Filed under: How-tos, Tips and tricks, TUAW Tips, iPhone, iPhone 101
iPhone cellular data not working? Try resetting your network settings
The "Reset Network Settings" button on the iPhone not only resets your Wi-Fi settings -- resulting in a clean slate with respect to Wi-Fi access points and their passwords -- it also resets your phone carrier settings. Several months back, I had the darndest trouble with cellular data access. I could place and receive calls, but couldn't get cellular data access no matter what I did. I tried going into and out of airplane mode, turning the phone on and off, and resetting it, all with no luck.
So I decided to call AT&T. Apparently, one of the cell phone towers near my office was having trouble and fell out of and back into commission. And although the tower was back up and running, my iPhone was stuck in cellular data purgatory. AT&T support suggested that resetting the network settings on the device would likely resolve the issue: and it did. Resetting network settings has also helped me resolve an issue I was having with Visual Voicemail on another occasion.
To reset your iPhone's network settings, tap your way to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. With great power also comes great annoyances, like having to reconnect to previously remembered access points and having to re-enter passwords.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
welchb said 1:12PM on 11-11-2009
Would this help the completely ridiculous amount of dropped calls I've had the last month or so?
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Jon said 1:26PM on 11-11-2009
I am in disbelief - you solved my network connection issues!
Typed from an iPhone that can finally access the 3g network!
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Sam Katz said 1:31PM on 11-11-2009
If you feel like this is an issue with your phone (ie. you've gotten coverage in those same areas before and something changed, and you're using a current model), call in about it, or if you suspect it may be hardware related, take it to the genius bar. You may want to call Apple first, to see what they think.
If you feel you are in a "drop zone", report it.
http://www.cellcoverage.com/att-dropped-calls.asp
(Only do this if you are getting dropped calls in specific areas.)
--Sam
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cake97 said 1:41PM on 11-11-2009
this used to fix my issue. but my Internet connection issues just get worse. think it's time to hit the bar for a hardware issue on my gs...
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Mark Miller said 1:42PM on 11-11-2009
Thanks for the helpful advice! :)
Like WELCHB, I've been experiencing a lot of dropped calls lately, and so I'm hoping this will help, if not resolve, that problem.
I followed your instructions for resetting my iPhone 3G's network settings and they worked perfectly.
Just a minor but quick note: If you reset your iPhone's network settings, your iPhone will shut down after it completes; after you power on your iPhone again, if you were previously connected to Wi-Fi, you will need to go back into Settings to add yourself back to your Wi-Fi connection, as the reset disconnects you from whatever Wi-Fi you were last in.
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mark said 1:48PM on 11-11-2009
If you READ the article you would see these words:
"not only resets your Wi-Fi settings -- resulting in a clean slate with respect to Wi-Fi access points and their passwords"
To TUAW your Sony ads from eyewonder.com are ridiculous, they take over Firefox and render your site useless.
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FearlessFreep said 2:11PM on 11-11-2009
What Sony ads? You're using Firefox and NOT using AdBlockPlus?
Jordan said 3:12PM on 11-11-2009
It's funny how other phones on AT&T don't have this problem...maybe that should tell us something.
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Chris said 4:02PM on 11-11-2009
So no one takes issue with the solution to crappy Touch/iPhone problems constantly being the equivalent of 'backup and restore/start from scratch', or 'erase all your settings'? That's one hell of a device. I still love my iPod touch first gen, but I'm getting sick of having to monkey with the device just to get a wifi connection, or backup and restore to improve sync speed.
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J Dogg said 4:34PM on 11-11-2009
If you reset your Network Settings and go back to factory defaults, how do your carrier settings get updated? Do you reset your Network Settings and then update your phone via iTunes or is there an OTA update?
I'm leery to do this because 1) a 3G upgrade in my area is imminent and 2) I really only have problems with Call Drops and I don't know if a reset will alleviate that.
Does anybody know if a Network Reset is suggested after the upgrade from Edge to 3G happens?
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mattcascone said 4:44PM on 11-11-2009
I found that going into the network settings and turning off 3G and then turning it back on fixes that too (Settings > General > Network > Enable 3G).
Once turning 3G off wait until the status bar turns to EDGE mode (dot appears next to coverage meter) then turn 'Enable 3G' back on.
Also, That Sony ad is really bad.
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mark said 10:20PM on 11-11-2009
The problem with this is that it resets one's wi-fi passwords. I have lots of friends whose wi-fi passwords are unnecessarily cryptic (if they can even find them -- lol), and it's taken a while to build up the database of passwords on my phone, so that when I visit, I connect automatically.
Apple needs to split the reset function -- one for 3G tower connectivity, and a separate one for wi-fi.
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