iPhone 3GS 802.11n?

[LA MacUser]

Interesting development.

I have an apple bluetooth headset. It's paired with my iphone and shows that it is connected at the top of the screen.

When I try to make/receive a call, the input defaults to the phone. When I try to choose the bluetooth headset it switches (on screen) to the headset then back to the iphone. There is no sound from the headset.

I've tried to reconnect the headset and try to make a call. Again, it looks like it switches then switches back to the iphone.

I'll keep trying to get it to work. Will keep you posted.

 

[nateo200]

Well maybe I should not have use the term "True N". I have to delve further to see if you would still get MIMO at 2.4GHZ on your other N devices. I have not found a technical reason yet why you would not.

Now you have me curious. I need to by an N router next week. My biggest problem is I have 30 devices running on G or B at my house. For those I can change, I guess it's one card at at time.

Run one network on channel 1 (2.412GHz something like that) for your gameing systems then run the N router on channel 10 that way the two routers don't overlap in channels. That's what I did at my house, I had two routers and one kept drowning the other out REALL BAD (Like my speeds dropped from 14MB/s to internet on my laptop with built in N connected to my N router, they both had a through put of 300MB/s plus locally) then I changed channels and all was well. Also N devices and G/B Devices are supposed to be backwards compatible and the "real" N is supposed to support wireless A as well. Additionally I know theres a way to change a G router to use 40MHz splitting instead of 20MHz only.

 

[sinsin07]

Run one network on channel 1 (2.412GHz something like that) for your gameing systems then run the N router on channel 10 that way the two routers don't overlap in channels. That's what I did at my house, I had two routers and one kept drowning the other out REALL BAD (Like my speeds dropped from 14MB/s to internet on my laptop with built in N connected to my N router, they both had a through put of 300MB/s plus locally) then I changed channels and all was well. Also N devices and G/B Devices are supposed to be backwards compatible and the "real" N is supposed to support wireless A as well. Additionally I know theres a way to change a G router to use 40MHz splitting instead of 20MHz only.

Thanks for the heads up!. I did not even thing about the fact that if I set the router to N and 5ghz only to get the max capability, I would be locking out my gaming systems, printers, etc.

 

[WilliamG]

Thanks for the heads up!. I did not even thing about the fact that if I set the router to N and 5ghz only to get the max capability, I would be locking out my gaming systems, printers, etc.

That's the reason I sold my N-only Time Capsule, and bought a dual-band Time Capsule. My printers and gaming system connect to the 2.4Ghz-only G band, and my laptops etc connect to the N-only 5Ghz band. There's a huge difference in speed when my laptops connect via N 5Ghz vs G 2.4Ghz.

 

[LA MacUser]

Did a full restore and reconnected the bluetooth headset. Still works on the N network and now the bluetooth works as it should.

 

[sinsin07]

Did a full restore and reconnected the bluetooth headset. Still works on the N network and now the bluetooth works as it should.

That's good news!!!

 

[LA MacUser]

The only thing that remotely could have had an effect was that when the 3GS first came out there was a .ipsw file that was able to be downloaded to enable tethering. I could never get it to work right and ended up restoring the phone to its original settings. Since then I've been doing regular upgrades, now at the latest 3.1 version. Currently when I check the General/Network Settings, I still see the tethering option. Is it possible the .ispw file could still be there?

Yesterday I did another full restore and it still works on the n only 2.4 GHz setting. The tethering option is still there. Tried to use it but it doesn't work.

 

[mike12806]

I know this is off topic, but what are you using for your edge router/firewall?

Thanks

pfsense, a freeBSD based router OS on an old-er IBM PC.

 

[sinsin07]

pfsense, a freeBSD based router OS on an old-er IBM PC.

Thanks, I'll see if distrowatch has this and give it a go.

 

[LA MacUser]

I decided to create a new network using my Airport Express and test it using the 802.11n only 2.4Ghz setting. I unplugged my 1TB TC.

This time I was able to see the n only network but unable to join using my correct password.

I then disconnected the test network and started the original network on the 1TB Time Capsule again.
This time I was also able to see the n only network but unable to join.

I take it that the powering down had an issue with the settings.

It is interesting however that now, although my iPhone does not officially have the ability to join a n network, it can see the network and gives the option to join it. Kinda of strange for an iPhone that does not have a N capable chip.

I understand that others cannot join an n only network as I had, but can anyone at least see the a n only 2.4GHz network?

 

[Pattycerts]

Same as post above, on 'n only' I can see the network but cannot join. You must be lucky

 

[DualShock]

The options I am given via the Airport Utility are as follows:

802.11n (802.11b/g compatible)
802.11n only (2.4GHz)

802.11n (802.11a compatible)
802.11n only (5GHz)

From what I can tell, the iPhone is only supposed to work with the b/g compatible setting, which lowers the throughput to g speeds when accessing the network.

