Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > iPhone, iPad & iPod > Wi-Fi Reception

Wi-Fi Reception
Thread Tools
terryshaw09
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Oct 2007
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 9, 2007, 10:18 PM
 
i know it depends on were you are but i have heard that the iphone doesnt get great reception for internet. I was wondering if the ipod touch was the same or what?
     
theDreamer
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Feb 2007
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 9, 2007, 10:23 PM
 
the iphone doesnt get great reception for internet
What?
My phone gets great reception, I have been at the end of my block (probably 30 yards) and still held my wifi reception. The only limitation on wifi is the internal hardware in the phone, which of course will not equal a PC but it does a very good job.

I would assume the wifi would be the same, but without popping one open and comparing that would be the only solid test.

It is dreams that will survive, for a dream is immortal.
     
terryshaw09  (op)
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Oct 2007
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 9, 2007, 10:30 PM
 
hmm were the heck did i read that the iphone's reception was one of its cons? geez now i have to look around for it.
     
theDreamer
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Feb 2007
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 9, 2007, 10:39 PM
 
Originally Posted by terryshaw09 View Post
hmm were the heck did i read that the iphone's reception was one of its cons? geez now i have to look around for it.
They may have stated it can be a bit slow, but that is the internal hardware. Also when it it putted up against a "mobile" internet device it will always lose, because of the different load styles that go into it. Also the one down side to the iPhone having full internet is the ads; unfortunately there is no ad block yet and does slow down browsing on some websites.

It is dreams that will survive, for a dream is immortal.
     
vln2
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 9, 2007, 11:14 PM
 
Originally Posted by theDreamer View Post
What?
My phone gets great reception, I have been at the end of my block (probably 30 yards) and still held my wifi reception. The only limitation on wifi is the internal hardware in the phone, which of course will not equal a PC but it does a very good job.
I do not know what device you used before the iPhone but from my own experience with IPAQ iPhone does have more limited WiFi reception. I used to pick up about 6+ Access Points on my street, now it is down to 2 on iPhone.
     
Cold Warrior
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Polwaristan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 9, 2007, 11:25 PM
 
Originally Posted by theDreamer View Post
Also the one down side to the iPhone having full internet is the ads; unfortunately there is no ad block yet and does slow down browsing on some websites.
maybe once the latest version is jailbroken, someone will figure out how to enable Safari to use a CSS to remove the ads.
     
AC Rempt
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2007, 01:55 AM
 
Or he's heard comments about EDGE, which ain't the same thing as Wi-Fi by a long shot. Internet access via wi-fi rocks, and via EDGE, it's not so rocking. To be honest, I know that people have had lousy EDGE results, but I get pretty good speeds down here in San Diego. I'm going to San Francisco this weekend, so I'll be eager to see how it works there.

Either way, Terry, browsing on the iPhone is good fun.
     
chriswithpepper
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Oct 2007
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2007, 09:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
maybe once the latest version is jailbroken, someone will figure out how to enable Safari to use a CSS to remove the ads.
Can someone say... Mozilla?
Chris McCorkle • Happy iPhone Owner!
     
Geobunny
Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2007, 09:50 AM
 
Can't comment about the iPhone but the iPod touch's WiFi is pretty abysmal. Sitting in the very same room as my router, approximately 15 feet away with nothing between me and it (microwave off etc.), my Touch gets just over half strength signal. Me olde powerbooke Titanium gets full to 3/4 signal no matter which room I'm in and only drops to a half signal when I move outside or go upstairs.

Haven't tested my iPod Touch in any other room yet cos I was out last night, but it's not looking promising. I'll be mighty pissed off if I can't use it in my bedroom to watch TV streaming from EyeTV 2.5!
ClamXav - the free virus scanner for Mac OS X | Geobunny learns to fly
     
Earth Mk. II
Mac Elite
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2007, 09:51 AM
 
Originally Posted by vln2 View Post
I do not know what device you used before the iPhone but from my own experience with IPAQ iPhone does have more limited WiFi reception. I used to pick up about 6+ Access Points on my street, now it is down to 2 on iPhone.
I've heard, and I'll try to find the source, that the iPhone has a higher signal threshold to display a network as available than is typical.


Originally Posted by chriswithpepper View Post
Can someone say... Mozilla?
GAH! The iPhone would seize up under that load!
/Earth\ Mk\.\ I{2}/
     
SSharon
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2007, 11:58 AM
 
I get decent reception with my iphone but it is always less than what my ibook gets. It hasn't been a big deal for me so far as it works were I need it to.
AT&T iPhone 5S and 6; 13" MBP; MDD G4.
     
analogue SPRINKLES
Professional Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: T •
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2007, 02:56 PM
 
Me and all my friends with iPhones find the reception is rather low for them. When it gets a signal though it is fast enough but the range is really poor when compared to any other computer.


It is to be expected though as it is a tiny antenna with mostly plastic around it and your hand.
     
nonhuman
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Baltimore, MD
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2007, 03:58 PM
 
When I've got my iPhone and my MacBook with me, I definitely find that the MacBook gets better WiFi reception from the same access point. It's never actually caused a problem for me though, unless I'm at the extreme range of the access point already (case in point: at the Starbucks on the Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, IL I could just barely get onto the free WiFi network from the Panera across the highway reliably with my MacBook, but my iPhone didn't see it at all). However I've found that it's generally the case that the networks the iPhone doesn't see and the MacBook does are networks that even the MacBook can barely connect to and often can't maintain a reliable connection, so I don't really feel that it's much of a limitation on the iPhone's capability, especially since you've (almost) always got EDGE as backup.
     
Applewoman
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2007
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 5, 2007, 08:55 AM
 
Hello,

I got an iPod Touch about a month ago and I just bought an iPhone. I have noticed that the signal indicator on the Touch is much higher than the iPhone. In fact, when Touch gets the highest level, iPhone doesn't even find the network...
I restored the iPhone but didn't change anything...
Did anyone have the same problem? Is there a solution? or iPhone is just weaker?
     
DigitalEl
Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Not Quite Phoenix
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 5, 2007, 10:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by vln2
I used to pick up about 6+ Access Points on my street, now it is down to 2 on iPhone.
At work I have my MacBook sitting right next to my iPhone.

The MacBook shows the furniture store with an open network, which is right next door .. and the Dollar Store across the street, with its locked network. My iPhone sees neither.

At home, my MacBook picks up 4 or 5 networks which are all up & down my street. The iPhone sees only my own network.
Jalen's dad. Carrie's husband.  partisan. Bleu blanc et rouge.
     
CorpITGuy
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Sep 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 5, 2007, 10:44 AM
 
Mine is sporadic.

Sometimes I pick up more than my laptop. Sometimes far fewer.
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." - Winston Churchill

MacBook Pro 17" 2.33 GHz - (mine)
MacBook Pro 15" 1.83 GHz - (wife)
Pair of iPhones
     
Sophus
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Norway
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 7, 2007, 05:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
maybe once the latest version is jailbroken, someone will figure out how to enable Safari to use a CSS to remove the ads.
Just curious: does the iPhone use a "hosts" file? If so, ads may be blocked using that. Very effective and saves bandwidth and load time, which I believe css-blocking of ads doesn't - if anything, it probably slows down drawing of the pages and the ads are downloaded, just not displayed?

(I don't have an iPhone yet - it is in transit from Applestore).

Sophus
     
   
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:53 PM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,