Problem with iPhone 5 and WiFi Connections
I just received my iPhone 5. I have no trouble connecting to my WiFi at home. However, when I tried to connect onto several Comcast (xfinity) WiFi Hotspots that I have used in the past I was unable to do so. Is anyone else having this problem? Is there anything I can do about it? Thanks in advance, Maria
Comments
I forgot to mention that I have AT&T.
Two of my friends are having this very problem with their iPhone 5's.
Anyone else having this problem? Any solutions??
I have this exact same problem, but don't know what to do about it
I sent Comcast an e-mail regarding the situation. I was told there is no ETA as to when it will be fixed.
I just received another e-mail from Comcast. They asked whether I can connect any of my other devises to my WiFi network at home. I have no trouble connecting to my WiFi network at home. Even my iPhone 5 connects with no problem. I also have no problem connecting my iPhone 5 to my brother's WiFi Network (He has Verizon Fios). I just cannot connect my iPhone 5 to any xfinitywifi hot spots. They now seem to be blaming Apple for the situation. When I have time I am going to give Apple a call.
Has any one tried calling Apple about this situation?
I spent a good part of this morning on the phone with Comcast. They asked for quite a bit of information regarding my iPhone 5. They created a ticket number for the issue. I was told that someone would call me when the problem was resolved. Of course, I have not heard from anyone yet. Afterwards, I was able to connect to just one of the hotspots..... but not the others. I just got off the phone with Apple. The person I spoke with had not heard of anyone else having this problem. He told me that, since I can connect to my WiFi network at my home and the home of other people, it can't be an issue with the phone.
There are well over 100 pages of posts on the Apple Forums regarding this problem. I am on my third iP5 - haven't activated it yet - that comes later tonight. The general issue is that when my other apple devices are able to get 10 - 15 Mbps download speeds over WiFi, the iPhone 5 can only muster about 500 - 756 Kbps. Some devices can't connect at all. With my original iPhone 5 I waited for 20 minutes for Instagram to update. Can't watch YouTube videos, email attachments don't download, etc.
I was lucky enough to get a smart and seemingly honest "Advisor" on the phone the first time that I called and he's been able to help me through this problem. He said that Apple does know that there is a problem, that the engineers have not gotten it nailed down to a specific hardware / software / combo issue. Of course, there's a question as to when Apple will officially admit that there is an issue, and then, when will it get fixed...!
I have had success connecting to a couple of my local hotspots but not all. At least that was a bit of an improvement. I am home today so I will check to see whether I can connect to any of the other hotspots. I have been down the shore for the past few days. I was not been able to connect to the xfinitywifi hotspots but did connect with the optimum wifi network. The day before I left home I received a call from Comcast. They seem to be aware of the problem. I was told that the iPhone 5 is so new that they have issues with it but are working to correct the problem.
I activated my second replacement iPhone 5 this morning and it has the same problem as my original phone and the first replacement. I have yet to find a WiFi AP that will keep a robust connection. I'll be talking with my new friend at Apple next week, but this is ridiculous. I can't operate nor should I have to for $400, with no more than 500 Kbps download. It took 40 minutes to restore just the Hipstamatic phone app this morning. My phone provider is ATT, they said that they knew nothing about the problem. I work for a broadband wireless company, so that is who I get internet access in my home from. Never had a problem there before this. The wireless router is an Apple AirPort Extreme. #fail
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Originally Posted by StuartDMT
I activated my second replacement iPhone 5 this morning and it has the same problem as my original phone and the first replacement. I have yet to find a WiFi AP that will keep a robust connection. I'll be talking with my new friend at Apple next week, but this is ridiculous. I can't operate nor should I have to for $400, with no more than 500 Kbps download. It took 40 minutes to restore just the Hipstamatic phone app this morning. My phone provider is ATT, they said that they knew nothing about the problem. I work for a broadband wireless company, so that is who I get internet access in my home from. Never had a problem there before this. The wireless router is an Apple AirPort Extreme. #fail
Of course it does. Because it's not the phone. The hardware is fine.
It's something in iOS 6 and how it's talking to the software in the routers/modems. Could be that iOS 6 needs a tweak, could be that the routers do. I wouldn't be shocked if the Comcast hot spots do. Seems like they are always bonked in my area. For a while they wouldn't allow mobile devices to connect at all. I actually had an engineer tell me that the free access to hotspots with my service was 'computers only'. I demanded a supervisor and pointed out to him that the terms say 'all devices' not 'all computers' and he was setting up the company for a lawsuit and within a couple of weeks they had changed it.
I would check your ATT account. I fear that said 40 minutes is because you weren't on wifi, you were on your cell connection. If you don't have unlimited you could be in for a shock when bill time comes. I discovered such a thing but a nice and polite chat with one of their account supervisors is supposed to get me a one time waive of my overages since in the year plus that I've had the phone I've never gone over by more than perhaps 100MB and this was several GB. And in like 2 days. I wasn't even on an iphone 5, this was my 4 that I had just updated. I'm having to keep cell data off unless I need to get a voicemail because Apple hasn't released 6.0.1 and I don't feel confident that the full restore and set as new fixed the issue.
I have tried for 2 weeks now to connect my new I-phone 5 to Comcast mail. I have spent at least an hour on the phone with T-Mobile, Apple and Comcast.
Comcast told me they could solve my problem if I signed up for their Advanced Technology Support for an annual fee of something like $29.99. I am thinking this is a new revenue strategy at Comcast. They won't help you unless you sign up for their service.
I have a solution. Go to your wifi name and slide the arrow to the right. Click on "Forget this Network" Shut down your phone for a minute. Turn it back on and it will work.
The simcard is remembering the protocol that was on a previous iphone. By clicking on "Forget this Network" It sends out a new request. and it works.
Hope this helps
Rita - thanks for the suggestion. I've tried that (and I just tried it again, just to be sure) and it did not work. I spent several months going back and forth with Apple and I went through 5, yes FIVE different phones. I spoke with engineers and troubleshooters and did some fairly complex things with my router, my phone and my brain to try to solve the problem. Nada. All of the phones were from the same lot and Apple would not allow me to get one from a different lot - the explanation was long and involved and not worth repeating. I've learned to live with sub-par on this device. IF I choose to get another iPhone in the future, I will NOT order it from Apple but purchase it from a store where I can just go in, demand my money back and go buy a brick someplace else.
Again, thank you for your suggestion. I always appreciate someone trying to help.
(p.s. Just for the record, I worked for 13 years as a hospital IT pro and then several years in a 4G communications company. I'm pretty good at working these types of problems out. )
TY for posting this! It worked!
I sent Comcast an e-mail regarding the situation.