Screen shot attached.

FYI, if you option-click the menu for selecting the network type you get more choices. I believe the iPhone supports 802.11a. Maybe your phone is connecting using it.

 

[albatross83]

5Ghz is where the performance is

Actually the carrier frequency doesn't affect the speed of 802.11n at all; only the channel bandwidth does (20MHz vs. 40MHz, as you mentioned). The only advantage of using 5GHz over 2.4GHz is that you're less likely to have clutter on the 5GHz spectrum. That's because a) higher frequencies are more attenuated by physical objects like walls, so your neighbor's signal isn't likely to make it into your house, and b) there are simply fewer people/devices using 5GHz. The disadvantage is that you may not get as much coverage at 5GHz, because the signal is attenuated (absorbed) by walls, floors, and even water vapor in the air.

 

[Badfoot]

" Wi-Fi
Marvell was the Wi-Fi chipset used in the iPhone "2G"/3G. For the iPhone 3GS, the Broadcom BCM4325 chipset was used, supporting 802.11 b/g. Note that although this chip also supports FM radio, this feature does not seem to be useable in the iPhone 3GS at this time. In addition, even though the chip supports 802.11a or 802.11n, the iPhone and iPod Touch does not use them (sticking to the 2.45 GHz of 802.11b/g).

The iPhone "2G"/3G uses a Marvell chip, which has 802.11 b/g capability.
The iPod Touch "2G" and iPhone 3GS uses the Broadcom BCM4325 chip, which has 802.11 a/b/g capability.
The iPod Touch "3G" uses the Broadcom BCM4329 chip, which has 802.11 a/b/g/n capability. "

 

[christall109]

" Wi-Fi
Marvell was the Wi-Fi chipset used in the iPhone "2G"/3G. For the iPhone 3GS, the Broadcom BCM4325 chipset was used, supporting 802.11 b/g. Note that although this chip also supports FM radio, this feature does not seem to be useable in the iPhone 3GS at this time. In addition, even though the chip supports 802.11a or 802.11n, the iPhone and iPod Touch does not use them (sticking to the 2.45 GHz of 802.11b/g).

The iPhone "2G"/3G uses a Marvell chip, which has 802.11 b/g capability.
The iPod Touch "2G" and iPhone 3GS uses the Broadcom BCM4325 chip, which has 802.11 a/b/g capability.
The iPod Touch "3G" uses the Broadcom BCM4329 chip, which has 802.11 a/b/g/n capability. "

Can you please clarify what this 9to5mac article suggest? Is the iPhone 3GS capable of true 802.11n if Apple were to switch it on tomorrow?

It's really confusing to me and probably a lot of other people out there.

 

[drexel99]

anyone having any problem with the ipad connecting to a linksys wireless n only router? It won't seem to connect?

 

[razvandan]

3GS works fine for me on 2.4 GHz N-only

I am using WPA2 Personal wireless security on an older model Time Capsule set on 2.4GHz N-only network. The 3GS was bought in the first day it was available in the UK and it runs iOS 4.0.

I suppose wireless-N capabilities were enabled for 3GS in iOS4, and while it still is 2.4 GHz only (as the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch 4G), the key to make the 3GS work on N is to set encryption to WPA2 Personal.

As for the 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz debate, I'm all for 2.4 as I prefer to sacrifice a bit of speed (the wide channels part) to gain a lot of range (2.4 GHz N-only networks have the widest range possible, and the difference is huge).

 

[razvandan]

No WiFi N for 3GS!

I'm not sure if this of any interest but I've recently discovered that my iPhone 3GS is able to do 802.11n networking. As far as I know the iPhone 3GS will only work on a 802.11b/g or 802.11n with b/g compatible network.

I have a wireless network consisting of a 1TB Time Capsule and an Airport Express. I've recently had trouble with the set up using 802.11n with b/g compatibility and switched my network over to 802.11n only in the 2.4GHz spectrum. I knew that I would loose the ability for my iphone to get on the network but was OK with that.

I noticed today that my iPhone is now getting on the n only network. I can use it as normal but only with the 802.11n 2.4Ghz setting. I've tried the other 4 settings and it works only on the 802.11b/g compatible and the 802.11n only 2.4Ghz setting.

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the carrier update for MMS yesterday as I've only noticed this today.

Has anyone else been using their iPhone 3GS on the N only (2.4Ghz) setting?

If this is old news or was previously known, I apologize for the repost.

No, 3GS does NOT connect to your (802.11n) Time Capsule, it connects to your Airport Express which does both n and b/g.

Just unplug the Airport Express and "boom": the 3GS loses connectivity.

I have exactly the same configuration, and the 3GS can only get wifi when the Airport Express is powered.

So 3GS doesn't do 802.11n. Sorry...