Thanks to the hard work and dedication from the Dev-Team, the iPhone 3G’s software unlock solution is near completion and quite stable. I have been following forum posts from hackintosh, modmyi, and howardforums and the consensus is pretty clear it works for 95% of the people around the world using different types of sims and carriers.
Before yellowsn0w, I used the “Virgin-Sim” sim proxy, and it worked quite well with T-mobile USA. When yellowsn0w was released on New Years Eve, I disregarded reading any forums and continued to restore my iphone to 2.2 (I was at 2.1) and install yellowsn0w. To my disappointment, it was a pain to get working (multiple reboots, airplane mode toggling, and sim removal and reinsertion).
yellowsn0w version 0.9.6 has seemed to solved most of the problems others and myself have experienced. No longer will you have to remove or insert the sim or toggle airplane mode to get signal. The Dev-Team is still working on issues with Sim Pins and such, but it cannot be long before they crack that problem. Unlocking the iPhone 3G can’t be any easier:
- Restore your iPhone to version 2.2 (Not needed if you are already at 2.2)
- Use Quickpwn to jailbreak your iPhone
- Load up Cydia and add the yellowsn0w repo: Cydia source: http://apt9.yellowsn0w.com or Installer repo: http://i.yellowsn0w.com
- Install yellowsn0w
- Disable 3G and Data Roaming in Settings -> General -> Network (Step is mainly for T-Mobile USA whose 3G bands are not compatible with the iPhone 3G’s)
- Reboot the phone and you should have signal. I have tested yellowsn0w on my 4 year old T-Mobile Sim and a half year old sim, both work perfectly.
- If you have T-zones, you can get unlimited data by entering the APN: epc.tmobile.com in Settings -> General -> Networking -> APN
I was going to write up a guide and summary for the Sim-proxies\turbo sims that did work with the iPhone 3G, but now that is not necessary with a soft unlock. Remember, when a new iPhone 3G firmware comes out, do not upgrade right away. Wait until pwnage from the Dev-Team to disable the baseband update, or a version of yellowsn0w that does work with the new version of the baseband.
Kudos to the Dev-Team, thank you for this Christmas\New Years gift!
BigBoss Authors: Mark Bruce & Kory LeeTags: 3g unlock, Dev Team, yellowsn0w
January 9th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Is it ok to update my macbook from 10.5.5 to 10.5.6 ???? I tunes is at 8.0.2. If itunes gets updated will devteam or someone say that it is ok to update?????
January 9th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Yes it is.
January 10th, 2009 at 2:49 am
As you say, step 5 is not necessary for people not using T in the US.
I’m on T in the UK and Yelowsn0w has worked since 0.91 but always with some messing around. Now with 0.96 it just works! no need to think about it, it just works as soon as the phone starts and all features (incl 3G in the UK) work fine.
Some people have problems with Original (eg AT&T or O2) SIMS so need to use the BigBoss Toggle – is this going to be available for SBSettings?
The Dev Team have done a fantastic job :)
January 10th, 2009 at 6:11 am
You can update but you will need to apply the DFU mode fixes otherwise you will not be able to use DFU mode to jailbreak or restore again.
January 10th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Hi..yellowsn0w worked great yesterday. Popped in a friends T-Mobile SIM worked instantly. Last night, however, I tried my TM SIM card and no luck or service. IT does have a 37 in the vertical row. Has this been addressed? ANy suggestions would b greatly appreciated thanks for that!!
January 10th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I applied none of the “fixes”. Just follow the prompts via QuickPwn to enter DFU.
January 10th, 2009 at 11:16 am
I have a 37 series SIM and mine worked with all versions of yellowsn0w.
January 10th, 2009 at 11:23 am
THanks Mark!..So I should just do the normal re-boot stuff, take out the SIM and etc..? And heres a stupid question.(sorry in advance)..how do I get charged for this?..do I have to set up an acct. with T-mobile?. Im going to South America and need some advice..much thanks again!
January 10th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
There’s an update that with which the computer doesn’t detect devices in DFU, so putting the iPhone to DFU doesn’t work, there’s a fix for it though.
January 10th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
yellowsn0w has been reported to work with all the old and new tmobile sims
January 10th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I tried asking this in a general BB forum but no reply: are you working on a yellowsn0w toggle for SBSettings?
January 10th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
there is already a toggle for SBsettings in cydia
January 10th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I use the SBsetting toggle for yellowsn0w…does anyone have an answer for me?”And heres a stupid question.(sorry in advance)..how do I get charged for this?..do I have to set up an acct. with T-mobile?. Im going to South America and need some advice..much thanks again!”
January 10th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I too was a beta tester fir virgin sim proxy and loved it. Was the best proxy sim on the market. When yellowsn0w debut, I held off after reading that over half of the us tmobile population was having problems and I have a newer sim so I would have been screwed. After 0.9.6 was released it seemed that 95% users reported success so I gave it a try and it worked perfectly. I’ve unlocked 3 iPhone 3Gs for tmobile and not one has had a problem. That is dev team! I wish I could donate for your efforts!
