't see the n network I use for my imac at all.

It may also be some networks are using a hidden SSID which seems to cause at least my iphone to not always see the network.
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by daniel4510_dotmac October 23, 2008 12:43 AM PDT
Actually, what I always got a kick out of when my iPhone 1G stopped connecting to wireless, was that people on the Apple discussion boards would explain in great detail what to do with one's wireless server to make it connect. Do this, do that, unplug this, plug in that, change this or that setting, etc. But none of these suggestions were an option when trying to connect to wireless in a coffee shop, bar, restaurant or wherever. Sorry, but my iPod touch has not failed to connect to wireless networks that my iPhone failed to recognize. And rob010, I have NO idea what you are talking about. b/g? n? g? Huh? It just needs to work, like my iPod touch does.
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by jonnyorjonny April 13, 2009 3:12 PM PDT
i'v just got an iphone 3g but i cant connect to my netgear network that appears as an option. what should i try next?
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by pmc_bkk May 17, 2009 6:57 PM PDT
Hi Guys, i hade perfect wifi reception on my 3G for 4 months, yestyerday it stopped locating any wifi ???
I read many threads, tried all sorts of options but nothing, i saw one guy speak about putting his phone in the fridge ? so i thought why not.
After 10 mins or so i took it out and connected perfect, this lasted about 10 mins. If i put in the fridge the phone will connect without out issue , but soon looses connection as the phone warms to room temp...
Whats the issue ? any fixes?

BR Pete,
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by miriamtob August 22, 2009 6:53 PM PDT
My Iphone 3g will not connect to my home wifi or any other valid wifi. I tried restoring, but that didn't work. I'd love to get the wifi working again because now I am just on edge network and it is slower than ever!
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by le_fino September 4, 2009 1:35 PM PDT
I just had this same issue of no visible wifi adapters...3 days after my warranty expired :(
Apple Support said it could've been an airplane that hosed it but if anyone else came up with an answer that was more plausible, I'd be all ears.
I tried restoring, resetting network, etc but no dice.
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by charbyte September 5, 2009 9:03 PM PDT
This morning my 3g will not find my home WIFI Netgear (which is working fine for 3 home computers). The only thing that happened is my battery went dead overnight. Still searching for a workable solution.
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by OrvelRay September 12, 2009 10:40 PM PDT
Brand new iPhone 3G. Worked fine until I upgraded the firmware from 3.0 to 3.1. Now it will not connect to my wifi network. I have several computers that recognize it just fine. Reset the router, restored it to factor defaults. DHCP is working. iPhone will recognize other networks, but will not connect to them either. Faulty hardware??
Reply to this comment 1 person likes this comment
by cherry_jirap September 18, 2009 6:45 AM PDT
I'm having the same problem that now my 3G Iphone can not see wifi network even other PC can find it. Anyone can tell the solution?
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by kikles168 September 25, 2009 6:12 PM PDT
Hi, new here, was wondering if anyone could help me, tried to follow the step mentioned above the "erase all content and settings" option. after the reset, my iphone boots up, up to the apple logo only, and the spinning progress bar seems to stop all the time. its stuck there, tried the hard reset but it stops on the apple logo too. can someone help me... thanks.
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by bballfatsam November 8, 2009 11:30 AM PST
dude did u solve ur problem ? if u i need pls same problem !!
by rtberg September 28, 2009 7:05 AM PDT
This has been driving me nuts for days--but I believe I just found the source of the problem, at least in my case. TURN OFF DATA ROAMING. My 3GS immediately picked up the WiFi.

Good luck!
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by TechnoKen November 30, 2009 7:11 AM PST
This works. However, I had to reboot the phone after turning off data roaming. After reboot you can turn on data roaming again. But if you reboot again (or turn your phone off) while data roaming is selected you will loose wifi detection again. A definate bug in the lastest release of sw for my 3Gs.
by GiLmo574 September 28, 2009 6:44 PM PDT
****HELP... PLEASE!!!!****

I've had my iPhone 3GS for 2 months now. My WiFi DOES work... however, it DOES NOT on my home router. My iPhone WiFi DOES connect to the home router however, because I type in the correct WEP password, it connects, and the WiFi logo shows on the top of my phone. So I'm connected. BUT - I CAN NOT ACCESS SAFARI WEB PAGES & I CAN'T CONNECT TO MY E-MAIL (Yahoo/Microsoft Exchange E-mails). Safar times out, EVERYTIME. So does connecting to my E-mails. This has been soooooo frustrating these past couple months. I have Comcast Internet, and I even called them a couple weeks ago and one of their Techs even tried troubleshooting me over the phone because he said he had the same problem, and all he did was change his antenna frequency, and it worked just fine. WOW, wish mine was that easy...

So again, PLEASE... HELP!

Here's my WiFi ISSUE:
- WiFi works everywhere on my iPhone but MY HOUSE.
- WiFi on my iPhone connects at MY HOUSE - I find my home network, click it, enter in WEP, and it connects. WiFi connection logo shows ontop of phone as well.
*- However, Safari times out. E-mails time out. I can not access WiFi. It shows I'm connected, but it is not working properly. HELLLLLLLP!


THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY IN ADVANCE FOR "TRYING" TO HELP!


* GiL
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by gezzyjoe October 6, 2009 9:18 AM PDT
Hi Gil

Did you manage to get this issue resolved? I am having the same problem, I have just bought the Iphone 3gs and like yourself it connects to my home network but doesnt actually send and receive data. I did get it working for a short time all seemed well and then I left the house therefore severing the connection and when I returned its back to the usual way of not working.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Gez
by bballfatsam November 8, 2009 11:29 AM PST
dude did u solve ur problem ? if u i need pls same problem !!
by sergibosch January 3, 2010 9:42 AM PST
i'm having the same problem
by pwarrener February 9, 2010 12:28 PM PST
I am also having the same issue - very frustrating - any solution? Thanks in advance
by chris123083 September 29, 2009 6:56 PM PDT
My Iphone 3G will sometimes connect to random wireless connections but when I try to connect at my house it does not detect any networks and I live in an apartment building with a ton of wifi connections. Not sure if I should bring my phone to get replaced or if there is some soft of fix for this.
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by bballfatsam November 8, 2009 11:21 AM PST
i have the same problem
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by setoguchi November 12, 2009 6:34 PM PST
how can i enter the wifi network i cant use my safari
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (40 Comments)

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