Hi everyone. Just to start out, I am completely new to the Android world – I’ve tried to read up on these forums and whatnot but I am definitely a noob. I am coming from Apple, and long story short, I’m tired of iPhones and got myself a Galaxy S3 via Swappa in order to keep my unlimited data plan. It was previously rooted, but I requested that it be restored to stock.
I have been unable to get to a Verizon corporate store to get a sim card and activate the phone, so I’ve been using it on wifi around the house. I am having signal issues with the wif – it works everywhere except in my room. The signal shows as weak and keeps dropping every few minutes. My other devices have a strong signal. I have downloaded various wifi analyzer apps from the Play store, and they all show the wifi signal as really weak.
I searched and found numerous threads that this is an issue with some of the phones. I tried messing with settings (factory reset the phone, the router, did the *#0011# and turned wifi power saving off, changed the "keep wifi on during sleep" from always to never, etc) and nothing fixes it.
I would like to know what you guys recommend. Should I go ahead get a sim, activate the phone, update to Jelly Bean and see if that fixes the issue? I am unable to get the update since I do not have service. I tried to update via Kies, but it says current firmware pda:lg1 phone: lg1 csc: lg1 (vzw) not supported.
Or should I tell Verizon about the problem and see if they will go ahead and replace the phone? I’m not sure how that works since I am not the original owner. I’ve read that they honor the warranty based on the purchase date which is tied to the IMEI number, and not the owner’s name. Not sure how true that is… Also on the box, it says Verizon 4G LTE Certified. Not sure if that means my phone is already a certified replacement or if all the boxes say that. I haven’t been able to find that out.
I’ve read the thread about resetting the phone to return to Verizon. The flash counter screen reads Odin mode, product name: SCH-I535, Custom Binary Download: No, Current Binary: Samsung Official, System Status: Official, Qualcomm Secureboot: Enable. The android version is 4.0.4 and the baseband is I535VRLG1. Does it matter what the kernel, build number and hardware version are? I’m not sure what they should be.
I just want to be prepared when I walk into the Verizon store (which is unfortunately over an hour away), so I’m hoping I can get some opinions and maybe save myself multiple trips. I’m not sure if Verizon will work with me or not, but I figured you guys are the experts and can help me out. Thank you!
It looks like the guy who sold you the phone did in fact fully return you to stock. But it is fully stock based on the oldest stock firmware (I535VRLG1). My advice to you would be to activate the phone, and grab the OTA updates all the way up until the current version (I535VRBLK3).
I used to have all kinds of WiFi connectivity issues with this phone, until I replaced my router. Now it works perfectly. There was no real explanation as to why that was, but this phone does seem to have WiFi connectivity issues, especially with older Routers.
Try updating your software first, and see if the problem resolves with the new firmware. I believe Verizon does base the warranty off of the phone activation date, at least they did years ago in the past, but that may have changed.
Thank you, I appreciate the reply. I read that there was an OTA update issued around October to fix some of the wifi issues, but I wasn't sure if I had it. Once I activate the phone with the sim, do you think there will be any issues receiving the updates? I know nothing about rooting and have been trying to read more about it, but I'm concerned I'll end up causing more problems with the phone before I even get to use it.
The router I have is a free one Verizon gives to use with their dsl service - a Westell Model 327w. It is pretty old, although I think the firmware is up to date. The phone works fine when it is closer to the router and everywhere else in my house, except my room which is upstairs and at the other end of the house. I just figured since my other devices work fine, the S3 should too.
Thanks again.
If you are fully stock, with the stock recovery (which it sounds like you probably are), you should have no problem downloading and installing the OTAs. I believe you will have to take a few them before you get up to the current version.
I can confirm that the stock Verizon GSIII has a few upgrades before you get to 4.1.1 (the latest version)
Thanks guys.
I just remembered that I have a newer router that Verizon sent me, but I never bothered with it because the current one was working. I'll try and set that up and see if the signal improves.
I am hoping to get to the Verizon store soon, but unfortunately things keep happening that prevent me from making the trip. Can't wait to get this phone working though. Just the little bit I've played with it makes it difficult for me to go back to my iPhone.
