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Only my iPhone 4 suddenly refuses to join home network.

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Pedro Julio

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 24, 2011
59
0
Sometimes NC, Sometimes PA
If it's not one thing it's another....

This is not an uncommon issue, but I have not found a solution despite trying everything I've read.

I have two computers, an iPad, and an Apple TV that have not trouble connecting to my home network. WPA 2 Personal via linksys b/g/n router. No issues anywhere in the house. But now my iPhone 4 refuses to join the network. I get the "Unable to join the network xxxx" message.

I've tried
Airplane mode + wifi on
Resetting the router
Switching to WEP and then back to WPA 2
Forgetting the network and re-entering the password
Restoring the phone
Etc...

Basically the phone just won't join. Period. I have noticed one tell-tale little detail: When you enter the password to a network the "join" button does not light up until you enter the correct number of characters. When I am entering what I absolutely know to be the correct password, the "join" button lights up two characters too early.

WHAT THE FRAK IS GOING ON HERE?

This is the correct network....the correct password....the correct settings.....everything is right. But the phone refuses to connect.

Anyone have another idea?
 
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Pedro Julio

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 24, 2011
59
0
Sometimes NC, Sometimes PA
Nothin'?

Man, this is driving me nuts.

I've been 1-2ed by iOS 5:

1) iCloud data backup had a setting that allowed tons of data to be transferred via 3G when wifi wasn't available. I didn't know I had to opt out of that.

2) iOS has some kind of glitch that is not letting me connect to wifi at all.

Result:

No wifi connection and a maxed out data limit for the month with 9 days left.

Bollocks. Total bollocks.
 
T

TraceyS/FL

macrumors 601
Jan 11, 2007
4,173
313
North Central Florida
My Verizon iPhone has been having troubles with my wifi (original time capsule). In fact, last time I was at my parents i realized i had wifi off because of the issue. Then it wouldn't connect to theirs, and when it did (showing on the airport utility), my phone was till showing 3G, I had to shut the phone down to get it to show.

Yesterday it wouldn't connect to the TC at all, nor see the network. I had to manually enter it and it decided to finally connect.

I'm pretty sure i have a hardware problem - it's crossed the iOS update, but I want to play with it some more and see if I can narrow it down some.

If you have done all the normal steps, I'd be apt to think it was the phones wifi radio. Good luck sorting it out, I feel your pain (but not the data running out part :))
 
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Pedro Julio

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 24, 2011
59
0
Sometimes NC, Sometimes PA
TraceyS/FL said:
My Verizon iPhone has been having troubles with my wifi (original time capsule). In fact, last time I was at my parents i realized i had wifi off because of the issue. Then it wouldn't connect to theirs, and when it did (showing on the airport utility), my phone was till showing 3G, I had to shut the phone down to get it to show.

Yesterday it wouldn't connect to the TC at all, nor see the network. I had to manually enter it and it decided to finally connect.

I'm pretty sure i have a hardware problem - it's crossed the iOS update, but I want to play with it some more and see if I can narrow it down some.

If you have done all the normal steps, I'd be apt to think it was the phones wifi radio. Good luck sorting it out, I feel your pain (but not the data running out part :))
Click to expand...

Thanks. I had your issue back on iOs 4.3. I forget which fix corrected it though. Took a day or two.

I'd be inclined to think it was the wifi radio too, but I can connect to other wifi networks. Just not my own home network.
 
P

Pedro Julio

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 24, 2011
59
0
Sometimes NC, Sometimes PA
Yeah. That did it. How insane is that? You can add this to the one thousand and one ridiculous fixes for iPhone wifi connectivity problems that are out there:

Disable your wifi password
Connect your phone the network
Reestablish your password
Reconnect your phone to the network by entering the password

Somehow that resets something somewhere.
 
M

Marcbel1

macrumors newbie
Jul 30, 2012
1
0
Check the router's MAC filtering

Something to try is to disable security on the router. If the iPhone still cannot join the network, check to see if you have MAC filtering enabled on the router. You may have to manually add the iPhone's WiFi MAC address to the "allowed" MAC addresses on the router. To find the iPhone MAC address, go to Settings -> General -> About and look at the WiFi Address
 
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riken007

macrumors newbie
Aug 31, 2012
1
0
Change from WPA2 to WPA

I had this same issue today. However, updating this worked for me.
 
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redsoxmac

macrumors newbie
Mar 19, 2011
9
0
This happened to me to the point that I went out and purchased a new router...issue was resolved.

A lot of older routers can't handle a bunch of connected devices; in my home I have 2 ATVs, 3 iPhones, 2 iPads, 2 MBP's, an iMac, a Sonos System, and a PS3 all connected to my home network. A lot of home network can't handle connecting all these different devices.

That may be your issue - hope that helps!
 
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MarcuMcall

macrumors newbie
Sep 6, 2012
6
0
Yesterday it wouldn't connect to the TC at all
a92.jpg
 
J

jsa

macrumors newbie
Sep 28, 2012
1
0
Try this if you see your usual network but are unable to connect

Hi, if you can see the wi fi network but are unable to connect, you can try the following -

1. Choose the wi fi network manually - blue arrow towards right
2. You will come across the DHCP menu which says 'forget this network', at the top... go towards the bottom of this page
3. You will see - 'renew lease', press this one

You are likely to connect now. All best!
 
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rowand

macrumors newbie
Nov 12, 2012
1
0
I had the same problem. Removing security also worked for me. Until I left the house and now I am in a situation where I have to remove and reset security every time I return home in order to access wifi. Can anyone please help???
 
Last edited:
K

Kev D

macrumors newbie
Dec 22, 2012
1
0
Answer to the problem

Just disabled the password on the router - iPhone 4 joined the network.
Then enabled the password again and the iPhone 4 recognized the network and accepted the password - back on wi-fi!
 
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MzSNUGGLEZ

macrumors newbie
Sep 27, 2013
1
0
WPA2 vs WEP

I had all the same issues and have gone through all previous suggestions. Finally looking into my router security settings I noticed my router was set to WPA2 and not WEP. When I logged in the "other" then set the security to "WPA2" then entered my pass I was good to go....maybe this will solve the issue for someone else. Good luck. If I get kicked off agin I will report back.
 
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cdscdscds

macrumors newbie
Dec 14, 2014
1
0
Iphone Not connecting to home network

I too have the same issues for the last month plus. Tried all of above till the one on changing setting to disable security on my home router, Which was strange as I could still log in on all other devices. but worth a try..
and hay what it did.
Reset to disable
log Iphone in again
Change back to old password.
relog back in and presto all working again...

Many thanks to idea.... last one on me....
 
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