Resolved

[pdr1990]

When I place my thumb over the antenna above the silent switch, the Wi-Fi drops completely. My solution has been to not place my thumb there, but there are so many situations in which it's unavoidable.

Is this something that can be fixed with a software update? Should I be concerned? Is anyone else able to reproduce the problem?

 

[cababah]

When my Wi-Fi connection kept dropping, I called Apple to see if there was a problem with my iPhone 4S. We went through all of the troubleshooting to no avail. Later, after reading several forum posts, I realized that the issue was not unique to my iPhone. I decided to do my own troubleshooting, and I managed to isolate the problem.

When I place my thumb over the antenna above the silent switch, the Wi-Fi drops completely. My solution has been to not place my thumb there, but there are so many situations in which it's unavoidable.

Is this something that can be fixed with a software update? Should I be concerned? Is anyone else able to reproduce the problem?

Will this be wifi-gate?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

When I place my thumb over the antenna above the silent switch, the Wi-Fi drops completely. My solution has been to not place my thumb there, but there are so many situations in which it's unavoidable.

The WiFi antenna is actually under the back glass, it's not one of the stainless antennas on the outer edge of the phone. iFixIt doesn't mention the antenna in their teardown, it's visible in one photo and then just "gone" in the next - but it's basically in the center top of the back of the phone, and extends down below the camera. They point it out in the iPhone 4 teardowns, so you can see what it looks like there to help identify it in the 4S pictures.

It looks a little smaller (or at least reshaped/repositioned) on the 4S as compared to the GSM iPhone 4. The iPhone 4's antenna stretched almost all the way across the back top of the phone, the 4S looks to be only about 2/3 across. So perhaps it's easier to block the 4S antenna with your hand, if you're holding the phone at the top.

Interestingly based on what you're finding about where you put your thumb to interfere with it - the antenna is NOT near the mute switch - it's on the other side of the phone (nearer the camera). Not drawing any conclusions from that, just making the observation.

 

[pdr1990]

Interestingly based on what you're finding about where you put your thumb to interfere with it - the antenna is NOT near the mute switch - it's on the other side of the phone (nearer the camera). Not drawing any conclusions from that, just making the observation.

Perhaps my iPhone is confusing the antennas.

 

[HazyCloud]

I can't seem to reproduce your issue, but I'm having weird upload speeds with my 4S. Every Apple device I own gets better upload speeds than my 4S.

I made a thread about it here.

 

[Thetonyk123]

my ipod touch does this when I cover the top

 

[pdr1990]

I can't seem to reproduce your issue, but I'm having weird upload speeds with my 4S. Every Apple device I own gets better upload speeds than my 4S.

I made a thread about it here.

I hope there's a software update soon.

 

[Thetonyk123]

After reading your thread, it really does seem like a bug is causing all of these issues with Wi-Fi. I hope there's a software update soon.

You could also see what Apple says.

 

[pdr1990]

Resolved.