Video Demo

Syptoms

    • iPhone or iPod touch appear to be connected to a Wi-Fi network but cannot use Wi-Fi for checking email, surfing the Internet, or other data transactions.

    • On the device, when you tap Settings > Wi-Fi and then tap next to the network, no values or entries for IP Address, Subnet Mask, Router, or DNS appear.

    • The device shows no Wi-Fi address (Tap Settings > General > About and scroll down to Wi-Fi Address).

This can happen if, during the initial setup of the iPhone or iPod touch, no Wi-Fi address was registered. So while the device can attach to different Wi-Fi networks, it will not be able to retrieve an IP address because the Wi-Fi router doesn’t see a Wi-Fi address from the device.

Resolution

First, sync your iPhone or iPod touch to iTunes in order to backup your user info, Contacts, Calendar, and other data. Then, try the following steps in order.

Step One
On the device, tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Check to see if the device now displays the Wi-Fi address (tap Settings > General > About and scroll down to Wi-Fi Address). If there is a Wi-Fi Address, then you’re done with these steps and can resync your settings and your media using iTunes.

If there’s still no Wi-Fi Address, then continue to Step Two.

Step Two
On the device, tap Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Check to see if the device now displays the Wi-Fi address (tap Settings > General > About and scroll down to Wi-Fi Address). If there is a Wi-Fi Address, then you’re done with these steps and can resync your settings and your media using iTunes.

If there’s still no Wi-Fi Address, then continue to Step Three.

Step Three
    1. Restore the iPhone or iPod touch software (this erases all data on the device) using iTunes (see article 305744 for additional assistance).
    2. After the restore is complete, sync your previous settings (mail settings, text messages, notes, call history, contact favorites, etc.).
    3. Now verify if your device shows a Wi-Fi address (tap Settings > General > About and scroll down to Wi-Fi Address).

If there is a Wi-Fi address, then you’re done with these steps. If there is no Wi-Fi address, then continue to Step Four.

Step Four
If there is no Wi-Fi address listed after doing the above steps, then your iPhone or iPod touch may need to be repaired. See the iPhone Service FAQ or iPod Service FAQ for additional service information.

Note: If the device shows an address in the Wi-Fi Address field and you are still having issues using Wi-Fi, refer to article 305715 for additional Wi-Fi troubleshooting tips.

Seth explains that AT&T will support auto-authentication for iPhone OS 3.0 users connecting to AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots. Auto-authentication allows iPhone users to seamlessly switch from AT&Ts 3G network to an AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot without being prompted. For more information, visit http://www.attwifi.com

aTimeTool is an application that allows you to set a timers that allow the ability to turn on/off your iPhone or iPod Touch’s Airplane mode, Bluetooth and WiFi. It is a pretty simple application. Once installed you have four options; Airplane Mod, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Settings.

In each option (Airplane Mod, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) you are able to set timers in which you can control when each will be turned on/off. When you add a timer (using the + icon) you have the option to make it a repeating timer…say you want your Bluetooth to turn on from 6:30am -7:30am every Mon, Wed and Fri. You can also set up multiple timers….say you want your Bluetooth to turn on from 6:30am -7:30am every Mon, Wed and Fri and from 4:30pm -5:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You could create two timers to do that. Or, you can just create one timer that does not repeat.

You do have to be careful when setting up the timers, if your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are always enabled, you will have to put the off time before the on time. So, if you want your Wi-Fi disabled between 12:00pm -1:00pm everyday, you will have to set the off time as 12:00pm and the on time as 1:00pm. It feels a little backwards but, that is how it works.

In the Settings, you are able to activate/deactivate the entire Airplane Mode, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi options. This would work great if you have a few timers for, lets say the Bluetooth option, but today you want your Bluetooth on all day…you could just completely turn off the Bluethooth option for today so that none of your timers would be active.

Overall, a pretty simple application that is easy to use and does what it says it is going to. I had no problems at all with this app. Whether it is worth $5.99 (USD) I’m not sure, that’s your call.

You can get aTimeTool via the iSpazio source.

ScreenShots

Tricker ThreeG is a mod that allows the SlingPlayer Mobile application (available via the App Store for $29.99) to work on not only WiFi but also on 3G. It is not very often that I write about an application/mod/hack that I cannot test but, I know that allowing SlingPlayer Mobile to work on 3G is something a lot of people want. If you you own a SB, have purchased the SlingPlay Mobile application and have installed this hack…let us know how it is working for you! It would be pretty sweet if it actually works. The Tricker ThreeG apps also says that it works with Skype and Fring. You can get it via the modmyi source.

Collaborative Whiteboard is a pretty cool drawing application. This app was actually released a few days ago but, I was planning and hosting a little boys 2nd Birthday party (an Elmo theme I might add) so, I’m just getting to review it now. I have tested this application a few times now and honestly, I like the concept. Collaborative Whiteboard is an application that allows 2 iPhones or iPod Touches to draw simultaneously on the same image. This is done via the same WiFi connection.

When you open Collaborative Whiteboard, you will get a menu screen. At the top of the screen you will notice that it says, “Waiting for others to join whiteboard.” You will also see the name of your iPhone or iPod Touch, for example; Brooke Porter’s iPhone. When another iPhone or iPod Touch that is on the same WiFi connections as your iPhone or iPod Touch opens the Collaborative Whiteboard application, it will display the title of that device (example; 1st Gen iPhone 1.1.4). You can then choose one of the devices listed. When you select one of the available devices to connect to, it will send that person a message saying, “Brooke Porter’s iPhone (or the title of the device) would like to join your whiteboard.” You can then choose to join with that device or not to. Once you have made your decision, you will both get a message saying that you are now connected (or rejected!).

