Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
"WiFi" Sync
- Thread starter berkleeboy210
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I do not have this option in my iTunes for both my iPad 2 and my iPhone 3GS. Both running iOS5 and iTunes is fully updated and on the same WiFi network
Thoughts?
Forgive the obvious question...but are you clicking on your device when you're tethered through iTunes and looking at the "Summary" tab?
You can sync that amount of data perfectly via wifi as long as it is 802.11n and/or if you have patience. Daily or weekly syncing it via this way does not mean it will sync all of the data. Syncing will only sync the changes and those are mostly quite small. That's why Apple offers the iCloud backup service.
However, there is a very cool feature with syncing regarding iOS5 and iTunes 10.5. It is very smart and I wish they did the same thing for networking. What you can do is sync wirelessly and if it takes too long hook it up via usb. It then seamlessly (!!!!!) switches from wireless to wired speeding up the sync! The other way around happens too. Unhook it and it will switch to wireless sync. Very awesome feature. The syncing also happens in the background meaning you don't have to think about it. If only they would do that with wireless and wired networking (hook up the cable and it seamlessly switches from wireless to wired giving you more speed and vice versa if you want/have to move). Ubuntu has the ability to do so.
Btw, if you want to wifi-sync automatically there are 3 things you have to do:
1. iOS device and Mac have to be on the same network (mind you, not wifi, the Mac can be on the wired segment of the network like mine is!)
2. iTunes has to be running on the Mac (which means the Mac can not be shutdown or in sleep mode).
3. the iOS device has to be connected to a power source (aka charge it).
If you want to wifi-sync manually there are two ways of doing that:
1. Hit the sync button in iTunes for that particular iOS device.
2. Tap the "sync" button in Settings > General > Wifi-sync on the iOS device.
Obviously you have to enable wifi syncing in iTunes for the iOS device first before you can even attempt the wireless sync...
Too bad that the iPhone is able to sync like this since 12-10-2011. My Treo 650 could do this via bluetooth in 2004! The fact that you can switch between wired and wireless whilst syncing makes up for that fact though.
If you want to restore the device or update its software listen to what iTunes tells you and use the usb cable to do so. Wired is still the most reliable connection thus eliminating nasty things like a connection that drops right in the middle of the firmware flashing process leaving you with a bricked iPhone. Alternatively you can use the over-the-air update stuff too, that's what it is supposed to do.
Last edited:
Unless you have/buy Lion or Snow Leopard it it won't work. Mine doesn't have that option with iTunes 10.5 and OS/X 10.5.8 ..... nice job Apple
. Looks like we're not missing much as wifi sync isn't impressive.Unless you have/buy Lion or Snow Leopard it it won't work. Mine doesn't have that option with iTunes 10.5 and OS/X 10.5.8 ..... nice job Apple
I have Snow Leopard but not sure if it's the most up to date. And yes I have it selected once it's tethered and I'm looking under the summary tab. But if the update is the issue then I'm sure that will solve it.
+1
I put my iPhone into my charging dock, launch iTunes and bam! wireless synch starts up right away. Pretty darn cool, if you ask me!