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Painfully slow WiFi on new iPhone 5

J

jmunter

macrumors newbie
May 20, 2012
17
0
egeek84 said:
My gut tells me that this really isn't a hardware issue. I really think it's a software issue with iOS6. I don't see how they could ship out such a large "bad batch" of phones. Because as I said in my previous post, the wifi works perfect when I am at my house (and even at the Apple store) yet on ATTs network at Starbucks and the ATT corporate stores, it is so freaking slow. Anyways, i'm not gonna stress about it anymore. I have a feeling Apple will put out a patch soon and if it does turn out to be a hardware issue, I have a full year warranty so i'm not gonna go out and rush to return mine since besides the wifi issue, it works perfectly and i'm very happy with it :)

----------



Maybe that's the issue, DNS versus hardware bug. That sounds very plausible.
Click to expand...

I'm almost positive it's not a general iOS 6 issue; I'm pretty sure it's an iOS 6 mixed with the new antenna and hardware of the iPhone 5 issue. My experiment above is pretty telling that it's only the iPhone 5 with the issue. I think this can be solved with a software update, and that is what I am expecting.

I'm in the same boat as you, I'm just going to wait it out until 6.01 or whatever update is released to see if it solves it. I don't want to take my phone in to get replaced right now anyways due to all the other problems people keep posting about.
 
B

bencjedi

macrumors 6502
Apr 2, 2010
279
25
In my testing using the numeric numbers for signal strength I have had the same results 100% of the time... if signal is 0-65 it's good wifi with great speed, but if it is 65+ forget it.. ugly, super slow.

How to Replace Your iPhone Signal Strength Bars With Numbers

See if you get the same results.

I believe it is a software issue in iOS6. Apple set that adaptive wifi->cellular transition thing to ease going in and out of wifi to keep consistent connectivity. I bet when the signal strength is 65 or more the algorithm is supposed to gracefully switch our devices into cellular connectivity, however that isn't happening well. If you are really close to the wifi source I bet your speeds are great. I wouldn't be surprised if Starbucks\AT&T stores have weaker wifi routers which explains why you guys have issues in those stores, but at home when you are 0-20ft from your router things are awesome.

I'd appreciate if others would test my theory.
 
Oppressed

Oppressed

macrumors 65816
Aug 15, 2010
1,265
10
bencjedi said:
In my testing using the numeric numbers for signal strength I have had the same results 100% of the time... if signal is 0-65 it's good wifi with great speed, but if it is 65+ forget it.. ugly, super slow.

How to Replace Your iPhone Signal Strength Bars With Numbers

See if you get the same results.

I believe it is a software issue in iOS6. Apple set that adaptive wifi->cellular transition thing to ease going in and out of wifi to keep consistent connectivity. I bet when the signal strength is 65 or more the algorithm is supposed to gracefully switch our devices into cellular connectivity, however that isn't happening well. If you are really close to the wifi source I bet your speeds are great. I wouldn't be surprised if Starbucks\AT&T stores have weaker wifi routers which explains why you guys have issues in those stores, but at home when you are 0-20ft from your router things are awesome.

I'd appreciate if others would test my theory.
Click to expand...

I changed it to numbers but is this for cellular only? How do I show wifi signal numbers?
 
I

Iphone4life84

macrumors newbie
Sep 27, 2012
5
0
I"m pretty certain its a hardware issues. I restored my Iphone from scratch through itunes then setting up as new. I tried resetting network connections, reset my router, changed my wifi setting to all of the different securities, tried a different router, and still no go. I was able to connect to the router but had very low to no speed at all. My Ipad 3 with IOS6 and my gf's iphone 4 with IOS6 had no problems receiving great speed. Yesterday I swapped my iphone out at the apple store went home and have had no problems with wifi at all. Incredibly fast and never drops connection.
 
B

bencjedi

macrumors 6502
Apr 2, 2010
279
25
Iphone4life84 said:
I"m pretty certain its a hardware issues. I restored my Iphone from scratch through itunes then setting up as new. I tried resetting network connections, reset my router, changed my wifi setting to all of the different securities, tried a different router, and still no go. I was able to connect to the router but had very low to no speed at all. My Ipad 3 with IOS6 and my gf's iphone 4 with IOS6 had no problems receiving great speed. Yesterday I swapped my iphone out at the apple store went home and have had no problems with wifi at all. Incredibly fast and never drops connection.
Click to expand...

