I am sure I have something wrong in my settings but I can't figure out what it is. I have a 4s and its updated and backed up to the cloud and Itunes. I can't seem to check my Hotmail or Facebook unless I'm at home on my WiFi. My 3gs could still pick up enough signal in these same areas to be able to check my mail. My 4s shows 3g with 3 bars but it just keeps saying "loading". any ideas would be appreciated.
hotmail and Facebook issues
- Thread starter fiendish1
- Start date
That sounds like an AT&T cell tower overload issue for data connections. Which is something people have been complaining about for 3 years. And considering how many people are now buying the iPhone 4S, I can only see this problem getting worse on AT&T.
- Thread Starter
- #3
Thanks. The only problem with that is, I can't get anything unless I'm at home on the wifi...........even my 3gs was able to check mail when I was out and about in the same areas ( like, on my own street)........It seems like I have something set wrong.
iHolophyte
Active Member
Maybe it's like skull said. I'd first call your mobile/cell carrier and see if there are any reports that there is an issue with the network service. If this is the case that'll be why your 3G isn't working. If its not this then eliminate that from your list and try the second step. Restore your iPhone and see if that works.
Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk
Actually a thought has occurred. On Verizon I can update my PRL (Preferred Roaming List). Which is basically a set of tower identifiers so my phone knows how best to communicate on them. Found out if AT&T has a similar thing. If it does, maybe the iPhones current list is out of date and you can fix it.
- Thread Starter
- #6
I talked to AppleCare first (no luck), then I called AT&T and was told to turn off WiFI and reboot the phone and that seemed to work........ AT&T said that the phone has trouble connecting to 3g when the WiFi is on? That doesn't make much sense to me because I never had to do that before with my 3GS.
Actually that makes a lot of sense to me. They went to a new cellular chip with the iPhone 4S. Odds are there is a software glitch. I'll try to be break it down to its base issues.
The 3G cellular chip is ALWAYS on. BUT the data routing is based on if WiFi is available. If no WiFi is available, it switches to the 3G data portion of the chip, changes your IP, MAC address and routing tables. Every time you press the home/sleep buttong the phone wakes up and lights up the screen. During that time frame the phone scans for the WiFi connection and if found switches to it immediately. If when going back to sleep if there was a step skipped or error occurred and the WiFi didn't 100% disconnect when you changed location, then the phone would think you are on WiFi when you aren't and would then permanently lock out 3G data until you did a reboot of the phone. There suggestion would fit with that since the first thing the phone does on boot is look for WiFi. By having it off it can only lock on to 3G data.
Thank you for posting this because now I can give sound advice on the subject.
The 3G cellular chip is ALWAYS on. BUT the data routing is based on if WiFi is available. If no WiFi is available, it switches to the 3G data portion of the chip, changes your IP, MAC address and routing tables. Every time you press the home/sleep buttong the phone wakes up and lights up the screen. During that time frame the phone scans for the WiFi connection and if found switches to it immediately. If when going back to sleep if there was a step skipped or error occurred and the WiFi didn't 100% disconnect when you changed location, then the phone would think you are on WiFi when you aren't and would then permanently lock out 3G data until you did a reboot of the phone. There suggestion would fit with that since the first thing the phone does on boot is look for WiFi. By having it off it can only lock on to 3G data.
Thank you for posting this because now I can give sound advice on the subject.
iHolophyte
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So his simplest 'cure' is to disable WiFi when out and about IMHO, utherwise perhaps this glitch see's other networks and might behave as though he is logged into one of them, even if not authorized?
No. It will never hook automatically to another WiFi network unless you authorize. To do otherwise would be a security breach waiting to happen.
The cure is to wait for Apple to release a patch for it unfortunately. Since this is probably a switch over bug in the software.
The cure is to wait for Apple to release a patch for it unfortunately. Since this is probably a switch over bug in the software.
- Thread Starter
- #11
That seemed to solve the problem. I have WiFi turned off under settings and I can access the internet on the road and in my home using 3g. I'm wondering if I will have to do a hard power cycle anytime I turn WiFi on though.
