This post highlights potential solutions to wireless connectivity issues on the recently released 3rd generation special edition iPhone. Here’s what to do if your iPhone SE 3 (2022) won’t connect to Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi Connection Errors in iOS 15
One of the common problems that smartphone users can hardly avoid is wireless connectivity issues. This is because there are a lot of factors that can interfere with Wi-Fi network access.
The transpiring symptoms may vary based on the underlying cause. Among the most prevalent indications include slow connection, unstable or intermittent connectivity and in worst cases, no internet connection at all.
Tackled below is a relevant issue on the new iPhone SE 3 device that’s unable to connect to Wi-Fi for some reason.
While this problem isn’t new to many iPhone users, finding the ultimate solution is still somehow arduous. Unless you’ve already known exactly what happened or why your iPhone fails to connect to the internet, you’ll have to try identifying the main culprit individually.
The underlying cause of Wi-Fi issues can either be software- or hardware-related. Should it be attributed to some software problem, troubleshooting both the phone and the modem/router would be necessary.
To make the problem a little easier for you to deal with, I’ve summed up all common possible causes as follows:
- Random firmware glitches. These are often the main reasons as to why the internet would suddenly become sluggish, intermittent or be gone. Random glitches may transpire on either the wireless router/modem or the iPhone itself.
- Corrupted Wi-Fi network. This is when the Wi-Fi network becomes distorted and eventually malfunctions. Network data corruption typically occurs following incorrect or invalid network configurations.
- Settings conflicts/invalid network configurations. If everything was perfectly working fine and then suddenly your iPhone disconnects from and couldn’t reconnect to Wi-Fi after altering some settings, then the recent settings changes must have caused conflicts.
- Post-update bugs. While keeping the device software up-to-date has benefits, it too may yield unfavorable outcomes especially when the update file contains unidentified bugs that eventually ruined the iPhone’s Wi-Fi system.
- Network outage. This one is inevitable as it could happen from the network-based. That said, it’s already beyond the user’s capacity to resolve. Internet connectivity issues tied to network outages are often due to unexpected technical difficulties or scheduled maintenance.
The worst possible cause is hardware malfunction. This is usually the case when the modem/wireless router in use has obtained some sort of physical or liquid damage. The same thing when the iPhone’s network components or the device itself gets impaired.
Troubleshooting Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) won’t connect to Wi-Fi issue
A recommended approach when troubleshooting wireless connectivity issues in mobile devices is to figure out what has happened before the onset of the problem. For instance, did the Wi-Fi get disconnected after changing the settings or installing an update? If you’re aware of what had transpired beforehand, then there’s a good chance that you can fix it by reverting the previous action.
However, if the Wi-Fi connection suddenly cuts off or becomes sluggish without doing or changing anything, then that’s already a different story. In this case, you’ll have to rule out every possible culprit from the modem or wireless router and the phone system.
Before you begin, check and see if your other devices can connect to the same Wi-Fi network. If they can but your iPhone SE 3 can’t, then it’s an isolated issue with the iOS device if not, the wireless network equipment (modem/router) in use.
At this point, you can start ruling out the common factors from the underlying causes with these subsequent workarounds.
Solution #1: Restart wireless router and iPhone.
Power-cycling the modem/wireless router is usually the very first suggested solution given by ISP support people to subscribers who are facing internet problems and seeking help. The term ‘power cycle’ refers to a systematic reboot carried out on a wireless network setup. This method effectively rectifies minor firmware glitches transpiring on the modem or router system that eventually resulted in a problematic connection.
Turns out that this simple procedure can help resolve various types of internet connection errors resulting in slow internet, unstable connection or no internet connection.
In case you haven’t tried it yet, you should consider this as the first solution to try on. Here’s how it’s done:
- Turn off the modem/wireless router by pressing on the Power button until the device powers down.
- When it’s completely powered off, unplug the adapter from the power source and keep it unplugged for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- After the elapsed time, plug it back in and wait for the modem/router to boot up.
As soon as all the light indicators become green and stable, your iPhone and any other connected devices should be able to restore the connection.
The entire process may take several seconds or minutes to complete so just wait patiently until your device finally establishes connection to the Wi-Fi source.
Note:
- If you see any red light indicator aside from the Power light, it usually indicates a problem. In this case, contacting your internet service provider would be necessary.
Aside from the modem, restarting the iPhone or performing a soft reset is also recommended to clear out any errant residual data causing conflicts to the iOS network system.
A soft reset or iPhone restart does not affect any type of user data so nothing will be deleted in the process. Just follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Side button on the top-right edge and then release when the Power off slider appears.
- Drag the Power Off slider to the right. Doing so powers off the device.
- After a few seconds, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
Wait for your iPhone to re-establish wireless signals. When the signal becomes stable, retry connecting to the Wi-Fi network and see if the problem is gone.
Solution #2: Turn Wi-Fi Off and On.
If the prior solution doesn’t work, your next option is to turn the Wi-Fi feature on your iPhone off and on. This is another quick way to refresh and clear out minor flaws from the iOS wireless system.
Just follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Wi-Fi.
- Toggle the Wi-Fi switch to turn Wi-Fi off.
- After about 30 seconds, toggle the switch to turn Wi-Fi on again.
Alternatively, you can toggle the Wi-Fi icon from the Control Center off and on.
Performing the Airplane mode tweak is also another option. Enabling Airplane mode disconnects the phone from wireless services including Wi-Fi network and disabling Airplane mode reconnects the device to Wi-Fi. So it’s like giving a simultaneous restart to all wireless features of the iPhone.
