How am I connecting to the world ?

[andyhofer]

How do you know which communication method the iPhone is using. I was trying to find some documentation that tells you what all the symbols mean across the top of the phone.

There must be a way of knowing if the phone is connected via WiFi, Edge or 3G. I am aware that is probably switched between them automatically whichever is the strongest or most appropriate but how can you tell what it is currently using.

I ask because I can browse the web at home where a wireless LAN exists, but when I press iTunes icon on my iPhone it says it has to be connected to a Wireless Network. Perhaps it;s not connecting to the web using my network at all, and is in fact using 3G

 

[SilentPanda]

I don't have a 3g phone but on my 1st gen one it has an "E" for edge and a radiating half circle for wireless. I assume there is a "G", "3", or "3G" for 3G. It will be to the right of the carrier.

 

[iSimon]

Look at the top left of the display and you will see your signal strength, network operator and then a symbol next to it. The symbol will be either a square with a circle in it (GPRS), a square with an "E" in it (EDGE), a square with an "H" in it (HSDPA aka 3G), or a small triangle of arcs (WiFi). If WiFi then the arcs also double up as a signal strength indicator too.

If you aren't getting WiFi reception in an area you know you have a WiFi network then check the WiFi settings on the iPhone - first of all make sure it is on (kind of obvious, but possibly not to someone who has not used WiFi on a phone before), and then check to make sure you have the right settings for the WiFi network you are trying to connect to. If it's hidden and/or encrypted then you will need to tell the iPhone what the network is called and what the password is and what encryption type it is using (eg WPA). You should be able to find this information in your wireless router's config screen.

 

[soberbrain]

http://www.apple.com/iphone/tips/

Go to Basics -> Status Icons for pics

 

[monkeytennis]

I seem to be getting either nothing at all, an E in a box for Edge, 3G in a box for 3G, and/or the radiating half-circles if I'm connected to wireless.