Filed under: Bugs/Recalls, iPhone
iPhone 3GS users report slow or inconsistent Wi-Fi connections
A number of iPhone 3GS owners have reported slow and inconsistent data speeds, along with widely varying amounts of signal strength, when using Wi-Fi.Users note that signal strength can fluctuate between one and full bars even when standing right next to the router or when a computer nearby shows a constant signal. This goes along with a commensurate reduction in speed. Even at full signal on both the computer and the 3GS, one user reports getting a maximum of 3Mbit downloads on the iPhone while getting nearly 7Mbit downloads on a MacBook using the O2 network. The fluctuating signal strength problem has affected me since I brought home my new iPhone 3GS.
The other, more widely reported problem is a sizable speed decrease in the iPhone 3GS as compared to the iPod touch and iPhone 3G tested under the same conditions. In one case an iPod touch garnered download speeds of 4579ms and uploads of 1363ms, while the iPhone 3GS showed only 1360ms down and 160ms up.
Both problems seem to be more acute using an Airport Extreme/Time Capsule network than a third party solution. For one user, running the same speed test, a Netgear router provided twice the transfer speed and half the latency of an Airport Extreme.
Apple has addressed some user complaints with replacement units. This, however, hasn't solved the problem, even after one person replaced his phone three times. A non-verifiable source has suggested that this has not been corrected in the beta builds of the upcoming 3.1 software.
Most widely reported is the difference in transfer speeds between the 3G and the 3GS.
Michael Krasner has been following this and uploading movies documenting the differences. In his video he is using AT&T DSL in Florida and his Airport Extreme's radio mode is set to 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible) with two Airport Express' extending his network.
Have any of you new iPhone3GS owners been experiencing this?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
jonbruck said 9:10AM on 7-08-2009
I've noticed this on a 3G running the 3.0 software as well.
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DMcGrew said 9:45AM on 7-08-2009
Same here. I believe its a 3.0 issue. When I upgraded my 3G to 3.0 I immediately noticed that I was only getting 1 bar of WiFi signal when I always had a full signal before.
msiq said 9:50AM on 7-08-2009
Hopefully, the 3.0 service pack (aka 3.1) is on the way...
Heimbachae said 10:14AM on 7-08-2009
now, here's a question. are you using an Apple router? dumb question, i know, but most iphone owners shun Macs, and since switching over from a cisco router to an apple airport extreme i've had 0 problems.
ridders said 5:55PM on 7-08-2009
I have noticed significant loss of 3g signal after upgrading my 3G to 3.0. I ride the train everyday and had pretty consistent 4 bar signal 3 weeks ago, now it drops out often. Perhaps that ATT 4.2 release will help...still it's annoying.
Adam said 10:47AM on 7-08-2009
I've got an Airport Extreme and a 3G (not s) and haven't noticed any signal fluctuation.
Cap'n Ken said 9:13AM on 7-08-2009
Is there a natural wifi "speed limit" on iPhones because of the chipset used or something? I've got a new 18Mbps connection, but testing side-by-side I can never get more than about 2.5Mbps on my (original) iPhone when I'm pulling 16Mbps or better on my MacBook Pro. I hadn't thought to test for a difference when I was on my old DSL.
Maybe that's the issue - a worse-performing wifi chip in the 3GS is part of the magic that brings it to you for $199?
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Fernando said 9:19AM on 7-08-2009
I just ran the speed test on my 3GS. I am located in RI and used the Boston server and I got 1436Kbps down and 286Kbps up at 229ms latency. Not too shabby if you ask me.
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Cormier6083 said 7:20PM on 7-08-2009
I've noticed it a lot on my iPhone. I'm getting better speeds in YouTube on 3G than on WiFi
thebus said 9:27AM on 7-08-2009
I upgraded a 1st gen iPod touch with 3.0 and now I am having connectivity issues at various Wi-Fi hotspots that used to work fine with 2.1. At home, I have an Airport Extreme and it seems to work fine.
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Jason Stonehouse said 12:58PM on 7-08-2009
I've seen this as well with my 1st gen iPod Touch and have been thinking I was crazy. Connections dropping, iPod freezing up completely, etc. And none of those problems occur when I'm home using my Time Capsule for wireless access. I'm hoping that 3.1 fixes the problem.
Andre said 9:23AM on 7-08-2009
I get at least 5Mb/s on my 3GS (on Airport Extreme). No issues with signal strength.
It's about the same as my 3G was.
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Heimbachae said 10:17AM on 7-08-2009
hah, should have read this before i posted (look up). it's shocking i know, but apple products WORK BETTER with other apple products... silly iphone/pc users.
Timm said 9:26AM on 7-08-2009
I noticed this problem around my house. My wifi connection indicates full strength, but when I try to access a web page the iPhone says there is no internet connection. Turning wifi off and relying on 3G will get the internet connection going again.
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DHartson said 5:31PM on 7-17-2009
Ditto; not so much at home, but at Starbucks regularly, and at a friend's with an open Lynksys wifi router. At Starbucks the 3GS often does not even recognize a wifi signal outside of settings; it tries to connect in settings and times out, and outside of settings on a wifi LAN that has been used before, so that the connection should be automatic, other than logging in, and the iPhone shows no wifi signal.
Mike Wills said 10:05AM on 7-08-2009
I have the inconstant wireless strength on my iPod touch. Before the 3.0 update, I had between 2-3 bars in my office (which is the other end of the house from the AirPort Extreme). Now I get anywhere from 0 to 3 bars.
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mdaltezza said 10:54AM on 7-08-2009
I too am having the exact same issues with wifi on ipod touch 2g with new 3.0 firmware.
Lucion said 11:46AM on 7-08-2009
I am seeing the same thing with my iPod Touch 2g with 3.0 firmware connecting to a 1st gen Time Capsule. I never had less than three full bars before the 3.0 upgrade.
Drifter71 said 12:56PM on 7-08-2009
I have a 2nd gen IPT and with the 3.0 software, I too get less bars. I have an Airport Extreme and 2.2 did seem to have a better connection. Or maybe 3.0 just gives a more accurate signal strength reading. Who knows. I have noticed however that when at work I connect to my hidden network every time. The touch does seem to remember wifi spots a LOT better than in the previous version. With 2.2 I constantly had to reconnect to the hidden network.
Mark said 9:31AM on 7-08-2009
I just ran the DSLReports test on AirportExpress wifi on my 3GS. I'm getting latency of 159ms. Not fantastic, but comparable to his 3G on his last test.
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