# Diagnose my iPhone problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 26, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843 "2012-09-26T01:23:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/1 "2012-09-26T01:23:57Z")
For some reason my phone stopped reading wifi signals. When I go under settings WiFi is greyed out and simply says “No WiFi.” There is nothing to click on. Nothing to change. I tried turning it off and on. I tried resetting the network settings. I took it to the Verizon store. They seemed confused. They turned it off and on. They reset the network settings. No good nothing changed. Still no WiFi. Verizon said they would send a replacement phone. Its not that old and I don’t want to go that route yet. I will take it to the Apple store when I get a chance but that will be over the weekend at the earliest. So I leave it to the Teeming to see if they can come up with an answer first. It is an iPhone 4S. I did not download iOs6 yet. ---
**Author:** ![FoundWaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@FoundWaldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoundWaldo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/2 "2012-09-26T01:41:34Z")
What’s the downside of getting a replacement? Take it to the Apple Store, if it’s under warranty, they’ll swap it for you on the spot (assuming it’s a hardware problem). In and out in 15 minutes (I’ve done this three times over the course of owning iPhones). Just make sure you have a backup of your data, and swapping phones is painless. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/3 "2012-09-26T01:53:29Z")
I’m not familiar with the internals of iOS, and how it identifies hardware. Based on other operating systems I’ve used for phones, I’d say you have a hardware problem with your WiFi chip. I think the 4s has a combo WiFi/BT/FM chip from Broadcomm. There aren’t many circuits in common, so you could have a WiFi failure and still have BT working. But if your BT is also failing, then we can have some confidence in the issue. So I’d say check out the BT settings and see if they are available. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/4 "2012-09-26T02:02:42Z")
Before you do anything drastic, do a “hard reset” by holding the power button and home button down at the same time until the phone powers off, then turn it back on again. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2012, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/5 "2012-09-26T08:37:36Z")
If you’re going to do more and more drastic things, do a factory reset next. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/6 "2012-09-26T18:58:52Z")
I did do the hard reset and it did not work. I will have to move somethings off the phone first before I try the factory reset. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/7 "2012-09-26T19:16:27Z")
My WiFi died on my 3G after 3 years. Your observation is exactly like my own. So I believe it is a hardware problem and you should just take the replacement phone. I went for two months before replacing it with an iPhone 4 as it was annoying but I am blessed with a great 3G speed so no need to really upgrade. There is one other even “harder” reset that they can do at the apple store that will return your phone to its initial state. This is a step up from the reset on your computer. However, I’d just take Verizon’s replacement and not resort to such extreme measures. ---
**Author:** ![FoundWaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@FoundWaldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoundWaldo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/8 "2012-09-26T19:19:27Z")
Seriously, just get the replacement. It’s super easy, and you’re getting a fresh battery, no scratches, etc. Unless it’s out of warranty, I see no reason to favor doing factory reset, etc. over just taking it to the Genius Bar and getting a replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/9 "2012-09-26T21:19:46Z")
> [@FoundWaldo](#): > > Seriously, just get the replacement. It’s super easy, and you’re getting a fresh battery, no scratches, etc. Unless it’s out of warranty, I see no reason to favor doing factory reset, etc. over just taking it to the Genius Bar and getting a replacement. I was hoping it was something stupid and simple I was over looking. I will most likely go with the replacement. I just have to get my pictures off first. No Wifi, No iCloud. ---
**Author:** ![FoundWaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@FoundWaldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoundWaldo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-iphone-problem/635843/10 "2012-09-27T00:06:56Z")
From now on should be backing up regularly (via USB if you don’t have wifi or icloud) anyway. If you drop the phone in water or something, and you don’t have backups, you’ll be sad…