iPhone 3Gs 5.1 06.15.00 Baseband AT&T/Apple unlocked
- April 15th, 2012
- Posted in Documentation
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Last week, I called AT&T to have my iPhone 3Gs unlocked by Apple under AT&T’s new unlock policy. I had already unlocked this phone using Ultrasn0w, but I wanted to see if I would be able to just do the IOS updates using redsn0w and that is it. I have to use redsn0w, because I have baseband 06.15.00 on this phone.
Well, it turned out that yes, I can just use redsn0w, but I still had this annoying issue with MMS. In order to fix that, I needed to jailbreak the phone again.
Here is the procedure I used.
Again, this is an iPhone 3Gs running IOS 5.0.1 baseband 06.15.00 unlocked using ultrasn0w. I called AT&T with my IMEI number and had them send the unlock request to Apple. I got the email pretty quickly from AT&T telling me my phone had been unlocked and that I just needed to restore it to activate the unlock.
Software installed/downloaded:
OS: MacOS Lion 10.7.3
iTunes 10.6.1
iPhone2,1_5.1_9B176_Restore.ipsw
redsn0w_mac_0.9.10b6b.zip
First, connect the phone to your computer using the USB cable.
From iTunes, right mouse click on the phone under DEVICES and select Backup.
With your phone backup complete, create a custom IPSW IOS installation package using redsn0w:
Unzip the redsn0w download, and execute the redsn0w.app.
Select Extras.
Select Custom IPSW, and browse to the location where your saved you IOS 5.1 download (iPhone2,1_5.1_9B176_Restore.ipsw).
On the next screen, select whether you have the old iPhone 3Gs or newer. I have the original 3Gs, so I selected No.
To determine which version you have:
Put the phone in DFU mode. In MacOS Lion, bring up System Information by clicking Apple/About this Mac and selecting System Report. Then, click USB and look for Apple Mobile Device (DFU Mode). Look at the Serial Number line for iBoot. The number following iBoot will help you determine whether your 3Gs in the old version. 359.3 is the old version. Anything above that is the newer version.
This will create a file called NO_BB_OLDROM_iPhone2,1_5.1_9B176_Restore.ipsw. This is the file you are going to use to restore your iPhone from.
Ensure that you have your phone connected to your computer. Put the iPhone in DFU.
Here is the procedure I have used to put the phone in DFU mode:
With the phone on and unlocked, hold the Power and Home button. When the screen goes completely black, count to 2. Then, release the Power button and remain holding the Home button for 10-15 seconds. iTunes will report that the device is in recover mode. Now, I have done this several times, and have fairly confidently determined that this is not DFU mode. If you try to restore with the phone like this, you will get a 1600 error. This is what I have done consistently that last few times that has worked every time. Once in recover mode as determined by iTunes, I fire up redsn0w again. Click Extras, and Pwned DFU. This quickly puts the phone in DFU mode, so you can restore your custom IPSW.
Once in DFU mode, go back to iTunes, select your phone from DEVICES, if not already there, and hold the option key and click Restore.
Browse to your newly created custom IPSW file (NO_BB_OLDROM_iPhone2,1_5.1_9B176_Restore.ipsw), and click Open. IOS 5.1 will be installed and the phone will reboot and prompt you to restore settings from a backup or setup the phone as new. Now, because Apple had unlocked my phone, at this point I got the message congratulating me for successfully unlocking my phone.
Cool. Except for one problem. I was hoping that this (new redsn0w + IOS 5.1) would also fix the inability to send MMS messages without using iMessage. Well, it didn’t. I am using a T-Mobile SIM in the phone, so I thought I might try setting Cellular Data APN or the MMS APN to either epc.tmobile.com or wap.voicestream.com. Neither of these worked.
So, I went back to jailbreaking (untethered supported). With the phone connected, I fired up redsn0w again, and this time selected jailbreak. Again, the phone needs to be in DFU mode. This took me a couple tries, because the first time it did not appear to go through the jailbreaking process. But it did the second time.
Once the phone rebooted, I verified that I had the Cydia icon installed. Funny note, it was right back where I had it before I started this process.
I started Cydia, and updated as prompted. I go the developer route, and update everything.
