Internet connectivity problems can occur at any time due to many factors. Temporary outages, account-related issues, network settings error, firmware crashes on the modem and update bugs are known to be the usual triggers. Among the common symptoms are slow browsing, intermittent or unstable Internet connection, and no Internet connection at all. If you’re experiencing any of these problems on your iPhone 5, then you can refer to this walkthrough. Read on to learn how to fix your iPhone 5 that has no Internet connection.
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Troubleshooting an iPhone 5 that has no Internet connection
The following solutions are used to rule out software-related factors that caused no Internet connection problem on your iPhone 5. Try applying these methods before rushing to a service center. Don’t forget to test browse on your iPhone 5 after performing each method to find out if the problem is resolved. Proceed to the next applicable solution, if needed.
First solution: Power cycle the modem/wireless router.
The first potential solution to various types of internet problems in mobile devices including no Internet connection error on your iPhone is a power cycle on the network equipment. To perform this method, you need to be close to your wireless router or modem. Here’s how it’s done:
- Power off the modem/wireless router as you normally do.
- While it’s powered off, unplug its AC adapter from the power source and keep it unplugged for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- After the elapsed time, plug it back in then turn back on.
- Wait for a few seconds until all the light indicators on the modem/router become stable and the Wi-Fi signal to become steady.
Performing a power cycle or reboot on the wireless router or modem is effective in terms of eliminating random internet issues inflicted by minor firmware crashes on the network equipment.
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Second solution: Reboot your iPhone 5 that has no Internet connection.
If the problem continues after power cycling the network equipment, move on and soft reset your iPhone 5. This should resolve random internet issues that are attributed to minor software errors and network glitches on the phone. If you haven’t already, then soft reset your iPhone 5 with these steps:
- Press and hold the Power (Sleep/Wake) button on the top of the phone for a few seconds.
- Release the button when the Power Off slider appears. The iPhone will then shut down.
- After a few seconds, press and hold the Power (Sleep/Wake) button until the Apple logo appears and then release the button.
A soft reset does not affect any saved data on the internal memory, so you don’t need to back up files beforehand.
Third solution: Disconnect and reconnect to Wi-Fi.
Random problems affecting wireless internet connection on your iPhone can also be remedied by turning the Wi-Fi feature off and on. This trick has helped a lot of people who have faced various types of Wi-Fi problems on their iPhones including no internet connection. Here’s how it’s done:
- From your Home screen, tap Settings.
- Select Wi-Fi.
- Toggle the Wi-Fi switch to turn the feature off.
- After a few seconds, toggle the switch again to turn Wi-Fi back on.
Once your iPhone is connected, open a browser app then try navigating through different websites to see if they’re able to load up.
Fourth solution: Use the Airplane Mode toggle.
An old trick that’s still being used by many iPhone owners when trying to resolve wireless connectivity issues is the so-called Airplane Mode toggle. It works by simultaneously rebooting the phone’s wireless functions and thereby eliminating random errors affecting wireless internet connection. If you wish to perform this trick, then simply follow these steps:
- From the Home screen, tap Settings.
- Select Airplane Mode.
- Then toggle the switch to turn Airplane Mode on. Doing so disables your iPhone’s wireless radios and relevant features are turned off.
- While Airplane Mode is turned on, restart/soft reset your iPhone.
- After it reboots, go back to Settings-> Airplane Mode menu.
- Then toggle the Airplane Mode switch to turn Airplane Mode off again.
Wait for your phone to re-establish Wi-Fi signal then re-enable Wi-Fi to reconnect to your wireless network and get back online.
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Fifth solution: Forget Wi-Fi network then add it back.
Persistent issues on no internet connection errors can also be due to a corrupted Wi-Fi network. The network you’re using might have been broken and is no longer working. If that’s the case, then you will need to remove the corrupted network so that you can add it back and configure as new. Here’s how it’s done:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen to get started.
- Tap Wi-Fi and make sure the Wi-Fi switch is turned on.
- Scroll down to the list of saved Wi-Fi networks and find the network name/SSID you’re connected to.
- Select the Wi-Fi network then tap the information “i” icon next to it.
- Tap Forget This Network to delete the network from your phone’s wireless directory.
- If prompted, tap the option to confirm that you want to delete the Wi-Fi network.
- Also remove any other saved Wi-Fi networks that are not in use.
- After deleting all saved networks including the Wi-Fi network you’re using, toggle Wi-Fi off.
- While Wi-Fi is turned off, reboot your iPhone 5 (soft reset).
- Once it’s finished booting up, go back to Settings-> Wi-Fi menu.
- Finally, toggle the Wi-Fi switch to turn the feature back on.
Wait for your iPhone to connect to the Wi-Fi network and once it’s connected, try loading your browser app and navigate through different websites.
ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone 5 that keeps losing Wi-Fi signal
Sixth solution: Reset network settings to fix no internet connection error.
Performing a network reset is usually needed to get rid of problems caused by incorrect network configurations on the phone. This reset will erase your Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth connections, APNs and other relevant information. Problems associated to invalid settings are likewise removed. Here’s how you do it:
- Tap Settings from your Home screen, to get started.
- Select General.
- Scroll down to and tap on Reset.
- Select the option to Reset network settings.
- Enter your passcode when asked to proceed.
- Then tap the option to confirm that you want to reset network settings on your iPhone 5..
Your iPhone should restart when the reset is finished and then loads up the original network values and options. To use online apps and services, you need to set up your Wi-Fi network and reconnect like the first time you did. Be sure to enter the correct Wi-Fi network password to connect successfully.
Last resort: Erase your iPhone and set it up as new.
If all else failed to resolve the problem and your iPhone 5 still has no Internet connection, performing a full system reset is most likely needed. The problem could be due to some complex system errors that usually require advanced solutions like a factory reset or iOS restore. But before you do, be sure to back up all critical data you stored on your iPhone storage so you’d still be able to recover them later. Once the backup is secured, follow these steps to factory reset your iPhone 5 straight from its settings menu:
- From the Home screen, tap Settings.
- Tap General.
- Select Reset.
- Tap Erase all content and settings from the given options.
- If prompted, enter your passcode to continue.
- Then tap to confirm that you want to erase your iPhone and restore factory defaults.
You can also use iTunes to manually erase your iPhone and restore its factory default settings through iTunes. To get this done, a Windows or Mac computer with the latest iTunes app is needed. Once you’re all set, connect your iPhone to the computer using the original USB cable/Lightning cable. Then start erasing your iPhone in iTunes.
After the reset, your iPhone will restart automatically and then loads up the factory default settings. To use your phone again, you need to set it up first. You can use the start-up wizard to set up your iPhone 5 as new using automatic configurations or restore your iPhone from a previous backup. The latter would be a better solution if the problem is caused by an iOS bug that couldn’t be remedied by the given solutions.
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Still has no Internet connection on your iPhone 5?
If your iPhone 5 still has no internet connection after exhausting all prior methods, escalate the problem to your Internet service provider so that they can check their network system. The fact that the problem continues is a strong indication that the problem isn’t rectifiable on your end. Hence if the problem isn’t attributed to hardware damage, then it must be due to some technical difficulties on your Internet service provider.
If all your devices are experiencing the same and they are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, then it must be the network equipment that’s at fault. In that case, you can take the equipment to an authorized service center for hardware assessment. If the network equipment is damaged, none of your devices would be able to connect to the Internet unless the damage is fixed.
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