I think it's root problem is hardware (antenna gate 2.0) but the quirkiness in how bad\often the symptoms are is exasperated by the iOS6's ability to dynamically shift the network from wifi to cellular. The signal level governs that switching mechanism so if the hardware isn't getting good\reliable wifi then the software is just following those bounds and doing what it is programmed to do. I think you are right.

As far as getting your iPhone to show the signal strength numerically I had thought that procedure would work for wifi, but evidently not. :(
I guess the only reason I have it is my iPhone 4 was jailbroken with SB Settings and I had ticked the setting that displayed wifi signal strength numerically. Evidently when I restored my iPhone 4 backup to my iPhone 5 that tweak setting somehow carried over. I don't know how to turn it on any other way. :(
 
aDRock1154

aDRock1154

macrumors 65816
Nov 15, 2011
1,396
9
Ohio
I did quite a few speed tests last night.. I have had "okay" WIFI speeds, but NOT what we're paying for every month. I took my wife's iPhone 4S and she was getting DOUBLE (and sometimes more than) speeds than my 5.

I'm not sure I even want to risk going and exchanging if it could possibly do the same.. This morning I was getting better speeds, so i'm gonna wait it out for right now. My local Apple Store has plenty of stock, but I don't wanna get the response "There's nothing wrong with your phone".
 
SR45

SR45

macrumors 65832
Aug 17, 2011
1,501
0
Florida
goBills said:
[/COLOR]I had my iPhone replaced due to the wifi issue and the light leak issue. My current iPhone still suffers from the wifi issues but not the light leak.

The craziest part was as soon as I went into an apple store today to get the current iPhone checked out the wifi was working. Get back home and its not working. I'm leaning towards some type of DNS bug versus hardware. It's so frustrating.
Click to expand...

I went into a Verizon store, and saw the strength bars at 5 on all of the phones, and asked why. Was informed that they have a device in the store that increases the signal strength but unknown if this is WiFi or over the air. This might be why in the Apple store strength bars are just fine, but when you leave and go home its not. Just a thought ;)
 
aDRock1154

aDRock1154

macrumors 65816
Nov 15, 2011
1,396
9
Ohio
I am also going to assume we still have no firm evidence this is a hardware or software issue?

I know I have read dozens of replies that have stated they got a replacement and it is fixed, but there were just as many replies of "did some tinkering/etc with WIFI/settings and all is working fine now" WITHOUT getting the unit replaced... Any ideas?
 
I

iphone5fever

macrumors member
Sep 18, 2012
31
0
bencjedi said:
In my testing using the numeric numbers for signal strength I have had the same results 100% of the time... if signal is 0-65 it's good wifi with great speed, but if it is 65+ forget it.. ugly, super slow.

How to Replace Your iPhone Signal Strength Bars With Numbers

See if you get the same results.

I believe it is a software issue in iOS6. Apple set that adaptive wifi->cellular transition thing to ease going in and out of wifi to keep consistent connectivity. I bet when the signal strength is 65 or more the algorithm is supposed to gracefully switch our devices into cellular connectivity, however that isn't happening well. If you are really close to the wifi source I bet your speeds are great. I wouldn't be surprised if Starbucks\AT&T stores have weaker wifi routers which explains why you guys have issues in those stores, but at home when you are 0-20ft from your router things are awesome.

I'd appreciate if others would test my theory.
Click to expand...

So here's the thing I have noticed. My signal strength never went below -82 but I still get varying results. Right not my strength is -130 because the network reception is very poor here (i am inside a classroom). But I am using my university's wifi and i am getting 50 down and almost same up. I am really confused now!
 
B

bencjedi

macrumors 6502
Apr 2, 2010
279
25
iphone5fever said:
So here's the thing I have noticed. My signal strength never went below -82 but I still get varying results. Right not my strength is -130 because the network reception is very poor here (i am inside a classroom). But I am using my university's wifi and i am getting 50 down and almost same up. I am really confused now!
Click to expand...

I called my local Apple store and setup a Genius bar meeting for this evening. They said no problem on a hardware swap to try to rule it out, so guess we'll see.
 