This is how a noob post should read. Nice job, OP -- very informative and you did some homework.
Other noobs take notice -- this is how you do it. Notice how much help he got?
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
If its any consolation, I had wi-fi issues even with a newer Verizon router all the way up to the latest version of the the modem and rpm file (vblk3). With the last and latest (vblk3) update, those problems disappeared. So as stated, I would update the software to the latest and hopefully you should be good. Just to add, my wife had the same problems (same phone) as well so this validates for me that it was a software issue.
I ditched Verizon and went with T-Mobile pre-paid, only 2G data but its a temporary solution and I get service for 3 phones for $90.00 a month.
I so far have a stock t-mobile rom installed, android 4.1.2 with no porting needed and wireless calling and other such bells and whistles work just fine.
Now my next step is I would like to install a T-Mobile radio to complete the scene. Would this brick my phone? Or perhaps delete my IMEI?
How can I back my IMEI up, or any other sensitive info for that matter?
I know I may be chasing a dream but I am still trying to make HSPA data work on this phone with T-Mobile. Chances are slim but if I pull it off I can be somebody for 15 minutes. . I am in an area where every possible T-Mobile spectrum is floating around in the airwaves since they purchased MetroPCS.
Thanks in advance for any help and/or advice. I am working 16 hour shifts for a couple of days so I will be slow responding.
Rich3077 said:
I ditched Verizon and went with T-Mobile pre-paid, only 2G data but its a temporary solution and I get service for 3 phones for $90.00 a month.
I so far have a stock t-mobile rom installed, android 4.1.2 with no porting needed and wireless calling and other such bells and whistles work just fine.
Now my next step is I would like to install a T-Mobile radio to complete the scene. Would this brick my phone? Or perhaps delete my IMEI?
How can I back my IMEI up, or any other sensitive info for that matter?
I know I may be chasing a dream but I am still trying to make HSPA data work on this phone with T-Mobile. Chances are slim but if I pull it off I can be somebody for 15 minutes. . I am in an area where every possible T-Mobile spectrum is floating around in the airwaves since they purchased MetroPCS.
Thanks in advance for any help and/or advice. I am working 16 hour shifts for a couple of days so I will be slow responding.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing any modem except verizon and you stand a 99% chance of bricking your phone.
Rrason being is each provider has the radio hardware built to their specs/ system. Put different firmware in there and you have a brick.
Like loading a rom for an htc hd7 windows phone on an android...
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
Hello,
I am new to the Android world coming from the iphones I had jailbroken. I searched for and found answers to a bunch of issues I had with this last flash but am not finding anything specific to my question below so I hoped someone might shed some light or point me in the right direction. I have a Xperia z3 6603 on kitkat 23.0.A.2.93. I downgraded the firmware from what it came with to get root which it now has, BL still locked. Over time it started acting up so I re flashed last week with a new downloaded ROM I used D6603_23.0.A.2.93_Generic_20GLOBAL.ftf.
The one last major issue (I hope) is the weak signal. I am on AT&T and since the flash I get max one or two bars LTE (full bars before) in the big metropolitan areas...briefly it goes to 4 bars. I don't get the signal strength on H+ I got before either so checked my APN configuration based on a post I found dated 2015 and it matches. I thought since it was a global rom I shouldn't have issues with the modem. Is there something I need to install or configure to get my signal strength back to where it was pre flash?
Thanks again for any help....definite android newbie trying to learn as much as I can so don't have to bug anyone.
Every firmware has its own radio ROM which is responsible for the signal/cell radio modem settings.
You might want to flash the ROM specific to your country, not the global/generic one.
If you want to play and tinker a bit, go to phone and dial *#*#7378423#*#*(*#*#SERVICE#*#*) to play around with Network Mode or the Antenna RX diversity tests.
Or you could try *#*#4636#*#* (*#*#INFO#*#*) to play around with Phone information.
