Receiving text messages only when connected to wi-fi

[gp1953leb]

I am only receiving text messages when connected to wi-fi. I don’t data plan so my settings might need adjusting. I am on an iPhone. Any suggestions?

[srlawren]

@stonechucker well I definitely say "amen brother" to those complaints of proprietary port (although apparently the new iPad launching on the 30th may go USB-C?) and standard charging brick in the box!

[stonechucker]

@srlawren, Apple just doesn't want to play nice with anyone else.  When the world decided the microUSB connection was going to be the standard charging connector for cell phone, usable for docks and audio/video accessories, Apple had to change from their old 30 pin adapter to the Lightning port.  This not only crippled Apple device and accessories users but anyone switching between platforms.

Forced extra costs to replace spare chargers and other accessories.

Not to mention now, they have wireless charging available in the newest iPhones, but only supply an underpowered charging brick.

I don't understand why Apple customers put up with all of it!

[srlawren]

@stonechucker fair enough, not everyone has to love every feature!  Actually I thought of you yesterday.  I was at my optometrist and after they dialated my eyes I literally couldn't read anything on my phone for a few couple of hours.  Took about 5-6 hours to return fully to normal.  It was a frustrating experience to be sure.

As for "hating" iPhones--I wouldn't go that far.  I recognize that it's actually a really good platform and works really well for a lot of people, I'm just not one of them.  That ecosystem and control that we both dislike does bring some advantages too.  Apple's full control from hardware to software to 3rd party apps (only via the app store) has advantages in doing more with less (iPhones make amazing use of less RAM than most Android phones require to do similar or even worse in multi-taskng tests, for example) and security (vs. ability to install potentially malicious apk's on Android from untrusted sources).

[stonechucker]

Oh i know the iMessage and FaceTime are the gold standard, and I wish I could use it on Android.

i hate the iPhone.  I know it’s no different than my iPadAir, other than the ability to make phone calls directly on the cellular network.

I prefer Android for my phone.  I’m not into ecosystems that can’t be broken.  

I don’t use the stickers and other stuff because I’m actally not able to understand most of the extra stuff with my vision.  I prefer simple text, no smilies.

[srlawren]

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@stonechucker wrote:

WOW... as an Android user, I'm certainly glad I don't have to deal with this type of thing.  Amazing how convoluted it seems to be for troubleshooting.

To think I had once wanted Apple to release an Android version of this app and facetime...  

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@stonechucker just to play devil's advocate (and I know that you and most people know I'm definitely not an iPhone fan!), the flip side of this is you get a lot more functionality when iMessage is up and working between iOS users.  Without needing a 3rd party app/service like WhatsApp, FB Messenger, etc, you get typing indicator, read receipt, stickers, etc basically all those modern instant messaging features we Android users sadly need one (or usually in fact several) IM apps to achieve.  

I actually still wish Apple would release iMessage and FT for Android--they would literally become the defacto instant messaging app overnight (okay not literally overnight) if they did so.  It's so hard to get my iPhone friends to use WhatsApp or any others since they have all this stuff built right into iMessage.

[krazykiwi]

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@stonechucker wrote:

WOW... as an Android user, I'm certainly glad I don't have to deal with this type of thing.  Amazing how convoluted it seems to be for troubleshooting.

To think I had once wanted Apple to release an Android version of this app and facetime...  

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I can tell you from years with an iPhone and no data plan that it works fine. It is merely a setting in the phone.

[krazykiwi]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

Thank you, this did work, but, if sender is an iPhone, iMessage must be turned off for sender as well,

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I am glad you have it working. Please let us know what you did to make it work.

You do not need a data plan to make this work nor do you need to be signed out of your Apple ID.

I used an iPhone with out a data plan for years and I can tell you without a doubt it works fine even with iMessage turn on. The only issue is when someone sending me a message had an iPhone but did not have "send as sms" enabled and I did not have wifi. However as soon as I got on wifi again I would receive any messages sent while I wasn't on wifi. There is no reason not for people to have "send as sms" enabled except that you have a very tiny data plan and you don't want to use it on messaging! There was never any problem receiving messages from android.