I

iphone5fever

macrumors member
Sep 18, 2012
31
0
Speedtest Comparison

So here's a speedtest comparison of my iPhone 3gs, iPhone 4 and iPhone 5. This is how badly my 5 performs when my home network is under stress during peak hours 7-10pm. But now this is true pretty much throughout the day:

http://youtu.be/_TOjrx-IsTQ
 
Last edited:
S

sandwicher

macrumors member
Sep 27, 2012
44
0
Test on Speedtest app on both my iPhone 5 (iOS6) and iPad 3 (5.1.1) on the same wifi, same location.

iPhone 5 constantly presents half or a third of the speed that iPad can pick up. (more than 5 tests were conducted together)

So, this SURELY mean something. either the iOS problem, or iPhone 5 hardware problem. (Since i've already eliminated tons of variables during this test)
 
S

Slabonski

macrumors newbie
Oct 25, 2011
26
0
egeek84 said:
My gut tells me that this really isn't a hardware issue. I really think it's a software issue with iOS6. I don't see how they could ship out such a large "bad batch" of phones. Because as I said in my previous post, the wifi works perfect when I am at my house (and even at the Apple store) yet on ATTs network at Starbucks and the ATT corporate stores, it is so freaking slow. Anyways, i'm not gonna stress about it anymore. I have a feeling Apple will put out a patch soon and if it does turn out to be a hardware issue, I have a full year warranty so i'm not gonna go out and rush to return mine since besides the wifi issue, it works perfectly and i'm very happy with it :)

----------



Maybe that's the issue, DNS versus hardware bug. That sounds very plausible.
Click to expand...

I find it ironic that the worst wifi speeds I get is from the ATT network at my local Starbuck. If I switch to 4G it works faster in the store.
 
paulie6978

paulie6978

macrumors 6502a
Jun 16, 2010
633
77
The Cradle of Liberty
they swapped mine yesterday no problem

have the same exact issue still... Slow wifi and it swithces between LTE and WIFI constantly

if it goes to sleep or I lock it goes to LTE

such BS
 
aDRock1154

aDRock1154

macrumors 65816
Nov 15, 2011
1,396
9
Ohio
paulie6978 said:
they swapped mine yesterday no problem

have the same exact issue still... Slow wifi and it swithces between LTE and WIFI constantly

if it goes to sleep or I lock it goes to LTE

such BS
Click to expand...

UGH! That's why i'm on the fence about exchanging... This HAS to be a software issue...

OR it's just a coincidence and you got a device like the first. I don't know. This is such a frustrating problem though.
 
Oppressed

Oppressed

macrumors 65816
Aug 15, 2010
1,265
10
To be honest I hope someone just figures out if the problem is either hardware or software based so I know if I have to return my phone or not. I have yet to hear of anyone returning their phone and not having the issue any more.
 
B

bencjedi

macrumors 6502
Apr 2, 2010
279
25
Oppressed said:
To be honest I hope someone just figures out if the problem is either hardware or software based so I know if I have to return my phone or not. I have yet to hear of anyone returning their phone and not having the issue any more.
Click to expand...

The op edited their post and it fixed it for them.
 
M

michael31986

macrumors 601
Jul 11, 2008
4,578
704
Everyone does know each iOS works differently with each phone. Meaning 5 vs 4. My wifi at home is as fast as ever.
 
nidserz

nidserz

macrumors 6502a
Mar 28, 2008
955
16
Dubai x Toronto
So I know my router at home isn't the best, and read it was a WPA2 issue, so I reset my router, and took off the password.
When I was really close, the iPhone stayed conencted and speeds were great. I shifted maybe 5-6 feet away and the WiFi kept dropping and speeds were half if not worse. I will test it out with a new router this weekend.
I am not sure what to do, but they have ordered a replacement and will let me know when it is in stock.
iPhone works fine on other WiFi network, so that is why I am even more confused.
 
B

bencjedi

macrumors 6502
Apr 2, 2010
279
25
nidserz said:
So I know my router at home isn't the best, and read it was a WPA2 issue, so I reset my router, and took off the password.
When I was really close, the iPhone stayed conencted and speeds were great. I shifted maybe 5-6 feet away and the WiFi kept dropping and speeds were half if not worse. I will test it out with a new router this weekend.
I am not sure what to do, but they have ordered a replacement and will let me know when it is in stock.
iPhone works fine on other WiFi network, so that is why I am even more confused.
Click to expand...

You and me have the EXACT same symptom. What router do you own? Mine is a D-Link DIR-655 running the latest available firmware.

I am not using WPA2.. just WEP cause our Nintendo Wii doesn't support another encryption (because I won't update it due to 'things' I've done to it LOL). I'm not sure WPA2 has anything to do with it because of this. My neighbor down the street has a Linksys router and speeds are great (even in his front yard), so could our problem be the sensitivity to our routers?
 
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