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Hack a iphone for wifi only?
- Thread starter ckesten
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I don't buy that... Do a clean restore to the latest firmware. If that doesn't work (it will), jailbreak.
When I first got the iphone from a friend I brought it to apple store and they said you can't get wifi without service. Plus I try to and it doesn't work.
I have no idea how to jail break that's why I'm asking.
Thanks for the responses so far
I have no idea how to jail break that's why I'm asking.
Thanks for the responses so far
Just to clarify, when you say Wi-Fi, you are talking about using wireless 802.11 style networking like they have at Starbucks, on college campuses, on a home router etc... and not talking about being able to get wireless data off the cellular network (i.e. edge or 3g), right?
Sorry if this question offends, but I just wanted to make sure we're covering the basics.
OK... not offended.. lets just start over because this is getting ridiculous..
I'm not a newbie.. ive had an ipod touch and macs for a long time.. i know what its like to connect to the internet.
i lost my ipod touch on the train, my friend bought the iphone 3gs and gave me his first generation iphone so i could use as an ipod.
when i try to connect to the internet via a network it says i have to "activate" first.
lets keep this post to people who know what they are talking about because A) I don't know the majority of what I'm talking about and thats why I am asking for help, and B) the majority of these posts are attacking me for not knowing anything when in actually these posters have no clue.
So, if you want to post something constructive, please do. But if your someone like Beric who thinks he's funny by using sarah palin as his avatar but really a liberal (real original) and spewing things like "eah, I don't see the issue. You have the iPhone. Actually trying to connect it to wifi would have taken less time than asking about it here." then don't respond.
I have deactivated iPhones, 2G and 3G and they work via wifi... just connected them as I always have..
I think that is the point... this question is hard to answer since it is simple to just connect it... try the restore...
I think that is the point... this question is hard to answer since it is simple to just connect it... try the restore...
Trying to replicate your issue.
I have a first gen that I gave to my daughter after I got a 3GS.
I just pulled the SIM card, put it in Airplane mode and WiFi works just fine.
Here it is when I turn off Airplane mode.
You may need to have your friend drop his working SIM in there and activate it.
Once that's done, you should be able to remove the SIM and have what is essentially an iPod Touch.
I have a first gen that I gave to my daughter after I got a 3GS.
I just pulled the SIM card, put it in Airplane mode and WiFi works just fine.
Here it is when I turn off Airplane mode.
You may need to have your friend drop his working SIM in there and activate it.
Once that's done, you should be able to remove the SIM and have what is essentially an iPod Touch.
I may know what the deal is
I had a 2g iPhone and removed the SIM thinking it had already been activated with my previous service and had been planning on selling the phone. When upgrading from 2.2.1 to OS 3.0 (after getting my 3GS and transferring service) it wiped the phone and required reactivation. Because my service had been moved to the new phone I couldn't use the old SIM to reactivate legitimately unless I wanted to use iTunes to set it up as a new phone complete with purchasing a plan for it.
This guy doesn't want to do that, he wants the iPod functions only.
The short answer is that you'll need to jailbreak and unlock your phone. I did and it works great.
The long answer is that there is a whole forum here to walk you through various methods of doing it. The first time is scary, the second and all times after is super simple. Google "Redsn0w", zero not 'O'. You'll need a few files that the program itself tells you about, but another Google search for those specific file names will get you where you need to be.
The program will ask a few questions, ask for the files, then ask if you want Unlock during the install process. You do. It'll ask if you want to install Cydia or Icy... choose one, but not both. I'd recommend Cydia.
Other than that, read the directions on the Redsn0w website several times. Print them out and follow them step by step if you need to. Every single bit of info you need is there.
Good luck.
I had a 2g iPhone and removed the SIM thinking it had already been activated with my previous service and had been planning on selling the phone. When upgrading from 2.2.1 to OS 3.0 (after getting my 3GS and transferring service) it wiped the phone and required reactivation. Because my service had been moved to the new phone I couldn't use the old SIM to reactivate legitimately unless I wanted to use iTunes to set it up as a new phone complete with purchasing a plan for it.
This guy doesn't want to do that, he wants the iPod functions only.
The short answer is that you'll need to jailbreak and unlock your phone. I did and it works great.
The long answer is that there is a whole forum here to walk you through various methods of doing it. The first time is scary, the second and all times after is super simple. Google "Redsn0w", zero not 'O'. You'll need a few files that the program itself tells you about, but another Google search for those specific file names will get you where you need to be.
The program will ask a few questions, ask for the files, then ask if you want Unlock during the install process. You do. It'll ask if you want to install Cydia or Icy... choose one, but not both. I'd recommend Cydia.
Other than that, read the directions on the Redsn0w website several times. Print them out and follow them step by step if you need to. Every single bit of info you need is there.
Good luck.
Apple is full of ****, the iPhone can use WiFi without a SIM/phone service.
Your friend probably gave the phone a fresh install AFTER he got the new one.
This would have killed the activation flag in the software.
Since he was the original owner and has the original SIM, he "should" be able to insert the SIM in the old phone, connect to iTunes and have it re-activate the phone without setting it up with a new phone plan.
Heavy emphasis on "should".
If he used the SIM card that came with the new phone and killed the old one, it might not work.
I simply transferred my SIM from my 1st Gen to my 3GS. That way I can always reactivate my old one if I ever had to do a software update on it or needed to use it for some reason.
Because Apple is required to sell iPhones with AT&T service attached, contractually.
To admit or hint that you can use the phone without the service in any way without a service contract would not be something they are able to do.
I have a 2G that I beta test on... no SIM... after fresh installs it still works via wifi... I mean I even deleted everything... taking over an hour... restored as a new iPhone and it still works via wifi...
Interesting... mine has always required me to connect to iTunes and activate it whenever I do a fresh install.
Not the whole setup new service part, just the two second, connect and verify type.
I'm thinking a Jailbreak might be in order.
Not hard at all, but it will solve your activation issue.
I believe there is something about activating a phone for dev testing that changes the activation process. Some thread I was following earlier today had someone raving about updating to the 3.1 beta and solving some issue he had along these lines. I wish I could find the thread and link it, but in lieu of that take this info with a grain of salt.
Fantastic! Now tell the OP how you did that, because if you're using an iPhone originally from ATT and you've never needed activation you've got a very special phone.
i had the same problem you had when i moved to japan and canceled aTT. just jail break it, and it works fine.
We just did this with our old 2G. No longer used as a phone, wiped all the data off it, it had the image for plug into iTunes. Plugged it in, it asked if we wanted to restore it as a new phone or an exisiting one. Said new, gave it a name, and it did it's first iTunes sync. With the old sim, it never tried to set it up as a phone.
Put in airplane mode and turned on wifi.
Put in airplane mode and turned on wifi.