39TDS Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 After reset get repeated "unable to activate due to server being unavailable"Tried all the online suggestions now what?Apple Store or local phone mender? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 (edited) This sounds like a device activation issue. Potentially the iPhone does not have access to the internet, which is required to activate the device after a reset. During the initial setup, it'll ask you to join a wifi network. Avoid joining public networks, such as BT Openzone or anything which requires a log in. The iPhone may only have local access if this is the case. Restart your router, go back to the wifi settings in the setup stages and rejoin your network and try again. Edited July 8, 2015 by Billy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted July 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Thanks for the quick reply Billy. I restarted my router and tried again, same thing. This is using my home wifi with BT router. It has a password but the phone doesn't ask for it. Still says it is connected to wifi but displays "searching" where the carrier should show. Can also detect next doors wifi and does ask for that password. I assumed that as I had used the phone on my wifi before it remembered the password. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humperdingle Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Is your home internet actually working? Assuming so, as you're posting here! Jut check wifi is working ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 In settings you could try going to wifi settings and click on your home wifi and "forget this network" when thats done it should be listed in your wifi list try using it again and it should then ask for password, maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 In settings you could try going to wifi settings and click on your home wifi and "forget this network" when thats done it should be listed in your wifi list try using it again and it should then ask for password, maybe. That's not possible this early in the process. OP - by means of password, I mean that you're connecting to an open zone wireless network, which isn't passworded, but requires some account information to gain access to the Internet. Commonly known as a 'guest network' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted July 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 It's my own home wifi, not openspace or anything like that. Yes it's working fine, in fact it is better than usual. Whatever the problem is I am pretty confident it isn't my wifi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted July 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Having said that, if I had a new device and wanted to connect to this wifi I would have to put a password in as it is locked. This phone I am having trouble with does not ask for the password but does say it is connected. It displays the wifi symbol up where it would say 3G if connected to that. I assume it has somehow remembered it from prior to being reset. Is that even possible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Having said that, if I had a new device and wanted to connect to this wifi I would have to put a password in as it is locked. This phone I am having trouble with does not ask for the password but does say it is connected. It displays the wifi symbol up where it would say 3G if connected to that. I assume it has somehow remembered it from prior to being reset. Is that even possible? No, a reset is a reset and it will clear all network information and keychain information. The fact you have BT is what's bothering me. A lot of BT routers also offer guest networking which means your neighbours can use your internet at their cost. It's a ridiculously unsafe way to browse, but if you have your router, you should connect via the passworded means, not the one which is called Openzone or whatever. You can be connected to a network, but only granted local access. Perhaps the way to establish if the wireless is the issue is to go back through the steps and tell it not to join a wireless network and let it connect via your phone provider (you said it said 3G on the screen) If the problem persists whilst it says 3G on the screen, then we can try and find out what the next problem might be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted July 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 There is an option to opt out of the Openzone, which I have done ages ago. (I don't have any neighbours other than my Dad anyway) So it is a direct connection to my own broadband. It does not ask for the password though, but if I try to connect to my Dad's wifi it does ask. It doesn't get 3G as it doesn't connect to the carrier. Tried a few sims and although I am pretty sure the phone is unlocked I have tried a 3 sim which it definitely worked on previously. When I referred to the 3G symbol on the phone I was only talking about it's location, it hasn't shown the 3G symbol while I have had this problem. It does show the wifi symbol (in the same place) to say it is connected. Where it would normally display the cellular signal strength followed by the carrier logo ("3") it just continually says "searching". Since the phone last worked a new screen has been fitted, so I guess it could be messed up from that? Apologies if that was the vital info you should have had in the first place. Worked fine before, screen was replaced as it was cracked and had been for many months of use. It isn't a case of the screen getting broken and the phone breaking at the same time. Thank you for taking the time to assist Billy, it is very much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxshooter69 Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Have tried turning on the airplane mode, giving it a minute or so, then turning it off again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted July 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 There is no airplane mode at this stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSmokingBarrels Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 Wifi should be working, but if it carries on saying searching and you've tried all those sim cards, there is a possibility it has been blacklisted/blocked? I bought a brand new one off gumtree a few years ago, worked fine for 3 days then it just wouldn't find the carrier or display signal but not work, it had been blacklisted by the insurance company, the person i had it off done a dodgy insurance claim and sold it on brand new.Have you bought this phone off someone? Regardless, it should still be working with WIFI. Do a hard reset and hold the home and lock button for 10 seconds until the apple comes up, and keep holding for a few seconds more until you know for certain its reset, that will reset setup. Also try just pressing the home button,a menu will pop up with 3 options, select start over and keep trying, if not go to a family/friends house and try there wifi but remember to start over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted July 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 I did buy it second hand but I used it for 6 months or more with no problem (apart from a broken screen). Only stopped using it when I bought a new 5S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSmokingBarrels Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 I did buy it second hand but I used it for 6 months or more with no problem (apart from a broken screen). Only stopped using it when I bought a new 5S. Should be no problem then, try the steps i suggested above. If the screen was replaced, it could have possibly effected the aerial if who ever did it, if your looking from the back the aerial would be located top right i believe, a little antenna inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted July 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 The aerial is on the list of things to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedsanity Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 Have you plugged it into your laptop and tried that way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted July 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 Have had it plugged into my desktop and tried via iTunes. Get a much shorter message, something like unable to activate at this time, please try later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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