Existing users, 
iPhone can’t access network “Safari can’t open the page,” etc.
Posted 4 December 2007 @ 12pm in Troubleshooting
Several users have reported a problem where the iPhone inexplicably cannot access various network services, including Web pages in Safari, YouTube content and more despite the presence of a properly operating EDGE or WiFi connection. Safari generally deliver this error message when the problem is occurring:
“Safari can’t open the page because it can’t find the server”
In some cases, the problem appears to be DNS-related: some sites and other network services load properly, but others (known to be working) do not. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to toggle DNS settings on the iPhone.
Readers have found success with the following workarounds:
- Airplane mode on then off Navigate to Settings, then slide Airplane Mode to On, wait a few seconds, then slide it back to Off. It seems that discontinuing and restarting the EDGE and WiFi components in the iPhone can restore connectivity.
- Reset network settings Tap Settings, tap General, tap Reset, tap Reset Network Settings. This will cause your iPhone to restart, and will delete any stored Wi-Fi passwords as well as DNS settings and more. It can restore your ability to join a stubborn wireless network, let you access stalled Web pages, or eliminate issues with EDGE data access that can occur for various reasons.
- Use IP address of Web site If a DNS problem is indeed at play, you can sometimes get around it by directly entering the IP address of a server, rather than its domain name. Navigate to a WHOIS tool, like this one, and enter the domain name, scroll down and find the IP address, then enter it in Safari. Tedious, but sometimes effective.
- Reboot your iPhone Hold down the home and sleep buttons simultaneously until you see the white Apple logo, indicating that your iPhone has restarted.
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
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8 Comments
Posted by donsgraphics
4 December 2007 @ 1pm
What about the more annoying problem in safari. When a new page opens and you wish to return to the previous page it becomes the new page and does not stay where it was. Has anyone else had this happen? I can’t be the only one. I probably could have described it better, but… do you know what I mean?
Posted by rickfu
4 December 2007 @ 11pm
This only works for WiFi connections, but if it is a DNS issue (and even if it’s not) you may want to change your DNS settings to those from OpenDNS (208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220). Just click the blue arrow next to your network connection and add those IPs).
Their servers often offer a bit of a speed boost over your ISPs DNS. Yay acronyms!
Posted by daniel4510_dotmac
5 December 2007 @ 1am
People are JUST starting to complain about this? It’s been a problem for me since day one. Only 1/3 of open WiFi accounts work for me. The rest just spin and spin and spin or tell me I can’t access the page.
Posted by baldyauldeejit
6 December 2007 @ 12am
Have the exact same problem on my iPod Touch. I haven’t yet successfully logged on to a wi-fi network.
Posted by likeafox24
6 December 2007 @ 7am
@donsgraphics: I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about. It is annoying to no end!
Posted by walterobrien
7 December 2007 @ 12pm
How about this one? I touch the Safari button on the home screen, a blank browser window opens, and NOTHING happens. It freezes, nothing I touch, not even the home button, will get it out of the freeze. then about 10 seconds later, it bounces back to the home screen like nothing happened. When Safari opens I can push bookmarks, the url window, anything, and no glow, no action. WIFI or Edge. Just started yesterday, no problems at all until now.
Posted by walterobrien
7 December 2007 @ 12pm
How about this one? I touch the Safari button on the home screen, a blank browser window opens, and NOTHING happens. It freezes, nothing I touch, not even the home button, will get it out of the freeze. then about 10 seconds later, it bounces back to the home screen like nothing happened. When Safari opens I can push bookmarks, the url window, anything, and no glow, no action. WIFI or Edge. Just started yesterday, no problems at all until now.
And of course, the ONLY way to read my corporation’s email is via webmail, which now I can’t access without a browser.
Posted by enicar
10 December 2007 @ 4pm
I had this problem in N. Calif. starting on 01/Dec., and, after a few calls each to Apple and AT&T, a kindly AT&T TS personage I spoke to on 04/Dec. finally narrowed it down to AT&T’s DNS server for our area having died. He was so helpful I also took the opportunity to point out a few areas in San Jose where my cell and EDGE coverage would die within a few blocks of good service.
They promised a fix by Fri., 07/Dec., and on that day I receiver two text msgs. advising me that it had been fixed.
It’s also interesting that while I was looking into this problem, I noticed that the default DNS that the iPhone had filled in for my local Wi-Fi connection was actually the router’s address, which explained why my Safari and Maps connections were so slow.
I changed that IP address to an AT&T DNS I used on other Macs and connections have been a lot speedier since.