Many iPhone users who have faced internet-related issues have found wonders by doing this trick so it wouldn’t hurt to try it on your end and see what happens.
You can turn Airplane mode on and off through Settings-> Airplane mode menu or by toggling the Airplane mode icon on and off from the Control Center of your iPhone.
Solution #3: Delete then re-add Wi-Fi network.
As mentioned earlier, a corrupted network could be the underlying cause of the problem. Should this be the case, deleting the corrupted network would be necessary so you can set it up like new.
To delete/forget a Wi-Fi network on the iPhone SE 3, just follow these steps:
- Go to Settings-> Wi-Fi menu and make sure that Wi-Fi is enabled/turned on.
- Tap the information (i) icon next to the Wi-Fi network to forget.
- Tap Forget This Network then tap Forget to confirm.
If there are any other saved Wi-Fi networks, delete all of them too. Doing so will prevent any of these saved networks from interfering with the current Wi-Fi network that your iPhone is connected to.
After forgetting the Wi-Fi network(s), restart/soft reset the iPhone to clear cache.
As soon as it boots up, re-add the Wi-Fi network then join and connect to it like the first time. Be sure to enter the correct Wi-Fi network to ensure successful connection.
You can also try connecting to another active Wi-Fi network available. This will help you determine whether or not the problem is isolated to the current Wi-Fi network and not with the iPhone or wireless modem.
Solution #4: Reset network settings.
Resorting to the preloaded iOS reset commands can be regarded among the last options if the problem continues. The reset option that you can carry out to address network-related problems is the reset network settings.
A network reset in iOS devices will delete all your current network settings including custom network options, Bluetooth connections, Cellular data network information, APNs and other relevant settings. Any invalid network configurations will likewise be cleared out as all default network options are reinstated.
This process does not affect user data so you won’t lose any important files and downloads from doing so. Just follow these steps if you wish to proceed with this reset.
- Go to Settings-> General menu.
- Find and then tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset to continue.
- Select the option to Reset Network Settings.
- Tap Reset Network settings on the next screen to proceed.
- On the final warning prompt, tap Reset settings to confirm.
The phone will then instigate a network settings reset and then restore all default network values and options. After the reset, the phone reboots on its own.
Do not do anything that may interrupt the reset process. It wouldn’t take long so you should be able to use your iPhone shortly after.
When the reset is finished, you will need to re-enable necessary network features including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to use them again.
You also need to set up your Wi-Fi network like the first time. This means that you’ll need to enter the network password to connect to the network and get back online.
Solution #5: Reset all settings.
If the network reset doesn’t fix the problem, then you may go for another reset option called reset all settings. This reset effectively fixes post-update problems including those affecting Wi-Fi internet access.
As the name implies, this reset deletes all current system settings changes including custom Wi-Fi networks, app preferences, permissions, restrictions and other relevant options and then restores the default values.
Unlike a factory reset, this reset will not delete any user data including downloaded apps and files that are saved in the iPhone storage.
Just follow these steps if you wish to proceed:
- Go Settings-> General menu.
- Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone
- On the next screen, tap Reset to continue.
- Select Reset All Settings.
- Read the reset details then tap Reset settings.
- On the final warning prompt, tap Reset settings to confirm.
The phone will then start deleting all system settings and then reboots automatically when finished. After it reboots, all default apps, network settings and other system options are restored.
To use necessary features that are disabled by default, you’ll need to re-enable them individually.
Still cannot connect to Wi-Fi?
The above solutions are often what’s needed to rule out common software-related causes. If the problem continues, then you may resort to these subsequent tweaks.
1. Disable VPN.
If you’re currently using a VPN or virtual private network on your iPhone, it could be the reason why your iPhone won’t connect to Wi-Fi. To clear this out, try to disable VPN and see if the problem is fixed.
To do this, just head over to your iPhone Settings then tap VPN. On the next screen, toggle to turn off the VPN switch. The VPN status will then switch to Not Connected.
After turning off VPN on your iPhone, retry connecting to Wi-Fi and see if it’s already a success.
2. Install software updates, if available.
Software updates may be the key to resolving the problem if it’s tied to a stubborn system bug. Updates typically contain fix patches that are programmed to get rid of any transpiring bugs that have ruined certain system services including the network system.
Since your iPhone can’t connect to Wi-Fi, you can manually check for, download and install any available updates through iTunes. To do this, you’ll need to connect your iPhone to a computer with the lightning cable. Be sure to use the latest version of iTunes app on your computer to ensure system compatibility.
3. Restore iPhone (optional).
The last resort to deal with recurring system issues is an iOS restore. You may opt to proceed with this method if the problem continues and you’ve already run out of options. You can restore your iPhone to its factory state via factory reset or restore iOS in iTunes via Recovery or DFU mode restore.
Be sure to note though that all these methods will delete everything from your iPhone system including your downloaded apps and saved files. If you wish to proceed, back up all your critical data beforehand so you’d still be able to retrieve and use them afterwards.
You can back up files to your iCloud account or to a secure directory/folder in your computer through iTunes.
Seek more help
If all else fails and your iPhone is still unable to connect to the Wifi network, then this is the point that you should escalate the problem to your internet service provider. A higher-tiered support team can help you troubleshoot the wireless router or modem for any complex system issues that might have caused the problem. You can also ask them to remotely provision or reset the modem or wireless router, if needed.
You can also contact Apple Support to report the issue should this happen after installing an iOS update. Post-update issues usually require a fix patch that’s typically rolled out in a form of minor update.
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