EDIT: The problem, if you are still having it, enabling iMessage again is that sometimes it takes a while for iMessage to register with the server again. Everytime you log out of your apple ID it disconnects you from the iMessage & facetime servers. You will need to sign out of your apple ID on all your devices, then sign in with your phone. After it is connected sign in with the rest of your devices with the same signin info.

Check out this apple discussion.

[Luddite]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

Thank you, this did work, but, if sender is an iPhone, iMessage must be turned off for sender as well,

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I had that issue too. After making the settings as described reboot your phone. The other iPhone will automatically switch to SMS if Send as SMS has been turn ON. I just successfully tried between my partner's phone and mine.

The correct settings for an iPhone with a data plan are:

Settings >> Messages >> iMessage ON, Send as SMS ON, MMS ON >> Send & Receive should show the Apple ID and the person's phone number with Start New Conversations From the phone number checked.

[gp1953leb]

Thank you, this did work, but, if sender is an iPhone, iMessage must be turned off for sender as well,

[gp1953leb]

Thank you for this, much appreciated, unfortunately I disabled iMessage as part of recommended solutions and now I can’t get enable it to make the changes you mentioned. Your recommendation makes sense to me, sounds like I will need to contact Apple for help. Again, I appreciate everyone’s help. Sound like another solution is to upgrade with a data plan, which I really didn’t want to do. 

[Luddite · Accepted solution]

@gp1953leb I have an iPhone temporarily on a calling/texting no data plan. The only way to achieve full text functionality is to:

a) turn iMessges OFF

b) turn MMS and subject line ON

c) turn cellular data and roaming ON

You cannot use an iPhone properly on a non-data plan with iMessaging. You will still be able to use iMessaging with your computer and Apple id email address.

[smp99]

I think the issue is you are using your AppleID to work with Message app. If your AppleID is enabaled then Apple assumes a data connection. AppleID is the common piece of information between your iPhone, iPad, Mac and that allows you to see your texts on these other devices.

Try not using AppleID. Settings->Message->Send & Receive. Tap your AppleID near top and select Sign Out and test. Make sure only your number is selected as ways to send/receive messages.

[stonechucker]

WOW... as an Android user, I'm certainly glad I don't have to deal with this type of thing.  Amazing how convoluted it seems to be for troubleshooting.

To think I had once wanted Apple to release an Android version of this app and facetime...  

[CalgaryBen]

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@krazykiwi wrote:

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@gp1953leb wrote:

Phone works fine

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Go to settings - messages - send & receive.

Makes sure your phone number is listed and checked.

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Actually, this is a good step that @krazykiwi mentioned -- if you UNCHECK your e-mail address(es) associated with iMessage on the phone, and continue to receive messages from your friend/sender, on your iPad, then this is confirmation that they have an iMessage thread using your e-mail, and not your phone number.

Under the same menu option (Messages -> Send & Receive), you also want "Start New Conversions From" to only have your phone number checked (and not your e-mail address(es)).  Then, start a new SMS message ("thread") from your iPhone (making sure the "Send" button is green) to your receipient, and ensure they reply on that thread going forward.

[CalgaryBen]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

I have tested with another I phone user, disabled iMessage and able to send. Message was not received on my phone that is wi-fi disabled but came through on my iPad.

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Unfortunately, in your situation, it's difficult to completely "resolve" this issue except to add a data add-on to your plan.  If you don't want to, and you're okay with disabling iMessage altogether on your phone, so that the phone number is no longer associated with iMessage, you can do this on Apple's servers by visiting this link: http://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/  ... however, this is only half the equation.

In addition to this, you'd have to ask the sender to check his/her contact details for you -- if he/she has both your phone number and e-mail in the contact entry, ask them to tap the "Message" action, which should then pop up a list including your email, phone number, etc.  Get them to tap your phone number, and message through that.  It will start a new "thread" (hopefully using SMS), and the previous one should not be used.

It all sounds a bit convoluted, so hopefully it makes sense.

[krazykiwi]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

Phone works fine

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Go to settings - messages - text message forwarding.