Once updated, and Cydia or the phone was restarted, I navigated to Sources, clicked Edit and Add to add the following repository:
http://beta.leimobile.com/repo
Once the repository was added, I tapped the newly added repository to browse the packages available. I selected MMS Tmobile Fix, and installed it.
Then, I navigated to the phone Settings/General/Network/Cellular Data Network.
Cellular Data APN: epc.tmobile.com
MMS APN: wap.voicestream.com
And that was it. So, I guess in the end, I only got rid of needing Ultrasn0w, but at least I have MMS working and have IOS 5.1.
Hi, great step by step, but I couldnt understand if you are still stuck on the iPad baseband (06.15.00) or it did upgrade.
Thanks!
Unfortunately, we are stuck with the iPad baseband, because it is still a baseband downgrade situation. The only thing I really achieved was not needing to use Ultrasn0w. And that would still work (ultrasn0w). If MMS was not an issue for me, I would not have to jailbreak but I did want to get MMS to work on T-Mobile.
Hey Jim,
Thanks for the rundown. I followed your steps, basically have the exact same setup as you: contacted ATT, got the email for the IMEI unlock back, it’s a 3GS, 6.15.00 bb (aside from new bootrom). However after restoring from the custom BB via redsnow I keep getting stuck on the activation screens on the phone.
It’s either prompting me to plug into iTunes, which keeps telling me there is no SIM in the phone (even though there is and when I switch it out even to original ATT SIM it still doesn’t recognize it) or activate via wifi but it keeps saying the servers are unavailable (after having done that method about 10 times).
I know that I can go back to the tethered JB for 5.1 but I can’t figure out why the activation/official unlock won’t roll over. Hoping to contact Apple today (currently living in CZ, so need to wait a while) Wondering if a rollback to 5.0.1 is better so at least I’m untethered? Also at what point did you get the official unlock message on iTunes? I’ve never managed to get it in all my restore endeavors.
Thoughts? I know this is a bit much, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Rob
@Rob
My first thought is why would it be telling you to plug it in to iTunes. I leave my phone plugged in to the computer during to entire process. Therefore, the other thought I have is purely hardware – cable or SIM? I never had an issue activating this time. I left the same T-Mobile SIM in the entire time.
You get the official unlock message in iTunes after redsn0w has finished restoring the custom ipsw file and restarted. When the phone restarts and iTunes is started/launched you get the message. This is before you are prompted to restore from a backup.
I bought a 3GS and the owner had it unlocked by sending the request to ATT. The phone is now unlocked on 5.1 with 05.16.05 base band. I would like to now jailbreak the phone but not sure if the jailbreak will affect the unlock. I don’t know much about the jailbreak so not sure if it’s a different procedure than the unlock. Can someone chime in? thanks.
@Allen
Unlock is different than jailbreak. If you look further down in the instructions in this post, you find the instructions to jailbreak using redsn0w. I did not want to jailbreak, but ended up doing it to fix an issue with MMS on T-Mobile.
@Rob
Rob, i have the same, i can’t activate iphone. I done snowbreeze jailbreak and rendsnow unlock, but my iphone say no service, or search service. Please help.
Does this procedure fix the GPS issues with the 06.15.00 bb, in other words, will Navigon, iGo work after the official unlock or there is still no GPS signal (I know, wishful thinking ;-),
Thanks
@Gringo
Unfortunately, it does not. For me, it actually seems worse. Mine used to crash the network, but it came right back up and worked. Now, the network is crashing to the point of making the application using GPS unusable.
@Arthur
Is this 06.15.00 baseband? Also, are you sure choose the right version of the 3Gs when creating the custom IPSW?
Maybe reset the network settings under General/Reset?
Thanks, it is too bad the GPS issue is worse. I guess, unless someone figures a way to downgrade the bb there is no point of unlocking the phone.
@Gringo
I highly doubt there will ever be a way downgrade the baseband on the 3Gs. But, we all knew that before we went down that path to unlock. In my case, I just got tired of waiting for an alternative to the iPad baseband solution. I went for it expecting that I may not even be able upgrade the IOS, so it has been better than I thought it would be. Fortunately for me, GPS and location services are not big issues for me on this phone. However, I know if it was my primary phone, it would greatly degrade the whole mobile experience.