Enjoy and good luck
OK I'm sure you've all watched someone with first world problems before struggle while deciding on which fancy phone to get. With that said here is my first world problem.
I had the G4 verizon. And I had the Galaxy S5 verizon. Now I'm looking at the S6 or possibly Note 4 maybe even note 5.
The questions I have are as follows.
1. does the S6 have dual antenna for being able to make calls and use data at the same time without wifi? The s5 I know does this but think I heard that starting with the s6 they only have 1 antenna. My G4 only had 1 antenna and I hated it.
2. Same question as above but with the note 4 and note 5 (I know i know wrong section to ask about notes on the s6 forum but maybe someone has experience here)
3. Which if any of the above Verizon phones is rootable. s6,s5,note 4 note 5. I think the verizon S5 was not rootable last time I had mine.
4. I'm pretty familiar with all the other phones but does the S6 have any known issues? Like the G4 and it's dreaded bootloop. Think I read somewhere that the S6 were prone to catching fire? Read that a while back so it may have been an isolated indecent.
5. Throw any random information you know about these phones or other phones that are verizon / straight talk verizon tower accessible through micro sim/nano sim. Really any info you have. :highfive:
1. Single antenna but using data whilst on a call is possible once you activate advanced calling. This can be done on the phone itself and doesn't cost anything additional to do.
2. I would imagine my response in 1. will apply to these phones that have a single antenna and advanced calling capabilities.
3. On the S6 nothing is rootable beyond the OE2 firmware (which is a rare find). This is my opinion coming from a current S6 owner that was rooted, the development is almost non-existent since nobody is working on trying root the newer builds. I decided to uproot not only because of the development but because my phone performance was ridiculous. I'm sure the other Galaxy line phones will be just as tough although I hear root was achieved on the later S7 Edge. If root is a must I would look elsewhere. But the stock firmware for what it's worth is not bad at all. Just miss having an ad-blocker..
4. Other than the pre lollipop memory leaks eversince going stock phone feels like it should've been this way from the beginning. However your opinion may vary based if root is something you need.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
snk012 said:
1. Single antenna but using data whilst on a call is possible once you activate advanced calling. This can be done on the phone itself and doesn't cost anything additional to do.
2. I would imagine my response in 1. will apply to these phones that have a single antenna and advanced calling capabilities.
3. On the S6 nothing is rootable beyond the OE2 firmware (which is a rare find). This is my opinion coming from a current S6 owner that was rooted, the development is almost non-existent since nobody is working on trying root the newer builds. I decided to uproot not only because of the development but because my phone performance was ridiculous. I'm sure the other Galaxy line phones will be just as tough although I hear root was achieved on the later S7 Edge. If root is a must I would look elsewhere. But the stock firmware for what it's worth is not bad at all. Just miss having an ad-blocker..
4. Other than the pre lollipop memory leaks eversince going stock phone feels like it should've been this way from the beginning. However your opinion may vary based if root is something you need.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK thanks, Looks like I'll be sticking with the S5 or Note 4. Because I use either prepaid verizon or straight talk and Verizon blocks prepaid customers from using advanced wifi calling. Bummer.
I have a GS8+ from AT&T, and I am running the official operating system with all updates including December security patch. I am wanting to load the official oreo beta 2 software that I found on the internet, and I want to know a few things beforehand. I am a previous iphone user, and I'm new to the android modification area. I seen that the Sprint and Verizon GS8+ have beta 3, Is the beta 3 software for AT&T available on the internet anywhere? What is the process for going back to official software? Can I download the official rom from somewhere? If not is there a way to extract the official rom from the phone beforehand? I am wanting to do this because this phone runs terrible for a brand new phone, lock screen hangups, stock apps crashing constantly, and in my opinion my 3 year old iphone 6+ was more stable than this phone in every way but the battery. I want to stick with official software because I live in a bad service area for AT&T and I rely on VOLTE where available, and wifi calling where I don't have VOLTE. Any help is appreciated. If i violated any rules please let me know, I am new here.
Thank you
Wipe your phone and start over, you shouldn't be having those issues with your phone unless you installed some app that is causing them.