[AusNOG] Apple iPhone5 Wifi connectivity problems - faulty Apple wireless chipsets?

[Bevan Slattery]

Hi everyone happy new year.

I've tried to post this twice to the Apple Support Forums but they seem to
not like it.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4679816

I was wondering if anyone on AUSNOG is having the same iPhone5 Wifi issues
and if so, please contact me off-list.

Could be nothing, could be something.  The fact Apple keep blocking my
posts is a bit bizarre too.  Maybe they didn't like the tag
shame-on-apple? :)

Ta

[b]

BACKGROUND:


iPhone 5 with IOS6 and had nothing
but Wifi problems.  Home network not working (despite being upgraded to
latest firmware).  Intermittent access while overseas in US hotel (all
my other devices were fine) and access to my mifi was generally Ok.
Back home and upgraded IOS 6.02 keen to get this disaster sorted.  Still
 doesn't work.  Reset my network settings, still doesn't work.  turned
off LTE, still doesn't work.

 
POSSIBLE SOLUTION:

 
After
 a ridiculous amount of grief, I had all put totally given up.  I read a
 post  about the fact that the person could connect on his work 5Ghz
network and decided to go to the config of my wifi access point to see
if I could "turn off" the 2.4Ghz option and just leave the 5Ghz option.
 Not an option.  I use a Fritzbox (really happy with).

 
But
 while I was playing around in the wireless options, I noticed that my
2.4Ghz frequency transceiver was set to the recommended channel setting
of "autoselect".  Autoselect seemed to be selecting channel "1" on the
2.4Ghz was in use by three other wifi's around here.  The wireless
settings page (which is really good on the Fritzbox) showed that
channels 1-7 were in use by other access points, but 8-14 were clear.  I
 over-rode the automatic channel selection and selected Channel "10",
hit "save this setting" and then BAM! MY IPHONE CONNECTED TO WIFI FOR
THE FIRST TIME AT HOME!!!

 
Now I appreciate at this
stage it doesn't make much sense and it maybe illogical, but it would
appear that on my iPhone (at this stage and it's only been an hour)
that either going "manual" instead of automatic channel select or
selecting a "clear" channel on my access point has resulted in my iPhone
 locking onto Wifi (or both).
 

Maybe iPhone 5 has a
problem with access points that do certain "handshakes" on automatic
channel selection (which doesn't quite make sense because its already
made the channel selection) or maybe it has a problem in the "channel 1"
 band of 2.4Ghz (which could mean a faulty piece of hardware in the
wireless chip - which could be why Apple have kept quiet), or maybe it
doesn't like "sharing" channels or maybe the wind just changed direction
 and it decided to work.  But I had to share this in case this actually
works with anyone else.

Be keen to see if this works for
anyone else and I have my fingers crossed that it keeps working and this
 wasn't some fluke and it falls back.

FURTHER RESEARCH:

I've
 done some research on this  and it appears that everyone who is having
problems with Wifi connectivity on the iPhone5 appear to have an Apple
WIFI chipset.  Not all Apple Chipsets are having problems but all the
problems seem to be with the Apple Chipsets (only brief research
conducted).
Intel Wifi/Wireless Chipsets seem to be fine.

 
My Wifi 
Chipset MAC address on my iPhone started with 34:C0:59 (which is listed
as Apple).  Can I ask that you enter your MAC address (by going into
Settings>General>About and scroll down to Wifi Address) into this
website and see which chipset you are using (Apple or Intel).

 
http://curreedy.com/stu/nic/
 
Keen
 to know if it's the Apple Wireless Chipset.  Please post the following
if you are having problems and whether this solution worked:


[example]

Problem:  iPhone5 can see wifi access point but can't connect
MAC Address (only need first 3 hex codes) 34:C0:59
Chipset Manufacturer (enter into site above):  Apple

I'd be keen to also see if the people having bluetooth problems are also
using Apple Wireless Chipsets too.

Thank you!