Once both devices have accepted, you will get the drawing screen…where you can begin drawing. What you draw will automatically show up on both your drawing screen and the drawing screen of the device you are connected to…and vice-versa. You can get to the drawing settings by two finger tapping on the screen (the other device does not see this…it only sees what you draw). On the menu screen, you are able to see which device you are connected to, you have the ability to change the width of your drawing tool, the color of your drawing tool and the ability to start over. If one of the devices decides to Start Over, it will send a message to the other device asking if they would also like to start over. If they select Yes, the screen will be erased and you can start over. To get back to the drawing screen from the drawing settings, just single tap on the screen.

If you would like to disconnect from the other device, just go into the Settings (by two finger tapping) and tap on the device that has a check mark next to it. This will automatically disconnect you and the other device will get a message saying that you have disconnected from them. You will also be automatically disconnected if one of the devices closed the Collaborative Whiteboard application.

This application does not have a ton of features…you can draw and that is about it. There are no options for saving your whiteboard (though, you can take a screenshot), erasing parts of the drawing, options for different drawing tools…etc. However, the user interface is easy to use, the application works properly, the concept is great and it is fun! Definitely an app worth trying out. I will say that it is a little weird to see images, that you did not draw, just show up on your iPhone or iPod Touch!

Screenshots:

I did a post with a preview of SBSettings a about a week ago and it seems that it is now available via Cydia. SBSettings is said to be a full replacement to BossPrefs (which we all love so much)! When you install SBSettings, you will not see an icon on your SpringBoard. You activate the application by swiping on your Status Bar (that is the bar at the top of your iPhone or iPod Touch that have the time, carrier logo, battery…). This will bring up SBSettings. The upper part of the menu are features of SBSetting the lower part of the menu gives you information about your iPhone or iPod Touch. Such as the name of your iPhone, your WiFi IP address, your Data IP address and the amount of space available on your iPhone.


The larger icons on the upper part of the menu (3G, Bluetooth, SSH, WiFi…) are things that you are able to toggle on or off. Just tap on the icon your would like to toggle. If the icon is red that means that it is toggled off if the icon is green it is on. The red X in the upper right corner allows you to close the SBSettings window. There are also a few smaller icons on the menu. The More icon brings you to another menu in which you add more icons to the main toggle menu (up to 11), you can hide and unhide icons from your SpringBoard and you can enable a few extras. The Refresh icon allows you to refresh the SBSettings menu. The Respring icon will respring your SpringBoard and the Power icon will turn your iPhone or iPod Touch off.

Overall, everything in the app seemed to work fine for me. There have been a few updates to this application since it was released and they included a few bug fixes. I am not having any issues with the version I am on right now. They will be adding more options with future update. Some of the options will include; the ablity to make your own toggles and more options in the “More” menu. I personally don’t think it is quite a BossPrefs replacement app yet but, it will get there. Let me know in the comments what you think of SMSettings and if you will use it as a BossPrefs replacement.

StumblerPlus is a WiFi network finder. When you open the application, you will get the main screen where you will notice a Scan option in the upper left corner. When you select Scan, you will get a list of WiFi networks in the area. You can then select a network and get more info about it. Here is what you will get; SSID, BSSID, OUI Vendor, RSSI, Singal Strength, Channel, AP Mode, Beacon Interval, WPA, WEP and Hidden Network. Do not ask me what any of that means!! Hopefully none of it is private! But, if you are into all knowing all that stuff…there you go. Check out the screenshots below!

So I was really bummed out when I heard that NetShare got booted from the App Store. So I was going to write all about it and I decided on a whim to check the App Store and it was there! I bought it right away just in case something happens again. (good thing I did, they pulled it again) For those who don’t know, NetShare shares your 3G or EDGE with your laptop through WiFi.

The app comes with a guide on how to connect your iPhone with your Mac but no guide for Windows. There’s also a really good Mac guide over at appleinsider.com. I’m using Windows (unfortunately) so I went looking for a guide. I found lots of info over at macrumors.com like how to get Firefox to work, how to route all network traffic through your iPhone, and what I was really looking for… a Windows XP guide which even has a video walkthrough which is posted below. I even found a video guide for Mac and Vista.

I did test this out and I even downloaded the program to let my entire computer run off the proxy. It’s called Proxifier and you can download it at proxifier.com. It’s available for Mac and Windows for $39.95 and a 31 day trial. I downloaded the mobile version so I can use in on any windows computer. If you find a better solution, let us know.

I’m actually writing part of this article using this connection. It’s a touch slow but I am on EDGE (3G not available where I live yet). I did do a speed test on speakeasy.net. The highest I got on the NetShare was about 130KB/sec down and 35KB/sec and speakeasy showed 370kbps down and 31kpbs up. A downfall is you have to have the app open all the time so you can’t use any other apps and it will drain your battery pretty fast using WiFi and EDGE and have the screen on and it gets pretty warm. We’ll probably use this is the car the most so we have car chargers. We also have two 1st Gen iPhones that don’t have service anymore and I tried to get them connected too but it didn’t work. Overall it’s worth the 1 time fees to have tethering for my iPhone.

Click here to download NetShare via the App Store.

NetShare Mac Video Guide

Watch “NetShare Mac Video Guide” from your iPhone or iPod Touch

NetShare Windows XP Guide

Watch “NetShare Windows XP Guide” from your iPhone or iPod Touch

NetShare Windows Vista Guide

Watch “NetShare Windows Vista Guide” from your iPhone or iPod Touch