I agree, there was some hope that the dev team would spend the time but it seems it is not happening. Anyway, we have to carry two phones when abroad ;-). I do not see the point of updating to 5.1 (unless I am missing something) and it might be the last one to support the 3GS.
@Jgz
i have untethered 3gs 5.1 6.15.00 and unlock!! anyone need a help just mail me!!!
thx
Please tell mew how my email is jkadlh@yahoo.com
@Jay
http://jim-zimmerman.com/?p=736
i have a 3gs jbroken on ios 5.1 bb 5.16.05 semitethered when its jbroken i lose messaging,phone and data when i reset phone (still jbroken i just turn it off an back on) i get back dat messaging and phone i lose email capabilities im so lost ive spent countless days reading forums and trying different stuff im ready to throw phone thru a wall …please help me
@harold benjamin
Hopefully, you have your 5.1 shsh blob saved, since 5.1.1 is now out. I would start over. See if you can still restore 5.1. If not I guess the approach would depend on what you are trying to achieve. Maybe you should just install 5.1.1, and wait for the 5.1.1 jailbreak.
Hi guys! Im kinda aware already of the whole Ultrasnow dload over at Cydia after the jailbreak. I’ll be dloading it tomorrow. But I have a question, my iPhone was jailbroken to 5.0.1 before i got it. Then i updated it to iOs 5.1.1 and then accidentally clocked restore earlier. So went to thru this long process thru redsnow. Anyways, i just wanna ask is this possible for iOs 5.1.1 and baseband is 6.15.00. Coz I really need my phone asap. 🙂 Thank you!
i have received at&t unlock yesterday , i have 06.15.00 baseband in ios 5.0.1 , i dont want to restore completly can i uninstall ultrasnow or deactivate using redsnow to complete unlock process from itunes
plz help
@asees
This should work. I have not tried this myself, but if you deactivate it using the latest redsn0w then activate it via iTunes, iTunes should give you the Congratulations your phone is unlocked message. Let me know how it goes.
first it reqire that to uninstall ultrasnow and then deactivate
@asees
So, you remove Ultrasn0w, deactivate using redsn0w and then activate via iTunes, right?
If i built custom ipsw 5.1.1 in snowbreeze with only baseband preserve mode can my iphone is unlocked when i restore custom ipsw withour hactivate or if i dont have orginal sim card.
@asees
Yes,. If your phone is carrier unlocked, you just need to use redsn0w/sn0wbreeze to get 5.1.1 installed. ITunes will activate it fine since it is the latest version of IOS. 5.1.1 will not install in the usual way if the baseband is 06.15.00.
Today i create custom ipsw with redsnow to preserve baseband and then pwned dfu and restore finlly work without cydia or ultrasnow
Thanks
@asees
Glad to hear it.
Thanks
Can u done ipad bb downgrade in your 3gs??
@asees
This what I did to downgrade the baseband on my 3Gs: http://jim-zimmerman.com/?p=755
please i have a iPhone 3gs (new boot room )
but my serial ( XX01950XXXX )can i update baseband to ipad baseband 06.15 and downgrade or i will lost my serial and wi fi
i check my iphone new boot room
@fady samir
I guess the first question is: is your phone carrier unlocked? If it is why mess with the iPad baseband? If it isn’t carrier unlocked, then you should be able to install the iPad baseband. You can now downgrade too, however if the phone is not first carrier unlocked you will lose the unlock.
my phone 3gs, 8 gb AT&T 5.1.1, Base band 05.16.05, how to unlock this model Mobile, Serial No. 88144PE1EDG
@shiva
Boy, this would be a lot uncharted territory for me. Here is how I did it on an iPhone with an older version of IOS with an older version baseband: http://jim-zimmerman.com/?p=592 I don’t know if this would work, and am very hesitant to even say it should work. Also, going against you is that the iPad baseband option has been dropped from redsn0w, so I don’t even believe you could get to the point of attempting the iPad baseband installation.
Are you sure that the phone can not already be unlocked by Apple/AT&T? That would be your best route. If the AT&T contract obligation has been met and the phone is no longer under contract, you can have AT&T unlock for you.