January 10th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Can quickpwn activates the iPhone 3G 2.2
I’m going to buy an iPhone from Hong Kong and I wanna know if quickpwn can activates it… In my country, I don’t think iTunes can activate it… Some help will be appreciated ;)
January 11th, 2009 at 2:27 am
Yes quickpwn will activate your phone, just follow the step by step above and you should be golden
January 11th, 2009 at 6:36 am
Thanks for your reply… I was asking this as I couldn’t find the activation window in all tutorial about quickpwn ;)
January 11th, 2009 at 10:39 am
I am on 10.5.6 and don’t need to use these RIDICULOUS “fixes” is my point. Try following the prompts in the program to lead you by the hand through setting up DFU mode.
January 12th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
IS there a plan to made some switcher for SBSettings to on and off Yellowsn0w if there is possibility to switch it
January 12th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
yellowsnow works good, now my phone fuction without turbo sim. but my cydia hangs when i update the essential upgrade, and some of the app are not installing. any help? thanks dev team you rock..
January 12th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
do a full restore and try again, it has nothing to do with yellowsn0w
January 13th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
ranova thanks for the tip but i’ve done that already and still cydia wont function right. i have to look & browse for answers, thanks mate…
January 17th, 2009 at 6:07 am
I´m a complete newbie, and have managed to jailbreak my 3G. I cannot find the “yellowsn0w” to install either in Cydia or Installer. Could someone give me instructions?
I did download the “Boss Prefs” and there´s a slide for yellowsn0w, but it´s greyed out.
Many thanks in advance.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Does the data services like safari,etc work on am unlocked phone with tmobile. Just wondering before I do this?
January 21st, 2009 at 12:09 am
Hi,
In the quickpwn tutorial on this site, it says that quickpwn will NOT activate the phone.
I’m getting one soon and was wondering which answer is right.
WILL IT ACTIVATE IT (Get it out of “emergency calls only” screen)?
Thanks.
January 22nd, 2009 at 7:49 am
i have managed to jailbreak my 3G, and i checked all the details about the new firmware ver 2.2 and the baseband as well which i found it 2.28
i tried to install from cydia yellowsn0w as mentiond above in the steps but no luck, reasonces
during the dowload installations in the iphone i recived messages say’s
- source error
- sub-process bzip2
- code (2)
So realy i do’nt now what to do next
i already deleted the pakage (yellowsn0w)
so i’m back again to square zero no signals for my SIM.
please i’m wating for yor advice
thanks
January 22nd, 2009 at 7:07 pm
I’ve heard some people have failed when installed using cydia, but were successful when installed through INSTALLER.
Installer repo: http://i.yellowsn0w.com
Try that maybe?
Good Luck!
January 25th, 2009 at 12:23 am
thanks for the advice i already tried to use the installer but no luck as well.
but for your info. i found the when i updated the cidya and the i installed the software unlocking package again from the cydia (apt9.yellowsn0w.com)
so this time i was lucky to complete the installations and i restarted the phone and togeled the flight switch then i get the full network signal by my new sim card, itried diffrent sim cards for diffrent network and all of them are working.
special Thanks to the hard work and dedication from the Dev-Team and for all.
good luck
January 31st, 2009 at 1:36 am
can i downgrade yellowsn0w from 0.9.7 to 0.9.6 i am on 3g 2.2 not 2.2.1, since i think 0.9.6 is much better
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:39 am
I updated to 0.9.7 from 0.9.6 and now have to re-set the network setting each time I turn off the iphone. It shows “invalid sim” when I turn on the phone. Then I have to re-set the network setting. Could anyone help me get back to version 0.9.6? Thanks.
February 17th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Hi everyone. I really need a help here. I bought an iPhone 3g whiched I Jailbroked it whith QuickPwn. The problem is that after I install yellowsn0w my Vodafone Albanin carrier is shown on the banner but I can’t make a call or receive any. I left my sim card inside the phone over the night and the day after I recevide a missing msg. I think that it works for 1 min or less. I really need help.
Thanks
March 2nd, 2009 at 4:00 am
Where did you get this toggle? I don’t see it anywhere…
March 6th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Hi. I have an iPhone 3G its version was 2.2 and with firmwire 2.28. But I upgrade it (accidentally) in version 2.2.1 an firmwire 02.30.03. After that my iPhone not have a signal. Can you help me, does have a solution for my iPhone to have again signal.
I am from Republic Of Kosovo
Thanks
March 30th, 2009 at 3:55 am
i am in japan using softbank’s iphone 3g, is it possible that the yellowsn0w unlock will work with the phone when i get back to the states?! er can i replace softbanks “black sim” with say a Tmob or the similar? greatly appreciated for any suggestions…
~~~—>FluidgroovE<—~~~
March 31st, 2009 at 11:13 am
I am extremely fluent in unlocking these iPhones and recently the yellowsn0w repository in cydia seems to be failing to add. I keep getting the response of “Did Not Find Repository” followed by some other things. Is there something wrong with the repo? Anybody been able to successfully unlock using yellowsn0w as of 3-30-09?
July 5th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
i hate iphones
i also get this annoying msg: “Did Not Find Repository”
there is no solution on net for it, what to do????