Makes sure it is not set to your ipad.

Go to settings - messages - send & receive.

Makes sure your phone number is listed and checked.

[gp1953leb]

Phone works fine

[gp1953leb]

I have tested with another I phone user, disabled iMessage and able to send. Message was not received on my phone that is wi-fi disabled but came through on my iPad.

[gp1953leb]

Phone is working fine calling and receiving.

[CalgaryBen]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

I have disabled iMessage but still not receiving and won’t let me send, getting error message saying I must enable iMessage. 

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Is the recipient you are corresponding with on an iPad or other device which has no phone number connected, or is the recipient in your contact list only known by his/her e-mail address and no phone number?  Is this a problem for this recipient only (i.e. are you able to SMS other people?).  It could very well be that this contact is configured to only use iMessage either on your end or theirs...

[krazykiwi]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

I get an error message saying I need to enable iMessage and it won’t send.

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That is for texting. What happens when you try to call someone?

[gp1953leb]

I get an error message saying I need to enable iMessage and it won’t send.

[krazykiwi]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

I have disabled iMessage but still not receiving and won’t let me send, getting error message saying I must enable iMessage. 

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Is calling working in/out?

[gp1953leb]

I have disabled iMessage but still not receiving and won’t let me send, getting error message saying I must enable iMessage. 

[krazykiwi]

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@CalgaryBen wrote:

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@gp1953leb wrote:

I am only receiving text messages when connected to wi-fi. I don’t data plan so my settings might need adjusting. I am on an iPhone. Any suggestions?

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You are receiving iMessages from fellow iOS users (confirmed if you're seeing blue bubbles instead of green bubbles in Messaging when you reply). To prevent those users from using iMessage (which relies on data/WiFi) and to switch them to true SMS, go into Settings --> Messages --> iMessage, and slide the enabler to the left to disable iMessage. It may take some time for your device to de-register from Apple's iMessage servers.

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IMessage off will work but it will apply to all messages. You will still use the app but all messages will be sms and not capable of using wifi or data to send messages. With that being said, depending on which plan you have this may or may not be an issue.

If it just sending messages that only works on wifi than as @sulagok mentioned it is probably the settings. If you are able to send but not receive messages while not on wifi than that is a totally different issue.

[CalgaryBen]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

Setting appear to be correct. Thanks

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Do you mean iMessage is already disabled, yet you're still only receiving messages while connected to WiFi? That would be strange. What happens if you start typing a reply (you do not have to send)... is the circle with the 'up arrow' green, or blue? If it's blue, then iMessage is still enabled.

[gp1953leb]

Setting appear to be correct. Thanks

[CalgaryBen]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

I am only receiving text messages when connected to wi-fi. I don’t data plan so my settings might need adjusting. I am on an iPhone. Any suggestions?

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You are receiving iMessages from fellow iOS users (confirmed if you're seeing blue bubbles instead of green bubbles in Messaging when you reply). To prevent those users from using iMessage (which relies on data/WiFi) when communicating with you, and to switch them to true SMS, go into Settings --> Messages --> iMessage, and slide the enabler to the left to disable iMessage. It may take some time for your device to de-register from Apple's iMessage servers, so messages sent to you may continue to be through iMessage for a while, so there could be some delivery delays.  Also, the sender will need to have the "Send as SMS when iMessage is unavailable" setting enabled (which is by default), and this will require that they are on a device capable of SMS with a plan that supports it.

[ShawnC13]

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@gp1953leb wrote:

I am only receiving text messages when connected to wi-fi. I don’t data plan so my settings might need adjusting. I am on an iPhone. Any suggestions?

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This has been a very common question lately.  With the iPhone it will be sending out through iMessage and that requires data that is why you can only do it while connected to Wifi.  In your settings you should be able to change it to only SMS or MMS I would think.  As I am not an iPhone user I don't know exactly where that setting would be.

[sulagok]

Hi @gp1953leb

You may need to check your setting under messages/ send as sms, make sure its toggled on.

Also check send and receive option too to see that your number is selected under "can be reached at"